Premiering at Europe’s biggest LGBTQ+ film festival BFI Flare on Sunday 23rd March 2025, Shoobs
is part of a new anthology of five short films from Open Sky, entitled MicroPlays: Identity. Conceived to help theatre creatives transition into filmmaking, five writers were asked to explore the question of what makes us who we are. The answer from Janet Etuk (A Streetcar Named Desire, The Almeida 2025; Princess Essex, Rough Magic, Shakespeare’s Globe; The Box Of Delights, RSC) is new comedy drama, Shoobs, which navigates themes of love, regret and sexuality, all set to a floor-filler original score.
is part of a new anthology of five short films from Open Sky, entitled MicroPlays: Identity. Conceived to help theatre creatives transition into filmmaking, five writers were asked to explore the question of what makes us who we are. The answer from Janet Etuk (A Streetcar Named Desire, The Almeida 2025; Princess Essex, Rough Magic, Shakespeare’s Globe; The Box Of Delights, RSC) is new comedy drama, Shoobs, which navigates themes of love, regret and sexuality, all set to a floor-filler original score.
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| Janet Etuk in Shoobs. |
Shoobs is directed by Open Sky’s creative director Lisle Turner and results from a collaboration with writer, director and lead actor Janet Etuk. Open Sky is an Arts Council England, National Portfolio Organisation making theatre, film and digital theatre. They are uniquely placed to support theatre professionals transitioning into screen work. Their first project with this focus was an anthology of short plays filmed and distributed via social media called MicroPlays: Polarity, which won The Digital Culture Awards in 2022.
Ahead of the film premiering we sat down with Janet Etuk to learn more.
What can you tell me about SHOOBS?
SHOOBS follows the life of 15-year-old Lisa, whose battling with the social norms placed upon her during a raucous south-london house party (also known as ‘shoobs’). Lisa is frequently visited by Lisa Snr who is determined to help navigate her love life as she struggles with her feelings for her best friend, Jada.
SHOOBS follows the life of 15-year-old Lisa, whose battling with the social norms placed upon her during a raucous south-london house party (also known as ‘shoobs’). Lisa is frequently visited by Lisa Snr who is determined to help navigate her love life as she struggles with her feelings for her best friend, Jada.
Where did the inspiration for the film come from?
The inspiration came from old photographs and diaries I had growing up. My short-term memory is atrocious, but my long-term memory is always extremely vivid. I remember how ridiculous it was growing up in an environment that was against exploring one’s sexuality and I wanted to bring this to light in my writing. I also wanted to highlight themes of Gender Dysphoria and explore where and how it sits in the body for this character.
The inspiration came from old photographs and diaries I had growing up. My short-term memory is atrocious, but my long-term memory is always extremely vivid. I remember how ridiculous it was growing up in an environment that was against exploring one’s sexuality and I wanted to bring this to light in my writing. I also wanted to highlight themes of Gender Dysphoria and explore where and how it sits in the body for this character.
How did you approach the writing and development of the film?
I was given the opportunity to explore the world of SHOOBS by the brilliant Open Sky. Lisle Turner: Director of SHOOBS and co-director of OpenSky, had set specific deadlines for developing the arc, the themes and most importantly the heart of the story. Having these milestones put into place gave me a clearer understanding of how to write the film and how to develop each section more concisely. The development of the film was wicked! Especially when we took our time to exploreseveral locations in Brixton and see how we could recreate the house party. This, in my opinion was the biggest turning point for the development of SHOOBS.
I was given the opportunity to explore the world of SHOOBS by the brilliant Open Sky. Lisle Turner: Director of SHOOBS and co-director of OpenSky, had set specific deadlines for developing the arc, the themes and most importantly the heart of the story. Having these milestones put into place gave me a clearer understanding of how to write the film and how to develop each section more concisely. The development of the film was wicked! Especially when we took our time to exploreseveral locations in Brixton and see how we could recreate the house party. This, in my opinion was the biggest turning point for the development of SHOOBS.
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| Janet Etuk. Photo by Dujonna Gift |
How key has the collaboration with director Lisle Turner been?
