Bath Spa University graduate Luke Taylor, from Southdown in Bath, has made it to the shortlist of the UK wide student television awards competition run by the Royal Television Society.
This shortlist follows Luke’s recent win at the West of England Student Awards where he won in the Open category for the same film.
Founded in 1927 and supported by HRH the Prince of Wales, The Royal Television Society is Britain’s leading forum for television and related media.
This will be the 20th annual awards which celebrates the best student TV from across the country.
BA (Hons) Creative Media Practice graduate Luke, age 22, who lives in Southdown in Bath, has been nominated in the Open category for his touching film about grandparents, titled Nan.
The short film, which was directed and written by Luke, features his real life Grandmother and the plot focusses around the bond between a grandmother and her grandson.
Luke worked with fellow Bath Spa University student colleague, Rosie Jones (who produced the film), to make the film for his final submission piece for his degree.
After putting the film up online, it immediately went viral and has been viewed over one million times.
The awards will be judged in five categories: Animation, Comedy and Entertainment, Drama, Factual and, new for this year, Open, for films that are a maximum of three minutes in length and any subject matter.
The winners will be announced at a ceremony, hosted by comedian Romesh Ranganathan, on Friday 5th June at the BFI Southbank, and the nominated films, together with highlights from the awards ceremony, will be shown on Sky television.
Luke said: “I am thrilled and a little overwhelmed to be nominated in the Royal Television Society awards.
“I wanted to create a film that explored the idea that initially grandchildren learn from their grandparents, and then, inevitably this is switched, as elderly grandparents come to rely on the help and support of their grandchildren.
“My own Nan has been such a huge inspiration in my life and really encouraged me to go to university, so I thought who better to take on the leading role in my film than her.
“This nomination is a fantastic recognition of the hard work by our talented cast and crew, and of course, the great degree course at Bath Spa University which taught us aspiring filmmakers all so much.”
Rob Brown, Creative Media Practice lecturer at Bath Spa University, commented: “I am delighted for Luke and wish him the best of luck at the awards ceremony in June.
“This award nomination is a real testament and adds to Bath Spa’s reputation as one of the top creative universities in the UK.”
You can watch the film Nan below.
