We are Old Swan Films, an award winning independent film company based in Liverpool. Over the past few years we have built a reputation for telling honest, human stories rooted in real communities. You can learn more about our work at www.oldswanfilms.com and through our work online.

Our previous projects include the critically acclaimed documentary The Little Things, which achieved global distribution on Amazon Prime and received national media coverage. We have also produced Time to Go in partnership with RASA Merseyside, and Voice Again in collaboration with Derian House Children’s Hospice. These films reflect our commitment to meaningful storytelling and real social impact.

Now we are beginning production on a new short film titled MR A.

MR A is being produced by Old Swan Films in partnership with BLCK Productions, led by Brianna Douglas an Actor and Producer and CEO of BLCK. Together we are bringing a new voice and perspective to the screen through a story rooted in Liverpool and inspired by real life experiences.

MR A is a character driven short film following a young teacher and church youth pastor as he navigates the pressure of expectation in both worlds. The film blends humour and emotion while exploring themes of identity, purpose and self belief. The short film will stand on its own as a complete work and will also help open doors for future development.

The project is created by Liverpool based writer and actor Noah Olaoye.

Noah grew up in Liverpool as a Nigerian British child in a Nigerian Pentecostal church. His upbringing was vibrant, expressive and full of life, yet he rarely saw this world represented authentically on screen. MR A is his response to that absence.

The short film explores one week in the life of Ayotunde Akinlade, an English Literature teacher and church teens pastor balancing two overlapping worlds. One is a Scouse secondary school where he works to inspire students through creativity and humour. The other is a Nigerian Pentecostal church community where he feels the weight of expectation and responsibility.

At its heart, this story is about self doubt and belonging. It explores the internal voice that tells us we are not enough and the courage required to show up as ourselves.

The Nigerian British Northern experience is rarely seen in UK film and television. Yet thousands of families across cities like Liverpool, Manchester and Birmingham live these stories every day. MR A brings this world to the screen with honesty and respect while telling a story that speaks to anyone who has ever questioned themselves.

This project matters to us because we believe authentic local stories deserve to be told at the highest level. We are committed to making MR A with the same care and professionalism that has defined our previous films.

Your support will help us cover the essential costs of production including equipment, locations, travel, design and post production. Every contribution moves us closer to bringing this story to life.

Casting of Mr A.

Actor and Influencer Noah Olaoye

As an actor, Noah is well known for his appearance on Coronation Street as Gav Adetiba as well as various theatre productions across the country. He has also written, directed and produced several short films for his local church Love Assembly Liverpool.

On social media he has acquired over 400k followers across various platforms due to his skits, football commentary and his impersonation of ex Premier League footballer turned pundit Micah Richards, the latter which has scored him exposure on CBS Sports, Sky Sports, A League Of Their Own and the UEFA Champions League.

He’s also partnered creatively with the BBC, been part of a show at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and has worked with brands such as Nike, Krispy Kreme and TikTok.

Introducing BLCK Production

Brianna Douglas

Brianna is an Actor & Writer based in Manchester. She founded BLCK Productions CIC in late 2025, motivated by the repeated advice to “make her own work” and by the ongoing under-representation of Black Creatives in the North of England across Arts and Media. BLCK exists to Elevate Black Creatives in the North of the UK by creating work, opportunities and building a thriving, inclusive community where talent can connect, collaborate and grow.

Introducing Our Director

Richard Ampeh

Richard is an Edinburgh TV festival nominated writer/director, and TV creative made his writer-director debut with ‘The Nod: Tell Me You Got Me’ commissioned by Warner Bros Discovery and Media Trust. He entered the world of TV and Film in 2021 when he was headhunted from his role in education to make the step into the world of TV production. Since then, he has created a number of short films for various platforms including Warner Bros Discovery, The Media Trust, Discovery Education, The National Portrait Gallery and BBC Education. Richard is also an alumnus of ‘We Are Parable’s prestigious Momentum programme and a recent winner of Filmhub Norths ‘Film Generator’ programme.

Richard is a filmmaker with a keen focus on exploring stories from West Africa and its diaspora, as well as telling stories that ‘humanise the Black male’. He is extremely excited to be directing ‘Mr A: Genesis’ as the film speaks to all of these elements and places authentic representation and well-rounded characters at the heart of the story.

Thank you for supporting independent film.

Old Swan Films and BLCK Productions