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COLLEGE LIFE
The Nick Young Award
The Nick Young Award was established in memory of
Nick Young (1968, English), whose interest in drama
and films began at an early age with participation in
school plays. Later, while an undergraduate at Catz,
he directed several College productions. His short
film, He Always…, won a medal at the Cannes Film
Festival. At the time of his death, in 1981, he was
planning a film about the second Afghan war.
The Award enables a Catz finalist to spend three
months working with Domus Fellow Lord Bragg
at Directors’ Cut Productions. Recent Award
winner, James Maloney (2008, Music) wrote to
the Master on completing his ‘varied and exciting’
placement at the cutting edge of TV production and
development…
I’ve just completed my Nick Young Award work–
placement which I’d like to thank you and the College
for facilitating – I had a fantastic time full of varied
experiences, and I learned a huge amount along the
way. Towards the end of my placement, I found myself
talking to Emeritus Fellow Michael Frayn, who was very
complimentary about his time as Cameron Mackintosh
Visiting Professor at Catz.
I started the placement in February excited, but not
really knowing what to expect – a couple of months
previously I’d been lucky enough to interview Catz
alumnus James Marsh (1982, English) for The Year, who
told me that his Oscar–winning career grew out of his
Nick Young placement.
I found myself working both on the South Bank SkyArts
Awards, and on the new series of The South Bank
Show. I worked as a researcher with a small team in the
offices in Soho; a talented and very friendly bunch, who
taught me loads about the inner workings of television
and film making. Melvyn Bragg was in most days; just
to work so closely alongside a titan of arts broadcasting
was privilege enough!
Initially I found myself researching and writing profiles
on the nominations for our awards show, much of which
was eventually used by the presenters of the awards
on the night – Tom Jones, Michael Ball and Wayne
Sleep to name a few! Through the Awards I was also
lucky enough to stay at The Dorchester (the event’s
location) for a couple of nights for the first (and most
probably last) time. Liberace’s piano was situated just
by our production base, so I even managed to do some
entertaining of the troops.
Each of our winners was given a specially made Anish
Kapoor sculpture as their prize; I was given the task of
delivering these to the recipients after the event (we
used just a couple in rotation on the night) which was
a fascinating job – especially so when I was told the
financial value of each by Kapoor’s studio (which was
apparently well into the tens of thousands!)
On the whole
it’s been
a fantastic
experience,
and I’d like
to thank
you and the
College very
much for the
opportunity
to have
undertaken it
12/THE NICK YOUNG AWARD