The National Film Awards 2025
As the excitement builds for the 2025 National Film Awards, we’re beyond thrilled to see so many projects and people we’ve had the privilege of working with nominated for various awards. Whether it’s curating the right selection of images or managing the approvals process, Image Approvals has been a trusted part of the workflow, helping productions bring their campaigns to life smoothly and efficiently.
Among this year’s standout nominees, the following approval stats offer a snapshot of the scale and complexity of image management we played a part in:
William Tell
Best Action in a Film/Series
Best British Film
Best Director
The Outrun
Best Drama
Best Actress
Best Outstanding Performance
Cleaner
Best Screenplay
Best Action in a Film/Series
Best British Film
The Railway Children Return
Best Newcomer
William Tell
Nominated for Best Action in a Film/Series | Best British Film | Best Director
đź“· Images Received: Over 3,500
đź‘Ą Actors with Approvals: 14
🎬 Days of Stills Shot: 48
âś… Stills Approved: 91%
We have a particular love for the team at Tempo Productions who are behind the fantastic William Tell.
It was on the set of Tempo's Military Wives in conversation with one of the film's producers that Image Approvals was born, and since then we have supported Tempo Productions with three of their amazing titles.
William Tell has been our favourite so far with a rich set of unit stills photography beautifully capturing all of the nail-biting action and the nuanced emotion of the film's characters, it was truly a pleasure to see this creation unfold through the stills we received for actor approvals.
The Outrun
Nominated for Best Drama | Best Actress | Outstanding Performance
đź“· Images Received: Over 6,000
🗂️ Curated for Cast Viewing: Just Over 1,800
đź‘Ą Actors with Approvals: 2
🎬 Days of Stills Shot: 13
âś… Stills Approved: 62%
From Sarah Brocklehurst's Brock Media comes this incredible film that is not only up for 3 awards at this year's National Film Awards, but has recently received 2 BAFTA nomination for Best Leading Actress in Saoirse Ronan as well as Outstanding British Film of the year.
As if that's not enough, it also received 9 BIFA nominations showing just how much of an outstanding piece of cinema this film is. It has been an absolute pleasure to support the Brock Media team on yet another of their incredible projects that deliver time after time and we can't wait to see what they will be bringing to the British Film Industry next.
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Cleaner
Nominated for Best Screenplay, Best Action in a Film/Series & Best British Film
đź“· Images Received: Just under 5,000
🗂️ Curated for Cast Viewing: 1,400
đź‘Ą Actors with Approvals: 9
🎬 Days of Stills Shot: 35
âś… Stills Approved: 78%
From another of our regular clients, Cleaner is the 7th film from Anton Corp we have supported through the photo approvals process and we are so happy to see it get the recognition it deserves at this year's National Film Awards.
This project also came with a very particular challenge: a number of scenes involved masked characters which can complicate the approvals process. Do those images need sign-off? What counts as a recognisable performance? And how do you balance contractual requirements with having enough approved production stills?
There isn’t always a clear-cut answer, but we’ve developed systems and experience that help productions navigate exactly this sort of grey area. For Cleaner, we worked with both the client and publicity team to flag these shots and provide guidance on best practice. That meant no hold-ups, clear approvals requirements and zero guesswork with all stakeholders, reps and cast on the same page.
The Railway Children Return
Austin Haynes nominated for Best Newcomer
đź“· Images Received: 3,198
đź‘Ą Actors with Approvals: 4
âś… Stills Approved: 76%
The team at STUDIOCANAL who are no strangers to creating award-winning projects, have delivered yet another incredible piece of UK film in The Railway Children Return. Financing and producing an average of 30 films per year in multiple languages and with a distribution library boasting nearly 6,500 titles from 60 countries, STUDIOCANAL is a powerhouse when it comes to film.
This particular project presented a common but often overlooked challenge: a large proportion of stills were captured in extremely low-light conditions. While visually striking, such images can raise issues during the approvals process.
At what point does an actor become recognisable in near-darkness? Are these images relevant for cast sign-off? How about if they get brightened later on? And how do you assess whether a shot meets both creative and contractual expectations when visibility is limited?
These are decisions that require technical judgement and a nuanced understanding of cast preferences and production priorities. We worked closely with the team to evaluate this appropriately, ensuring the approval process remained efficient, consistent, and aligned with all parties’ expectations.
Want to streamline your own project’s image approval process? Learn more about our platform and services here.
Behind Every Great Still: A Nod to Our Photographers
Although the National Film Awards shine a light on performances, storytelling, and direction, we’d like to pause and acknowledge the unit stills photographers whose behind-the-scenes work helps bring these productions to life long after the cameras stop rolling.
Their images have played a vital role in the cast approvals process - helping shape press kits, marketing campaigns, and the broader visual identity of each project. It’s not always glamorous work (set days can be long, light is fleeting, and access is limited), but their skill, timing, and discretion are what make those perfect frames possible.
Here are some of the unit stills photographers we’ve had the pleasure of working with across this year’s nominated productions:
Chiabella James
-Chiabella James is a British unit stills photographer whose credits include Dune, The Flash, and Mission: Impossible – Fallout, capturing evocative imagery that bridges cinematic storytelling and editorial portraiture.
Susie Allnutt
Susie Allnutt is a London-based unit stills photographer with over 20 years’ experience, whose credits include The Little Mermaid, The Witcher, and Enola Holmes 2, capturing striking imagery across genres for major studios and indie films alike.
Natalie Seery
Natalie Seery is a London-based unit stills photographer whose credits include After Life, I May Destroy You, and Bad Sisters, known for capturing evocative imagery that bridges cinematic storytelling and editorial portraiture.
Ludovic Robert
Ludovic Robert is a London-based French unit stills and key art photographer whose credits include Killing Eve, The Third Day, and Black Doves, capturing cinematic visuals across both television and film productions
Jaap Buitendijk
Jaap Buitendijk is a renowned Dutch-born unit stills photographer based in the UK, celebrated for his work on films such as Barbie, Wonka, 12 Years a Slave, Harry Potter, and Gladiator, where he captures iconic imagery and key art that define cinematic moments.
Lorenzo Pesca
Lorenzo Pesce is an award-winning Italian photographer renowned for his evocative editorial and advertising work, with notable projects like Eurogeneration, American Diaries, and Portrait of Italy, blending cinematic storytelling with a deeply humanistic lens.
Need unit stills support for your next production...
Whether you need help sourcing and scheduling your unit photographer, managing image delivery and talent approvals, or help with retouching or captioning, Image Approvals is your one-stop shop for all things stills.
