RTS success for Teesside

University of Teesside graduate Sam Clark is celebrating after being named a winner at the annual Royal Television Society (RTS) North East and the Border Awards.

Sam, 23, originally from Colchester in Essex, is a BA (Hons) Creative Visualisation graduate, and directed the short film The Möbius Strip which won the Best Student Non-Factual award. The 15 minute film creates a portrait of the world and the worlds around us, with the intention of each viewer having their own unique interpretation and response. The film, which doesn’t employ a traditional narrative, instead uses images and text to provoke thought and encourage debate.

Sam now works for Sheffield-based animation and visualisation firm The Juice Group Ltd as a Digital Artist. He said: “Winning was a complete shock. I really didn’t expect it. Most of the other entries had big production teams behind them whereas I made The Möbius Strip on my own, so I was really pleased. I started work on it in September 2003 and it was a major project but I loved it.

“While at university, I used as much of my time as I could to develop my personal skill set, and as well as lectures and assignments, I did a lot of work independently. It was a great training ground and was essential for me to be able to do my new job.”

Sam attended East Bergholt High School and its Sixth Form College and is the son of Sue and Bob Clark (Deceased).

Sam hopes to have The Möbius Strip available for general viewing on his website, www.polaris-digital.com, in the summer.

As well as winning this award two other groups of University of Teesside students received commendation certificates from the RTS.

'Til the End of the War produced and directed by Donna Rodgers from Acklam, edited by Kelly Barwick from Billingham and filmed by Jemma Harris from Ingleby Barwick, was commended in the Best Student Factual category. All three students were in the second year of the BA (Hons) Television Production Professional Practice degree.

A Girl Called Laura was commended in the Best Student Animation category. The film was directed by BA (Hons) Creative Visualisation graduate Richard Smith from Hilton in Derbyshire.

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