A documentary about grassroots music venues has put a University of Worcester graduate in the running for a prestigious award.
Aiden Holland
Aiden Holland is nominated in the Royal Television Society Midlands Student Awards in the Factual - Long Form category for his documentary, made during his studies, which explores the threats facing grassroots music venues and their importance to the music industry.
Twenty-one-year-old Aiden, from Dudley, who studied Journalism and History, said: “I’m just very grateful that it’s been recognised. It’s a big achievement and hopefully it will help my career.”
He added: “The shortlisting makes me realise that I’ve got the skills, and I can do this. It gives me a hunger to take on more filming and storytelling projects, especially uncovering new stories that you don’t already see in the news.”
Aiden’s 18-minute documentary, which was his final year project, took eight months from concept to completion and saw him travelling across the UK to film and conduct interviews from Liverpool to London to Wales.
In order to explore different aspects of the story, Aiden interviewed a singer-songwriter, a grassroots venue owner and a charity fighting to keep such spaces alive. He also questioned the MP chairing Parliament’s Culture, Media and Sport Committee and examined such venues’ cultural impact with a Beatles historian.
“I wanted to make a piece I could put everything into and make it the best it could be,” said Aiden. “There’s a real under-appreciation of the arts in this country, even though so many people rely on them for a bit of happiness, going to a smaller venue, seeing live music, and socialising.”
He added: “A lot of artists started in these smaller venues. Where would artists have learned their craft without these venues? They’re so fundamental not only to our culture in the UK but to the country’s economy.”
The documentary has previously won Aiden the title of Student Television Journalist of the Year at the Midlands Media Awards, organised by Birmingham Press Club, and it was selected out of all student awards entries for the Student President’s Award.
Rachel Ammonds, the University’s Head of Theatre, Film & Media Production, said: “To be nominated for an RTS Student Award is a fantastic achievement and we're delighted for Aiden and very proud.”
She continued: “The awards recognise the best audiovisual work created by students at undergraduate and postgraduate level, and Aiden's documentary is nominated in an incredibly competitive category.”
Rachel added: “The film was created as his Journalism final project in a module which allows students to create content and investigate areas of interest to them - a key part of a practical course like ours. He's been able to showcase his storytelling, production skills and creativity in the documentary and it is great to see his talent and hard work recognised.”
Winners will be announced at a ceremony on March 18.
Watch Aiden's documentary here: