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Nathan Haines
An Imperfect Cadence
AN IMPERFECT CADENCE
15:42 | Fiction | Drama | UK | 2025
Writer/Director: Nathan Haines
DOP: Richard Bell
Images © Ines Hachou
JAN, 13, 2026
Set in the ultra-competitive world of elite orchestra, AN IMPERFECT CADENCE follows Yvonne Mears, a talented young harpist, whom upon receiving an invitation to compete for a seat with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, must prepare for an audition that could change her life forever.
Hi Nathan, thank you for taking the time to talk with us ahead of your screening at All Is Joy. With this being the film’s first screening of 2026, will there be nerves or aren’t you phased by that?
There are always nerves, and I don’t think that ever really goes away - nor should it. While the film had an incredible run in 2025, picking up nominations and wins, starting a fresh run in 2026 feels like a new chapter. Screening at a venue like All Is Joy will be fun because it has such a distinct, creative energy. As a producer with 15 years in the industry, I’m used to worrying about the "how" - the logistics and the legal side of things. But as the writer and director, the nerves are different; they’re more about how folks respond to the film. You’re putting your personal vision on a big screen for a new audience to experience. Every time the lights go down, there's that moment of wondering if they will feel the tension we worked so hard to create. You can't ever really be phased by that.
What was it like watching An Imperfect Cadence for the first time with an audience?
It was a mixture of relief and pure adrenaline. I was really lucky with where the film premiered - it was at the Odeon Luxe in Islington as part of the Unrestricted View Film Festival. It’s a brilliant festival and a beautiful cinema with a wonderful speaker system, which is vital for this type of film. When the orchestra first came to life on that system, it was phenomenal. As a producer, I’m used to viewing a film through the lens of the logistics and the legal side of things, but watching it as a director for the first time felt very "exposed." It made all the work we put into the look and feel and that sonic "crunch" of the music feel completely worth it.
You had an incredible festival run with An Imperfect Cadence, picking up several nominations and winning Best Cinematography, Richard C. Bell, at the UK Film Awards.
It’s been a rewarding journey for the whole team I’d say. When you make a film about elite orchestra, you hope the stakes translate, but you never really know until you start watching it with an audience. Seeing Rich win Best Cinematography was a particular delight though - i’m really proud of how the film looks. Richard captured the contrast between the grand scale of locations like Cadogan Hall and the intimate, painful details of Yvonne’s hands, beautifully. For the film to be recognised by the UK Film Awards was a huge testament to the craft and technical ambition we had for the film from day one.
What has it meant to you to see your short film get recognised in this way?
It’s been incredibly rewarding. After 15 years in the industry, stepping behind the camera for your directorial debut brings a certain level of self-imposed pressure. To see the film recognised by critics and festivals is a huge validation of that transition, for sure. What means the most to me, however, is the recognition of the film's authenticity amongst classical music enthusiasts and harpist specifically. We didn't take any shortcuts; we sourced a rare German Hörngacher harp and consulted with the former principal harpist of the Vienna Philharmonic to ensure the world of elite orchestra was portrayed accurately. Seeing not only the industry, but audiences at large respond to those details proves that if you are specific and truthful in your storytelling, it will find its audience.
UK Film Review said: ‘What Haines has managed to achieve with An Imperfect Cadence is truly impressive…’. What does it mean to get this type of response to your work?
It’s incredibly humbling to read a review like that, especially for my directorial debut. As a first-time director, you're always wondering if you've managed to effectively translate the vision in your head onto the screen. To have a publication like UK Film Review describe the scale of what we achieved as "truly impressive" is a massive boost of confidence. Knowing that the effort we put into making a short film feel like a high-end feature was recognised by critics makes the long hours of prep and the logistical hurdles feel completely worth it.
What does it mean to get this type of response to your work?
It’s a reminder that audiences and critics really do appreciate the craft that goes into the "look and feel" of a film. When you're in the middle of production, obsessing over the sound of a harp string or the lighting in a rehearsal room, you hope it matters. This response tells me that those details do matter - they build the world that the audience eventually disappears into.
How much has your background as a producer helped guide your approach to directing An Imperfect Cadence?
My producing background was my "logistical safety net." However, I know exactly how consuming the role of the producer is, so I made sure to have amazing producers around me, Tom Lonergan and Sara Wilkins, to allow me to focus entirely on the directing. Having them there meant I could stay in the creative headspace and protect the emotional space for my actors. It cleared the path so I could focus on performances without the usual "first-time director" panic about whether we were going to make our day.
An Imperfect Cadence is your directorial debut, as writer/director, what has this whole process been like for you?
It’s been transformative. After 15 years supporting other visions, stepping into this role allowed me to speak in my own voice. I actually found it a much more intimate way of working versus producing. It’s more vulnerable, but seeing a script inspired by the intersection of ambition and physical struggle brought to life has been the most rewarding experience of my professional career thus far.
