George Burt

Getting strong performances out of actors is one of the most important (and underrated) skills a director can have. Here are five practical, high-impact approaches: 1. Create a Safe, Trusting Environment Actors take risks when they feel safe. If they’re worried about being judged, they’ll hold back. Encourage experimentation without fear of failure Avoid harsh criticism in front of others Build rapport early—rehearsals, casual chats, even a drink before shooting can help 2. Talk About Intentions, Not Line Readings Bad directing sounds like: “Say it angrier.” Good directing sounds like: “You’re trying to hurt him here, but also hide that you still care.” Focus on objectives (what the character wants) Give subtext, not delivery instructions Let actors interpret the emotion themselves 3. Do the Work Before the Set Great performances are often built before cameras roll. Rehearse key scenes (but don’t over-rehearse everything) Discuss character backstory and relationships Align on tone and style early 4. Give Clear, Specific Adjustments Vague notes kill momentum. Precision unlocks performance. Instead of: "More energy” Try: "You’ve just realized she’s lying—don’t confront her yet, test her.” 5. Know When to Get Out of the Way Some directors over-direct. The best ones know when to step back. If it’s working, don’t micromanage Let moments breathe—even unexpected ones Capture spontaneity—sometimes the best take isn’t the “perfect” one #ukfilm #filmmaking #director #film #icelandfilm

The Director of Photography on an Independent feature film is far more than just a camera operator. Even with a great story, poor visuals can kill a film. @georgeburt elevated our film using limited gear and natural light. His eye for detail and visual storytelling helped shape the tone and style of the piece by using the stunning landscapes of Iceland to their full beauty. #ukfilm #filmmaking #film #cinematic #cinematography

Another clip from our Icelandic film ' It All Comes With the Cold Water' #ukfilm #filmmaking #indiefilm #icelandfilm

Small extract from our Icelandic film. 'It All Comes With the Cold Water' Now available on Amazon Prime. #ukfilm #director #filmmaking #icelandfilm #indiefilm

A few weeks ago I was at the @bsc_expo I only managed to get down there for the first day. Definitely always to much to see and get around everything properly. Hopefully we will use some of these cool gadgets on a project soon!

British Vogue / GQ’s Fashion & BAFTAs 2026 after party reel from the Simpson’s in the strand. Co-hosts Teyana Taylor, Michael B. Jordan, Chase Infiniti, Riz Ahmed, Jessie Buckley and Odessa A’zion helped us celebrate the biggest night out of British awards season, in partnership with Volvo and Grey Goose. @britishgq @britishvogue @gq @voguemagazine Director @tri.mov Creative director @mateo_akira Produced @mateo_akira @georgiashepheard HannahEnderby @zoekezia Camera @georgeburt @hurcan.yilmazer @ashton_adot Lighting @jakenphoto Edit @tri.mov

Estate of the Nation 🔊 Turn your sound on & watch til the end! All images & audio are made with AI tools. This was a lot of fun to work on. I’ve shot a lot of traditional music videos across many genres, and what really struck me here is how similar the creative process is when working with AI. Finding the right aesthetic for the music is still everything. Performance style remains vital, continuity is always a challenge, lighting and camera position are still powerful creative choice, just expressed through a different toolset. I love the era, feel, and fashion are crucial to capture. They anchor the work in a specific time and place, something many of us instantly recognise and emotionally connect to through the music and the character that inspired this piece of culture I really love. Capturing photography and mood is where my background as a cinematographer truly connects with AI-assisted filmmaking. Massive thanks to director @davidsheldrick for being us onboard again: Estate of the Nation visualises 90s & 00s British chav & street culture reclaiming the corridors of power. Shifting the dynamic to a new kind of sovereignty where the high street rules the House. From a technical standpoint, this is an exercise in total AI approach, every element is AI-generated. The music & lyrics are rendered in Suno, the vocal stem is then stripped to use as a modality to drive the lip-sync and facial performance. #GenerativeAI #AIFilmmaking #HybridCreative BritishCulture 90sAesthetic Chav DigitalArt LipSync Storytelling TechArt Innovation AudioReactive WAN25 AiDoP

