MERCER MACWILLIAM HUGHES
FILMMAKER
Hi, I'm Mercer!
I'm Making Things.
Things about music, thought-problems, places, idiosyncrasies, families...
Things that, hopefully, people enjoy watching.
MY WORK
Choirboy (2022)
In a rural English village, 10 year old Jason becomes estranged from his sister, Dawn, when she begins to suffer from an unknown ailment. Jason must seek to reconnect with his sister through their shared fascination with choral song.
Director Mercer MacWilliam Hughes
Writer James Fry
Producers Billy Cooke & James Fry
Director Of Photography Alice Tucker
Sound Recordist & Designer Elijah Vincent
Editor Alex Marshall
Production Designers Ugnė Kriščiūnaitė & Lindsay Potter
In 2022, I graduated with a First in BA Film Production from Arts University Bournemouth (AUB), where I directed the graduation film, Choirboy. This is the largest scale project I have directed, at a budget of £7,000, and a roughly 50-strong cast and crew. Music was a central storytelling device, and I was responsible for transcribing, arranging and orchestrating the film's musical cues. I lead rehearsals with the cast, and organised the recording of cues ahead of principle photography.
I had the privilege to direct two exceptionally talented child actors. This was a rewarding experience and taught me a lot about a child-like narrative perspective.
The script for Choirboy was a very poignant piece of writing by James Fry. It was a freeing experience to direct a film written by somebody else, and I am keen to explore further collaborations with writers.
Winner of Cinematography Award - Nahemi National Student Film Awards 2022
You & Me (But
Mostly Me) (2023)
Music video of a song from 'The Book of Mormon Musical'. Original arrangement for trombone, drums and voice.
Director Mercer MacWilliam Hughes
Performers Mercer MacWilliam Hughes & Jarlath Burns
Director Of Photography Liam McDonnell
My most recent project. When I heard first heard this song, it became an immediate earworm.
The only way to solve this was to perform it. I transcribed and orchestrated the song for trombone multitrack, followed by vocals and a drum kit. Video was shot in 1 day at Southbank Playhouse. Pure fun. Enjoy!
Micro-Shorts
Micro-shorts (sub 5 mins) have been a key focus of my previous work. I love to fixate on a detailed study of core ideas and take a ruthlessly economical storytelling approach. I’m aiming to maintain this richness and conciseness in developing longer-form projects.
Soon (2020)
A uni student eagerly greets the field and swing she grew up with, only to find it now frequented by locals.
(3 mins)
Checklist Charlie (2020)
Charlie plans life with lists and schedules, but when a break-up puts his intricately planned lifestyle to the test, he must learn the ways of spontaneity. (1 min)
Uke (2020)
A melody reminds a young woman of her busking days and the the power of music to keep us going...
(2 mins 30 secs)
Cyclepaths (2021)
A cycling enthusiast and a criminal on-the-run cross paths.
(3 mins)
I Am The Doctor (2021)
Two friends reconcile with their Whovian housemate.
(1 min)
Tarquin (2021)
A sleazy scam artist preys on the crumbling marriage of his next victim. (1 min)
ABOUT ME
UK based filmmaker and musician.
Currently seeking funding opportunities and new collaborations.
Especially keen to build relationships with writers, producers and actors.
I am a graduate of BA Film Production at Arts University Bournemouth (First Class Hons), where I directed a grad film, Choirboy. At A Level, my Moving Image Arts film, Bob’s Your Uncle, placed 3rd in the CCEA MIA Showcase, and won Best Film at the Into Film Awards 2020.
I have a broad skillset across technical crafts: I trained in Production Sound at the BFI Academy Residential at NFTS, specialised in Cinematography at AUB, and have freelanced as a Video Editor for ~7 years.
I aspire to closely entwine Camera, Lighting, Sound, Music and Editing to create films which are
kinetic, atmospheric and experiential or embodied.
I am also a trained trombonist and singer, and seek to make work that combines music with film.
There is nothing like having an idea, and then successfully realising that idea in an audiovisual experience.
This is what keeps me making things.