John Lee Taggart

We’d like to think that “My Dad Shagged a Flag” is more than just an amusing click-baity title, or yet another monologue, and rather instead it is a creative reflection on the division of the charged times we live in and the impact this has on both familial relationships and friendships.

It’s a study on tribal politics and social isolation in the UK and beyond…a deeply depressing subject yes…but one which has been cut with a surreal blend of daft-drama that possesses an unforgivingly Northern flavour!

Written & Performed by John Lee Taggart | Directed & Edited by Richard W. Scott | Cinematography by Robert McDougal | 1AD & Script Supervisor: Paul Stainthorpe | Script Supervisor: Eleanor Grainger | Sound Recordist: Liv Graham | Costume Designer: Zoe Alexandria Paton | MUA: Chantelle Taggart | Sound Design by Richard W. Scott | Production Assistant: Jordan Reeves | BTS by Ben Crollman | Produced by Apprentice Films

A concept short for the feature film, “A Rare Life” (which is still seeking financial funding), Hadid and I is a dramedy which follows recently bereaved Rich Marwood, as he contends with the struggles of life without his beloved wife.

“…from early on, John involved me in the development process. He asked for my input to ensure the depiction of patient experience was authentic and respectful, and he also invited me to join the production team as an assistant — alongside other members of the rare disease community. The aim was ambitious: to break out of our usual advocacy channels and reach a broader audience, using a blend of comedy and drama to foster empathy, connection, and awareness. The result was incredibly rewarding. Hadid and I premiered at the Sunderland Shorts Film Festival—a BIFA-qualifying event—where it received strong coverage, including a feature on BBC News. Even more exciting was the Audience Choice Award it won at the festival. This recognition means so much because it confirms that a story rooted in the rare disease world can resonate beyond it—and even compete among mainstream productions…”

Maria Garrido Gutiérrez, NPC Advocate & INPDA Communications Consultant [quoted from article in Rare Revolution Magazine]

– Won Audience Choice Award at BIFA qualifying Sunderland Shorts Film Festival 2025
– Won in Road to Home category for LAMPA Film Festival 2025
– Nominee in Parmo D’or for Best North East Film at the Tees Valley International Film Festival 2025

*This film was independently produced and only made possible through crowd and self-funding. Whilst it supports both the UK LSD Collaborative and the Niemann-Pick community, it was created with no creative or financial input from any organisation. Huge thanks to all of our GoFundMe supporters, who helped make this concept short happen!

Written & Directed by John Lee Taggart | Cinematography by Craig Crouchman | 1AD & Script Supervisor: Paul Stainthorpe | “Rich”: Jacob Anderton | “Hadid”: Hamzeh Al Hussien | “Gran”: Melanie Hill (OC/VO) | “Charlene”: Becky Lindsay | “Counsellor”: John Lee Taggart | “Sarah”: Chantelle Taggart| Sound Mixer: Richard W. Scott | Score: Anil Tümkaya | Produced by Apprentice Films

Bridging the gap between the daft and the depressing, “Grown Ups” features loosely fictionalised versions of both John Lee Taggart and Jonny Coyne in their roles as best friends and intermittent worst enemies, “John” and “Jonny”.

Whether this makes you laugh or cry probably says a lot about you…but what specifically that is…well, we have no idea….

Directed, shot, and edited by Robert Carr (@neheadshots) | Written by John Lee Taggart | “John”: John Lee Taggart | “Jonny”: Jonny Coyne | Produced by RGR Film Productions X Apprentice Films

“Grim Up North” is a narrative poem/monologue which explores the negative stereotypes surrounding the North East of England, and the North more broadly.

Only made possible thanks to the lovely NE based filmmakers below, thank you for both your belief in the project but also enduring the 6am call-time in freezing cold Northern temperatures!

Performed & Directed by John Lee Taggart | Written by John Lee Taggart & Chantelle Taggart | Cinematography by Craig Crouchman | 1st AD & Clapper Loader: Paul Stainthorpe | 1st AC/Focus Puller: Chris Gibson | Gaffer: Amaan Rashid | Best Boy: Jake M. L. Carpenter | Sound Recordist: Max Ferguson | Sound Mixer: Anil Tümkaya | “Southern Banker”: Jordan Reeves | BTS Photography: Jonny Coyne | Special thanks to Stuart Hunter, Rob McDougal, & Focus Canning

The North Beasts follows Jeff (Jordan Reeves), a man struggling to come to terms with his 30s, who has his bubble well and truly popped by the blundering Graham (Steven Charles Stobbs) and Kenny (Jonny Coyne), an incompetent criminal duo who break into his home, utterly convinced he is a man named Brian Telford.

As Jeff navigates their threats and attempts to prove his true identity, the trio’s interactions veer between darkly tense, stupidly absurd, and unexpectedly touching…

– Winner of Best Comedy at Tees Valley International Film Festival 2024
– Honorable Mention at Brighton Rocks International Film Festival 2025
– Semi Finalist at Lit Laughs International Comedy Film Festival 2025
– Longlisted for Royal Television Society North East & Borders 2025
– Official Selection: Funny Under Fifteen Minutes 2025
– Official Selection: APEX Film Awards 2024
– Official Selection: RS Film Fest 2024

Written & Directed by John Lee Taggart | Cinematography by Craig Crouchman | 1AD & Script Supervisor: Paul Stainthorpe | “Jeff”: Jordan Reeves | “Graham”: Steven Charles Stobbs | “Kenny”: Jonny Coyne | “Young Lady”: Chantelle Taggart | “Alpha Podcaster” (VO): John Lee Taggart | Sound Mixer: Richard W. Scott | Boom Operator: Rachel Bex | Gaffer: Stuart Hunter | 1AC: Chris Gibson | 2AC: Lewie Keddy | BTS Photography by Gerard Taggart | Score: Anil Tümkaya | Produced by Apprentice Films

A Rare Find is a comedy short film with a difference…as it hopes to raise awareness and start conversation surrounding newborn screening, the blood spot/heel prick test*, and the desperate need for positive progress within the current UK newborn screening programme (which at present, screens for only 9 conditions, for context the USA screen for up to 59!) Life with a newborn is hard enough, as our struggling young parents (Jack Robertson & Chantelle Taggart) find, but the challenges of a long “diagnostic odyssey” can make this even harder. Early screening can be a huge positive step to find out if a rare condition is present, as early intervention and therapy is absolutely key.

