Fresh from announcing the finalists for this year's Homespun Yarns - the short film competition organised by Stitch Editing and its music video and short film division Homespun - a stellar line-up of mentors has now been unveiled, whose role will be to guide the finalists through the making of their films in this year's competition.

Following the tradition of previous editions of Homespun Yarns, where each finalist is paired with an established director or producer to advise on every aspect of filmmaking, from script development to post-production, this year's mentors are director and creative director Keith McCarthy, producer Marta Bobic, director Meji Alabi and director Ninian Doff. 

Keith McCarthy, with a background as Creative and Director at Channel 4’s award winning agency, 4Creative, is renowned for combining stunning cinematography with a wry sense of humour. His work for C4’s ‘The Grand National’ struck a chord globally, and recent collaborations include VW, Coca Cola, Nike and Adidas. With wins and nominations at BAFTA, D&AD, British Arrows, Cannes Lions and Creative Circle, Keith will be offering his wisdom to Emma Parkinson on her film Dishes, Dishes, Dishes.

Marta Bobic is managing director at CANADA London, spending most of the past decade exploring different sides of the production and agency landscape. Before her current role, Marta learned to appreciate the art of filmmaking at both Wieden+Kennedy London and Blink. She joined the CANADA family in 2015, helping to bring their growing roster of directors to British shores. Marta will be working with Naomi George on her film Fly.

Meji Alabi is a London-based director and photographer who bridges the gap between African and Western markets. From music videos and photography to advertising campaigns, he is also a co-founder of Lagos-based creative production company JM Films and signed in the UK to Ridley Scott's RSA Films. Recent work includes working on 2020’s Black Is King project for Beyoncé and Burna Boy ft. Chris Martin's Monster You Made, as well as campaigns for Guinness, Oreo, KFC, and more. He is working alongside Carys Thomas and Thorbjørn Kragh on their short film It’s Not You, It's Me.

Ninian Doff is an award-winning director whose body of work spans music videos, commercials and now, feature film. Having worked with some of the biggest names in the business, Ninian is celebrated for his cinematic approach, intertwining comedy with the surreal. Having won Best Director at the UKMVAs and numerous other MVA awards, he has also created a string of blockbuster commercials for brands such as O2, Cadbury’s and Mars Temptations. Ninian’s debut feature film Get Duked earned the SXSW Jury Prize, and he will be lending his experience to Ash Hamilton and Bex Conyngham-Hynes on their film Dinner at The Smyths.

"We are so excited to reveal our amazing Yarns mentors for this year," says Homespun co-owner Leo King. "Each of them is an industry powerhouse, boasting BAFTA, Cannes Lions, D&aAD and British Arrows wins to name a few. We know it’s going to be an amazing experience for our finalists to work alongside them, and we’re sure it will be for our mentors too!”

As well as the support from their mentors, Yarns sees aspiring directors partner with some of the industry’s foremost talent to create their film. The finalists will benefit from a whole host of experts, including sponsors Kodak and Slingshot Intergalactic, as well as post-production partners Rascal, Freefolk, nineteentwenty and TAG Collective Arts.

Homespun co-owner Tim Hardy states “We’re delighted that our finalists will not only be working with our amazing mentors, but will also be collaborating with some of the best companies in the business. Our partners use their own junior talent to work alongside the finalists, meaning Yarns can give a platform to untapped potential across the industry.”

• More on Homespun Yarns here