[A] Cumbrian has played an important part in the creation of the latest Star Wars film.
Carlisle born Mally Chung, a former student of the University of Cumbria’s Institute of the Arts, says he’s ‘immensely proud’ of his role as supervising location manager on The Last Jedi.
In 2012 Mally was awarded an honorary fellowship in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the film and television industry.
Mally enrolled at Cumbria Institute of the Arts (now part of the University of Cumbria) on the further education National Diploma Media course. His commitment to studying and the work he was producing saw him progress to the undergraduate BA (Hons) Media programme a year later.
While working on a student film in the Lake District as part of his course, Mally met a BBC location manager, a meeting that was to see his life change forever. He was offered a position with the BBC as unit manager for the second series of the controversial drama The Lakes, filmed around Ullswater in 1998.
During the next eight years he worked as unit and location manager on a number of television programmes and films including Dalziel & Pascoe, Clocking Off, Cutting It, Fat Friends and The Queen starring Dame Helen Mirren.
Mally’s reputation in the industry has grown and only ten years after taking a first step into the world of work he landed the dream job working for EON Productions and Sony Pictures on Quantum of Solace starring Daniel Craig and filmed on location in Central America. Other productions ranging from Sherlock Holmes, Robin Hood, War Horse, Wrath of the Titans and Atonement followed.
Mally’s success follows confirmation the Institute will play host to Darren Henley, chief executive of the Arts Council, next month and the decision to award fine art student Emily Hartness the title of Young Cumbrian Artist of the Year.
