2024 Cohort
Malinda Kaur
Shadow Director
Malinda is a filmmaker from Bradford whose work centres diverse stories that rarely get told. She has made several BAFTA accredited short films. F.O.G (starring Kiran Sonia Sawar) is a BBC Film backed nuanced portrait of a British Sikh Bradfordianwoman and her mother lensed by Oscar nominee Robbie Ryan (and recently won Best Yorkshire Short at Leeds Film Festival).
Malinda is also a well regarded and experienced 1st Assistant Director and has been central to achieving acclaimed British feature films including GOOD LUCK TO YOU LEO GRANDE, ROCKS, THE DUKE, ALI & AVA, TYPIST ARTIST PIRATE KING, as well as TV Drama including Dreaming Whilst Black. Malinda is looking for support and guidance to transition into a top-level director and is excited to do this in her hometown - where her passion and drive to tell stories was born. She is hardworking, creative and empathetic, which are great skills to have as a director.
Waqar Ahmed
Shadow Director
Waqar is a director based in Leeds with a career spanning Film, TV, Theatre and Radio. Waqar began working as a director in Pakistan - taking projects from inception to release from music videos to films for television. Waqar has collaborated extensively with major industry players in Pakistan but has struggled to convert his success since moving to the UK in 2010. To overcome his barriers and build his network, Waqar studied at the Northern Film School in Leeds and his graduation film received a Royal Television Society Yorkshire nomination. Waqar then began working on BFI backed features in West Yorkshire within the AD team starting as a trainee and moved on to 3rd AD on continuing dramas.
As a Director Waqar loves pushing creative boundaries and crafting compelling stories.
Jack King
Shadow Director
Jack is a writer and director from Bradford. After years making music videos, Jack made a string of independent and funded shorts, many of which have played internationally at top tier festivals. Jack was selected to participate in the BFI development lab NETWORK@LFF in 2019, and for the Edinburgh Talent Lab in 2021. Jack's debut feature THE CEREMONY is currently in post production and was selected for the BFI London Film Festival WIP showcase in 2023. His last short PREDATORS premiered at London Film Festival, and was recently nominated for Best British short by the London Critics Circle in 2024.
Jasdeep Singh Degun
Shadow Composer
Breaking down cultural boundaries with his extraordinary artistry and approach to composition, virtuoso sitarist, Jasdeep brings a new energy and vision to both Indian classical and contemporary music - redefining genres. Jasdeep has performed all over the world in many high profile productions and prestigious venues, including Buckingham Palace, the Amphitheatre in Doha, and Westminster Abbey at the Royal Commonwealth Service 2022 in the presence of the British Royal Family and Prime Minister. Jasdeep released his much anticipated debut album 'Anomaly', working under the guidance of celebrated musician and producer Nitin Sawhney. Jasdeep was announced as Artist-in-Residence at Opera North, and in 2022 he was composer, co-music director and soloist in Opera North and South Asian Arts-uk’s acclaimed opera Orpheus. This production garnered five-star reviews and earned Jasdeep a 2022 Critics' Circle Music Award for "Outstanding Achievement in Opera".
Eeshar Singh
Shadow Composer
Eeshar Singh is a Yorkshire-based musician, composer, and performer, and is one of a few people specialising in a rare Indian classical instrument called the Santoor. He has performed solo concerts at prestigious venues across the country including the Barbican Centre, and Southbank Centre. Eeshar is the co-founder of Adrak Studios, an indie animation studio dedicated to bringing rare, powerful stories to life through film. He was the recipient of the Arts and Culture Award at the 2023 King’s College London Distinguished Alumni Awards, for his work in music and composition revival.
Having composed for various short films and podcasts, Singh infuses his work with sound design elements as well as blending western and Indian classical techniques to create his unique sound.
Zainab Abrar
Assistant Production Coordinator [Industry Step Up from Production Secretary]
Leeds based Zainab has worked as a production secretary and producer’s assistant on productions including Liaison and The Critic. Zainab holds a Graduate Diploma in Law (University of Law) and Politics & International Relations (University of Kent). Zainab has built experience in cast contracts, start forms, deal memos, NDAs, call sheets, sides, unit lists, vendor lists, expenses, insurance paperwork, purchase orders, booking travel/accommodation, logistics, research, problem solving, multi-tasking and executive support for BAFTA and Emmy award winning producers.
Virdee is Zainab’s first opportunity to progress her career as an assistant production coordinator within the production department.
Gurbinder Kaur
Junior Make-up Artist [Industry Step Up from Make-up Trainee]
Gurbinder Kaur is from Leeds, West Yorkshire and is known for her work as a hair and make-up trainee on Better (2023), Dance School (2024) and Things You Should Have Done (2023).
Gurbinder has worked in the Television Industry for the past 2 years.
Warda Abbasi
Art Department Assistant [Industry Step Up from Art Department Trainee]
Warda most recently wrapped on the BBC comedy Bad Education following on from an art department trainee position for another Tiger Aspect production - Man Like Mobeen.
