A little courage. A lot of banter.

Love. Banter.
Everyday chaos.

A Polish guy. A British girl. An opening line that could have gone either way.

New here? Start with a little chaos.

Small moments. Big personalities.

Get to know them.

Start with a drink. Stay for the dry humour, questionable portions and affectionate arguments.

Emily spots a mouse while Bartek is in the doorway▶ Watch on YouTube
UNEXPECTED VISITOR19.5 SEC

The Mouse

A tiny visitor. A very urgent call for Bartek.

Bartek and Emily packing a suitcase in the bedroom▶ Watch on YouTube
PACKING LIGHT21.5 SEC

Just One Night

One night away. Two very different ideas of packing light.

Bartek caught taking chocolate while Emily watches▶ Watch on YouTube
EMERGENCY LOGIC14 SEC

Emergency Chocolate

Her emergency chocolate. His very questionable emergency.

Bartek and Emily share a moment on the sofa▶ Watch on YouTube
BAD TIMING14 SEC

The Narrator Picked the Wrong Moment

He had an excuse. She found the real problem.

Bartek approaches Emily at the bar with his Guinness▶ Watch on YouTube
THE FIRST HELLO15 SEC

How They Met

A Guinness, a little courage, and absolutely no guarantee this would go well.

Bartek and Emily share a moment over coffee▶ Watch on YouTube
DOMESTIC COMPETITIONSHORT COMEDY

The Good Mug

His competition? A mug that never leaves socks on the floor.

Bartek and Emily discussing the boyfriend subscription▶ Watch on YouTube
THE PREMIUM PLAN16 SEC

The Boyfriend Subscription

He asked about hugs. She explained the pricing.

Bartek and Emily at a table with pierogi▶ Watch on YouTube
A QUESTION OF PORTIONS8 SEC

Just a Little Polish Snack

“Lovely. When are the other six people arriving?”

Beyond the short films

Little stories from their world.

A pancake on the ceiling. A mug with privileges. Two questionable contact names. There’s more to these two than fits into a short film.

01 / BREAKFAST

A pancake with ambition.

Bartek can flip a pancake. The ceiling was an unexpected complication.

Read the little story

Over breakfast, Bartek told Emily about a pancake he’d once flipped so high that it stuck to his ceiling. Retrieving it involved climbing onto a kitchen cupboard. Later, he showed her the mark above the cooker in his studio. Some cooking lessons leave more of a trace than others.

02 / FIRST VISIT

First-visit privileges.

At Emily’s, even the choice of mug can say something.

Read the little story

On Bartek’s first visit to her flat, Emily took out two mugs: a black Judas Priest one and a plain dark-green one. She handed him the black mug. “You get the good mug. First-visit privilege.” She kept the other one. A small gesture, delivered with exactly the right amount of cheek.

03 / FIRST MESSAGES

Saved under suspicion.

They exchanged numbers. Sensible contact names did not follow.

Read the little story

After their first evening at the pub, Bartek saved Emily as “Emily: Suspicious woman”. She saved him as “Bartek — Playlist Threat”. They’d been talking about music. Apparently, a few song recommendations required a warning label.

These anecdotes retell events from the story. The short promotional films may adapt moments differently.

Meet Worth the Risk

Two lives.
One chance encounter.

A contemporary romantic-comedy story set in the North East of England. Bartek and Emily have their own lives, their own opinions, and a talent for making ordinary moments interesting.

These short scenes are a way into their world: everyday awkwardness, a little tenderness, and the kind of teasing that says more than a perfect speech.

Some things are worth a little risk.
Bartek NowakThe Polish half

Bartek Nowak

A quiet, independent Pole who has lived in the UK for years. By day, he works in a warehouse; after hours, he makes games and activity books, hoping to build something of his own. Technology, Linux and classic RPGs are firmly his territory. New people take a little more courage. Around those he trusts, though, his unpredictable humour comes out — and Emily learns that drinking tea near him can be a risky business. He cooks, too. His pancakes have occasionally aimed higher than intended.

Emily ShawThe British half

Emily Shaw

Warm, independent and from the North East of England, Emily has a mind of her own and a wonderfully dry sense of humour. She coordinates tech support and has ambitions beyond her current role. Off duty, expect band T-shirts, rock and metal, horror films and a game when the mood takes her. She notices more than she lets on, enjoys affectionate teasing, and gives as good as she gets. A kind gesture might come with a sharp remark. The good mug is still a good sign.

Fictional characters. AI-generated visuals and voices. Promotional sketches may reimagine moments from the story.

Beyond Bartek & Emily

Meet their world.

Two lives, and the people around them. Meet the family, friends and colleagues of Worth the Risk.

Meet all the characters
More moments, less scrolling around

Find your next
little bit of chaos.

Watch the shorts and follow Bartek and Emily wherever you feel at home.

Enjoying their story?

Buy the creator a coffee.

I’m Marek, the creator of Worth the Risk. If these two have made you smile, you can support my work with a one-off tip. No subscription. Just a coffee and a thank you.

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