Factory Brings Parental Bereavement Podcast to A Visual Medium

A Factory Originals project, ‘Dad Still Standing’ is a podcast led by two dads discussing child bereavement, coping with life after the fact, and working their way through grief.

Liam Preston and Matt Dearsley, faced with no support – especially for fathers – after the loss of their babies, needed to create a space where they could be “brutally honest, raw, light-hearted and often hilarious” to support one another and their partners in their healing process.

Now, Factory has collaborated with Mill Road, a bespoke production company geared towards creating social impact films that encourage change, to create a film that highlights the work Matt and Liam are doing. This comes as a first step to producing a longer form piece for ‘Dad Still Standing’ – a proposal for a potential episodic series.

Today, Ben and Carly tell us more about the challenges of working with “an emotionally charged subject” in front of the camera, inviting fathers to conversations they might have previously felt excluded from, and the next step of the podcast’s visual development.

LBB> How did the collaboration between Factory Originals and Mill Road come together, and what inspired you to tell the story of ‘Dad Still Standing’ in a visual format?

Ben> The inspiration to bring Matt and Liam’s story into a visual medium has been growing for some time. The subject of child loss from a father’s perspective remains largely overlooked in mainstream conversation, and we believe normalising these discussions is vital. At Factory Originals, our ethos is to build project-specific collaborations that elevate quality and meaning. I’d long admired Carly’s ability to craft powerful, human-driven films and her commitment to using storytelling as a force for change. It felt like the perfect partnership for this project.

Carly> When Ben contacted me about a collaboration on the ‘Dad Still Standing’ story, I knew very early on that it was something Mill Road would be well-placed to help with. Our mission is to use the power of film to crack open conversations that move the world forward. The bravery, empathy and drive to make a difference that I saw from Matt and Liam were therefore very aligned with our own values as a production company. From listening to the podcast and seeing them interact with one another, it was clear that a visual format would facilitate an even greater reach for their amazing work.

LBB> What were the key creative decisions behind the short film, and how did you ensure it captured the raw, honest, and often humorous tone that defines the podcast?

Ben> Together, we’ve developed a proposal for an episodic series that blends specialist factual, travelling and open, honest conversation. While we’re excited about the concept, we also recognised the importance of introducing Matt and Liam to commissioners and distributors in a powerful and immediate way. That’s why we chose to begin with this short film. It not only presents Matt and Liam visually for the first time but delivers a compelling message: that open conversations about child loss – especially from a male perspective – are essential. This isn’t just about mental health for grieving fathers; it’s about supporting the wider circle of family and friends who are affected too.

Carly> We knew we wanted the to-camera sections of the short film to feature each host on their own, centre-frame with a second camera angle at 45°. Matt and Liam’s audience are used to hearing them (and visualising them) together. But to present them visually for the first time, I felt it would be a powerful reminder of their bravery and the loneliness they have travelled through, to keep their interviews separate. We then had crossovers in the ‘script’ (which was actually improvised through documentary-style questions) that allowed for the humour, warmth and close relationship they have to come through. I think it worked really well and along with supporting footage of their baby loss journeys, really underlined the importance of bringing this conversation to the fore, for the many many people it affects.

LBB> Matt and Liam’s stories are deeply personal – how involved were they in the creative process of making this piece, and how did their perspectives shape the direction?

Ben> What makes Matt and Liam truly unique is their openness in sharing those experiences, paired with a genuine passion for helping others navigate loss. Their ability to blend raw, emotional honesty with moments of humour creates a powerful and relatable connection with audiences. It’s this balance that allows their stories to resonate so strongly with the mainstream. They’ve placed an incredible amount of trust in both myself and Carly to tell their stories with authenticity, and respect.

Carly> I met with Matt and Liam both virtually and in person before commencing filming. A huge part of telling authentic human stories with both power and sensitivity is the relationship between the protagonist and the filmmaker and the conversations beforehand helped to set us up for a safe and trusting filming environment. I am in awe of Matt and Liam’s willingness to repeatedly share their personal stories in order to help others, it really does take a certain level of resilience and compassion to do so.

LBB> From a production standpoint, how did Factory Originals and Mill Road complement each other creatively to bring this new iteration of ‘Dad Still Standing’ to life?

Carly> From a production standpoint, I think both Mill Road and Factory Originals are ‘quality-obsessives’ – and that goes for production value as well as the impact that our work has on people. We both knew that although this film is just the beginning for the ‘Dad Still Standing’ visual story – it had to be a high-quality, powerful, standalone piece.

LBB> As you look toward developing this into a longer-form series, what themes or stories are you hoping to expand on visually that you couldn’t fully explore in the podcast format?

Ben> Taking the podcast into a visual format naturally gives us greater freedom to tell people’s stories with depth. Seeing the locations and environments where these conversations unfold adds a powerful layer of emotional connection – one that audio alone can’t always capture. It allows audiences to engage not just with the words, but with the environments, body language, and unspoken moments that make these stories so human.

Carly> I hope that a longer-form exploration of Matt’s, Liam’s and multiple other fathers’ stories will really draw upon the patterns in life that connect us to other people and make us feel less alone. This is especially important in the context of men's mental health and how men feel about expressing themselves and their emotions to others. I hope we can expand on the weight of ‘carrying on’ after a loss and the pressures that can compound and accumulate onto a person if they don’t have an environment in which they feel they can share and be heard. Ultimately I see a longer-form series as an uplifting catharsis that will resonate with a whole range of people.

LBB> What were some of the challenges in translating such emotionally charged subject matter into film, and how did you navigate tone and sensitivity?

Carly> Matt and Liam are incredibly warm, gracious people and as we’ve said, very clear on their willingness to share their stories to help others, so this alone helps alleviate what many may perceive as a challenge in discussing an emotionally charged subject on camera.

Beyond this – we simply took our time and treated filming as a conversation between trusted parties. The editing process was also meticulous in building a narrative that did justice to the balance of rawness, honesty and humour that the podcast is known and loved for.

LBB> What kind of impact are you hoping this new visual chapter of ‘Dad Still Standing’ will have – both on those grieving and on broader conversations around male grief and baby loss?

Carly> I hope it will bring men and fathers into a conversation that they previously may not have felt an ‘invitation’ to. Much like the podcast has, I hope it will have a positive impact on friendships, relationships, marriages and open up channels of communication that may have closed down. I certainly hope it will contribute in part to the awareness of baby loss and ongoing research into its prevention.