Summer 2025 • northumbria.ac.uk
Issue 34
A DECADE OF DEDICATION
LOOKING BACK ON BARONESS TANNI GREY-THOMPSON’S 10 YEARS AS NORTHUMBRIA’S CHANCELLOR
From Tyneside to Hollywood
LOL CRAWLEY PICTURED WITH HIS OSCAR FOR BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY. PHOTO CREDIT: GETTY IMAGES
The exceptional talent of a Northumbria University graduate has been recognised around the world after he won both an Oscar and a BAFTA for his role as director of photography on the critically acclaimed film The Brutalist. In March this year, Lol Crawley won the Oscar for Best Cinematography at the 97th Academy Awards, just days after he was awarded the British Academy Film award, or BAFTA, in the same category While Lol now lives and works in Hollywood, his career journey began more than 5,000 miles away in Tyneside, when he arrived at Northumbria University to study Film in the 1990s. It was a decision that has shaped his professional journey, with the connections
he made and the skills he developed at university still influencing his work today. It was during his time at Northumbria that Lol developed his distinct style, teaming naturalistic lighting and exposure with a documentary feel, as well as an ethos of meaningful storytelling. As he explains: “I always wanted my work to reflect my personal values. To create something meaningful you need to have something to say, and some life experience. I found my
personal film-making style as a student at Northumbria, and I’ve stuck to it, creating a body of work with a continuity of aesthetic that makes sense when people look back at it.” When it comes to inspiring young filmmakers with aspirations to work within the industry, Lol advises them to immerse themselves in all things film, both past and present, adding: “You have to want to be at the top of your craft. It’s not just about the practical skills but the
intellectual understanding, taking the time to really examine film theory. Success doesn’t happen overnight, it takes time, but the experience and confidence I gained during my time at Northumbria, as well as the connections within the industry, really helped me when I graduated and began carving out a career for myself.” Lol is one of a growing number of Northumbria University graduates making a name for themselves in
the film industry. Another is producer Jack Tarling, whose first film God’s Own Country was nominated for Outstanding British Film at the 2018 BAFTAs, while his second Await Further Instructions was sold to streaming giant Netflix. Continues on page 2