Lil Paterson

My name is Lil (she/they) and I am a director, writer and an artist. I recently moved to the UK from Australia where I have been working in the film and television industries for more than seven years. My debut narrative short film, 'Call History', screened at festivals around Australia and internationally, including Melbourne International Film Festival and the ACMI & BFI new Australian cinema programme, ‘You Beauties’. In 2018, I wrote and directed a short documentary, 'Lives In Action', alongside Hawanatu Bangura, as part of the Bus Stop films program. Bus Stop Films is an organisation that advocates for greater accessibility and inclusion in the creative industries, and provides film and storytelling workshops for adults with intellectual disabilities. Lives in Action was screened at numerous festivals and on SBS, a major Australian broadcaster.

In 2021, I was selected for the Midsumma Pathways Mentorship programme and Accelerator lab, aimed at Australian short film directors moving into feature filmmaking. I have worked for several years as an assistant director, researcher and director’s assistant on features, shorts and TVCs. I currently work freelance as an episode writer on historical documentaries and workshop facilitator.

I recently directed a short play, 'Birthday', written by Tiffany Black as part of the OSO Writer's Studio in Barnes, and am keen to build my experience in directing theatre and to grow my network in the UK. In 2023, I'm aiming to collaborate with writers, producers and other creatives to develop a number of screen and theatre projects. I am passionate about developing stories that interrogate our ideas about the past and explore queerness, disability and intersections between creativity and science. I am also eager to support other creatives as an assistant director.

Credits

Director / Writer | Botanic | Feature film in development
Director | Birthday | OSO Arts Theatre | 1 day | 2023
Video Artist | Sunder | Iteration of larger project | 2021
Episode Writer | 7 episodes for various documentary series | Apr 2021 - present
Video Artist | Post: Art 'Cloud Exchange | Online exhibition during COVID-19 | 2020
Director / Writer | Call History | Short film | 2020
Director / Writer | Lives In Action | Short Film | 2018

Training

Development programs, accepted by application:
Midsumma Pathways Mentorship Program
You Are Here: Cahoots Artists Development Program
Melbourne International Film Festival Accelerator Program

Degrees:
Bachelor of Science (Advanced) / Bachelor of Arts | University of Sydney | 2012 - 2016
Foundation Diploma | Australian Film Television and Radio School | 2011

Courses:
Feature Film Writing & Directing courses | Sundance Collab | 2021
Directing Intensive | Screenworks & Australian Directors Guild | 2021
Short Film Screenwriting Course | Australian Film Television and Radio School | 2017
Young Actors Studio | National Institute of Dramatic Art | 2009-2010