Graduate's Oscar and BAFTA Nominations

Simon Bysshe, a BA (Hons) Film Production graduate from the Arts University College at Bournemouth, revisited the campus last week to talk to current students about his successful career and, most recently, his work on the BAFTA and Oscar-nominated film, THE HURT LOCKER.  This report from the AUCB website.

Simon, who graduated in 2006, visited the University College for a special screening of the film and to talk to students about his role as a boom operator.  The film, which explores the effects of risk and danger on the human psyche, follows the technicians of a bomb squad as they attempt to disarm roadside bombs on the streets of Baghdad. Starring Jeremy Renner, Ralph Fiennes, Guy Pearce and Evangeline Lilly, THE HURT LOCKER has been nominated for eight BAFTA awards, including Best Film and Best Director. It was also announced today that the film has been nominated for nine Oscars, including the sound mixing and sound editing awards.

Simon commented "It's very exciting; THE HURT LOCKER is a great film.  We were filming in Jordan for 10 weeks and had a lovely time but it was really, really hard work. The film is a series of seven or eight vignettes, which all build up to a sequence of haunting stories about war."

"Boom Operator is a really good position and a skilled job because you are wheeling a delicate microphone on a heavy boom pole above your head and if you don't know what you're doing you're going to get into shot or cast a shadow. It's much more than just a sound job, you need to be able to communicate well and understand everyone else's roles."

Simon, who was joined on his visit to the University College by THE HURT LOCKER sound recordist Ray Beckett, also revealed the secret to his success in the film industry. He explained "In the summer of my second year, I set out to get work on as many film and TV productions as I could. By the time I graduated I had been on about four or five different films which gave me a good advantage."

Simon's impressive CV also includes THE BOAT THAT ROCKED, NOWHERE BOY and the forthcoming re-make of GULLIVER'S TRAVELS, starring Jack Black.

Head of the University College's School of Media, Kavita Hayton, commented "We are very proud of Simon's success. Our Film Production course continues to produce well trained, specialist producers, directors and technicians of great value to the UK and international film industry."