James Ward
James began his film career as an actor working on a BBC Children’s TV production called Station Jim, having been surrounded by acting from a young age he went to Goldsmiths to study drama and theatre arts to study directing. Having studied classical and alternative methods of directing James applied his experience of growing up in South London to create his own unique voice and style of story telling.
The Vision
"I grew up less than a mile from Wimbledon Greyhound Stadium in south London. My family has a long heritage in dog and horse handling so, as a result, I’ve always had an interest in greyhound racing. The stadium was a link to the past, a time capsule of British tradition. It was a significant cultural beacon for the local community, drawing the people together with the buzz of its spectacle. The mesmerised crowd reflected the diverse nature of the area: all ages and races would pile in for the excitement of dog racing. When the shocking news came to me, I had to act. The stadium was to be torn down and concreted over, thus destroying this icon of rich historical British culture. I began my journey to make a feature film that explored what its destruction meant to me and the community that has surrounded it. Could the spirit continue from the death of old traditions and institutions, or would it be gone forever? Could it live on through the people who breathed and lived it, or would their ancestors not have the same world to inherit? A disappearing culture has an effect on people. There is a generation, an underbelly of Londoners, who have fallen through the gaps. With little identity or culture built on moral codes and traditions to nourish and bind them, they have grown up feeling disillusioned and ostracised. Suffering from a lack of opportunities, or positive direction, they have to fend for themselves and search for solace elsewhere, quite frequently turning to drugs, crime or addiction."
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Snapshots from Pinky's gritty world and film scenes.
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