Her previous experience includes set and costume design for theatre and live performances; Resident Designer at Leeds Playhouse and freelance Prop and Model Maker work. She is an alumni of the Film Talent Development Programmefrom Creative Access and Guy Ritchie.
Warda continues her own personal development through making props and models. She is passionate about constructing worlds with Sci-fi & Fantasy elements, as a backdrop for rich and diverse characters.
Simmi Ryatt
Unit Manager [Industry Step Up from Location Assistant]
Simmi - a Leeds native, location assistant and aspiring producer - graduated from Queen Mary University in 2020 with a BA in Film Studies. Her dreams were interrupted by the pandemic, leading her from a year as an export coordinator to a career-changing encounter with a Location Manager. In just two years, Simmi has contributed to major productions for BBC, Netflix, Apple TV, BFI, Amazon, and Channel 4. Her rapid rise from location trainee to assistant on her first job showcases her strong work ethic and people skills.
Now training as a Unit Manager, she challenges gender norms in the industry. A devoted cinephile, Simmi envisions herself wearing many hats in her career. She hopes to enhance multi-faceted and nuanced South Asian representation both on and off the screen, breaking stereotypes and supporting diverse and authentic voices in the industry.
Sherneka Walwyn
Production Assistant [Industry Step Up from Production Trainee]
Sherneka has a talent and love for production An alumni of Roehampton University, her first transition into TV was on the Channel 4 drama Dance School (a traineeship with The National Film and Television School and Duck Soup Films). She aspires to be a black British Northern producer and wishes to help change the demographic behind the camera.
Sherneka is also an aspiring writer and wants to create TV which reflects her colourful Caribbean upbringing and dual heritage. She is passionate about wanting to show how a career in TV in the North of England is achievable and also that there is enough space for everyone and anyone in TV.
Andrew McKie
Cashier/ Accounts Assistant [Industry Transfer]
Andrew has a passion and expertise for visual communication and numbers. A Chartered IT Professional with over two decades of experience, Andrew's leap into Film and Television production is a blend of industry skill transfer and creative exploration. His enthusiasm extends to the future of the industry, particularly Virtual Production and blended-reality environments.
Andrew not only excels in data analysis and software development but also ventures into 3D asset creation using Blender and Unreal Engine. His goal? To gain deeper insights and aid the seamless fusion of traditional and modern production techniques. Beyond pixels and production, Andrew is a family man, happily married with two teenage sons in Bradford. When he's not immersed in the cinematic realm, you can find him strolling the moors.
Archie Whincup
Assistant Music Supervisor [Industry Transfer]
Archie has built a career as an intuitive broadcast journalist and radio producer. As an industry transfer he is skilled at recognising the needs of specific audiences and creating content which appeals to target demographics. Archie has experience managing multiple complex workloads whilst creating high quality, informative and entertaining broadcasts for a regional, national and global audience. He is looking forward to transferring his skills to assist shaping the music choices of Virdee.
Gia Davis
Costume Trainee
Gia is a costume trainee from Leeds who entered into the film and television industry via a NFTS programme supported by 4Skills. She is building her experience across short films, commercials and TV drama (Dance School for Channel 4). With a creative eye and enthusiasm for stories from a young age, she spent her time growing up drawing/designing clothing and her favourite pastimes included people watching and thrift shopping.
As a mother of 2 she is keen to thrive in her career and eventually hopes to create opportunities for people from under represented groups to also enter the industry.
Ahseem Yousuf
Location Trainee
Ahseem is a filmmaker and location trainee who graduated from the University of Bradford in 2021 with a First Class Honours degree. His short films have won awards at film festivals and he has also produced low budget documentaries for regional television channels which focus on marginalised communities. He has recently broadened his horizons into writing, having completed a video game script this year funded by the UK Games Fund.
Ahseem’s interests include reading, travelling and running. He is eager to learn more and progress in the film and television industry and will relish the opportunity to learn from the Location team and work in Drama on more professional sets with bigger teams and budgets.
Jessica Smith
Trainee Floor Runner
Jessica is a trainee floor runner within the assistant director department. After graduating from the University of Nottingham with a Masters in Film, TV and Screen Industries, Jess started her TV career as an Runner on unscripted shows such as Love Island: Aftersun and The Martin Lewis Money Show. Jess was accepted onto the Screenskills HETV Trainee Finder scheme and recently had her first break in TV drama with BBC’s Such Brave Girls. Now, Jess really hopes to build a sustainable career in her hometown of Bradford as an AD. To be part of creating is her favourite form of escapism.
