12 Stages of Unemployment – A short film

12 Stages of Unemployment

A short film tracing the emotional journey of a 23-year old young woman challenging assumptions about unemployment and wasted potential.

Film Details
A worn, navy-blue fabric backpack slumped against a closed bedroom door, its zippers half-open and a stack of dog-eared application forms spilling onto a scuffed wooden floor. A silent smartphone lies screen-down beside it, notifications off, next to a folded bus pass. Soft, overcast daylight filters through thin curtains, casting muted, cool-toned light across the small, slightly cluttered room with an unmade bed and a simple desk in the background. Photographic realism at eye level, with shallow depth of field focusing sharply on the backpack and papers, the background softly blurred to create a quiet, contemplative mood that hints at stalled plans and uncertainty.

A bare, fluorescent-lit waiting area in a job center, shown without people, with a row of slightly mismatched plastic chairs and a single, overstuffed information leaflet stand beside them. On one seat lies an unopened envelope stamped with official markings, next to a budget black backpack with a broken zipper and a nearly empty clear plastic water bottle. The light is harsh and cool, casting sharp-edged shadows beneath the chairs and emphasizing the glossy floor tiles. Photographic realism, captured from a low, wide-angle perspective to amplify the emptiness of the space, creating a mood of bureaucratic distance and anxious anticipation.

About

12 Stages of Unemployment explores the realities facing 16–24 year olds Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEETs), inviting viewers to consider the systems, policies, and daily barriers that shape young people’s futures.

According to a report by the Office for National Statistics, released in May 2026, 16% of people in the 16-24 age bracket were unemployed. This number is predicted to increase in the next five years!

Film details

ACTORS

Updates

We will be posting updates about the actors, the actual film shoot, behind the scenes photos, post-production and screenings as the project continues.