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Celebrat
An interview with Helen An
roughcuts caught
up with the new
Director of BAFTA
Scotland before
her first awards
ceremony at the
helm.
Helen, who started off at RSNO in
Scotland, worked in the theatre
for a number of years, including
the Stephen Joseph Theatre in
Scarborough, the Theatre Royal
in Wakefield and the Lyric in
Hammersmith, London, before
returning to Scotland to take up the
position at BAFTA Scotland.
Although her background is in the
performing arts, the worlds of theatre
and moving image are not so very
different, she believes. “It’s all about
storytelling,” she says, citing working
with Alan Ayckbourn at the Stephen
Joseph Theatre as being one of
those pivotal experiences. “He really
inspired me; he tells great stories for
audiences here and around the world
to see.”
It was while working with Ayckbourn
that Helen saw at close quarters how
film and theatre can work together
when Alan Resnais made Private
Fears in Public Places, an adaptation
of one of Ayckbourn’s stage plays.
“I got to see how the film related
to the play and if it changed, how
it changed, and also how people’s
reaction to the film differed to the
stage play,” she explains. She is
interested in how moving image can
tell stories in a different way, reaching
new audiences.
Working in Scarborough and
Wakefield also helped Helen
appreciate that you don’t need to be
based in London to work in the arts,
believing instead that, “you can make
great art anywhere and it can make
a difference to people’s lives.” She
says: “You could argue that film,
broadcasting and theatre are based
in London, but my experience has
shown me that you can make top
quality productions anywhere, and
you limit yourself if you say, ‘I’ve got
to be in the south east’.”
When the job at BAFTA Scotland
came up it seemed like a logical
step. So what specifically appealed
to Helen about the position: “I really
wanted to work for an institution
like BAFTA that’s got such a great
reputation and to be able to take it
forward,” she says.
Despite being new to the film and
TV industry here, Helen is quickly
getting to know everybody in what is
a relatively self-contained industry.
Rather than viewing her outsider’s
perspective as a hindrance, Helen
appreciates this. “I liked the idea that
nobody would pre-judge me because
I was coming from outside, and it’s
meant that I could come in with a
relatively fresh eye.”
Starting in her new role just a couple
of months before the awards meant
she has had a very short period of
time to get up to speed. So, how are
plans progressing? Very well, she
says and is full of praise for her team
who at the time of the interview are
full steam ahead with preparations.
This year they’ve opened up the
awards to Scottish talent based
outside the country meaning that
Ashley Jensen, Bryan Elsley (Skins),
and Steven Moffat (Doctor Who)
were amongst this year’s nominees.
“Rather than Scotland being a step
ladder on to somewhere else, it
should be part of a circle. You can
work in Scotland, and then work in
Hollywood, and then London and
Scotland again. Similarly, more and
more non-Scots are choosing to live
and work here. We need to recognise
this,” Helen explains.
“BAFTA Scotland is more than
just the awards but they are a
cornerstone of what we do,” she says,
acknowledging that they have a key
role to play in rewarding excellence
and being a “point of inspiration”. She
is keen to widen out the awards and
try to engage more people, showing
them what can be achieved, and
sending out a very clear message
that you can do it here.
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