Catching Up with Alumni - Jordan Heath

Thank you for sharing your time with me today, Jordan. What was your starting point like before doing the BFI Film Academy Short Course? Had you been creating any of your own films before taking part?

I had been interested in a career in film since I was 13, watching people on YouTube creating their own content and enjoying watching great films that influenced my passion, such as The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, Dawn of the Dead, Battle Royale, Star Wars and James Bond, to name a few. Watching the YouTube videos and seeing the credits at the end of films planted the seed in my mind that if all these people could be involved in filmmaking, so could I. 

I started BFI Film Academy Short Course at Broadway in 2014 and into 2015. I did have a couple of amateur-level films under my wing when I started after I had been to sixth form and college. I attended Friesland Sixth Form from 2012-2014, studying Media Film Studies and IT sixth form. We were limited to a zero budget to make the short films, and we used whatever camera and equipment we could get our hands on. It was very DIY. I also went to Confetti Institute after Sixth Form and studied film production from 2014 - 2016 to develop my film career further alongside the short course. There, we were able to use professional equipment to make short films, and I was able to start to see more of the professional filmmaking I wanted to be involved in. 

What was your experience of participating in the BFI Film Academy Short Course at Broadway like?

It has been a while since I participated in the Short Course at Broadway, but what I remember standing out for me was speaking to the industry professionals, who came in to talk and share their knowledge with us. It helped put the skill of networking into practice. I think the BFI Short Course is the best place to dip your toe into networking and practice speaking to people you might work with in the future, because it is a relatively even playing field, and we are all there with the same goal.

If you find that you are good at networking, it can help take your role two steps further. When you do something like the BFI Film Academy Short Course at Broadway, you’re surrounded by people who are also interested in film, which is also really important to help keep you motivated. 

The BFI Film Academy Short Course at Broadway also teaches you an element of professionalism. Most people coming onto it are impressionable teenagers, but we all quickly learned to separate having fun and making friends from getting the work done and make sure there is a good balance of fun and work. There are a lot of people who want to take part in the BFI Film Academy Short Course at Broadway so being selected to participate makes you feel like you have a responsibility to do the best you can and get the most out of it and in that way the BFI Film Academy Short Course was great at motivating me to push myself beyond my limits.

What impact did the BFI Film Academy Short Course at Broadway have on your career and life?

The impact the BFI Film Academy Short Course at Broadway has had on my career has been huge. Being associated with the BFI and being a part of the BFI Film Academy alumnus is a big boost because it's something that people recognise as being prestigious.

I took part in the BFI Film Academy Short Course during college. After taking part, I got into The University of West London in 2019, where I studied Film Production. While I was there, I was emailed as a BFI Film Academy alumnus to take part in their Traineeship scheme to work on 007’s No Time To Die as a Grip Trainee. I graduated halfway through production. The timing worked out great because we had our final classes and Final Major project screening, then the next week I was working, so there was no overlap between education and working that Job.

What influence has the BFI Film Academy Short Course had on your work and how you approach filmmaking now?

The Short Course at Broadway helped me to clarify what it is I truly want to do within film, and that is film production. I don’t care much for pre-production. I prefer working with my hands on a set and collaborating with others. I tried my hand at all the other roles Broadway’s courses covered, I did my share of editing, colour grading and finalising the film; however, I think my talents and abilities shone best during the production. It’s what I enjoyed doing the most, and I think when you enjoy something, it comes more naturally. 

In March 2025, Jordan Heath joined Film Hub Midlands Young Talent Coordinator Ella Townsend for the inspiring and practical online session focusing on the role of a grip as part of the Below the Line Crew series run in conjunction with BFI Future Film Festival. Here Jordan shares insights on responsibilities, career paths, and on-set problem-solving.

WATCH JORDAN'S BELOW THE LINE CREW INTERVIEW BELOW

Are there any projects which you have on the horizon that you're excited about?

I'm currently working with a production company as a trainee Grip, and I'm looking forward to soon moving from a trainee position to a more professional role.

You've worked on quite a few productions since taking part in the BFI Film Academy Short Course, so with your level of experience, I'm sure you'll move into this professional role soon.

Taking part in so many films, what have been your biggest highlights in entering the film industry?

I'm very happy with a lot of the things I’ve been able to work on since doing the short course, but I think one of my main highlights so far has been working on No Time to Die, directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga. One of my favourite experiences working on that film was turning up to set and seeing all the amazing creative designs. You never forget your first big set. Hearing fake gunshots in the background every day, it's not the usual life. There was one day when they set off an explosion, which blew one of the set walls down, so we had to go home for that day. It was a unique experience every day.

I've travelled around the UK and I have seen some amazing sets, another one which I really enjoyed seeing was for House of the Dragon where they used dragon-shaped puppets for an animation reference which were crafted by real artists for the VFX team to get a good reference, seeing the behind the scenes was fascinating when you then see it on TV and it looks so out of this world, the artists and VFX team do an incredible job to make the creatures look realistic. 

Other sets I've been able to work on and see have included Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald. I got to work on this as a grip thanks to an agency that I joined, which shared the opportunity with me. The most recent sets I have been on are the Star Wars film and the Lord of the Rings series.

The experience you have gained since leaving the BFI Film Academy Short Course at Broadway sounds impressive. How do you keep your cool working on large, high-profile projects?

I've instilled in myself that it doesn't matter what films you have or haven't worked on or what your background is; it just matters that you can do the task that is needed. Everyone in the industry at some point has worked on a smaller production, and sometimes they are equally as enjoyable in their own way. I worked on Midsomer Murders and I found it a lot of fun.

Is there any advice you would give to young people who are interested in applying for the BFI Film Academy Short Course at Broadway in the future?

If you get onto the course, you'll see the best results when you just put the work in; even a small amount of effort will result in a reward. Have a bit of a plan going in as to what it is that you want to achieve. 

When you're done with the course, stay in touch and continue a dialogue with the other participants, the course leader and the industry professionals, as they can open you up to opportunities you might not have access to.

Remember to take care of yourself during the long hours on set. Self-care is very important so that you can keep showing up. Everyone is there to look after you and support you, so take advantage of that. But also, make sure when you go home that you are looking after yourself physically and mentally.

Jordan Heath has an IMDB page to view their journey and see what they’ve been credited for.

Broadway is looking for the next 20 filmmakers to join them this Autumn. Apply by 21st September at 11.45 pm.