where r u mate?

On a drug-fuelled Friday night, best friends Daniel and Tom find themselves in conflicting places. Daniel has become a recluse – smoking excessive amounts of weed in his bedroom and hallucinating that there’s a rabid dog in his wardrobe. Tom, meanwhile, is taking a leap into normality, joining a herd of lads on a night out. However, Tom is also Daniel’s weed dealer, and the one responsible for introducing him to this now debilitating crutch. Daniel tries and tries to call his best friend but is ignored. Tom instead sells him out to this new ruthless group of friends for his own social benefit. As Daniel’s paranoia escalates, Tom must choose between fitting in with the pack or coming to the aid of his best friend.

  • Ted Bracewell
    Director
  • Ted Bracewell
    Writer
  • Alexander Jones
    Producer
    Finger Guns
  • Ted Bracewell
    Producer
  • George Potter
    Key Cast
    "Tom"
  • Ben Lindsay
    Key Cast
    "Daniel"
  • Mason Chandler-Wickens
    Key Cast
    "Tom's Friend #1"
  • Harry Horton
    Key Cast
    "Tom's Friend #2"
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Genres:
    Drama, Coming-of-age
  • Runtime:
    13 minutes 10 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    August 31, 2024
  • Production Budget:
    2,000 GBP
  • Country of Origin:
    United Kingdom
  • Country of Filming:
    United Kingdom
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Northampton Film Festival
    Northampton
    United Kingdom
    March 11, 2025
    World Premiere
    Official Selection
Director Biography - Ted Bracewell

At 18, Ted began his film career working as a script supervisor. Opting out of film school, he started editing shorts and in 2024, self-produced his debut ‘where r u mate?’. It was made with crew from ‘Norwich University of the Arts’ and cast from ‘Rose Bruford College’. He currently lives in Norwich.

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Director Statement

‘where r u mate?’ is a coming-of-age drama for a generation whose story is yet to be depicted on screen. Set in modern-day, post-pandemic Britain, this film and its characters are a product of the long-lasting impacts of lockdown, amid a changing social discourse on what it means to be young.

Opening in the twilight of a Friday night, and involving drug use, mental health and doing the right thing, ‘where r u mate?’ concerns a particular moment of male adolescence. Told through the eyes of 18-year-old boys, this is a glimpse into a slice of life usually hidden from the outside world. The all-male cast was a conscious decision - the cut-throat and ruthless nature of young men was to be on full display. Isolated, and harming as much as they help each other, these characters are breaking under the weight of the roles they think they need to play. With years of their adolescence lived in isolation, a ‘coming-of-age’ story for this generation means something different.

If ‘where r u mate?’ feels particular, it’s because these characters - their language, their relationships, their fears - are what I was experiencing at the time of making it. Written and shot whilst I was 19, I experienced the rarity of living a story I was simultaneously telling. Combining originality with a filmic language, this is a film that is juvenile and personal.

I hope you understand the importance and love of ‘where r u mate?’.