Stars Behind the Scenes: Daisy Edgar-Jones and David Jonsson join EE and BAFTA as they champion the next generation of British filmmakers
- EE and BAFTA launch the next phase of Set The Stage, an innovative filmmaking programme supported by the Young Film Academy. The initiative sees sixteen budding young creatives take part in a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be part of a film crew and produce a short film under the mentorship of BAFTA nominated actress Daisy Edgar-Jones, EE Rising Star Award 2025 winner, David Jonsson, and a crew of award-winning industry experts.
- The young filmmakers attended a seven-day immersive programme where they were joined by Daisy Edgar‑Jones and David Jonsson who led Q&As and on‑set workshops, igniting confidence, creativity and collaboration, before the teenagers took to set themselves to produce their own original short film, Setting Sail.
- EE and BAFTA are committed to inspiring and empowering new talent by showcasing the diverse range of career opportunities in the film and screen industries, while providing them with tangible pathways to pursue these passions.
Wednesday 27th August 2025: It’s lights, camera, action for the next phase of EE and BAFTA’s Set The Stage, a groundbreaking filmmaking programme designed to nurture and empower young talent.
In partnership with the Young Film Academy, the programme gives sixteen young filmmakers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to join a film crew and produce a short film under the mentorship of BAFTA nominated actress Daisy Edgar-Jones, EE Rising Star Award 2025 winner, David Jonsson, and a crew of award-winning industry experts across storytelling, production, cinematography, costume design and direction.
The latest phase of the initiative saw the teenagers join a seven-day immersive programme, where they brought their skills and vision to life, undertaking the full production on their original short film, written and developed by themselves within the Set The Stage programme.
The film, exploring the theme “growing up as a teenager in Britain today”, follows the main character, Hannah, and her younger self, Peanut, on a nostalgic treasure hunt that rekindles memories of her late grandfather. Featuring a cast that includes House of Dragons actress, Carol Ball, Setting Sail will premiere in early 2026.
Guided by an award-winning expert crew: Rochelle Newman, Lauren Sequeira, Paix Robinson, and Toby Elwes, the teens honed their skills in storytelling, cinematography, direction, and production through immersive workshops and rehearsals, with the filmmaking supported by technology partner, Samsung UK.
David Jonsson and Daisy Edgar-Jones lent their support to the Set The Stage programme, recognising the vital role early access, mentorship, and representation play in shaping the future of the film industry. Both actors spoke candidly about the influence of formative experiences and guidance in their own careers, and their involvement reflects a shared commitment to uplifting new voices and fostering fresh perspectives.
Throughout the filmmaking residential, Daisy joined performance and storytelling workshops across all the creative teams, while David hosted an intimate Q&A session with the teens spotlighting his own journey, how to break down barriers in the industry, and the importance of behind-the-scenes roles.
David Jonsson, EE Rising Star Award 2025 winner, said: “To be part of what feels like the next moment in movies and storytelling is truly inspiring. For me, EE and BAFTA’s Set The Stage is a reminder of how transformative opportunities like this can be. Coming from my end of London it can be hard to see a path for yourself. My path to this wasn’t linear. It takes time, guidance, and support. To support people like me as they take bold steps into storytelling is deeply moving.”
Daisy Edgar-Jones, BAFTA nominated actress said: “EE and BAFTA’s Set The Stage is such a brilliant initiative – I know I would have jumped at the chance to take part when I was starting out. I’m genuinely honoured to be involved and to help encourage new voices in any way I can.”
Set The Stage aims to showcase the breadth of careers available in the screen arts, with BAFTA and EE opening doors across the industry, proving teenagers can convert the skills honed on social media, gaming and tech into real jobs on and off set. It comes off the back of EE research* that revealed a generational divide in what constitutes as a real job. The research highlighted how 97% of parents worry about their children’s career aspirations, preferring traditional routes, while teenagers favour modern, tech-driven and creative roles.
Kelly Engstrom, Brand & Demand Generation Communications Director at EE said: “At EE, we want to empower young people to discover their passions and explore their curiosities, as part of our commitment to being the best network for families. Set The Stage is a testament to what happens when teenagers are given the tools, mentorship, and space to dream big. It’s been incredible to witness their growth, and we’re proud to play a part in shaping a more inclusive and dynamic future for British storytelling”.
Anthony Cole-Johnson, Executive Director of Commercial at BAFTA, said: “BAFTA is proud to partner with EE on Set The Stage. This programme reflects our shared commitment to nurturing diverse talent and creating tangible pathways into the screen industries. It’s more than just skill-building - it’s about fostering confidence, encouraging collaboration, and ensuring that the next generation of storytellers reflects the richness and diversity of voices across the UK.”
The young filmmakers' short film, Setting Sail, will premiere in early 2026, and will subsequently be available on EE’s YouTube channel to watch. The documentary and journey of the Set The Stage participants will also be available.
EE is committed to supporting families as the UK’s best network. Through initiatives like Set The Stage, young people are empowered to explore their passions and build real-world creative skills.
For more information, please contact the Edelman team at EEBAFTA@edelman.com
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ABOUT EE
EE is one of the UK’s largest subscription businesses, backed by the UK’s biggest and fastest mobile network, offering superfast connections in more places than any other operator. Built on the foundation of decades of mobile and broadband leadership, EE is on a mission to be the most personal and customer-focused brand in the UK by playing a more meaningful role in customers’ lives, with a suite of exciting products and services open to all UK consumers, available via a new ‘EE ID’ digital platform.
EE’s mobile network continues to receive extensive recognition including UK's best overall network by RootMetrics® every year since 2014, as well as being named Network of the Year at the 2022 Mobile Industry Awards.
EE is committed to offering first class service in the industry and has over 400 stores across the UK. EE remains the only mobile provider to answer 100% of customer calls in the UK and Ireland and was recognised as the UK’s Best Large Contact Centre by the UK Customer Experience Awards 2018 and Welsh Contact Centre Awards 2019.
EE was awarded The Sunday Times’ Best 100 Companies to Work for in 2018 and 2019, as well as being named Best Employer 2018 by the European Contact Centre & Customer Service awards. EE won Best Repair Service and Best Network Provider at the Mobile Industry Awards in September 2023 and was recognised as the provider that does more than any other to deliver a great service.
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ABOUT BAFTA
BAFTA’s mission as a charity is to champion the creative and cultural importance of the screen arts across film, games and television. Through its Awards ceremonies and year-round programme of talent initiatives and learning events that include masterclasses, lectures, scholarships, bursaries and mentoring schemes in the UK and North America, BAFTA identifies and celebrates excellence, discovers, inspires and nurtures new screen talent, and enables learning and creative collaboration. For more, visit www.bafta.org. BAFTA is a registered charity (no. 216726).
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ABOUT YOUNG FILM ACADEMY
Young Film Academy (YFA) is the UK’s leading provider of filmmaking courses, schools filmmaking programs, community filmmaking projects, and kids’ film parties for young people. Based in London, YFA works nationwide, helping over 15,000 young people each year complete their first digital films, from West End-premiered movies to curriculum-linked film projects in schools.
YFA has been a partner in the British Film Institute (BFI) Film Academy Network, helping to find and nurture top UK emerging talent. Their philosophy emphasizes the importance of teamwork, practical experience, and the belief that filmmaking should be accessible to all young people, regardless of their socio-economic background.
ABOUT THE RESEARCH
*All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from OnePoll. The research was conducted on behalf of EE by OnePoll between 29/01/2025 - 03/03/2025. 1000 parents and 1000 of their children aged 11-17 were interviewed via an online quantitative survey.