The Story:

Like many Jamaicans in the 1960s, Jimmy and his family move to South London with the promise of a better life. Jimmy finds growing up in the capital hard, experiencing prejudice because of his race, which results in a troubled and rebellious adolescence.

Lured by the idea of camaraderie and the chance to prove himself by fighting for his adopted country, Jimmy joins the British army without the knowledge of his family. Stationed in Belfast in 1972, Jimmy finds himself in the midst of the Troubles. Patrolling the streets of Belfast, he forges relationships with the other young men in his battalion, finally feeling accepted.

But as he witnesses the conflict around him, Jimmy questions his place in it, and wonders if he is doing the right thing.

Why This Story is Important:

The issues of immigration, race, and religion that are present in ‘Jimmy’ are still as relevant as ever. During the 1960s, London saw an influx of Jamaican immigrants in search of a better life. They had been told the streets were paved with gold, and for many London was seen as a big opportunity for a better life. However, most of them experienced prejudice and hardship as they settled in South London and the surrounding areas. This is a little explored piece of history, and the lives and struggles of the people who lived it are largely untold.

Around this time there were few black soldiers in the British army, which is what makes Jimmy's story so interesting. Jimmy himself is a fascinating character, and the journey we follow him on as he negotiates life as an immigrant in London, and begins to better understand the situation in Belfast, is a story full of conflict, parallels and humanity.

Who We Are:

Producer: Fohla Casey Dalton

Coming from an Irish family, Fohla has a keen interest the history of 'Jimmy', and is working with the other heads of department to ensure the story is told with the respect it deserves. Bringing ‘Jimmy’ to the big screen will be a challenge, but her experience in producing short films over the last two years, and of working on professional sets, has left her more than ready to handle it.

Writer/Director: Ryon Nethercott

‘Jimmy’ is based on the experiences of Ryon’s Uncle and so is very close him and his family. After juggling his degree with working on various industry short films and adverts, Ryon has been working very closely with his crew, to ensure all the themes of the story are handled correctly and with care. He can’t wait to bring this interesting and compelling piece of fiction to life.

Director of Photography: Hal Robertson

Hal has been working closely with the director throughout the project and together they have come up with a respectful and realistic way to shoot the story, which remains cinematic. Having researched into the documentation of the Troubles, Hal aims to bring a raw and personal cinema to the project.

1st Assistant Director/Historical Advisor: Lucy Martin

Drawing on her professional experience from commercials, corporate, TV and more, Lucy has a firm grip on the requirements of this project. Coming from Northern Ireland and acting as the historical advisor and 1st AD creates a strong combination to ensure that not only the practical production is scheduled and achievable, but will also be historically accurate.

Production Designer: Grace Lee

With a keen interest in British Social Realist Cinema, Grace aims to bring an authentic and sensitive perspective to the Design of the production. Having researched into the intricacies of 1970s Northern Ireland, she endeavours to do justice to this powerful, and important subject.

Editor: Jessica Pollard

Jess's passion lies within editing, which will help her bring the world of 'Jimmy' to life in the edit suite. Her experience as an editor on a number of short films, and experience at post houses and editing for TV, will help her carefully and respectfully craft Jimmy's story for the big screen!

Sound Designer: Robbie Mann

Robbie’s passion in creating and mixing sound will help to make the world of ‘Jimmy’ come to life. With recent experience working in an audio post-production company, he is ready to bring the audience to 1970’s Northern Ireland with a rich and convincing sonic world.

Sound Recordist: Daniel Dorgù

With a growing passion of Sound, Daniel has worked on many films outside of University as a Freelancer, developing his skills as a Production sound recordist. Daniel is driven to bring the world and culture of 'Jimmy' to life

Costume Designer: Rose Valentine Makamdem-Magaia

Drawing on her experience as a maker and supervisor, Rose hopes to bring the characters to life through her historical knowledge. Her interest in period costume and black history will enable her to do the film the justice it deserves.

Creating the Production:

Creating not only Belfast, but 1960s London in the middle of Dorset is no small feat. Authenticity is very important to us, not only to ensure that our film looks fantastic, but also as a mark of respect to the era. Our locations department is working hard to find the perfect settings for our film, which will all be shot on location rather in the studio. Our brilliant art department are currently doing extensive historical research in order to capture the 'look' of the period, and creating solid designs to enchance and tranform our locations.

We've just started casting, and aim to bring a talented ensemble to the screen, who can tell the story with the power and gravitas that it deserves. Keep checking this page for casting updates!

With a large cast comes a talented costume team. Our designers are working hard to source and make not only period clothing, but accurate uniforms for the soldiers! It's a big task, but the costumes are one of the most important aspects for creating the look and feel of the film.

Of course, none of this comes cheap. As students, we're experts at coming up with creative solutions to cut costs, but we still need your help! Below, you can see the main areas where the budget is going to go:

We want to make this film the best that it can possibly be, and any donations to help us along our way would be greatly appreciated. Keep an eye on this page for exciting updates, and join us on our journey!