Andrew Greener
Andrew Greener believes his time at UWE really helped him break into film and media. He didn’t just get a degree out of it, he made lots of useful contacts, including his future business partners.
A huge fan of all things film-related, and not particularly inspired by his sales career, Andrew moved from rural Devon to Bristol in 1995 to study Time Based Media at UWE. Impressed by their facilities and close links with the film industry, he was also glad of a change of scenery. "Being a bit older and having a mortgage meant I wasn't your typical student," he says, "but I made long-term friends and learnt more than I ever thought possible."
A great media city
After graduating in 1998, Andrew went straight to work as a freelance film director on local and national drama projects. "As a student I was pleasantly surprised to discover a thriving media and film scene in Bristol," he says, "and many of my first jobs came through industry contacts I made at UWE. Some jobs weren't great, but it's all about experience!"
Next stop: London
After a while, one of Andrew's key sources of work in Bristol started to dwindle. He could hear London calling, and in 2003 he decided to make the move. But without any industry contacts there, he had to work really hard to get his foot in the door. "I took a couple of non-film jobs to get by, and spent all my spare time networking and writing," he recalls.
A turning point...
Eventually, Andrew secured funding for 'Endgame', one of his short films, and this was a real turning point. The film won a TCM Classic Shorts award in 2005, and significantly raised his profile as a filmmaker. Andrew then decided to form his own company, Spectrecom, with some old friends. "I'd stayed in contact with Sarah and Steve since we became friends at UWE," he says, "Sarah produced Endgame, and the three of us felt it was time to make a go of it."
...and a Hollywood ending
Spectrecom has been a real success - the company is making corporate video and films for TV, and Andrew's about to direct 'Scambaiters', a short film for Channel 4. Not surprisingly, he's extremely proud of his achievements: "Sometimes I have to pinch myself," he says, "five years ago I wouldn't have seen myself in this position."
He adds: "Sometimes it's more about who you know than what you know, but a healthy dose of both is very useful."
Page last updated 1 November 2011