Manchester Film School Students Win Big at the Royal Television Society Awards
Manchester Film School students Caitlin Woodend and Zac Cardwell are celebrating after winning two prestigious Royal Television Society (RTS) Awards.
The achievement marks an incredible milestone for the pair, who won the awards for their short film, ‘Road to Accy’, which they produced as part of their studies at Manchester Film School, part of UCEN Manchester.
Their production stood out among strong competition to earn their two awards, in what was an unforgettable experience for both students. Zac explained:
“It was a very surreal moment. All the late nights, the stress, staying up until 3am - it just proved that it was all worth it.”
Caitlin added: “It validated everything we put into the project. It made all that hard work feel meaningful.”
It all began with a simple, relatable idea, documenting a journey. The film follows a student on the X41 bus from Manchester to watch his beloved football team, Accrington Stanley.
“We started thinking about the places we pass through every day,” Zac said. “Accrington became the focus because so many people don’t actually know anything about it.”
Originally conceived as a documentary, the idea evolved into a mockumentary-style comedy, shaped through creative experimentation and feedback from their tutor at the Manchester Film School Dan Hutchings.
“We were joking about what there is to do in Accrington,” Caitlin explained. “Those jokes turned into ideas and then into a script.”
At its core, the film aimed to challenge perceptions and celebrate overlooked, ordinary places.
“A lot of people only know Accrington for the football club or a TV advert,” Zac said. “We wanted it to be known for more than that.”
This authentic, community-driven storytelling resonated with audiences and judges alike, proving that local stories can have wide appeal.
Both students credit their success to the collaborative environment at UCEN Manchester. Caitlin said:
“Working with different tutors and students with various backgrounds and specialities was essential. Everyone brought different skills and knowledge.”
From selecting a director of photography with outdoor filming expertise to involving team members familiar with the project’s location, every decision was intentional.
The recognition that comes with winning two Royal Television Society (RTS) Awards has also started to open doors for the pair, who connected with industry professionals, including a writer from the popular BBC series Waterloo Road, creating exciting opportunities for potential future collaboration.
With new projects already in development and growing industry connections, Caitlin and Zac are just getting started. Zac agreed:
“It’s given us a massive confidence boost. Now we know what we’re capable of and how to make it even better. I’ve already started writing the next sequel!”
Jasmine Lascelles, Programme Leader for Manchester Film School, commented: “We’re incredibly proud of all the crew that worked on this production, who each worked excellently as a team across all departments. This production definitely presented lots of challenges – ones that we often expect when shooting on location, let alone on a moving bus.
However, the crew demonstrated such resilience and expertise throughout the entire process, which was truly admirable. The crew attended several sessions and 1-to-1s with our specialist tutors throughout the entire production process, ensuring they were fully supported with the development of the script, identifying appropriate equipment for a moving vehicle, gaining permissions for multiple locations, fostering new relationships with local councillors, and running several technical preparation days.
“Manchester Film School continuously has a valuable impact on students’ journeys into becoming industry professionals and as our recently graduated alumni start to break into the film and television industry, this becomes even more profound.
"I am glad to say that this is another example of students really making the most of every opportunity whilst they have trained with us over the last three years and being recognised for all their hard work. I am excited about what is to come for this cohort of filmmakers!”
Find out more about studying at the Manchester Film School and producing industry-recognised work like Caitlin and Zac.
