Calum Chalmers
@calchal.bsky.social
Producer - director - writer of short films. 8/10 writer (top 2%) over at the blacklist. Sometimes an actor. I make films about well intentioned people making mistakes. I produce films about broken people trying to fix themselves.
Pinned
Calum Chalmers
@calchal.bsky.social
· Sep 26
Each Coming Night
The debut short film from writer-director Dakota Blue Richards, starring Evanna Lynch. When Gwen arrives at a hotel which was recently the scene of a brutal murder, receptionist Sophie assumes she has...
greenlit.com
I'm producing Dakota Blue Richards (The Golden Compass, Skins) directing debut. She's starring in it along side Evanna Lynch (Harry Potter). We've already raised a fair amount privately, but we're crowdfunding to cover post production costs.
greenlit.com/project/each...
greenlit.com/project/each...
A show that began as basically vibes (hello Challengers style soundtrack) and sex, deftly lands such a feel good emotional wallop in the closing moments of ep 5. That ending is 10/10. Had me properly choked up.
François Arnaud in ep 3 of Heated Rivalry is star making stuff. I was a fan of his when he was the lead in the 3 season drama The Borgias on Showtime. But his turn in Heated Rivalry is next level. Off the charts charisma.
January 20, 2026 at 2:27 PM
A show that began as basically vibes (hello Challengers style soundtrack) and sex, deftly lands such a feel good emotional wallop in the closing moments of ep 5. That ending is 10/10. Had me properly choked up.
François Arnaud in ep 3 of Heated Rivalry is star making stuff. I was a fan of his when he was the lead in the 3 season drama The Borgias on Showtime. But his turn in Heated Rivalry is next level. Off the charts charisma.
January 17, 2026 at 2:09 PM
François Arnaud in ep 3 of Heated Rivalry is star making stuff. I was a fan of his when he was the lead in the 3 season drama The Borgias on Showtime. But his turn in Heated Rivalry is next level. Off the charts charisma.
That Nuremberg film with Russell Crowe sure is something.
January 11, 2026 at 6:51 PM
That Nuremberg film with Russell Crowe sure is something.
Ice Agent's wife is a Filipino immigrant and the Father in law quoted in the article doesn't want to comment on how long she's been in the country despite her apparently being an American citizen.
Father of ICE agent who shot Renee Good breaks silence over killing
Father of ICE agent who shot Renee Good breaks silence over killing
Father of ICE agent who shot Renee Good breaks silence over killing
www.independent.co.uk
January 9, 2026 at 4:59 PM
Ice Agent's wife is a Filipino immigrant and the Father in law quoted in the article doesn't want to comment on how long she's been in the country despite her apparently being an American citizen.
Take the set pieces of Raiders, The Last Crusade and Dial of Destiny. Add the splatter of Inglorious Bastards. Mix with the "physics" of the Fast & The Furious franchise. And you've got Sisu 2. I had myself a good time.
a man with a beard is standing in front of a sign that says sisu
Alt: The main hero of Sisu standing in front of a flat bed truck carrying the materials for his home.
media.tenor.com
January 6, 2026 at 8:48 PM
Take the set pieces of Raiders, The Last Crusade and Dial of Destiny. Add the splatter of Inglorious Bastards. Mix with the "physics" of the Fast & The Furious franchise. And you've got Sisu 2. I had myself a good time.
Not sure why the critics were unkind about the last season of Slow Horses. I found it to be just as good as the previous four. And it's a beautiful looking show.
January 2, 2026 at 10:59 AM
Not sure why the critics were unkind about the last season of Slow Horses. I found it to be just as good as the previous four. And it's a beautiful looking show.
The Black List is sorta horny this year.
December 9, 2025 at 8:31 PM
The Black List is sorta horny this year.
The problem with certain US productions shooting in the UK (something I noticed with Ghostbusters Frozen Empire and more recently with The Roses), is that the supporting artists don't look American.
Something I like to call the wetherspoons face.
Something I like to call the wetherspoons face.
December 9, 2025 at 11:54 AM
The problem with certain US productions shooting in the UK (something I noticed with Ghostbusters Frozen Empire and more recently with The Roses), is that the supporting artists don't look American.
Something I like to call the wetherspoons face.
Something I like to call the wetherspoons face.
Dwayne Johnson out there saying "casted" instead of "cast". What is he doing? He knows which one is correct and has been saying it for nearly 30 damn years.
a group of people sit around a table with a laptop
Alt: a group of people sit around a table with a laptop
media.tenor.com
December 9, 2025 at 11:18 AM
Dwayne Johnson out there saying "casted" instead of "cast". What is he doing? He knows which one is correct and has been saying it for nearly 30 damn years.
