A GREENOCK film-maker is celebrating after a movie he worked on scooped a top industry honour - and now he hopes to win an Oscar next month.

Graham Kinniburgh was first assistant director on An Irish Goodbye, which scooped best British short film at the BAFTAs on Sunday.

The poignant film tells the story of two estranged brothers who reunite after their mother's death.

It has also been nominated for an Oscar in the live action short film category at the 95th annual Academy Awards, in March.

Former Notre Dame High pupil Graham is thrilled with the BAFTA success and keeping his fingers crossed for success next month.

Graham, 54, added: "We are absolutely delighted.

"When the film first came out, I knew it was a wee bit special.

"Our writers and co-directors Ross White and Tom Berkeley are talented guys and our actors, in particular our leads James Martin and Seamus O'Hara, did an amazing job in bringing their material to life.

"When we set out to make our film, starting off on a miserable cold day in the mountains of Northern Ireland, we couldn't have imagined it would resonate with so many people and find so much success.

"It just goes to show what can be achieved by a dedicated, hard-working cast and crew."

The BAFTA is Graham's second honour from the British Academy - he scooped his first in 2015 for short film Boogaloo and Graham.

He grew up living in Old Inverkip Road and worked at the RBS mortgage centre in Greenock.

He moved to Northern Ireland with his wife Fiona in 2006 and got started in the film industry four years later after being made redundant from a compliance job.

Graham added: "I couldn't find anything in that line of work at all.

"I started dabbling in screenwriting and was trying to get jobs in the industry.

"I did a media course with the BBC in Northern Ireland and it all started from there."

Graham was based in Ireland when HBO began filming fantasy epic Game of Thrones in Belfast and he managed to get an opportunity on the show.

He said: "I got myself in front of senior producers and did a three-month unpaid work placement in pre-production, and just worked my way up.

"Game of Thrones launched a lot of careers in Northern Ireland at that time, as the production company were keen to take on local recruits.

"I worked with really seasoned professionals and learned from their standards."

In his current role as first assistant director, Graham breaks the script down into its component parts and comes up with a schedule for the day's filming.

He creates call sheets, lets the crew know the order in which scenes will be shot, and co-ordinates different departments.

Graham added: "It's a lot of responsibility.

"I have to make sure it's safe to call 'action' on every scene."

Graham's family in Inverclyde are proud of his achievements in film and TV since he started out just over a decade ago.

His mum Frances and sister Jan live in Gourock, and his brother Allan is in Inverkip.

The film-maker was delighted to get the chance to give his mum an exclusive viewing of An Irish Goodbye and if the film scoops the Oscar it will secure him a remarkable hat-trick.

He told the Tele: "Game of Thrones was recognised at the Emmys and I now have the Baftas too, so if we win the Oscar, that will be the film and TV treble.

"It's onwards to the Oscars now - you never know!"