How to get a BAFTA Nomination: A Step-by-Step Guide
- Dec 14, 2025
- 5 min read
Updated: Apr 27
Based on our experience of being nominated.
In the UK, a BAFTA the highest honour in film and television, roughly equivalent to an Oscar. And yet our film was shot in a bedroom, on the streets of Glasgow, by a tiny team with no money, no celebrities, and no industry connections.
This article breaks down exactly how it happened, step by step, as a practical guide for filmmakers who assume awards like BAFTA are out of reach. They aren’t.
Who We Are (and Why That Matters)
My Dad and the Volcano wasn’t a studio-backed production. There was no famous cast. No producer with influence. No insider advantage. The director, Gavin Reed, was a Master’s student at the time. He came to me early in the life of the project and asked if I'd do him a favour and edit his short film. I was happy to. Gavin and I had been friends for years, and this was a fun projetc to be part of. We sat down to my editing suite (which was in the corner of my bedroom at the time) and went through what he had so far.
The film itself is a short documentary about Gavin, five years after graduating art school, confronting regret, failure, and a six-foot volcano sculpture that never made it out of his dad’s shed. At its core, it’s about class, stalled ambition, and trying to rebuild a sense of direction.
That honesty mattered more than polish.
We completed the film in time for his Master submission window, and Gavin started exploring the Film Festival scene. We had hopes that the film would touch audiences that connected with the artist's struggle, and perhaps had their own Volcano in their life.
Step 1: Film Festivals (and Rejection)
If you want a BAFTA short film nomination, festivals are non-negotiable. The process is slow, expensive, and demoralising. Gavin was rejected from dozens of festivals, including ones that seemed like a perfect fit. About a year after the film was completed, Edinburgh International Film Festival accepted the film, and that first “yes” changed everything.
Once the film had a premiere, other festivals followed. Screenings ranged from small, intimate rooms to packed international audiences. In the US especially, the response was overwhelming, with people staying after screenings to share personal stories. Audiences recognised themselves in the film.
The real currency of film festivals is proof of connection. If you can demonstrate that the audience was enchanted by your story, then the next festival may see your film as a way to replicate that magic.
Of course, each festival has its own reputation, values and vibes, so it helps to screen in festivals that align with the message or theme of your film, so that others will pick you up. Check out our guide to making a successful Film Festival Strategy to get started.
When it comes to BAFTA nomination, there is a list of festivals, that once you are acepted, will qualify you for nomination. The way it works is thay you need:
1 Tier A festival, or
2 Tier B festivals
Tier A have much higher reputations, and program the cream of the crop. Tier B still programs quality, but you need to appear in 2 of these festivals.
You can filter BAFTA-qualifying festivals directly on FilmFreeway and target them intentionally. Even if your first acceptance isn’t a qualifier, it signals credibility and that helps everything else snowball.
Step 2: You Are the Marketing Campaign
There was no PR team for My Dad and the Volcano, Gavin was the marketing. The poster, trailer, and updates live on his personal social accounts. That worked because he was both the subject and the director. He’s a recognisable creative voice attached to the work.
Gavin attended screenings, did Q&As, spoke to audiences and wore a badge that stated "I directed My Dad and the Volcano", to encourage conversation and champion his film. Festivals care deeply about that, and audiences do too.
When international travel became expensive, Gavin applied for funding through Screen Scotland, and I hear that other countries have similar arts or screen funding bodies. But if this isn’t available to you, crowdfunding and community sponsorships are also viable options.
Side note: Why the Film Traveled Internationally
Director Gavin Reid told Cinora, in this interview, that at one US festival subtitles were added. Not because the film wasn’t in English, but because accents, pacing, and documentary audio can alienate audiences.That moment highlighted something crucial: Films that get nominated for awards tend to cross borders.
They can be culturally specific, but thematically universal. This film worked internationally because it dealt with failure, regret, class, and trying to build a better life. After screenings, people kept saying the same thing: “I have a volcano in my life too.” That universality is what carries a film further than budget ever could.
Step 3: How to gwt a BAFTA Nomination
Because BAFTA is a British award, you must show the film was made in the UK or by a British crew. Then, beyond festival qualification, BAFTA asks for a short profile about you and the project. They aren't looking for prestige, it’s more about context. Learning about Gavin and how he made the film tells a human story, and in film, the artist and the art they make are often linked beyond what we see on screen.
The surprising thing is, BAFTA doesn’t warn you. They announce the nominations publicly and you find out at the same time as everyone else. Gavin discovered the nomination after a long flight back from the US, jet-lagged, opening his phone to dozens of messages and an official BAFTA tag on instagram. So be prepared for a very public surprise!
There were about six weeks between nomination and ceremony, where you purchase tickets and get your outfit & speech ready!
Step 4: The Ceremony
At the ceremony we felt like the most important people in the room, even though the room was filled with important people including Ewan McGregor, James McAvoy, David Tennant, Alan Cummings and more famous faces.
When our award category was announced, they showed a clip from each nominated film, and ours had the biggest laugh. Nothing is as satisfying as hearing a room full of filmmakers laugh at your charming documentary.
My Dad and the Volcano didn’t win. The award went to Paternal Advice. And yet, none of us felt like losers.
Being nominated changed how the work, and we, were perceived. It opened doors. It validated years of persistence. Most importantly, it proved something vital: BAFTA is not only for people with money, power, or connections. It's for real artists.
What This Means for Filmmakers
A zero-budget student documentary, shot in a bedroom, made by a working-class team, can be nominated for a BAFTA. That doesn’t mean it’s easy. But it is possible.
And once you know the path: festivals, qualification, presence, patience, it becomes navigable.
I’m currently crafting my next film, Thrawn, about Scottish identity and belonging. This film means a lot to me personally, and I can see this nomination come around again.
Because the door is open wider than we’re told.
You can watch our interview with Director Gavin Reid on our youtube channel.
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