5 Minutes with Jamie Slough
By Amar Sejpal
To the left is the talented UH student, Jamie Slough. At the young age of 19, Jamie is already making a dent in the media industry having made a number of short films, documentaries and dramas.
Within his five minute FAME slot, Jamie struck me as ‘one to watch’! His determination and passion for Film & TV is phenomenal and all I can say is “watch it Spielberg, Slough is around the corner!”
So Jamie, have you always been interested in Film and media?
Ever since I was a little kid I have always had a great interest in TV, even if it was at the expense of my waistline! I would spend hours watching old British sitcoms like The Young Ones, Blackadder and Red Dwarf, mesmerised by how well written they were. When I left secondary school I went on to study Film for two years at Oaklands College in Welwyn Garden City. I’m now in my second year at the University of Hertfordshire on the Film and Television Fiction course.
What career path would you like to follow?
I’m a big fan of various writers such as Steven Moffat and a while ago I came to the conclusion “right this is what I want to do with my life”. I love it! I simply feel more alive when I find the perfect line to put in a script. I recently gained a contact and friend in Richard Emms (co-founder of Ardden Entertainment who are currently publishing a new Flash Gordon comic book) after filming a short documentary on him. Over the past few years, shows like Doctor Who and Lost have only increased my passion to write.
Within the media industry, what work have you done to date?
Most recently I have taken part in the filming of a new Nintendo Wii advert for the karaoke game We Sing. I have also made just under a dozen short films varying from art house installations, documentaries and dramas and to get a feel of which role suits me best, I have worked as director, writer, editor and camera operator. A lot of my work can be found on my youtube production channel www.youtube.com/silvervanmanpro
Who is your role model?
Without a doubt the first big role model in my life was Nick Park (British filmmaker best known for stop motion animation and as the creator of Wallace and Gromit). One of my first television memories is of watching Wallace & Gromit: A Grand Day Out. I LOVE that film. I still have the VHS tucked away safe in a cupboard. Stop motion was really my first introduction into the intertwining of filmmaking and the people behind the camera; the idea suddenly hit me as a kid that, “my god someone actually has to MAKE these movies!” Kevin Smith (Guerrilla film maker in early 90’s with films such as Clerks & Dogma) has also been a big inspiration for me, he is a prime example of the world I would love to work in. This guy is a writer, director and editor for many movies and has worked on big comic books like Daredevil & Batman! This man is living proof that you don’t have to focus your entire career on one specific area.
What is your dream?
Kevin Smith is a prime example of the lifestyle I would kill to have. If I was able to juggle writing for comic books, TV and hell, even a bit of stand up, I would be in my element. That’s my real dream now... it’s just a matter of how do I get there?
Who would you love to work with?
Working with Nick Park would be amazing; even shaking the man’s hand would be enough for me. Even with all the other options juggling in my head of what I want to do, I still want to do at least one stop motion based film in my life.
Any words of wisdom for talents like yourself?
I know it’s a cliché but if you’re a writer, just write as much as you possibly can. Get into the habit of carrying a little notepad around with you; if you ever get an idea you have somewhere to document it. And don’t worry if you’re not happy with something you have written; put it to one side and get on with something else and come back to it in five months.
Lastly, any embarrassing moments you’d like to share with FAME?
I think with me it’s got to the point where I am a walking talking Wikipedia for most things comic book, Doctor Who and anything else you could stamp “nerd” over. Plus I don’t think there’s much else that can trump the embarrassment of being a ginger anyway!
Keep up with Jamie’s work at www.youtube.com/silvervanmanpro. We certainly will be!
