Meet the Beacons Makers: Hannah Daniel & Georgia Lee

Ahead of the film’s premiere, we chatted to the writer-director duo about their creative relationship, bilingual filmmaking and playing triplets.

Hi Hannah and Georgia, can you tell us a little bit about yourselves?
We’re a writer/director team who met studying English literature in 2006. It was love at first sight and we spent the next five years living in each other’s pockets complete with matching haircuts. We started working together on TV comedy scripts in 2016 and have since written, directed and produced short films.

You work together as a writer and director team quite a lot; what are the advantages of this kind of collaboration?
Georgia: I love collaboration and Hannah is the best teammate at every turn. Taking an idea from the first word on a page to a finished film has been a thrill and a steep learning curve. Collaborating on the writing and directing for Burial was crucial. It meant we both had a total knowledge of every detail of the film. And that we could divide and rule when under time pressure. Having a trusted collaborator like Hannah is the ballgame!

Hannah: Absolutely! Burial was especially unique in terms of collaboration - it was an ambitious project within the time and budget, so to share a deep understanding with Georgia on all aspects of its execution was invaluable. We even shared a bed at our digs in Port Talbot during shooting, so it’s lucky we get on!

Hannah, you also star as the triplets in the film; what were the challenges of taking on so many roles behind and in front of the camera?
Again, it was all about the collaboration. Without my trusted wingman it could have been a very different experience. But having worked so closely with Georgia in prepping for the shoot (and rehearsing), we knew exactly what we needed, and I knew I could focus on performance on the day. We’ve developed a pretty handy shorthand between us over the years, which serves us well under pressure. We were also incredibly lucky with Pamela and Emily, our fight doubles. They’re such talented and generous performers which helped so much in playing the interaction between the sisters. We were also very lucky to have the cream of Welsh acting talent on board to bounce off too! I had all my trust in the crew, having worked with the majority of them in the past I knew we were in safe hands. Without all of this, having so much to do could have been overwhelming, but instead it was one of the most thrilling working experiences I’ve ever had.

Georgia, why did you decide to make the film in English and Welsh?
We were really interested in ceremony around death and funerals and how dramatic it can be when our ceremonies are interrupted. We wanted to explore how the Welsh language is used for status and formality but also for urgent secrets and asides. It was also interesting in terms of characterising our three triplet protagonists. When they decide to speak English and when they decide to speak Welsh can say a lot about a character.

What kind of support did Ffilm Cymru & BFI NETWORK give you?
Ffilm Cymru and the BFI NETWORK have given us brilliant support throughout the process of writing, shooting and finishing Burial. Financial support was obviously crucial, but beyond that they have been really good at giving notes at the right time and letting us get on with it when we needed to. Delivering our film for broadcast has been enabled by hands-on support from a responsive team at Ffilm Cymru. We’re excited about potential future projects.

What have you been watching during lockdown?
Georgia: Like everyone else in the country I am in awe of the amazing Michaela Coel and I May Destroy You. Michael Jordan and The Last Dance has inspired a new passion for NBA classic reruns and 90s suits. I just rewatched Peter Bogdanovich’s Paper Moon, which I think may be one of the greatest movies ever made... made me want to direct a film as good as that!  

Hannah: Yes to all Michaela Coel / I May Destroy You praise. Loved it, and her. I also found myself comfort feeding on past favourite comedies during lockdown. Will Sharpe’s Flowers was just as striking the second time around. I bought a projector and have been enjoying films on my bedroom wall in the absence of the cinema. The Last Picture Show (another Peter Bogdanovich as it happens) is a new favourite of mine.

What are you working on now?
Georgia: We’re working on a range of TV and film projects. Some in development and some brand new. But mainly I’m excited about starting work on a feature for Hannah and I to make together.
Hannah: Amen to this!