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Graduate goes in right direction with moonwalking film

26/04/2018

A University of Wolverhampton graduate is going in the right direction with a new feature documentary about Michael Jackson tribute acts.

Tom Goudsmit, 38 from London, graduated from the University in 2002 with a degree in Electronic Media (now Digital Media) and is a freelance director who has worked in America, India and Mozambique.

Filmed over the course of four years, Moonwalkers , which was financed through a Kickstarter Crowdfunding campaign, follows a group, ‘The Three Generations – the Michael Jackson Experience’ from their early street performances to following in their idol's footsteps as they embark on a road trip to Los Angeles.  Each tribute act represents a different era from the pop icon’s career.

Tom said: “I was working on a documentary about the America’s Cup in San Francisco when a group of performers caught my eye.  Chavail, Quintin and Malachi were all from small towns on the West Coast of America, dreaming of making it big.

“The fact that they were representing Michael Jackson at different stages in his career was really interesting and made for a compelling story.  The group’s story is uplifting and aspirational and there is a sad element there, too, but ultimately it’s about their friendship and their lives, and it’s about hope.

“I had a great time whilst studying at the University and it really helped me to decide what I wanted to do.”

The resulting 12 minute film received positive feedback and Tom decided to make a longer documentary, charting the group’s progress over a four year period.  The film is nearing completion this year. 

Tom has worked on a BBC documentary about the Cleveland kidnappings, various films for the Guardian including I Predict a Riot, which explored football hooliganism, and worked on the BAFTA winning BBC series, Just a Few Drinks.

ENDS

 

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