Graham Hughes is a Scottish filmmaker best known for his acclaimed found footage feature films Death of a Vlogger (2019) and Hostile Dimensions (2023).British Film Council Listing

Life and career Born in Kirkintilloch, Hughes graduated in 2009 from Stirling University with a degree in Film and Media studies.Evening Times Article on Hughes Together with childhood friends Graeme McGeagh and Keith Grantham, Hughes began writing what would become his first film The Big Slick. The feature-length comedy film, which also starred the trio in acting roles, tells the story of six young guys whose efforts to spend a quiet night in, quickly spiral out of control.Scotsman Article on BAFTA Nominees The film was a critical success and was chosen to open the 2012 Loch Ness film festival.Movie Scramble Article: Loch Ness Film Festival 2012 In March 2011, it was announced that Hughes, McGeagh and Grantham had been nominated for a British Academy Scotland New Talent Award for best achievement in writing. Hosted by Kaye Adams, the 2011 British Academy Scotland New Talent Awards took place at the Glasgow Film Theatre on 11 March and despite strong competition, the trio struck gold by taking home the Best Writing accolade.GFT Article: BAFTA IN SCOTLAND NEW TALENT AWARD WINNERS Bafta Scotland: 2011 New Talent Award Winners

Following the success of The Big Slick, Hughes was invited to co-produce the short romantic comedy Falling for Fitzgerald by Amy Hawes. The film centres around Melanie (played by Lynn Murray) in her pursuit over her unobtainable best friend, Fitzgerald. Actress Lynn Murray went on to pick up the Best Acting Performance accolade at the 2012 British Academy Scotland New Talent Awards.British Academy Scotland New Talent Awards Full List of Winners & Nominations 2012Scottish Dram Training Network: 'BAFTA Scotland New Talent Award Winners'

In late 2012, Hughes reunited with McGeagh and Grantham to pen their next feature film, A Practical Guide to A Spectacular Suicide. The film, starring McGeagh in the leading role, tells the story of Tom, a troubled man whose string of suicide attempts leads him to plan what he dubs will be his own 'spectacular suicide'. After failing to secure funding from the Scottish arts body Creative ScotlandSTV Article: 'Edinburgh Film Festival: A Practical Guide to a Spectacular Suicide' the trio turned to the public and sourced the budget for the film through a crowd funding channel. Raising over £3000 for the production, filming began in 2013 and was completed in just 13 days. The film was released in 2014 and quickly became an international hit. On the festival circuit, the film had its American premiere at the Cinequest Film Festival in California, and in the UK the film was shown for the first time at the Edinburgh International Film Festival where Hughes was nominated for the Michael Powell Award for Best British Film.Edinburgh Festival Film PageEdinburgh Reporter Article The film was further decorated with 2 nominations at the 2014 British Academy Scotland New Talent Awards for Best Film and for Best Acting Performance for Graeme McGeagh.British Academy Scotland New Talent Awards Full List of Winners & Nominations 2014Skinny Magazine Article on 2014 Nominations In September 2014, Hughes was invited as a special guest to take part in the British & Irish Film season at the Ciné Utopia in Limpertsberg, Luxembourg.Luxembourg Chronicle Article on Hughes

In 2018, Hughes began work on his third feature film, supernatural horror Death of a Vlogger. The film was completed early 2019 and premiered at FrightFest London in summer of that year. The film went on to be long-listed for a BIFA Discovery award. In March 2020, Death of a Vlogger was programmed for an encore FrightFest screening, as part of their strand at Glasgow Film Festival, the first time for this to happen in the festivals history. The film has been received positively from audiences and critics, with Rafael Motamayor of /Film giving it 9 out of 10 and calling it "A twisted story of warped perceptions, megalomania, the victims in the middle of media manipulation and our own obsession with online cruelty that results in a breath of fresh air in an overcrowded genre."

Filmography Year Film Credited as Notes Director Writer Producer Editor Actor Role 2011 The Big SlickAlexDirectorial Debut Falling for FitzgeraldCo Producer 2014 A Practical Guide to a Spectacular Suicide Epic Wrap Battle 2015 Christmas Eve of the DeadZombie #42019Death of a VloggerGraham2020On the Moon2023Hostile DimensionsNot Brianproduced with Evrim Ersoy

Awards Year Nominated Work Awards Category Result 2011 The Big Slick British Academy Scotland New Talent Awards Best Writer(Shared with Graeme McGeagh and Keith Grantham)2014 A Practical Guide to a Spectacular Suicide British Academy Scotland New Talent Awards Best Film Cinequest San Jose Film Festival New Vision Award (Director) Edinburgh International Film Festival Michael Powell Award for Best British Feature Film2019 Death of a Vlogger Unrestricted View Horror Film Festival Love Horror AwardBIFA Discovery AwardLong-listedMolins Horror Film FestivalBest Film2023Hostile DimensionsMolins Horror Film FestivalBest ScreenplayImagine Film FestivalBest Feature

References

External links

Graham Hughes Official Website