Leeds Met graduate is Oscar-nominated

MA Film and Moving Image graduate, Phil Wood, was Director of Photography on The Voorman Problem, a 13-minute piece starring Martin Freeman and Tom Hollander.

Phil, who graduated from the Northern Film School in 2005, said: "It's incredible to have shot an Oscar-nominated short. I was filming when the nominations were announced and it wasn't until my camera assistant whispered in my ear that I realised 'The Voorman Problem' had been nominated.

"As a Director of Photography, my job is to blend creativity with a strong practical and technical knowledge, in order to fully realise the Director's vision. You need to keep up-to-date with technology as it evolves, but put your artistic vision first. Ultimately, it's about being creative and having the ability to give a film a unique visual identity.

"I have very fond memories of my time at the Northern Film School. Looking back it was the ideal springboard for a career in Cinematography. The real plus point was not only that I left with the knowledge and skills of my craft, but that I also had a very extensive portfolio of work that I could immediately show to potential employers."

Director of the Northern Film School at Leeds Metropolitan University, Larra Anderson, added: "We are tremendously proud of Phil. He represents the best of what our students can achieve by their dedication and love of their craft. He is a great example and hopefully a great inspiration to our students as they hone their skills and prepare for the real world of filmmaking."

The film portrays Voorman (Hollander) as a prisoner who believes he's a god. Psychiatrist, Dr Williams (Martin Freeman), is called in to examine the patient, who has managed to convince the other prisoners that he's telling the truth.

The Voorman Problem is based on an excerpt from the novel, number9dream, by David Mitchell.

The film has had 24 official selections at film festivals around the world so far and has won Best Live Action Short at the St Louis International Short Film Festival and Best Screenplay at the Corona Fastnet Short Film Festival. It has also been nominated for a BAFTA in the short film category.