Homespun has announced the four finalists for their third annual film competition for new and up-and-coming filmmaking talent, Homespun Yarns. Lee Thomas, Thomas Ralph, Thomas James and Jonathan Augustavo are the finalists vying for this year's prize - which includes tickets to this year's UK Music Video Awards in October.

The theme for Homespun Yarns 2016, devised in collaboration with Wave Music, is The Track, with entrants asked to submit a script or treatment for a film or music video of five minutes or less using the track Darkest Hour by the artist Lyves in any way they want. The four finalists will now make their films, ahead of the Homespun Yarns event, to be held for the first time at Fabric in London on October 13th.    

“We have been overwhelmed by the standard this year as well as the number of entries," says Alice Clarke, producer at Homespun, the music video and content division of top London edit house Stitch Editing. As a result, the team of judges - all in-house staff at Homespun – chose four finalists rather than the three finalists in previous years.  

Lee Thomas is a former assistant editor on commercials and films, and writer of award-winning shorts and has also sold several feature film screenplays. Homespun Yarns 2016 marks his first foray into directing, and he is creating a music video for the track, about emotional abuse within a relationship 

Thomas Ralph is a creative researcher at Caviar and started directing his own work for bands/clients such as Rayban, Forest Swords, Vessels and Scottish producer Turtle. His film will document post-Brexit Britain from the perspective of the youth generation.

Thomas James is a director, writer and illustrator who has worked with musicians, clients and cultural platforms, including Sony, Twin Magazine, The Fat White Family, & The Vinyl Factory. He recently signed to Black Dog Films and his recent projects are videos for Oh Wonder and HoneyBlood. His short film will be about the estranged desire of a father chasing happiness in his darkest hour. 

Writer-director Jonathan Augustavo is represented by Skunk UK and has worked on many commercial projects. His short film promises to be a delicate love story with a difference.

Tim Hardy, senior editor at Stitch and Homespun, adds: “It’s been brilliant to work with Lyves and Wave Music this year, with the event taking place at Fabric and the added bonus of tickets to the UKMVAs for the winner, I’m looking forward to four pretty special films.”