Arrows in Flight with Director, Hugh Mulhern

We can’t wait for the YOUNG ARROWS awards taking place this October! Open to emerging talent in the UK moving image advertising industry, the awards are completely free to enter for the first time this year, and entries are open until Monday 4th September. 

Submitting your work puts you in front of our jurors  and the wider industry to gain vital exposure. It’s free, so what are you waiting for? 

Find out more here.

In the lead-up, we’re hearing from past winners. Next up we’re speaking to music video director, Hugh Mulhern, who not only won an award at the YOUNG ARROWS, but went on to win a BRITISH ARROWS trophy too. 

Hugh’s career story shows what’s possible when you set your mind to it. 

A multi-award winning Irish director working in TV, Film and commercials, Hugh started out in the industry working as a spark before finding his way into editing. Now he’s focused on his true passion, directing.

Q> How did winning at the Young Arrows feel? 

Hugh> It's easy to get caught up in the very boring self-deprecating director thing, so winning was a much welcomed pat on the back. 

Q> Coming off your YOUNG ARROWS win, did you expect to win again at the BRITISH ARROWS Awards?!

Hugh> Amongst the other work that was nominated I did not expect it at all. 

Q> What are the benefits of opportunities like the YOUNG ARROWS for emerging talent?

Hugh> The sheer amount of work out there means it’s impossible to stay on top of everything. The special thing about awards like the YOUNG ARROWS is it just gets industry eyes on your work, which is invaluable. 

Q> Has winning these had any impact on your career / career decisions?

Hugh> I guess it has, but not in the ways I expected. It's been a double edged sword - on one hand it's given me the confidence to believe in my abilities and what I can do when I'm trusted, but on the other hand it's also made me a lot more cautious about what I say yes to. If I'm being perfectly honest I thought it would open me up more to the commercial world, but I think I need to make some more family-friendly music videos before I really get my foot in that door. 

Q> What are your career goals? 

Hugh> I want to keep developing my tone of voice in music videos and find a version of what I do that can be applied in the commercial space. 

I have a feature in development with Screen Ireland back home, so the dream is to get the ball rolling on that soon.  In the meantime, I want to secure commercial work that lets me push the boat out!