Teddy Boy’s promo! 🍻👊💥✨ Short music vid worked on for ai wizard @davidsheldrick … Wait for the drop 🔊 Let me know what you think of this one. This one is a high tempo raucous bomb of male energy. Stylistically engineered around vintage B&W film stock from 1950s London from my own archive. The characters are fashioned after the British Teddy boys subculture from 50s. Tools: Keyframes - Flux, Midjourney & Nano Banana Pro Video - VEO 3.1 Music - Suno v5 Edit & Assembly - Premiere Film - 35mm, London 1950 #ai postphotography hybridai 35mm digitalart musicvideo 1950 london UK lads teddyboy fashion google veo3 suno nanobanana adobe flu #cinemaprompt #2025

@britishgq Highlight Videos from the night! #GQ #Redcarpet just a few video highlights.. A lot of beaut 🖤 hope to see you all again next year.. 😎🤙 @skepta @tramell.tillman @piercebrosnanofficial @jackoconnellove @jonahhauerking @officiallouistheroux @kareem @therealkano @johndavidwashington @gwendolineuniverse @stuccigus @elliekildunne @conorbennofficial @jadethirlwall @peggygou_ @marybethbarone @bennydrama7 @wetlegband @twhiddleston @gavincasalegno @tomford It’s the most wonderful time of the year if you’re into fashion, film, music, sport, TV, Hollywood, the theatre, the internet… so everyone, really. Because it’s GQ’s Men of the Year 2025. As the red carpet opens, our style crew will be live reporting on the biggest fits from the biggest names in central London tonight. And it’s legit a big list: Pierce Brosnan, Cynthia Erivo, Skepta and the gang will be honoured for a game-changing 2025 (and some unimpeachable fashion). /live/2025-men-of-the-year-live-red-carpet-photos @britishgq @mateo_akira @katerina_vahala_dp @shaniayazmin @liam_jhill @gracekttyo @jakenphoto @amalomariwashington @jackblood137 @jakubkrumpolc @zoekezia

It feels as though you can see the entirety of London from the top floor balcony at 180 Thames, the venue that opened its doors for its first ever party on Tuesday night: GQ’s 2025 Men of the Year. Cohosted by Pierce Brosnan, Cynthia Erivo and grime legend Skepta, with thanks to our sponsors eBay, Patrón and Defender, MOTY went on well into the night; it helped that there was an impromptu DJ set from Skepta himself. Before all that, there was the now traditional MOTY dinner, emceed by Ride podcasters Benito Skinner and Mary Beth Barone, where GQ’s deputy global editorial director Adam Baidawi set the tone for a night of celebration and reflection. “There is this feeling in the air that some people wish to divide us, or make people feel less welcome,” he said. “My biggest aha moment this year was the realisation that we do not really have to sit and accept this changing atmosphere around us.” With so many artists, creatives, tastemakers and changemakers in the room, it was a reminder that we all hold the power to turn the dial. @piercebrosnanofficial @britishgq @mateo_akira @katerina_vahala_dp @shaniayazmin @liam_jhill @gracekttyo @jakenphoto @amalomariwashington @jackblood137 @jakubkrumpolc @zoekezia

It’s the most wonderful time of the year if you’re into fashion, film, music, sport, TV, Hollywood, the theatre, the internet… so everyone, really. Because it’s GQ’s Men of the Year 2025. As the red carpet opens, our style crew will be live reporting on the biggest fits from the biggest names in central London tonight. And it’s legit a big list: Pierce Brosnan, Cynthia Erivo, Skepta and the gang will be honoured for a game-changing 2025 (and some unimpeachable fashion). In partnership with eBay, Patrón and Defender, lock in for menswear’s big night out. /live/2025-men-of-the-year-live-red-carpet-photos @piercebrosnanofficial @britishgq @mateo_akira @katerina_vahala_dp @shaniayazmin @liam_jhill @gracekttyo @jakenphoto @amalomariwashington @jackblood137 @jakubkrumpolc @zoekezia