What I Did For You (2025) by uswfilm

SYNOPSIS

Sophie Gray (17) wants nothing more than to feel safe, secure and equal to others after years of abuse and trauma from her alcoholic father, Richard. Her wish is granted when sister soulmate and anchor in life, Molly Adams (17), takes her in as family - harnessing a fresh start for Sophie.

After living with Molly and her family for several months, Sophie's new life begins to echo her past. Molly's mother, Sarah, subtly treats Sophie with the same disrespect and inequality as Richard gave her. Additionally, Molly is heading off to university, leaving Sophie more isolated than ever. Her traumatic emotions of neglect, isolation and abuse are flooding back.

With all these events happening beyond her control, Sophie stops at nothing in retaliation. Sophie prevents Molly leaving for university by secretly spiking her drink. When Molly dies from this impulsive act, Sophie unintentionally secures more than she bargained for. Distraught by recent events, Sarah takes Molly in to fill the void of her now deceased daughter.

DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT

“Exploring social issues through a personal lens has always been interesting to me. ‘What I Did For You’ was something I knew we couldn’t take lightly so when preparing for this film we decided to honour it as an homage to British social realism television plays. This took off some of the pressure, making sure it could feel honest but not in poor taste.

What made this film extra special however was our amazing actors. I knew going into this film that they were going to be the most important role in the making of it, as they were the catalysts for the emotional journey we want the viewers to go through and they made it so easy to get to that core of the movie.

It can not be understated how hard they worked on the film themselves, and how much of a joy it was to see them working off each others’ energies; it was an honour to see them work.

This film takes on an incredibly serious topic and we watch as two girls from starkly different backgrounds are faced with the realities of their upbringings. What makes this film so special to me is how we see these character's flaws with a blanket of sympathy. I think it's so important that no one feels truly like a villain at the end of the film but as flawed individuals who are possessed by their own ideologies.

Sophie comes from hardship, losing her mother at a young age and being left with her abusive father in a grief stricken home. Molly, her best friend, convinces her to move in with her and try to have a better life. However, Sophie having a better understanding of their class differences becomes uneasy as the prejudices of Molly's parents begin to show and sees herself isolated once again as Molly announces her acceptance into university.”

~ Halle Hagan

CREW BIOS

Producer

ELISE THOMAS

Elise studied creative media in Gower College and has always had a love and passion for the art of filmmaking.

Throughout her time at USW, she has worked across sound recording and directing, but has especially focused on producing. In her first year she produced a short film that was selected for the LezDiff film festival which really affirmed her love for making work that feels personal and representative.

She was drawn to this project due to its complex female characters and was excited to be a part of bringing them to life on screen.

CREW BIOS

Director

HALLE HAGAN

Halle has directed her past four films on the USW film course including her final graduate film, ‘What I Did For You’. Her love of films focused on character and working with actors in emotional roles led her to this project.

She has also worked in multiple different roles throughout her degree but has always come back to directing as her most enjoyed specialism. She hopes to pursue a masters in Fine Art in the future to better understand the history of art and the creative process as a whole.

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CREW BIOS

Writer & Editor

JACK HYETT

Jack has been specialising in editing since his time at USW, Cardiff. He has used both Avid Media Composer and DaVinci Resolve to create scripted and unscripted films, as well as commercial content.

Whilst at University, Jack has been involved in a number of projects including editing a short promotional film for Maggie’s cancer charity, and providing a highlights video of the ‘It’s My Shout’ Awards Evening 2024. He has also been involved during production of ‘It’s My Shout’ short drama films and BBC’s ‘Antiques Roadshow’.

Jack wrote and edited his graduation film ‘What I Did for You’, a process which saw his original idea of the ‘portrayal of betrayal’, from script to screen, with help from university peers.

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CREW BIOS

DAN THOMAS

Throughout his film education, Dan has worked as a camera operator and gaffer on projects including Tempo, Blaidd Drwg, and Space Monkey. He brings a strong attention to detail, focusing on crafting distinct visual aesthetics that align with the motivation and emotion of each scene.

As a cinematographer, what initially drew Dan to this script was how grounded and authentic the narrative felt. The characters and emotions were portrayed with such raw honesty, and he saw an opportunity to enhance that tone through thoughtful composition and purposeful lighting.

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Cinematographer

CREW BIOS

Sound Supervisor

BILLY CAMPBELL

Billy is a sound supervisor and location recordist with a passion for capturing authentic, character-driven audio. He has worked on a range of short films and collaborative projects since studying at USW, refining an approach that values clarity and emotional depth in sound.

For this film, Billy managed all aspects of on-set audio while also overseeing dialogue cleanup, ambient layering and the final mix in post. His close attention to detail and mic placement allowed the actor’s performance to shine. With the film’s grounded tone their immersive approach helped support the film’s raw emotional core.

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CAST BIOS

Sophie Gray

HOLLY NEAL

Holly is a passionate and versatile actress with a strong presence on screen. With experience in both dramatic and comedic roles, she brings depth, authenticity and emotional range to every performance.

As the lead in this film, Holly takes on a complex and challenging role, showcasing her ability to portray layered, morally ambiguous characters. She is committed to her craft and continues to grow through each new project she takes on.

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CAST BIOS

Molly Adams

SYDNEY DUDDEN

Sydney is a dedicated actress with a strong background in theatre. She brought a calm confidence and thoughtful approach to her first screen role, transitioning from stage to screen with ease.

Sydney plays Sophie’s best friend Molly, whose story becomes central to the film’s emotional core. She captured the character’s charm, naivety and growing unease with a quiet authenticity that added depth to the dynamic between the leads.

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CAST BIOS

Sarah Adams

HAYLEY DAVIES-JONES

Hayley is an experienced actress who brought exceptional emotional depth and authenticity to her role of Sarah. Her performance was powerful and nuanced, showcasing a remarkable range of emotions that added realism to the film.

Whether delivering quiet, restrained moments or intense, emotionally charged scenes, Hayley demonstrated complete command of her craft. Her professionalism, instinctive understanding of character, and ability to elevate every scene she was in made her an invaluable part of the production.

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CAST BIOS

Daniel Adams

ETHAN HAYES

Ethan is a professional actor from East London who trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. He has spent five years in the industry with featured roles in ‘The Essex Serpent’ and ‘Napoleon’.

Ethan plays a paternal role in this film, drawing on personal experience and observation to portray themes of grief and parental responsibility with honesty and care.

He found the varied locations helped inspire instinctive choices, and the time-jumping narrative kept him grounded in each moment. He describes the shoot as a professional, collaborative and deeply rewarding experience.

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F I L M S T I L L S G A L L E R Y

A number of film stills taken throughout production by Jack Hyett, capturing a range of key scenes in the film. These images offer a visual insight into the atmosphere, aesthetic and creative processoftheproject.