Interview with Michael Grant — BSc ( Hons ) Film and Media
Theatre , Film and Media
About you
“ I had always had a keen interest in film and when I was about to leave school I could see no other line of study that I wanted to follow . I was not just interested in how to make films , but also the theoretical side that looks at film as an art form . QMU offered a course that looked at the theoretical and practical aspects of filmmaking , and since initially I wasn ’ t sure what I wanted to specialise in , it seemed like the most suitable course for me . QMU also offered a new campus and halls which was very appealing as other universities I had seen looked quite dated .”
Why did you choose to study in Edinburgh / Scotland ?
“ Since it would be my first time living away from home , I always felt that I wanted to be quite close to my parents and friends — so Edinburgh seemed like a good place to go . I had also heard great things about the night life and festivals , such as the Fringe and the International Film Festival .”
Living away from home
“ I lived in halls of residence and the best part would be getting to know everyone who lived in the Student Village . It was my first time living away home and that was the case with most of the people in halls . It was a great way to learn how to live on your own without going straight into renting a flat in the city .”
What is life like in Edinburgh ?
“ The Fringe festival is incredible and has to be experienced by anyone who decides to study at QMU . I enjoy live music and I found that Edinburgh had a lot of great small venues like Whistle Binkies , Sneaky Pete ’ s and the Jazz Bar , where there was often a great up-andcoming band playing .”
The course
“ The most interesting part of the course for me was the film production modules . The film department was a great resource and allowed us to gain a lot of experience making films outwith our course work . While the film production modules were only one aspect of the course , you were allowed to access the film department at any time to borrow equipment .”
Any advice for students who might be interested in this course ?
“ The course leans more towards written research on films with a module each year that teaches the practical side of filmmaking . If you are more interested in physically making films then the film department can be a great resource because it is well stocked with modern filmmaking gear and because of QMU ’ s small size there is often equipment available .”
Beyond graduation
“ After graduating I started my own film production company with another graduate from my year . Shortly after that we were asked to be the first company in QMU ’ s Business Innovation Zone where we were given support on running and growing our business , Raw Film .
“ Aside from my work with Raw Film , I am currently working at QMU in the film department as well as continuing to run my film production company .
“ I would consider further study and have been looking into the possibility of studying for a PhD at QMU .”
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