Relay is now on Amazon. What a nifty and confident thriller. And it looks like a movie! The cinematography, sound design and score are superb.
December 8, 2025 at 5:49 PM
Relay is now on Amazon. What a nifty and confident thriller. And it looks like a movie! The cinematography, sound design and score are superb.
You read the article and discover she's launching an AI tech start up. Disappointing.
deadline.com/video/naomie...
deadline.com/video/naomie...
Naomie Harris Thinks “AI Is Absolutely The Future” – Red Sea Studio
The 'Moonlight' actress lifted the lid on her new AI-centered tech company and insists that guardrails need to be put in place with the new technology.
deadline.com
December 5, 2025 at 10:04 AM
You read the article and discover she's launching an AI tech start up. Disappointing.
deadline.com/video/naomie...
deadline.com/video/naomie...
Adding to this, Scott Frank and Anya Taylor Joy, coming off the back of The Queen's Gambit, couldn't get their next project funded (even Netflix passed).
What are we even doing!?
What are we even doing!?
Even three huge stars + a truly visionary director can't get a sexy vampire movie financed In This Economy, smh.
theplaylist.net/kristen-stew...
theplaylist.net/kristen-stew...
Kristen Stewart Reveals '80s-Set Vampire Thriller 'Flesh Of The Gods' Co-Starring Oscar Isaac & Elizabeth Olsen Still "Looking For Financing"
Kristen Stewart says her vampire flick 'Flesh of the Gods' as the pic co-starring Oscar Isaac and Elizabeth Olsen is looking for financing.
theplaylist.net
December 3, 2025 at 2:25 PM
Adding to this, Scott Frank and Anya Taylor Joy, coming off the back of The Queen's Gambit, couldn't get their next project funded (even Netflix passed).
What are we even doing!?
What are we even doing!?
Uh oh, post episode 15 of a show and here comes fucking Oliver.
'The Pitt' Adds Four To Recurring Cast For Season 2: Brittany Allen, Bonita Friedericy, Taylor Handley and Jeff Kober.
‘The Pitt’ Adds Four To Recurring Cast For Season 2
'The Pitt' Adds Four To Recurring Cast For Season 2: Brittany Allen, Bonita Friedericy, Taylor Handley and Jeff Kober.
bit.ly
December 2, 2025 at 12:31 PM
Uh oh, post episode 15 of a show and here comes fucking Oliver.
I once witnessed a man in his mid 40s mistake a baguette stand as a parcel click and collect machine in a supermarket. The British public are something else.
As in so many things, the British public is wrong.
December 2, 2025 at 12:29 PM
I once witnessed a man in his mid 40s mistake a baguette stand as a parcel click and collect machine in a supermarket. The British public are something else.
This. All the touristy gift shops in Edinburgh (and I'm guessing other major cities) had art that was all genAI (prints, cushions, tins etc). What's the point of buying something like that when you could do it at home?
Just a heads up with all the Christmas markets and fairs on at the moment - if you see art or art-based pieces for sale, ask who the artist is, because the amount of people deceptively slapping "made locally" on pieces locally farted out by their computer and a genAI prompt is getting depressing
November 30, 2025 at 6:00 PM
This. All the touristy gift shops in Edinburgh (and I'm guessing other major cities) had art that was all genAI (prints, cushions, tins etc). What's the point of buying something like that when you could do it at home?
An addition to the whole "write your spec" discussion. Last year the AI thriller ALIGNMENT sold for over $3m. The writer was a true outside the industry nobody. And the grand old men of screenwriter twitter were openly saying how they'd "fix" it in rewrites. Is that why they want specs written?
November 30, 2025 at 2:49 PM
An addition to the whole "write your spec" discussion. Last year the AI thriller ALIGNMENT sold for over $3m. The writer was a true outside the industry nobody. And the grand old men of screenwriter twitter were openly saying how they'd "fix" it in rewrites. Is that why they want specs written?
People dunking on Stranger Things for the cast being 20-22 playing 16... as if that hasn't been the norm for decades in US shows and films. Smallville had a 24 year old playing 14! Hell, someone I know was 24 playing 14 on a CBBC show.
November 30, 2025 at 12:44 AM
People dunking on Stranger Things for the cast being 20-22 playing 16... as if that hasn't been the norm for decades in US shows and films. Smallville had a 24 year old playing 14! Hell, someone I know was 24 playing 14 on a CBBC show.
Anyone know why the Ninja Turtles would be reading the UK TV listings mag Radio Times?
November 29, 2025 at 4:21 PM
Anyone know why the Ninja Turtles would be reading the UK TV listings mag Radio Times?
