Nowadays / Sunnyside
Director / Danny Baldwin
Producer / Kezia Clark
Director of Photography / Charles Harrison Mori
Editor & Colourist / Jon Beagley
Composer / Daniel Sonabend
What comes to mind when you hear Men’s Shed? A dusty chair and a crackling radio? Or a space where men quietly rebuild what loneliness has taken - routine, purpose, and friendship.
Sunnyside is a short documentary exploring male mental health, grief, and the quiet strength of community spaces. Set in an East London Men’s Shed, it follows Gerry, Steve and Howard—three men forging connection and meaning through woodworking, companionship, and cups of tea.
Filmed during the early months of the pandemic, we used a mix of digital and 16mm film to reflect the homespun texture of the Shed itself. Audio interviews, recorded separately, helped contributors open up without the pressure of a camera - capturing voices with intimacy and ease.
Originally conceived as a self-funded side project, we gifted the finished film to the Men’s Sheds Association and released it in partnership with them during Mental Health Awareness Week. “There is certainly going to be a greater understanding of social isolation and loneliness,” said Chief Officer Charlie Bethel. “The need for Sheds will be more important than ever.”
Viewed thousands of times and shared widely, Sunnyside helped spotlight a simple truth: connection doesn’t need to be complicated - it just needs a space to begin.
