18th british shorts, berlin
kate jessop
it's not my job

FESTIVAL SCREENING
Wed 29.1. 20:00 / City Kino Wedding
JAN, 28, 2025
For a simple form, Dani has to pass the corridor of forgotten dreams
Hi Kate, how does it feel to be back at the18th British Shorts, Berlin, with your latest short It’s Not My Job?
It feels great - I love this festival have been in many times now, am looking forward to heading over again!
It’s Not My Job comes from your stunning Pussy Willow series, did you imagine that this series would have the type of impact it’s had?
No I initially set it up as a bit of a laugh as I wasn’t seeing my experiences of the world depicted on screen so decided to create that. Each episode was done in about a week I just churned them out although I do cringe when I watch some of the early ones now at how bad the production is although I still think the writing is still relevant. I never expected it to be selected for the Berlinale development lab or to win so many awards. What was nice was when Parents Chat first came out (about coming out to parents) it got a lot of really positive and emotive responses from people who could identify with it from their own experiences of having that conversation with their parents. Even though some of the dialogue in that sketch is quite cutting and humorous, there is a serious undertone to the humour which is examining micro-aggressions in society. It’s one of those episodes where it’s a real meeting point between the intersection of sexuality, race and class. It has some sharp lines in that I’ve heard people physically gasp at when sat with an audience. But it’s important for people to address some of the viewpoints that are represented in the characters. I’ve been told a lot of the episodes are quite close to the bone. I guess I have an underlying motivation to hold a mirror up to society.
BAFTA qualifying festival London Short Film Festival has described it as “A tonic for the soul”, describing Smile which won at their festival as “A powerful, witty and relevant statement on what it means to be a woman today.”
Can you tell me how It’s Not My Job came about? What was the inspiration behind this new episode? What was the message you wanted to convey with It’s Not My Job?
We follow the protagonist as they are trying to get a form processed, but at every turn they have to overcome a new obstacle such as ride on a white unicorn or travel to the centre of the earth. In general it’s about navigating the ridiculousness of bureaucracy. I wrote this one during my time a few years ago about navigating the world as a sick person in recovery, and how at that time simple tasks seemed really hard to achieve just such as trying to get a repeat prescription from my GP. It could also be read perhaps as how the world is for disabled or neurodivergent people, this was just my particular experience but I am mindful of the death of the author. I work with the same exaggerated absurdity as before to paint the picture of this perspective and experience. There is a video explaining the premise of the episode here.
"Sometimes the actors have a completed different vision of how to convey the character which just really works."
How essential is the creative collaboration between you your team when working on a short animation like It’s Not My Job?
I love to collaborate with the actors in terms of delivery of the different characters, I usually send over the scripts and then give them ownership of how they want to deliver them. When Anna (Maguire) come out with the Irish accent for the last clerk character it was amazing and fitted perfectly. Similarly the different accents Mikey (O’Connor) did in Smile which each cat calling builder was just genius. Sometimes the actors have a completed different vision of how to convey the character which just really works. In terms of the filmmaking process we do a day in the green screen studio shooting the actors and then the animation and compositing comes afterwards, there’s a video outlining the process here
Where did your passion for animation come from?
I love moving image I think it’s the ultimate art-form. It combines design, rhythm and (potentially) narrative. My background is in art and music and this is the ultimate marrying of the two mediums. Channel 4’s late night Fourmations series was an early influence.
Moving forward, what’s next for the Pussy Willow series?
At the moment I’m working on adapting the scripts to 20 minute episodes, which is what I was working on in the Berlinale Talent Lab. It will still be sketch comedy but collated in a more Smack the Pony format. I’m writing more sketches, developing more characters. In addition to the Time Travelling Mansplainer, there is the woman who can never find the end of the queue and more of the Secret Lives of Lesbians Cats. There will be lots of belly laughs, and then some thoughtful contemplation. Ultimately it would be great to pitch it to broadcast, the treatment and world bible is ready to be sent out if there are any adult animation producers reading that would like to work on developing this with me!
What are some of the themes and subjects are you looking to explore?
I’m an observer and reporter of the world around me and I’d say all my work broadly is about the human experience realised by an experimental process.
The world building and characters in Pussy Willow are based on real experiences that I’ve had, at times pushed to an absurdist extent. About half of it I’m relaying observations of the world and maybe making protagonists out of people who don’t usually get voices. I often show a queer and female perspective of the world.

Who are some of the filmmakers that have inspired you?
Michel Gondry originally was the filmmaker that inspired me to become a filmmaker, his 90’s music videos were so innovative and experimental. In regards to influences humour wise I was always influenced by Smack the Pony and The Fast Show (Caroline Ahern was amazing in general) because I think that was the first time I’d seen the world portrayed through a female lens. Pussy Willow is very much the world through a female lens. I also love the Mighty Boosh for the absurdist world that it creates. I’m also a big fan of Portlandia as both cultural commentary and absurdity. I love the fact that it’s the same two actors that play all the characters. This is similar to Pussy Willow apart from I create different hairdo’s and outfits to fit on all the different characters. I like the fact that I’m working with lots of the same people each time, a bit like Wes Anderson always has the same cast but they play different roles in each of his different films.
Is there any advice you wish you had been given when you started your filmmaking journey?
This isn’t advice as such but I heard a quote from a speaker on a women in film panel once which was if it doesn’t rip out your heart it’s not moving things forward. I had to remind myself of that when I made Tales From Pussy Willow. The comedy is so close to the bone I could barely watch it afterwards I felt so exposed. Hearing that helped me realise that it’s ok to expose yourself as that’s what leads to originality and what keeps pushing the art-form forward. My advice in general to anyone reading this starting out now would be turn up, join in, be reliable, be good to people.
And finally, what message would you want your audiences to take away from It’s Not My Job?
Bureaucracy is absurd.