Former Student Returns to Inspire Future Filmmakers

Media Production students at Coleg Llandrillo got the chance to meet a former student who has forged a successful career in the industry and recently written, directed, edited and released his first full-length feature film, The Joy of Falling.

Jack Roberts, a former Level 3 Media Production student at Coleg Llandrillo, talked about his journey in film making since finishing college in 2018.

Jack, who uses the alias Edward Tramaseur for his film work, talked to students about the importance of building connections in the industry and making films about things that you are passionate about.

“You’ve got to make your own opportunities,” said Jack. “Make things that you enjoy making.”

Jack’s journey to becoming a film maker started after watching the film Hot Fuzz. Initially, the film inspired him to become a police officer, but after countless rewatches and a deep dive behind the scenes, he realised that this was something he actually wanted to do himself.

He secured a job as a video editor straight from university, with Manchester-based agency Bearded Fellows, and creates films in his spare time.

It took Jack three years to save the £3,000 budget he needed for The Joy of Falling, collaborating with friends he’s made in the industry to bring the project to life.

Jack attributes his success to all of the practice he put in outside of the classroom. He encouraged students to rent out the equipment available at college, ask advice from their tutors and just have a go, learning along the way what works and what direction you want to go in.

“All of the best things I’ve done in my life so far are the projects I did outside of the classroom,” he added. “I’ve had some success with my feature film but it all started here at college.”

Jack with his former tutors, Hannah Owens (left) and Andrea Williams (right), both Lecturers in Computing & Creative Industries at Coleg Llandrillo.

The Joy of Falling has been shown at several Film Festivals, such the International Film Festival of Wales, where it was nominated for five awards and won Best Feature Film and Best Cinematography.

Due to be released on Amazon Prime by the end of the year, the film is a love story set in Manchester against the backdrop of addiction, with the main characters searching for a genuine connection in a modern world full of constant noise.

The Coleg Llandrillo students got to hear first-hand about the process of making the film, including the ups and downs Jack experienced along the way, and top tips for casting and marketing your work.

When asked what advice he would give to his younger self at college, Jack said: “Enjoy it more! I wish I had been more present at the time. You are so focussed on counting down to what’s next, such as going to university, that you don’t soak in what is happening at the time.”

One of Jack’s former tutors, Hannah Owens, Programme Leader L3 Creative Media Production at Coleg Llandrillo, said: We are thrilled that Jack came back to the college to show his award winning feature film. This is an amazing achievement so young to have written, directed and funded his own production. We are so proud of his achievements and passion for the industry. We are sure he will go from strength to strength as he is already planning his next major production, which we look forward to seeing in the future.”

A big thank you to Jack for coming back to inspire the next generation of film makers. It’s lovely to see what our former students are getting up to and celebrate their success with them.

Grŵp Llandrillo Menai offers a range of media courses for young people and adults, from Level 2 to a BA degree. To find out more, visit https://www.gllm.ac.uk/courses/media-tv-and-film