Harry Potter director in hometown to inspire youth

One of Britain's most celebrated filmmakers recently returned to his hometown of Swindon to give advice to the next generation of aspiring filmmakers.

David Yates, best known for his work on the Harry Potter and the Fantastic Beasts series, made his first movie in the Wiltshire town more than 30 years ago.

The director donated to the town's Short Film Fund with the intention of giving young people the same opportunities he had, saying the support he received in the town as a young filmmaker was crucial in setting him up to succeed.

Aside from hosting a masterclass, he attended the screening of three short films made by local filmmakers and shared his advice in a networking session.

The Short Film Fund is a collaboration between Yates and Create Studios, a community interest company set up to support aspiring creatives in the area.

"This is where it all started, my filmmaking journey started, I probably wouldn’t be making movies if I hadn’t have been here," Yates, who grew up in Gorse Hill, said.

"I wrote a script called When I was a girl - it was slightly autobiographical in the sense it was about losing a parent and having to make your way in the world - in Gorse Hill, where we lived.

"I banged out the script over a period of about three weeks.

"Then I brought it into Create, they were called Media Arts then, and said I want to write and direct this.

"Martin Parry, who was running the organisation, said, 'we’ll support you, we’ll give you the money you need to make this'. That inspired in me a level of entrepreneurship and a level of can-do-ness."

Yates directed a number of further short films before moving into television, where he helmed episodes of The Bill and State of Play. He then got his big break in 2007, with the release of Harry Potter and Order of the Phoenix.

Uncertainty remains as to whether a fourth edition of the Fantastic Beasts' series will be made, but in the interim, Yates has felt the need to share his experiences with the new generation.

"I feel like I owe this place a lot – you’re always grateful to the people who give you your first break – it’s partly that loyalty to that first experience and also that other people here today are getting the same opportunities today that I had – and we like supporting that, we think there’s a virtuous circle in that."

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