TV Q&A half.qxp_Layout 7 24/09/2021 17:56 Page 1
TV & FILM
Rising star
Meet Jacob Daniels, who features in a new Bristol-set drama
L
ast year writing partners Owen Lewis and George Harold Millman wrote a TV drama pilot and, after much crowdfunding to make filming possible, the project finally came to fruition. Set and filmed in Bristol, it is now ready for its first screening. Here, actor Jacob Daniels tells us a little more about the drama, his role and his life philosophy.
In new contemporary drama Jacob plays student Justin Adams in the new drama Square, I play Justin Adams, a young student who is exploring what it is to be independent and have your own power and choices – although he sometimes forgets that actions have consequences! I think we all have a bit of Justin in us, or have been through similar experiences – pushing boundaries, looking for new, exciting things, then having to handle the adult and very real, unexpected consequences of our actions. The drama follows the lives of a group of uni students as they navigate their lives, exploring their friendships, relationships, political ideals and morals as they each develop through their ‘coming of age’ years. It’s about that moment where teenagers leave the ‘restraints’ of living at home with parents, and begin to explore their newfound ‘freedom’. Whether for better or worse, we follow them as they develop into young adults, with all the passion and heartbreak that accompanies certain moments in life. We explore LGBTQ+ relationships, and see how different political beliefs can cause rifts in previously strong relationships. The characters attend our (fictitious) Bristol University and the themes of the show are often representative of many of the characteristics of Bristol as a city. We have a premiere at the Watershed on 6 November at 10am. Tickets are available via EventBrite for anyone who would like to come along to support. The pilot episode introduces us to a large and diverse cast, and we learn about the world these characters inhabit and the stories that link them all together. Throughout 2020 we ran R&D sessions on the script, and then once lockdowns and regulations allowed, the cast was brought together and the pilot episode filmed over a three-week period in spring 2021 – following strict Covid protocols! There is so much fantastic theatre and film being produced in Bristol. I love the fact that Bristol is a city of passionate and challenging creatives, and I really love Bristol Harbourside. You can go there and find all sorts of food and drink, and there is always entertainment of some kind; buskers, skateboarders, live performances, plus the general hustle and bustle of the harbour area. I’ve always liked the idea of putting all my effort in to everything I do. There’s the famous phrase ‘If a job is worth doing, it’s worth doing well’. But I find it’s broader than that – if you open it up to life itself, it becomes a matter of ‘If you’re going to do anything, give it all your attention and effort’. For me this includes work, socialising, hobbies, living day to day and so on. ■ • Follow Jacob on Twitter: @JacobDaniels_ or via @SQUARE_tvdrama
THEBRISTOLMAG.CO.UK
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OCTOBER 2021
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THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE 17