Any bad habits you’ll break before you take the helm of your debut feature?
The producer in me still tries to fix everything at once! I’ve learned that once the logistics and legalities are handled by a great team, the best thing a director can do is get out of the way. Regarding my debut feature, I still have a couple of shorts I want to get out of my system first before I take that next big leap.
Of all the trials and tribulations of making a short film, in your case as writer, director, and producer, what would you say has been the most important lesson you’ve taken from making this film?
I feel like taking your time is the most important thing and not rushing anything. Get the prep right and keep the production as contained as possible. Casting the right actors makes all the difference, too - the right actors will inhabit the characters and bring them to life in ways you can’t always preconceived. If you don't compromise on the details that make your world feel real, the story takes care of itself.
Can you tell me a little bit about how An Imperfect Cadence came about? What was the inspiration behind your screenplay?
The inspiration was personal. I’ve always had a connection to music, but the specific spark for the script came from a childhood friend who suffered from a debilitating hand condition that flared up in the cold. I wanted to place that physical vulnerability into the highest-stakes environment I could imagine—the world of an elite orchestra—to explore how far ambition can push a person and the psychological toll of a body that begins to fail just as a life-changing opportunity arrives.
How did you go about casting the roles of Yvonne Mears and Maria Mears?
I got to know Louisa Connolly-Burnham through working together on her BAFTA longlisted film Sister Wives. One evening at an industry event, I was telling her about the role and she kind of volunteered herself. The following day I decided she would be perfect and essentially offered her the role. For Jennifer, I worked with our phenomenal casting director Jemima McWilliams—she’s cast a number of our things at Iron Box Films. They both brought an incredible, lived-in energy to that mother-daughter dynamic.
You have an amazing cast made up of award-winning filmmaker and actress Louisa Connolly-Burnham, and award-winning actor Jennifer K Preston.
They were truly a dream to work with. Louisa has an incredible ability to show a mix of vulnerability and fierce ambition, which was exactly what Yvonne needed. Jennifer brought a complex, "faded career" energy to Maria that made the mother-daughter dynamic feel both loving and dangerous. Of course, it feels very rich of me to say that about her "faded career" given that, in reality, Jennifer's career is anything but faded!
What was it like getting to direct actors for the first time?
Working with the actors was one of my favourite bits of the whole production. I try to approach the production from the perspective of how the characters are approaching, feeling, or bringing to the scene at the specific point in time that the story is being told. I think it’s one of the things that makes the performances feel alive.
Being writer/director/producer, did that offer you some extra flexibility in regards to your screenplay? Were you able to be flexible with your text or did you prefer to stick to what you wrote?
It definitely gave me the freedom to adapt. If a line didn't feel natural in a specific room at Cadogan Hall, I could change it instantly. However, because the film's rhythm is so tied to the music, the core "beats" of the script remained very consistent from the first page.
"I spent a long time learning the craft through producing and commercial work, but now I’m in a place which I’m happier with, focusing on narrative stories that keep their emotional resonance."
What was the biggest challenge you faced bringing An Imperfect Cadence to the big screen?
The biggest challenge was always around the harp playing—this had to feel real or the story would fall apart. The production was really a combination of a drama and a music video. A lot of the music elements had to be pre-recorded, and the doubles would play along wearing an in-ear headphone so they could play to the timing. This meant getting the performances recorded in advance, and I have to give a massive shout-out to the film’s composer, Federico Ferrandina, for assisting with this. Finding doubles was interesting, too, because their arms had to match the actors' exactly—which is why Yvonne has a sleeve tattoo: to sell that blend seamlessly.
Have you always had a passion for filmmaking? What made now the time for you to step behind the camera to direct your debut short?
I always wanted to direct, but life pulled me in other directions for a bit—especially when it came to making ads. I spent a long time learning the craft through producing and commercial work, but now I’m in a place which I’m happier with, focusing on narrative stories that keep their emotional resonance.
When you wrote An Imperfect Cadence, was it always your intention to direct it?
I know it’s dull, but I always intended to direct it. There was no revelation halfway through the writing where I thought, "I should direct this." The "look and feel" of the film was tied to the script from the very first page.
Now that you’ve got your debut short in the can, what advice would you offer anyone about to start shooting their own debut short?
Trust yourself and prep hard. Enough things will go wrong on the day, so you can’t under-prepare. Surround yourself with a crew that is better than you and then trust them to do what they do best.
And finally, what message do you hope your audiences will take away from An Imperfect Cadence?
I hope they reflect on the cost of ambition and the complexity of maternal support. I want them to walk away wondering where the line is between helping someone you love and using them to fulfil your own lost dreams.