Lisle Turner held my hand every bloomin step of the way, to which I’m grateful for! It’s exciting to be given the chance to create your first film but it can also be daunting, especially if you’re tackling themes that mean so much to you. More than anything, I wanted SHOOBS to have real heart and for it to resonate with others from the noughties era. Every time I had a wobble or lost my way, Lisle would be there to re-direct my brain back to what I was originally trying to convey in the film. I was constantly given the opportunity to fine tune ideas, propose other tactics and see how far I could push certain sections of the piece that meant the most to me. The whole experience was invaluable, and I’ve learnt a tremendous amount after working with him.
Lisle Turner held my hand every bloomin step of the way, to which I’m grateful for! It’s exciting to be given the chance to create your first film but it can also be daunting, especially if you’re tackling themes that mean so much to you. More than anything, I wanted SHOOBS to have real heart and for it to resonate with others from the noughties era. Every time I had a wobble or lost my way, Lisle would be there to re-direct my brain back to what I was originally trying to convey in the film. I was constantly given the opportunity to fine tune ideas, propose other tactics and see how far I could push certain sections of the piece that meant the most to me. The whole experience was invaluable, and I’ve learnt a tremendous amount after working with him.
How did you settle on how to blend the themes of the piece with the soundtrack?
There were hundreds of tracks that sparked memories of the noughties house parties. The more I’d write, the more songs came to mind. I had an ocean of tracks in my head, complete with visions, tastes and smells that accompanied them! We ranged from Sean Paul to Elephant Man to Destiney’s Child and wanted to use these specific tracks to throw the viewers into the party right from the off. We played tracks throughout filming and then, sorry to say, but my knowledge is pretty limited here! However, a few weeks later SHOOBS has suddenly got this absolutely BANGIN original score attached to it! Replacing the original selected tracks and bringing together the liveliness of the party, the youth, the love and the mucky adolescence vibe altogether seamlessly. Thrilled.
There were hundreds of tracks that sparked memories of the noughties house parties. The more I’d write, the more songs came to mind. I had an ocean of tracks in my head, complete with visions, tastes and smells that accompanied them! We ranged from Sean Paul to Elephant Man to Destiney’s Child and wanted to use these specific tracks to throw the viewers into the party right from the off. We played tracks throughout filming and then, sorry to say, but my knowledge is pretty limited here! However, a few weeks later SHOOBS has suddenly got this absolutely BANGIN original score attached to it! Replacing the original selected tracks and bringing together the liveliness of the party, the youth, the love and the mucky adolescence vibe altogether seamlessly. Thrilled.
How thrilling is it to have the film premiere as part of the BFI Flare Festival?
It’s a humongous honour. I think back to the very beginnings of this project and even further back to when SHOOBS was only fragments of an idea. To think that this story had stemmed from extracts of an idea to experimental scenes for a play and finally to a film that’s been selected for one of the biggest and most prestigious festivals in Europe. I’m incredibly proud, grateful…and pretty mesmerised.
It’s a humongous honour. I think back to the very beginnings of this project and even further back to when SHOOBS was only fragments of an idea. To think that this story had stemmed from extracts of an idea to experimental scenes for a play and finally to a film that’s been selected for one of the biggest and most prestigious festivals in Europe. I’m incredibly proud, grateful…and pretty mesmerised.
Where did your Arts Career begin?
My Arts Career began after playing a butterfly in my Year One Assembly class. I Instantly knew I wanted to do that again. I was lucky, I’ve always had a very openminded family who loved the Arts. I embraced this wonderful openness along with any opportunity I had to attend workshops, dance schools, Drama summer schools, writing courses (the list goes on). I was selected to join East 15 Acting School’s Contemporary Theatre Course, which is where I started writing my first play. As this play developed further, I realised that I had many ideas I wanted to share and have been swamped with images, scenes and random dialogue for these ideas ever since.
My Arts Career began after playing a butterfly in my Year One Assembly class. I Instantly knew I wanted to do that again. I was lucky, I’ve always had a very openminded family who loved the Arts. I embraced this wonderful openness along with any opportunity I had to attend workshops, dance schools, Drama summer schools, writing courses (the list goes on). I was selected to join East 15 Acting School’s Contemporary Theatre Course, which is where I started writing my first play. As this play developed further, I realised that I had many ideas I wanted to share and have been swamped with images, scenes and random dialogue for these ideas ever since.
