Television studentsí documentary nominated in awards ceremony

By UK Journalism

A television documentary made by third year students has been short listed for this yearís Press Gazette Awards.

The documentary entitled ìLords of the Ringî is a 24 minute piece that looks at youth boxing. Made by a team of six students, it was the brainchild of Matt Roberts who also directed and produced the piece and it has been nominated in the ìTeam of the Yearî category.

Matt said he was delighted: ìItís amazing to be short listed for an award. I knew we had produced a good film and I hope it will stand up well against contributions from other universities.î

He had the idea after working at a bookmakers and seeing children as young as 12 years old boxing at the Guild Hall in Preston. Matt and his team then spent three months filming in gyms around Preston and at matches in the Guild Hall.

Objective

He said: ìWhen we went into gyms we realised the age of the boxers were even younger and some were as young as seven. I wanted to highlight how young children can be when they take up the sport but it wasnít a criticism; we showed both sides of the story and left it to the audience to make up their own minds about it.î

For the documentary they interviewed parents who support their young children in their choice of sport, child psychologists and neurologists. It took another three months to edit the footage.

ìWe edited it in chapters and it was only when I put it all together in a rough cut for the first time it felt like it clicked and I knew it was going to be a good pieceî Matt said.

He is confident the documentary will be a strong candidate at the awards and they have a good a chance of winning.

ìIf the judges are looking for something a bit different that is trying to make a point and say something then I think we could win itî he added.

Matt's tutor and course leader of the MA in International Documentary and Television Production degree, Paul Eggleston, said: "Lords of the Ring is an emotionally engaging film that does what any good documentary should - It presents a subject 'from the inside'. Matt and his team have got right in there with fighters, promoters, refs and judges to tell this story. It is packed with ideas and some really creative editing. This one's as raw, gritty and determined as its subject. I hope it does well - it deserves a wider audience."

More info
MA International Documentary and Television Production
BA (Hons) Digital Journalism Production
Press Gazette

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