The blood spot/heel prick test currently checks for 9 rare conditions in the UK and is ordinarily taken in the first five days of a new-born’s life, although as in the film babies can be screened up to the age of 12 months should parents reconsider (in this case the blood spot will test for all conditions except cystic fibrosis, which can only be screened for up to 8 weeks of age).

– Won GOLD at the Smiley Charity Film Awards 2024
– Distinction Award: Three Acts of Goodness Micro Film Festival 2024
– Finalist at the World Health Organization (WHO): Health for All Film Festival (HAFF) 2024
– Official Selection: Manchester Health Film Festival 2024

This film was made possible thanks to the support of 14 small rare disease charities from The Newborn Screening Collaborative (a UK LSD Collaborative led initiative), including; AGSD – UK, ArchAngel MLD Trust, Batten Disease Family Association, Cure and Action for Tay-Sachs – CATS Foundation, Children’s Heart Federation, Fragile X Society, UK, The Gauchers Association, Max Appeal, MLD Support UK, MPS Society UK, Muscular Dystrophy UK, Niemann-Pick UK, Pompe Support Network & Spinal Muscular Atrophy UK – please check out the fantastic work they do, and support them if you can!

Written & Directed by John Lee Taggart (Apprentice Films) | Narrated by Robert Webb | Starring Jack Roberston, Chantelle Taggart, Cora Lily Taggart & Chris Houghton-Coldwell | Featuring Oliver Cape, Chloe Taggart & John Lee Taggart | Produced by Chris Thompson (Media Borne) | Director of Photography Dan Gregson | Cinematography by Daniel Patrick Vaughan | Edited by Jack McBride | Production Coordinator Rebecca Gallagher | Production Assistant Johno Ramsay | Poster Artwork by Lingxi Zhang

Animated short film on “invisible conditions” and the experiences of those affected, featuring the voices of Billy Boyd (The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, Outlander), Isy Suttie (Peep Show, Man Down, Damned), Weruche Opia (I May Destroy You, Bad Education, Sliced), & members and friends of the NPUK/INPDA community.

This project was developed on behalf of the small charity Niemann-Pick UK in order to illustrate the many emotions and challenges an individual with an invisible condition can face on a daily basis…as “not all that you can see, is everything that is there”…and there are far more similarities than differences when it comes to the lived experiences of those affected by rare, genetic and/or invisible conditions.

– Nominated for a Smiley Charity Film Award 2023: Longform £350K – £5 Million Turnover
– Won Best First-Time Director at the Best Istanbul Film Festival 2022
– Won Best Inspirational Film at the Florence Film Awards 2022
– Honourable Mention at the Montreal International Animation Film Festival ANIMAZE 2022
– Honourable Mention at the 24fps International Short Film Festival
– Nominated for Best North East Film at the North East International Film Festival 2022
– Nominated for Jury Prize Short Animated Film at the LAMPA International Film Festival 2022

Written & Directed by John Lee Taggart | Animation & Cinematography by Lingxi Zhang | Original score composed and performed by Scott Ampleford | Sound Engineering by Simeon Soden | Executive Produced by Eleanor Lily Taggart | Assistant Producers James Brooks & James Keeble (ASMD NPB patients and NPUK Community Members) | Featuring original songs kindly donated by Badger & Lilliput | Voices featured; Aadam Asif, Graham Kirk, Sandy Cowie, Nadia Slatch, Daniel de Vicente, Justin Hopkin, James Keeble, Sally Tungate, Cláubia Viegas Bender, Sara Ströer, Craig Burns, Alec Koujaian, David Rose, James Brooks, Philip Wilsdon, and Carol Leon

The experiences of the individuals and families affected by the ultra-rare and devastating group of genetic conditions, Niemann-Pick, takes centre stage in this production, developed by Director/Producer Carl Mason and John Lee Taggart (in the role of Executive Producer), in direct collaboration with the individuals and families the small charity Niemann-Pick UK represents.

The film uses a mixture of live action and animation to explore the impact this rare condition has on those affected by it, by following the deterioration of the child and the subsequent emotional turmoil that comes hand in hand with such a diagnosis…especially when this is followed up with the suggestion by the family’s doctor to simply, “Go Make Memories”…

– Won Best Picture & Best Charity Film at the Rare Film Festival 2020
– Won Best Short Award at Sällsynta Stories 2020
– Won 1st Prize 22-30 yrs at Chiyoko Int. Youth Animation Festival 2019
– Won Best Experimental at Feel the Reel International Film Festival 2019

Directed by Carl Mason | Executive Produced by John Lee Taggart | Written by Alex Sutton | Starring Lleyton Coombes, Emily Stride, Christopher Hughes, Bodhi Rae Breathnach, Andrea Hall & John Lee Taggart | Cinematography by James Westlake | Animation by James Richardson | Music by Chris Kobke | Production Designer Isa Shaw-Abulafia | Poster Designer Rob Hotchkiss