A budding Monmouth filmmaker has triumphed in a competition after discovering hedgehogs in his garden during lockdown.
Thirteen-year-old Dylan won a top prize in the University of South Wales’ Film & TV School Wales Schools and Colleges Awards.
The Monmouth School for Boys’ pupil filmed, edited and produced a fascinating 10-minute documentary on The Wonderful World of Hedgehogs.
Dylan’s video has been viewed more than 1,000 times on YouTube.
Last week, he was announced as the winner in the Best Documentary Film (11-15) category in the University of South Wales’ virtual awards celebration.
The teenager is now hoping to start a campaign to warn people to be more hedgehog aware when they carry out routine maintenance in their own gardens.
“I am very proud to have won my category,” said Dylan, a pupil in Year 9.
“I enjoyed making the film and I wondered if there were any competitions I could enter into.
“After looking online, I found the Film & TV School Wales Schools and Colleges Awards and was delighted to have been recognised this week.”
Dylan added: “In May, I discovered I had hedgehogs in my garden. I set up two night vision cameras and I spent quite a while working on the film – recording, editing and putting it all together.
“I discovered lots of interesting things about hedgehogs and I went online and got involved in a number of organisations, too, and interviewed some lovely people for my film.”
Tom Ware, Director of Film and TV School Wales, said: “Our Judge, Zoë Rushton from the BBC, felt that The Wonderful World of Hedgehogs really stood out in the Best Documentary Film (11-15) category.
“She thought it was a lovely film, crafted like a professional TV mini-documentary, or a segment within a longer show.
“In fact, she was so impressed, she would love to pass it on to Countryfile.”
Acting Headmaster at Monmouth School for Boys, Mr Simon Dorman, said: “It’s wonderful news that Dylan has won the competition for his hedgehogs video.
“It is richly deserved and I hope that we will be seeing it on BBC’s Countryfile programme before too long.
“Dylan can be very proud of his achievements during lockdown; he also filmed some wonderful cookery demonstrations for our schools’ online enrichment programme which gave us all a lot of joy. We are very proud of him.”
Dylan added: “Sadly, a lot of hedgehogs in the UK are injured accidently by gardeners using lawnmowers and strimmers.
“I am hoping to get involved with some hedgehog organisations and tool manufacturers to warn people to be more hedgehog aware and to make them check long grass or hedgerows before using gardening equipment.”
To watch Dylan’s award-winning documentary on hedgehogs, please visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YH2d43kOwYY
