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Jason Stone

Homespun Yarns returns with Nostalgia brief.

6 May 2026

Thee are less than two weeks to go to get your entries in for this year's Homespun Yarns competition. It's a typically generous one-word brief and it will immediately spur ideas so get your rose-tinted glasses on and start thinking about... nostalgia!

It's that time of year again. The deadline for this year's Homespun Yarns is looming so if you want to join the ranks of those who started their directing careers by participating in this wonderful completion... you better get your skates on. The generous one-word theme this year is 'nostalgia' and if that doesn't get the synapses snapping, what will? You have until 11:59pm on 21 May to complete and submit your entry.

What is Homespun Yarns? Have you been hiding under a rock for the last ten years? Alongside Straight 8, Homespun Yarns is the purest filmmaking competition devised by our industry, and it has a habit of shining lights under bushels to find very talented directors.
Oooo... I identify as 'a very talented director'! So many people do, and this is their chance - indeed, your chance - to prove it.
How? Think about the word 'nostalgia' and then come up with an idea. Turn that idea into a one page treatment and a five minute script and submit it by close of play on 21 May.
Nostalgia? Is that a nerve condition? Jokes ain't what they used to be!
Who can enter? Unsigned directors are eligible, provided they don't have an established career as a freelancer.
What happens once I've submitted my entry? The cracking team at Homespun Yarns will sift through the entries and whittle it down to three. Those three will be given a budget of £2,000 each plus full support from the array of sponsors.
Full support? According to Naomi Pallas - one of last year's excellent winners - this was a highlight: "The best thing about Yarns was the support from beginning to end. Everyone at Yarns and all the partners were so enthusiastic and generous with their time."
What happens once I've completed my masterpiece? Each of the three winning films will be shown on a big screen in front of a packed house in Central London some time in November.

It seems very lovely of Stitch Editing and Homespun to organise all this generosity.  It is. And they do it because they love it. Here's what co-founder Leo King says: "Yarns has always been about giving new voices space to explore big ideas. Nostalgia is a simple idea on the surface, but it can go in so many directions. We’re excited to see what filmmakers do with it."
You mean, I'll have my name up in lights? That's exactly what I mean.
Is there a link or something? Of course there is. All the info you could want is here.
So, are you going to do it? Shhh... I'm thinking.
Posted: 6 May 2026 - 08:53
Stitch

Stitch

One of the friendliest editing companies in the whole of London, Stitch was co-founded in 2010 and now has a second office in Los Angeles. In 2014, Stitch created Homespun - a sister company dedicated to providing editing services to non-TVC clients. To draw attention to this proposition, they created Homespun Yarns - a short film competition which swiftly gained an amazing reputation for finding and developing new directing talent.
No.8

No.8

No.8 is a post company in the middle of Soho with the capacity to handle any kind of work, including long form. No.8 has established itself as a force to be reckoned with in a very short space of time, with the recent acquisition of JAMVFX further underlining their determination to create a one-stop shop that can cover every single base.
1920

1920

As much as we like to think Chrys Aldred, Scott Griffin, and Ludo Fealy are time travellers, 1920 was founded in 2013, not 1920. God knows what people back then would have made of 2D and 3D VFX, animation, and colour grades. We do know that modern-day brands, agencies, and production companies are delighted to have 1920 by their side. Chuck in a film and episodic department and you have a right proper post house on your hands.
Freefolk

Freefolk

An acclaimed post production company, Freefolk set up shop in 2003 as Finish; changing its name in 2016 when it branched out and opened a second office... this time in New York. Regardless of its moniker, the level of service provided has been first class from the start. The artistry, input and continuity on any given project mean clients have come to trust and rely on the Freefolk team - and of course, that's what any company ultimately wants.
Park Pictures

Park Pictures

Park Pictures are bi-coastal in the USA, as well as running a thriving London operation under the guidance of managing director Stephen Brierley. Their roster of talented US directors is augmented by an array of local talent from the UK making theirs a compelling offer to London agencies.
CANADA

CANADA

Don't let the name fool you: CANADA is in fact a production company with bases in London and Barcelona. Its main areas of focus are TVCs and music videos, and the brands and bands its roster of directors has worked with are pretty stellar. Vogue, Beck, Tame Impala... CANADA has a particular aura of cool that attracts A-listers effortlessly, but it's hardly surprising given the calibre of the work.