Hazera Begum
Trainee Crowd Runner
Bradfordian Hazera is a trainee crowd runner within the assistant director department. With an unscripted TV background, she has previously enjoyed development and has a knack for breaking real stories, but has struggled to breakthrough into drama. Thriving within diverse storytelling formats, she has excelled in research and wants to apply her many transferable skills to casting and working with professional and community sourced supporting artists. Hazera is passionately committed to transitioning into scripted TV drama and eager to leverage the training and experience working on Virdee to establish a solid career. Her energy, skills and collaborative nature make her a natural filmmaker.
Banita Bangar
Production Trainee
Banita Bangar is a production trainee aspiring to become a successful producer. She studied at the University of Bradford and has a First Class degree in Film and Television Production, which eventually led to her becoming a production co-ordinator for Bradford’s The Unit. Through her work there she became a representative for the City of Culture 2025. Aside from her commitment to her home city of Bradford’s screen industry, representation and diversity have always been very important to her and she would ultimately like to set up a production company with a focus on empowerment for people of colour and young people trying to break into the industry - elevating new and untapped voices. Banita is a proud and stylish Bradfordian - who also loves fashion.
Sam Thornton
Location Trainee
Sam Thornton is a location trainee from Leeds who recently completed training with industry professionals from ScreenSkills and NFTS Leeds. With a strong passion for TV/Film from visiting filming locations in his spare time and on family holidays, as well as watching over 1,254 films (of which he can list) it is clear that he has a true dedication to working in the screen industry.
He is determined to break barriers in the industry and bring more awareness of those with autism and other hidden disabilities to the forefront of television and film production. He has had limited experience on TV shows such as All Creatures Great and Small and The Listeners. Through continued support by ScreenSkills and TripleC-DANC, as well as location department professionals, he aspires to one day becoming a location manager on leading UK productions. He is looking forward to his first substantial placement on Virdee.
Uzir Mohammad
Location Trainee
Uzir Mohammed is a location trainee based in Leeds, hoping to progress in the screen industry. He feels proud of his short film projects. His professional goal is to work his way up within the location department to location manager. He has a 2:1 degree in Television Production from Leeds Trinity University and his skills include: video editing and writing (both short and long form) scripts. His personal goal is to grow his confidence in the film and television industry. Uzir wants to learn and grow his skills as much as he can and eventually (with everything he has learned) will one day tell his own stories as a screenwriter.
Ailsa Philbin
Art Department Trainee
Based in Leeds, Ailsa Philbin has a background as an artist and theatre practitioner. After graduating from the University of Leeds with a BA in Fine Art in 2023, she has been pursuing a career in film and TV as an art department trainee. Her experience includes a range of music videos and short films, where she loves using her eye for detail and skills in painting, shopping and birthday card making to help bring the on-screen worlds to life. When she’s not working she likes to make stop motion animations with her friends and spends most of her free time FaceTiming her family dog.
Mariam Jahangir
Locations/AD - First Break
Mariam Jahangir is a first-break trainee location assistant and floor runner. She is new to the TV industry and is hoping to progress and build a sustainable career. She has a joint bachelors degree in business and performing arts in theatre and is now fascinated with the huge amount of unrepresented roles and hard work put in to make a TV drama/film. Her passion and enthusiasm for the industry shine through her persona; she wishes to learn and grow to eventually be able to tell her own stories as a director.
Will Wharton
Locations/AD - First Break
From an early age, Bradfordian Will has had a passion for film and TV and he has always been fascinated with how filmmakers tell stories on screen. During school and college, Will always wanted to work in the industry but didn’t know how. As Will enjoys being outside and on location, he has decided to join the location team. He wishes to learn as much as he can and grow and would eventually like to work his way up to becoming a writer and director and therefore would like to learn from the AD team. He is a very driven and outgoing person who always puts his all into everything he does. In his spare time he enjoys listening to music, writing scripts and watching trains.
Madison Omatseone
Costume - First Break/ Industry Transfer
Raised and based in Bradford, Madison Omatseone is a performance designer. Her most notable work as a set and costume designer in the theatre industry since graduating from well regarded Rose Bruford College in 2020 was Pick n Mix (2022) at Kala Sangam, which went on tour to the Pleasance Theatre in London.
Her goal is to become a well-known designer for Theatre and Screen. Her first break in the Screen Industry will be on Virdee and she plans to use the Screen Academy Bradford training programme to expand her skill set and start on the road to her ideal career as a screen costume designer. Madison likes to go for walks in the stunning Yorkshire Dales and raises her own chickens in her free time.
Calissia O’ Sullivan
Camera - First Break
Calissia has experience in music photography - working with event specialists to photograph bands including The Script and Westlife as well as many others. She has also worked with British Muslim TV at The Halal Food Festival. Calissia has worked in a variety of roles for Britain’s leading Muslim TV channel on the Sky platform, starting as a runner and moving up to assistant producer and MCR controller but she would really like to learn more and work in camera in TV dramas.
In her spare time, she enjoys watching sports and computing. Although she has no qualifications post school, she is fully computer literate on both PC and MAC. This includes all Microsoft Office programs and various other software programmes.