Jim Rastall

//Premiere // "I love riding that line between serious and absurd, and I think injecting a bit of absurdity into a project can disarm an audience enough to let the more serious themes slip through. Retro-futuristic absurdist sci-fi short 'Benji' writer/director @oscargarth talks to us about creating the infomercial style of the film to pitch a garbage disposal system of the future, all the while mixing its dark humour with deep existential dread. He also discusses working with his actors to bring their dialogue-free characters to life, the design and manufacture of the titular Benji units, and the VFX employed to create a spectacular haunting final sequence. Watch 'Benji' & read our interview with Oscar over on DN ⏯️ // Credits // Oscar Garth Producer/Writer/Director/DoP/Editor/Colourist/Voices @oscargarth Jim Rastall Key Cast “Father" @jimrastall Bex Finch Key Cast “Mother" @thatbexfinch Camilla Birkett Key Cast “Daughter" @mimi_nens Paul Marke Visual Effects @paulmarke James Morris Composer/Sound design @jimbertmorris Katie Taylor Costume @katietaylorcostume Suzanne Kinlough Hair & Makeup @suzannerachel_ Tom Gripper 1st Assistant Director/Production manager @tomgripper Charlie Forrest Sound @forrestsound Rafael Libson-Hochenberg 1st AC @rafajlh Louis Jones Gaffer @louisjonesfilm Matt Welfare Spark @mattwelfare Rhys Young Re-recording Mixer @hootstudiosuk Skip Curtis Music Supervisor @skipcurtis Jamie Foote Production Design @jimartdepartment Ann-Sophie De Steur Benji Designs @doodle_mitzy

Is it just me, but I always seem to have everything but the kitchen sink stored underneath the pram. 🤣 I think I'll still be pushing it around when she's 16. 🤣 The storage is just a game changer.

Is it just me? But everything Mabel does is incredible. 😆 🤣 #newparentlife #silly #comedy #fun #artlover

The last few years have been proper daft. Here’s a snapshot of some of the mayhem I’ve been lucky enough to shoot (and grade) over the last few years, alongside some very talented and slightly unhinged folks. In particular @jamesbuttonfilms , many of these projects wouldn’t exist without this silly man. Extra special shoutout to @splonkcomedy , our shiny new production company, which managed to bag two commissioned projects in its first year. Beginner’s luck I reckon. If you’re a director cooking up something fun/weird, hit me up 🎥

Breakthrough Workshops 💥 Two different workshops. Three days. A lot of joy, graft and generosity. 👊🔥 Improvisation with @class.mcr under the watchful, beautifully honed eye of @jimrastall 👀🔥 Arrived way too early. Totally over-excited. Left utterly EXHAUSTED but CONNECTED, PLAYFUL and ALIVE to the room. That rare feeling when the work really lands.🔥❤️ Working with Jim has genuinely been a game changer for me, which is why I ALSO keep returning to the work of Ricky and Gavin at @lazarustheatrecompany 💪🔥 If you love classical text and want to unlock it, to connect, play and be specific then this is the company to work with. So committed. So generous. 👊🔥 Both facilitators draw wonderful, willing creatives into their spaces, many of whom I’ve stayed connected with.❤️ #actortraining #breakthrough #actorslife #Improvisation #textwork #alwaystraining #ukactors #manchesteractors #londonactors #LazarusTheatreCompany #JimRastall #creativeprocess #shakespeare

My year in pictures. I've tried to take one from each month starting at January but added a couple of extras in for good measure. All of this wouldn't have been possible without @jimrastall who has been by my side with Mabel all over the country this year. Thank you soooo much. 1- Filming the new show - Monster Makes (can't show too much yet) 😀 2- Monster Makes - BTS 3 - Cheeky Holiday in the Canaries 4- 2 weeks at Whipsnade Zoo with the brilliant Mister Maker 5- Aberavon beach ⛱️ Home sweet home. 6. Holding the Bafta for our Globe production of As you like it. 7 - hosting the launch of Cbeebies parenting at the Tate London. 8- having loads of fun in the Cbeebies house with Joanna. ❤️ 8. Cinema trip to watch the Great Ice Cream hunt 9. Up on the big screen for the Great Ice cream Hunt. 10. My Mam, Jim, Mabel and me on a tender boat in crossing the Forth in Scotland. 11. Beautiful Dublin 12. Cbeebies House party live - watching instead of performing. - perfect. 13. Studio with the lovely Ben Cajee 14. Panto launch - meeting the beautiful Jennifer Ellison backstage. 15. Extra filming for Monster Makes for YouTube. 16. My Mam and her partner up in Bradford for the Cbeebies Panto. 17. Mabels 2 birthday bash. 18. Dick Whittington at Demontford Hall. Chilaxing

Our gorgeous, funny, bright little girl turned 2 this week. (I can't believe it) Our tiny little baby has grown into a very speedy toddler and keeps us on our toes everyday. It's been a full-on two years of pediatrian, physio, dietician, opthalmology, oestopathy, and scans, but I'm pleased to say that we're out the other side and she is flourishing. Here's to making loads more fun memories with this bundle of joy, who we couldn't love anymore. ❤️ 💙 💜 💖 💗 💘 ❤️ 💙 💜 💖 💗 💘 ❤️ 💙 💜 💖

A great week of R&D for None but Fools. Exciting new project with Historic Royal Palaces coming up in the new year!

HAVE A LAUGH 🤣 Want to see how much fun we have in class? Here are some snippets of our actors in full feeling laughing this much whilst working. Come and laugh like this with us too! Get in class ❤️ Shot by @oscargarth Coached and Directed by @jimrastall

ON CAMERA MASTERCLASS Sept 2025 What a day. Phenomenal work from these intrepid and open hearted heroes, captured by the brilliant @oscargarth . Can’t wait to rewatch and share some of the work from the day- it was next level. ❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥 @alie.nova @alienna.nova @bern.delaney.5 @josmrrs @leoniefrazier @hula_nuala @princess_solaya Chris Kenning

I can’t believe after all these years this movie is still going. Well done everyone involved. STRUCK 💫 We’ve just been selected for the Lift-Off Filmmaker session 2025. 💗💫 #shortfilm #onetake #struck #liftoffsession #officialselection

Blessed to have spent last weekend with a phenomenal group of actors 🎬 Thank you @jimrastall for well and truly cracking us open ❤️‍🩹 And thank you to @mariajosebavio @jamesbibby94 @emily_jackman_j and @annakopacek_ for being the kind of scene partners an actor can usually only dream of! #Actor #London #ActingCourse #DisabledActor #WheelchairUser #Improv #Scripted #AllTheFeels #Disabled #123 Acting rep: @itsabbiehills @thedazeyhillsco