Josh Trett is Managing Director of Trett Films video and film production company in Norwich. Having just finished filming ‘Potwash’, a (not so) coming-of-age short story filmed in the commercial kitchens at East Coast College, Josh talks about this latest passion project
Who are you and what do you do?
I’m Josh Trett, a filmmaker and the Managing Director and one half of Trett Films, a Norwich-based video production company I run with my brother, Matty. We specialise in cinematic, story-driven content – from branded films to short dramas.
What led you to starting Trett Films – and what were you doing before?
Before Trett Films was full time I was doing it as a bit of a side hustle, and I worked at a B2B magazine company where I had the chance to travel the world and work with some huge clients.
It was a great experience, and I made some lifelong friends there, but both Matty and I had the itch to do our own thing and get Trett Films going full-time, and the time felt right to make the jump. However, just a few months into going full-time with the business, COVID hit, and a lot of our jobs were cancelled or delayed, which made for a rocky few months. But we adapted, tried our best to keep creating, and somehow managed to navigate a brand-new business through a very uncertain time.
Who else is involved – and where are you based?
It’s a family-led operation – in terms of full-time employees, it’s just the two of us. Matty handles camera (he’s a very talented cinematographer) and post-production, and we pull in a small but trusted crew depending on the scale of each project. We’re based in Norwich but shoot across the UK and sometimes are lucky enough to shoot abroad.
What sort of film work do you do?
We produce branded content, cinematic promotional videos, case study films and narrative shorts. We work with a lot of companies in the region, including Bromford Flagship and Crisp Malt. Our work can range from local councils and charities to global names like Aviva and Ian Fleming Publications (this was a pinch-me moment as we are both huge 007 fans) – but our style always leans into emotive, well-crafted storytelling.
How would you describe Potwash and where did you film it? Who is in it?
Potwash is a some-what dark and a (not-so) coming-of-age short about a teenager working in a rural pub kitchen under a chaotic head chef. There’s tension, awkward crushes, and a bit of heat – both emotional and literal. We filmed across the region, including East Coast College and various local spots. It stars Kyle Malan, Darcy Winters, Mark Nash, Will Pierson, and David Norfolk.
What’s next for Trett Films?
We’re always trying to grow our client base and always trying to push the bar on the content we produce for our clients. We’ve built such a great culture that everyone we attract to work with us is always lovely.
While navigating the corporate video industry, we are also pushing harder into our own original content. Our last short film Dial, a psychological horror about grief and missed goodbyes, is continuing its festival circuit run – as well as a sold-out premiere at Cinema City followed by a London screening at the BFI Stephen Street, it was nominated at Norwich Film Festival, won the Audience Choice Award at Fear in the Fens Festival, and picked up Best Actor (for Olivia Bourne’s wonderful performance) and Best East Coast Film at the Sunrise Film Festival. Later this year, it’ll open for Steven Spielberg’s son’s new film at the Golden Door Film Festival in New Jersey, and we’re also heading to the South of France to screen it at Cannes Indie Shorts Film Festival. Meanwhile, we’re deep in post [production] on Potwash, and I’m developing my first feature script.
Where can people find out more about what you do?
You can follow our work at trettfilms.com, or on Instagram at @TrettFilms. And if you want to connect more directly, I’m always talking about video and film production and showing our creative process over on LinkedIn.
Potwash is in post-production. Trett Films – Video and Film Production in Norwich. Trett Films plans to host a premiere at Cinema City in December/January before submitting it to various film festivals. Visit Trett Films and follow on Instagram.
Featured image of Josh Trett by Kate Bryan – all images supplied by Trett Films
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