How do you reflect on your career so far?
It’s been a rollercoaster. I’m very proud of how far I’ve gotten but I’m never happy. I always want to do more, create more, learn, experience and share more. Constantly have ‘ants in my pants’, which means I do a terrible job balancing my ‘downtime’ with my work life. I’ve performed in many incredible Theatres: from The National Theatre in London to The Rustaveli (National Theatre of Georgia, Tbilisi) to the Schaubühne, Berlin. I’ve written and showcased my work for Southwark Playhouse, Oval House, Bunker Theatre, Blue Elephant, Arcola and now for the BFI!! So far, my career has been a difficult one but incredibly rewarding. But I feel like I’ve only just begun, especially when it comes to experimenting in the TV and Film world.
It’s been a rollercoaster. I’m very proud of how far I’ve gotten but I’m never happy. I always want to do more, create more, learn, experience and share more. Constantly have ‘ants in my pants’, which means I do a terrible job balancing my ‘downtime’ with my work life. I’ve performed in many incredible Theatres: from The National Theatre in London to The Rustaveli (National Theatre of Georgia, Tbilisi) to the Schaubühne, Berlin. I’ve written and showcased my work for Southwark Playhouse, Oval House, Bunker Theatre, Blue Elephant, Arcola and now for the BFI!! So far, my career has been a difficult one but incredibly rewarding. But I feel like I’ve only just begun, especially when it comes to experimenting in the TV and Film world.
What gives you inspiration?
Apart from my family and the many incredible stories they share with me, I’d have to say that ‘minute’ situations inspires me! It’s a problem. It might be a conversation I might’ve heard at a train station or the way someone walks out of work for a cigarette break. I’m constantly noting things down and then storing them on a shelf in my head. My phone gets crowded with random thoughts and notes, but I know that the material will come out at eventually, and I’ll be grateful that I stored it safely…or sometimes on a bit of paper somewhere. I also love Art, I love Kandinsky and Dali and being open to the fact that stories and art never have to be linear and certainly don’t have to be tied up in a nice little ribbon. Life is messy, emotions, humans and thoughts are messy and taking random trips to galleries is a wonderful reminder of that.
Apart from my family and the many incredible stories they share with me, I’d have to say that ‘minute’ situations inspires me! It’s a problem. It might be a conversation I might’ve heard at a train station or the way someone walks out of work for a cigarette break. I’m constantly noting things down and then storing them on a shelf in my head. My phone gets crowded with random thoughts and notes, but I know that the material will come out at eventually, and I’ll be grateful that I stored it safely…or sometimes on a bit of paper somewhere. I also love Art, I love Kandinsky and Dali and being open to the fact that stories and art never have to be linear and certainly don’t have to be tied up in a nice little ribbon. Life is messy, emotions, humans and thoughts are messy and taking random trips to galleries is a wonderful reminder of that.
What would you want someone to take away from seeing SHOOBS?
Not everything can be shared or explained through verbal communication. Sometimes an essay can be shared just by watching someone’s body language and by the way they stand or move. The writing in this was unbelievably fun to recreate for a raucous party scene but what touched me the most was seeing how Lisle Turner and our DOP, Shaka Agina, could capture things that couldn’t necessarily be explained or spoken out loud. This for me is where the heart of the piece really lives. I’d like viewers to remember those pockets of silences in the otherwise, loud, nostalgic and exhilarating world of SHOOBS.
Not everything can be shared or explained through verbal communication. Sometimes an essay can be shared just by watching someone’s body language and by the way they stand or move. The writing in this was unbelievably fun to recreate for a raucous party scene but what touched me the most was seeing how Lisle Turner and our DOP, Shaka Agina, could capture things that couldn’t necessarily be explained or spoken out loud. This for me is where the heart of the piece really lives. I’d like viewers to remember those pockets of silences in the otherwise, loud, nostalgic and exhilarating world of SHOOBS.
Shoobs premieres as part of BFI Flare on Sunday 23rd March. For tickets and more information visit https://whatson.bfi.org.uk/flare/Online/default.asp
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