Graduate filmmaker showcases new film

A graduate filmmaker returned to his former college to share a screening of his film, ‘Perspective’, a poignant portrayal of an autistic boy’s life.

Matthew Smith, from Dagenham, took the time to impart valuable insights gained from his experiences to current film students.

After leaving school with 2 GCSEs at grade E, Matthew was concerned about his options,

“School just wasn’t right for me but at College they took a completely different approach.”

“I started on a Level 1 course but pretty soon the lecturers saw my potential and I was moved up to the Level 3 BTEC. Since then, I haven’t looked back and regularly secured merits and distinctions for my course work.”

In 2016 he passed his BTEC with flying colours, having learnt graphic design, video editing, and on-set filming, before continuing to study at Norwich University of the Arts. Following his university studies, Matthew immersed himself in the professional world, contributing to various short films, competitions, and film festivals.

Matthew attributes much of his success to the formative years spent at Barking & Dagenham College, where he not only gained technical skills but also developed confidence, work ethic, and communication skills crucial for the industry.

Reflecting on his time there, Matthew stated,

“The College is a special place to me because it wasn’t just about the grades and academics; they saw my potential and really helped me excel. From then, the opportunities and support were endless, and from this, I’ve achieved a lot of personal goals.”

Now with a master’s degree under his belt, Matthew is expanding his portfolio with experiences in short films and corporate projects and aspires to specialise in feature-based camera work in the future.