It was a varied process and one that my producer was involved in. We then paired people together and seeing how they worked as we needed to find a believable clique of frenemies I suppose.
I think we assembled a really interesting group of young actors and it is really interesting to see what they are doing now; Johnny is in Jerusalem on stage in London and Antonia has been in some wonderful films this year - including Albert Nobbs.
Amber Anderson is on billboards of Burberry while Gina Bramhill is in the new season of Being Human.
It a really interesting cast and all of them were great to work with and they all got into the project - and I can say that all of the are great people as well.
- The movie is being screened at the BFI London Film Festival this week so you must be excited about that?
It is exciting yeah, and the first screening is on by birthday as well. I have just been in a festival in San Francisco and this will be the first time that we will have screened in London, we have been in Tribecca, New York and Ireland, but this will be our home town screening.
It will be interesting to see what people are going to think - there will be two screenings and most of the cast will be there to do Q&A's so it's going to be really fun.
- How important is the London Film Festival for up and coming British filmmakers?
I think it is really important because what the programme has managed to is to show a mix of up and coming films that will come to the cinema anyway and films that won't find and audience - a mix of both British and international filmmakers.
I know that we are part of a British programme of really interesting films and quite a lot of female filmmakers.
The film festival is now encompassing all of London as it is now in the West End and BFI we are screening at the Ritzy in Brixton.
I have always been a big fan of the festival, the first short that I made was screened at the festival four or five years ago; I was part of a panel for young GCSE students and since then I have been a big fan.
It really showcases talent - especially with the UK film industries and plenty of European film industries being in such flux at the moment - it's a really great tool to find an audience for film that a re a little left of centre.
- You kicked off you career in acting so how have you found the transition into directing?
I really have found what I loved doing, I think a lot of directors start of doing something else because it is not always a clear cut path to becoming a director; the more directors I meet I find out that they began as painters or actors.
I loved film and it was the most visible thing I think you see when you watch films but I never committed to it as I see so many actors do - I very quickly found that I was much more comfortable behind the camera.
- How has being an actress helped the filming side of you career?
I think that it gives me a dialogue with the actors - perhaps they feel more comfortable talking to me because I know how uncomfortable it can be and how naked that you can feel as an actor in front of the camera when you are left at a loose end.
- Apart from your own movie what other films are you looking forward to watching at the London Film Festival?
Well I have tickets to see 360 so I am looking forward to that and I also want to see Carol Morley's new film.
When I go to a festival I end up seeing three of four films a day (laughs) - Strawberry Fields is another film that I would love to see.
- Finally what's next for you?
I am writing my follow-up script at the moment, it is like a movie within a movie and is set between London and Berlin - it's a comedy drama. I hope to shoot that next year sometime.
FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw