Sam McLeod is a director, writer, director of photography, and colour grader based in Leeds, and graduated from the BA (Hons) Filmmaking course in 2026.

For his third-year production, Sam wrote and directed the short film ‘Call Lone Magpie’, which follows the titular Lone Magpie, a jaded hitman-for-hire in a speculative future where hitmen are legal, who “must make a commercial for his business, but begins to question his own profession.” After beginning life as a one-page screenplay for a screenwriting contest, Sam returned to ‘Call Lone Magpie’, building out the world with the encouragement of his producers Keira Day and Ruby D'Arcy, both BA (Hons) Filmmaking.   

Funds for the film were raised via a Kickstarter campaign, with filming taking place in November 2025. As well as making full use of the filmmaking equipment and studios, the production also utilised the specialist equipment found in the Academic Computing department to achieve the unemulated VHS sections seen in the final film. For the opening scene, 3D head-scanning was also used to form the basis of the explosive special effects shot, setting the darkly-comic and satirical tone for the rest of the film.

The production brought together second and third-year students from BA (Hons) Filmmaking and BA (Hons) Photography courses, alongside external and international collaborators to complete the 27-person cast and crew. With the crew having honed their specialisms throughout their time on their courses, Keira and Ruby were able to cultivate a smooth-running and efficient set, with Sam reflecting that the professionality of the production meant that “everyone knew what they were doing, they just got it done”, making his job as a director “so much easier”.

‘Call Lone Magpie’ made its debut at the filmmaking full course screening event at Hyde Park Picture House on 9 June 2026, before being shortlisted to appear at the graduate showcase event at Blenheim Walk as part of the end of year show. A judging panel made up of BA (Hons) Filmmaking course leader Tom Chimiak and alumni Dylan Pilgrim and Molly Hunstone presented awards across a number of categories, where the film won Best Film and Best Post Production.