Member in Focus:
Jill Pryde

When Sunny Dancer opened the Generation 14plus section of the Berlinale in February 2026 — a film about teenagers in cancer remission, shot entirely in Scotland, with not a single hospital scene — it announced itself as one of the most distinctive and joyful British films of the year. Behind the camera, helping to bring George Jaques' bold, warmhearted vision to life, was Jill Pryde. A Line Producer and UPM with a career spanning Tell it to the Bees, The Nest, Shetland, Last Breath, Tetris and Lockerbie: A Search for Truth, Jill has built an exceptional body of work across Scottish and British film and television — and Sunny Dancer feels like a natural high point in a career defined by craft, adaptability and a genuine love for stories that matter. With Anansi Boys coming up as UPM, we caught up with Jill to find out what the journey has taught her, what line producing a film like Sunny Dancer really involves, and why Scotland remains one of the most exciting places in the UK to make a film.

Congratulations on the release of Sunny Dancer - it had its world premiere as the opening night film of the Generation 14plus section at the Berlinale in February - a remarkable moment for any production. How did it feel to see the film receive that recognition, and what drew you to the project in the first place?

You always hope that every project that you work so hard on is well received, to reflect the dedication and hard work that the whole cast and crew bring to a production. I was drawn to Sunny Dancer in particular by the script, and how it was a coming-of-age story about friendship, resilience, and discovering how to live life to the fullest. The story centres around a Teenage Cancer Camp and while the central characters have one thing in common, that is not the defining point of the film. Instead, it highlights how these young people find friendship, and a true sense of belonging.

Can you tell us how you first got started in the industry, and what path led you from Production Manager to Line Producer?

I started off in the industry as a runner within the AD department, moving through the ranks to 2nd AD. There are many differing routes within the industry, and there’s not one concrete path. For me I feel that this route has provided a more rounded perspective and understanding of the role that I now work in.

The journey of moving from Production Manager to Line Producer is one based on gaining more experience, as with every job you are faced with more challenges and given more responsibility. So, I think that personally, the journey between roles was more of a gradual progression as you gain more experience over time.

Your credits as Production Manager include Shetland, The Nest, Last Breath and Tell it to the Bees — a really varied mix of drama, thriller and period film across Scotland and the wider UK. How did those productions shape your approach to the craft, and was there a particular project that felt like a turning point in your career?

I think each of these projects were unique, bringing their own distinct set of challenges, which allowed me to develop and hone skills. 

I don’t feel as though there was a particular project that felt like a turning point in my career. You learn so much from the people that you work alongside on each project, whether it’s the team that’s around you, or those in the positions above you. I have had the good fortune to work alongside some amazingly supportive people throughout my career who have provided me opportunity and access to develop and hone the skills that I needed to make the next step up to Line Producer. In turn I always encourage junior members of the production team to learn as much as possible about all the departments that they work alongside. It provides a much more holistic view of a production. 

Sunny Dancer was filmed entirely in Scotland — and reportedly didn't see a single drop of rain throughout. Filming in Scotland brings its own logistical considerations - locations, crew bases, local infrastructure. What was the experience of line producing a feature in Scotland like, and what does the region offer productions that might surprise people?

We were extremely lucky to shoot a script which was set predominately exterior, and the weather was sunny and bright, really helps for a film titled Sunny Dancer. The setting of a teen summer camp is so indebted to the shooting conditions, and we could not have been more fortunate to avoid the rain!

Filming in Scotland has so many positives. There is a hugely experienced local crew base, and to be able to bring a together a crew with that level of experience was hugely beneficial, and something that any project would benefit from.

In terms of logistical considerations, our main location was very close to Glasgow. One of the extremely positive aspects of shooting in Scotland is the breadth and scope of locations you can access with short travel times. This is widely beneficial as it means that the crew and equipment can move about with ease. About local infrastructure, Glasgow is particularly well served with suppliers for both lighting, camera and facilities all of which provide first class service. 

I think the region would surprise people in terms of the experience of the crew that are based locally, alongside the ease of access to a wide variety of locations; something that is beneficial on any job, but especially on one with a smaller budget and tighter schedule. 

Director George Jaques made a deliberate creative decision that despite the film being about teenagers in cancer remission, there would be "not a single hospital scene" — he wanted cancer to be the least interesting thing about the characters. How does that kind of strong directorial vision shape the way you approach line producing, and how do you support a filmmaker in protecting that vision under the pressures of production?

I think it’s key with any job to understand the story that the director wants to tell, and it is important to make decisions that support that. On a job like Sunny Dancer, the strength of the HODs and crew and their ability to realise that directorial vision while not having the biggest budget or the longest amount of time was so essential to the production. Having teams with such experience and such vast skillsets goes such a long way to support the directorial vision. 

It’s really important regardless of budget that you want to see the value on screen, however this is even more critical on productions with smaller budgets. Ultimately you want to see the value on screen, because at the end of the day that is all that the audience will see.

Sunny Dancer is a modestly budgeted independent British film — yet it attracted a remarkable cast including Bella Ramsey, Jessica Gunning, James Norton and Neil Patrick Harris. What does it take to produce a film at this level with that kind of ambition, and how did the team build something so creatively confident within the budget available?

I think some really early decisions have to be made in terms of how you facilitate the film; where you base, the number of locations, the travel time, so you build a world that you can actually support without affecting the creative vision of the film. Once again, it comes down to the departments and key hires in terms of level of experience, and the enthusiasm and drive to work together with whatever budget is available - to support the creative vision.

You also served as UPM on Tetris and Lockerbie: A Search for Truth as Line Producer - productions with very different scales and sensibilities. How does your approach shift between independent features and larger studio or broadcaster-led productions, and which do you find most creatively rewarding?

I think at heart there is a degree of similarity between every project, as for each one you are trying to make the best decisions for each. Sometimes these are bigger and more expensive decisions for those that have larger budgets. Equally, I think that on every project regardless of the scale, you have to ask the same question - is this the best way to do this? It is always about providing the best solutions to support the creative vision, within the parameters of the budget. 

Lockerbie: A Search for Truth, was a challenging production in that it’s the depiction of real-life events, and real people. With that you have the demands of the role of Line Producer, but with an added level of responsibility. 

I would say for me, that a project being creatively rewarding isn’t necessarily dictated by the budget level, instead it’s the story that you are telling. I think that there has been creative reward in all the projects that I have had the good fortune to work on.

With Anansi Boys coming up as UPM, your career continues to evolve across different grades and formats. What does moving between Line Producer and UPM credits tell us about the flexibility the industry demands — and how do you decide which projects to say yes to?

Our industry is such that you do have to demonstrate flexibility to move between differing types of projects - whether that’s between film or high-end television productions. There is more crossing of what would have been seen as definite lines, in terms of people only working in one or the other. I think the industry has changed and will continue to change, and crew will work across both formats.

Deciding on the projects that you say yes to is really important, as you want to do the best that you can for each of the jobs that you work on. You work such long hours, sometimes in a pressurised environment, so deciding on a project that you believe in is key. If you can, being able to choose a project where the script intrigues you, or the director, producer or studio is one that you really want to work with and respect the work they have produced before, can be a driving factor in solidifying what project to work on. It is a combination of these factors that drive my personal decisions regarding projects.

On a lighter note — after filming Sunny Dancer with a cast that apparently went backstage to meet Kylie Minogue during production, what is your most memorable off-set moment from a long shoot?

I would say one of the most memorable moments for me was the bringing together of the UK and Moroccan crew of Lockerbie: A Search for Truth when filming in Morocco. In a short space of time, the two crews became one, working together on set and hanging out socially after work. We had a few parties and were treated to some great Moroccan hospitality which contributed to it feeling like a cohesive, happy crew.

Finally, what advice would you give to someone who wants to become a Line Producer — and what has kept you passionate about this work across such a varied and impressive career?

I would say to get as much experience as you can before stepping up to Line Producer.  I think it is important to have the fullest understanding of the departments that you will be working alongside, as well as understanding the equipment, and logistics to work towards providing practical solutions. Working on a variety of productions of differing types and scale is invaluable to building your skillset and experience.

I really enjoy the job I do, and I feel extremely fortunate to do it. I think the challenges, the problem solving and the team building have kept me passionate about the work. It is the variety that keeps it interesting.