Requires Improvement
Comedy Short
Ellie, a student teacher in a secondary school, gets a nasty shock when her attitude and behaviour catch up with her.
Dir: Sima Sheibani
DOP: Dan Amity Linsell
Writer: Natalie Yates
Prod. Natalie Yates and Alexander Brown
With thanks to Sheffield Hallam University for locations.
Awards and Selections
Lift Off Sessions 2025 - OFFICIAL SELECTION
Showroom Shorts 2025- OFFICIAL SELECTION
London Film Club 2025- OFFICIAL FINALIST
Lift Off Sessions 2026 (Volume 2) - OFFICIAL SELECTION
Weekend Film School Manchester 2026 - OFFICIAL SELECTION
Lift Off Sessions 2026 (Volume 5) - OFFICIAL SELECTION
Screenings
Looking to experience Requires Improvement ahead of public release? Any scheduled screenings are listed below:
- Showroom Shorts, Sheffield: January 20th 2026, 8:30pm
- Lift Off Sessions 2026, Online: February 2026
- Weekend Film School Manchester Film Festival: May 10th 2026 (Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/weekend-short-film-festival-and-networking-event-spring-2026-tickets-1979453394388?aff=oddtdtcreator)
- Lift Off Sessions 2026, Online: May 2026
Laurels and Awards
Meet the Cast
Ellie
Shop Owner
Ellie
Natalie Yates
Natalie started working professionally in theatre over ten years ago, touring the UK and performing at Ed Fringe as a teenager.
Since then, she's focused on screen, working extensively on short films and music videos, while occasionally returning to theatre.
She's recently worked with NFTS (Leeds and Wales), as well as on nume
Natalie Yates
Natalie started working professionally in theatre over ten years ago, touring the UK and performing at Ed Fringe as a teenager.
Since then, she's focused on screen, working extensively on short films and music videos, while occasionally returning to theatre.
She's recently worked with NFTS (Leeds and Wales), as well as on numerous shorts including In (Un)loving Memory and How to Win Friends and Guinea Pig People.
Natalie was also one of the producers on Requires Improvement because she's not capable of doing one thing at a time.
Jane
Shop Owner
Ellie
Gemma Windle
Gemma was dragged up in Sheffield and trained at Salford University at the school of music, media and performance. She has quite recently revisited her passion for acting and writing after losing herself somewhere on the school run and is keeping busy with a number of local films and theatre projects until the kids flee the nest. Represented by The Drama Mob.
Will
Shop Owner
Shop Owner
David Rimmer
David is a graduate of Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance and has trained with Act4TV.
Recent credits include: Callum in Helen Jeffery's Buckled (Liverpool Fringe Festival/Shakespeare North Playhouse/Unity Theatre) and Sam in Mrs Smith (Kings Arms Salford).
His other credits include readings for the pilot episode of
David Rimmer
David is a graduate of Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance and has trained with Act4TV.
Recent credits include: Callum in Helen Jeffery's Buckled (Liverpool Fringe Festival/Shakespeare North Playhouse/Unity Theatre) and Sam in Mrs Smith (Kings Arms Salford).
His other credits include readings for the pilot episode of new TV comedy Squirrels and Soldier 1/Ensemble in the UK Premiere Concert of Doctor Zhivago at Cadogan Hall.
David is currently training at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School.
Shop Owner
Shop Owner
Shop Owner
Dean Marshall
Dean Marshall is a trained actor with a Performing Arts degree.
Vastly experienced in theatre with many credits including The Chancellor in the critically acclaimed Emperors New Clothes at the Unity Theatre Liverpool.
He has had numerous TV and film roles from being part of the notorious Sabini gang in Peaky Blinders, DCI Taylo
Dean Marshall
Dean Marshall is a trained actor with a Performing Arts degree.
Vastly experienced in theatre with many credits including The Chancellor in the critically acclaimed Emperors New Clothes at the Unity Theatre Liverpool.
He has had numerous TV and film roles from being part of the notorious Sabini gang in Peaky Blinders, DCI Taylor in the hard hitting drama Lovers of Death, playing Jonathan Harker in Amazon‘s The Wrath of Dracula and recently has finished filming overseas in an exciting new horror film The Grieving Stones.
Sally
Customer
Archie
Sian Marie
Sian Marie is an actress, entertainer and singer. She has trained at Grimsby Institute obtaining a BA Hons in Performing Arts & is currently training with the Acting Lincs Movement.
Archie
Customer
Archie
Charlie Ralph Thompson
Charlie Ralph Thompson is an actor and performer. He trained at North Lindsey College studying Performing Arts and starts training at Rose Bruford in the summer. He currently trains with Acting Lincs (Lincolnshire) and The Hospital Players.
Recent Credits: When We Are Married (Plowright Theatre) and Saba's Swim (C.A.S.T Doncaster).
Customer
Customer
Customer
Samuel Pearson
Samuel Pearson is an actor, performer & puppeteer. His work to date has primarily been performing in works of new writing.
Recent credits: Sixteen Trees (Breakwater Theatre).
Student
Customer
Customer
Lewis Fewster
Lewis Fewster is an actor and performer. He currently trains at North Lindsey College on a level 3 Performing Arts programme.
Recent Credits: Shout (The Crucible Playhouse), Halloween Festival (Norby Park).