Industry in action: MetFilm School collaboration on Gale – Yellow Brick Road

Gale – Yellow Brick Road, directed by MetFilm School Birmingham lecturers Daniel Alexander and written by Matthew R. Ford, premiered in Leicester Square on February 4th, with its U.S. theatrical release following on the 11th. With European distribution discussions underway, the film marks a major milestone for the production – and a powerful example of what can happen when industry practice and education truly collaborate.

Reimagining a classic

Gale is a bold, dark reimagining of a beloved story. Dorothy, now an elderly woman haunted by her past, desperately tries to warn her granddaughter Emily before sinister forces pull her back into Oz – a once-familiar land now twisted by horrors.

Atmospheric, ambitious, and unafraid to challenge expectations, the film embodies the bold creative risk-taking at the heart of independent cinema – exactly the kind of visionary filmmaking our lecturers continually champion.

Where industry meets education

What makes this project particularly special for us at MetFilm School is the meaningful involvement of both graduates and current students from our Birmingham campus, working alongside experienced industry professionals, including members of our own teaching team.

Our students were embedded within the production, contributing in key creative and technical roles:

• Anna Piggott-Reeves (Graduate) – Key Production Assistant
• Oliver Butler (Graduate) – Standby Art Director
• Yonatan Tiruneh (Graduate) – 2nd Assistant Camera
• Emma Morgan (Level 6) – Dance Choreographer
• L6 Behind-the-Scenes Team – Max Linton, Scarlett Overthrow, Lucas Palmer & Billy Vickerstaff

For current Level 6 student Emma Morgan, the experience was particularly exciting. Not only did she choreograph a pivotal dance sequence, working closely with the film’s lead actor, but she also stepped into the Assistant Director role during a high-pressure moment when the scheduled A.D. had to leave set early. It’s a testament to her professionalism, adaptability and the confidence developed through rigorous, practice-based training.

Lecturer × Student collaboration in action

At MetFilm School, many of our lecturers are active industry practitioners. Projects like Gale demonstrate the tangible benefits of that model. When educators are working filmmakers, doors open, and students gain access to real productions, real sets and real responsibility.

This collaboration accelerates professional development. Students learn the pace, etiquette and problem-solving demands of a live production environment, while building industry relationships that extend far beyond graduation. Several of the students involved have already begun cultivating new opportunities through the connections made on this film.

From training to theatrical release

For the students involved, seeing their names in the credits of a theatrically released feature marks a defining early step in their careers – a milestone that reflects their talent, dedication, and the exciting futures ahead of them.

It reinforces something we strongly believe: industry readiness isn’t just taught, it’s practised. When students put themselves forward, say yes to opportunity, and apply their skills in professional contexts, the results speak for themselves.

From developing craft to delivering on set.
From training with professionals to working as professionals.

..There’s no place like MetFilm School! 

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