Dog Factory collects two awards in quick succession

UCEN Manchester student recognised at the Learning on Screen Awards and Royal Television Society North West Student Television Awards.

Remarkably, Broden Salmon, who studies on the BA Film and TV Production degree at UCEN Manchester’s The Manchester Film School, recently enjoyed success at two awards ceremonies.

Broden’s film, Dog Factory, which was written and directed by the third year Film and TV Production student, won the Student College Award at this year’s Learning on Screen Awards and the Drama category at the 2022 Royal Television Society North West Student Television Awards, which celebrate the excellence of students as they take a foothold in the industry.

Dog Factory is about two brothers who encounter a strange loner living out of an ice cream van when they’re out playing cowboys in the apocalyptic ruins of their town and the film was recognised for featuring outstanding performances driven by excellent direction.

Ahead of the Learning on Screen Awards, which have showcased the best in educational film and television for the last 16 years, UCEN Manchester was in the enviable position of knowing that one of its students would be crowned a winner after three entries were shortlisted for the same award.

Leah Clark and Alex Hill, who graduated from UCEN Manchester in 2021, wrote and directed the other two films shortlisted in the Student College Award category and received some great feedback from the judges for their incredible productions.  As a winner of one of this year’s Learning on Screen Awards, Broden will now receive one to one support and guidance to help The Manchester Film School student raise funds for future projects.

Jim Grainger, Director of Recruitment and Partnerships at The Manchester Film School, said: “The Learning On Screen Awards is a prestigious and keenly contested national competition and the Royal Television Society is an iconic organisation.  So, for The Manchester Film School to secure all three finalists in the Student College Award category and collect trophies at both ceremonies is testament to the dedication and hard work of our colleagues and students.

“It was particularly pleasing to learn the judging panel for the Learning On Screen Awards referred to Broden as a Generation Z Mike Leigh.  I was also delighted to see Leah and Alex’s films recognised because they involved a great deal of cross course collaboration.

“Both ceremonies come at the end of another challenging year for our students who have shown great resilience and determination, characteristics that will stand them in good stead as they embark on their careers in the film and television industry.”

Find out more about The Manchester Film School courses.