If Notting Hill were made today, Hugh Grant wouldn't be crashing a press junket, he'd be rolling into Hot Ones. Trying to win over Julia Roberts while biting into a chicke wing, having his throat scorched by Da Bomb. Cut to a bemused Sean Evans.
November 27, 2025 at 5:33 PM
If Notting Hill were made today, Hugh Grant wouldn't be crashing a press junket, he'd be rolling into Hot Ones. Trying to win over Julia Roberts while biting into a chicke wing, having his throat scorched by Da Bomb. Cut to a bemused Sean Evans.
Ben's spot on. Various people will say here's my successful short made for no money. And then you'll later learn it actually cost 8 grand. Which compared to a Hollywood blockbuster or even an indie, is "no money." But if you don't have 8 thousand to spend, then what?
This thread. Also: at my (upper/mid) level, all I'm hearing is "make your own thing." I've been doing that for 20 years. It's been a nice way to supplement my scattered income from selling scripts. But to make something, you need to pay the people helping you (at a certain point). So, who funds it?
Said with love but there is a tone deafness in the "just write your spec!" advice that seems to be totally ignored in the current climate.
It works if you're repped. If reps are taking new clients. If places are buying A LOT. If rooms are staffing unknowns/lower levels. If not? It's a platitude.
It works if you're repped. If reps are taking new clients. If places are buying A LOT. If rooms are staffing unknowns/lower levels. If not? It's a platitude.
November 27, 2025 at 10:08 AM
Ben's spot on. Various people will say here's my successful short made for no money. And then you'll later learn it actually cost 8 grand. Which compared to a Hollywood blockbuster or even an indie, is "no money." But if you don't have 8 thousand to spend, then what?
Agree with all of this. The entire thing is fucked. You've got new-ish TV writers who should probably be high up/running their own shows by now, competing each year with well established writers/showrunners who are now also struggling to land gigs.
Said with love but there is a tone deafness in the "just write your spec!" advice that seems to be totally ignored in the current climate.
It works if you're repped. If reps are taking new clients. If places are buying A LOT. If rooms are staffing unknowns/lower levels. If not? It's a platitude.
It works if you're repped. If reps are taking new clients. If places are buying A LOT. If rooms are staffing unknowns/lower levels. If not? It's a platitude.
November 27, 2025 at 10:04 AM
Agree with all of this. The entire thing is fucked. You've got new-ish TV writers who should probably be high up/running their own shows by now, competing each year with well established writers/showrunners who are now also struggling to land gigs.
Abby McDonald's 2022 black list script is fantastic. I was a big fan of it. What ended up getting shot... well, I'll say again Abby McDonald's 2022 black list script is fantastic.
Cheers to Abby McDonald - her 2022 Black List script JINGLE BELL HEIST arrives on Netflix TODAY!
November 27, 2025 at 9:14 AM
Abby McDonald's 2022 black list script is fantastic. I was a big fan of it. What ended up getting shot... well, I'll say again Abby McDonald's 2022 black list script is fantastic.
Having just smashed through 118 eps and 2 TV movies in 2 months (finishing yesterday), I'm super excited by this news.
deadline.com/2025/11/star...
deadline.com/2025/11/star...
‘Stargate’ TV Series From Martin Gero Based On Sci-Fi Franchise Ordered By Amazon
Amazon MGM Studios has given a series order to Stargate, based on the iconic sci-fi franchise, from Stargate veteran Martin Gero.
deadline.com
November 19, 2025 at 7:08 PM
Having just smashed through 118 eps and 2 TV movies in 2 months (finishing yesterday), I'm super excited by this news.
deadline.com/2025/11/star...
deadline.com/2025/11/star...
They had the creator of Tilly Norwood there. But remember folks, the BFI absolutely didn't help fund her.
deadline.com/2025/10/till...
deadline.com/2025/10/till...
November 18, 2025 at 5:05 PM
They had the creator of Tilly Norwood there. But remember folks, the BFI absolutely didn't help fund her.
deadline.com/2025/10/till...
deadline.com/2025/10/till...
I know of a filmmaker, prolific with short films, and all his pitch decks and concept posters are AI. Then he'll be like "AI is bad". Maybe then don't use it?
If you're a writer who's cool with using AI to create art for your pitch (instead of hiring an actual artist), I guess you'd also be cool with the studio using AI to write the screenplay instead of hiring you?
November 18, 2025 at 5:02 PM
I know of a filmmaker, prolific with short films, and all his pitch decks and concept posters are AI. Then he'll be like "AI is bad". Maybe then don't use it?