Jacob Brookman
Documentary, branded storytelling and modern UK culture

‘The Twat Hat’ Offers a Tragicomic Look at British Seaside Life The Twat Hat is a 12-minute comic video portrait of Barnaby Brookman, a hat shop assistant in the coastal town of Weymouth, England. In the short film, Brookman introduces viewers to “mylittlehatshop,” an independent business selling hats and beach apparel to both locals and tourists. Central to the story is the shop’s most controversial item: bucket hats emblazoned with the word “Twat”. The hats’ unexpectedly broad appeal—and the pushback they receive on the high street—drive much of the film’s tension and humour. But The Twat Hat goes beyond novelty merchandise. The film explores themes of British counterculture, religion, morality and the decline of traditional retail. At its core is the portrait of a man navigating life and grief in a quirky seaside town, using laughter as a means of staying grounded... sort of.

Join Alex James, musician and passionate food advocate, as he explores the strength, creativity, and global impact of UK food and drink exports. From artisanal cheeses to cutting-edge culinary technology, this short documentary highlights how British producers are shaping the future of food worldwide.

In July 2021 my father Bill Brookman retired from being a theatre practitioner. But what is a theatre practitioner? Well, in a 50 year career he's worked internationally as a musician, actor, director, street performer, puppeteer and a one man band. And there's more. After the break up of my parents' marriage in the early 1990s, Bill founded an arts collective which toured war zones. Funded by the United Nations, this group visited complicated and dangerous countries like Haiti, Sierra Leone, Somalia and Kosovo - attempting to promote cultural cohesion and celebrate local heritage. It didn't always work. A Portrait of the Artist upon Retirement is a series of interviews between myself and dad over lockdown, showcasing a huge archive of unseen footage and photography. We get to grips with his vaulting ambition, his occasionally Quixotic temperament and his ever-evolving creative practice.