Charley McDougall graduated from Anglia Ruskin with a BA (Hons) in Drama (2008) and an MA in Contemporary Theatre (2009).

In a recent interview he attributed a large part of his subsequent success to the encouragement and support he received whilst studying at Anglia, and described how his decision to continue to post graduate level helped his acting career: 'I was given personal one to one teaching by fantastically talented tutors. I learned that if you put in the hard work you come out with great results. Everyone has been impressed that I did an MA before pursuing drama school.'

After completing his masters in Contemporary Theatre, Charley gained a place at the prestigious Redroofs where he took a Post Grad in Film and Screen. After leaving drama school he secured representation with Brood Management - a leading UK actors' agency. From this point on, his career took off.

Charley secured a small role in Fedz with Ashley Walters and Dexter Fletcher, followed by the lead in A Warning to the Curious - an indie horror film shot in Holland, Belgium and Luxembourg to be released this Hallowe'en. Subsequently, he has been featured in the magazine Wired and has been on major news stations such as NBC and CBS. Recently he has starred in the first mind controlled film, The Great Escape, which Disney is considering for a feature. In September, he is playing the lead in a British horror movie The Convent, a found footage horror set in Little Venice.

Over the summer Charley played one of the lead roles (Joe) in the low-budget thriller Through the Lens, which was shot in Cambridge. He has a longstanding working relationship with the director Oscar Forshaw Swift, having worked on three film projects over the past four years. Charley said: 'This is such a relevant film. In a world that is increasingly reliant on social media and the importance of 'total freedom', what happens when this is all taken away from you? Through the Lens has the gritty depression of Children of Men with the fast paced intensity of The Bourne Identity. It is made completely in Cambridgeshire by a fantastic crew and professional actors. This film will put everyone involved on the map - and also Cambridge, which is the true champion, as 95% of the film is shot in and around the city.'

When asked about his hopes and ambitions for the future, Charley said: 'I want to be making British independent films for as long as I can, and one day be in a position to produce them. We have a fantastically talented country for actors. America loves British talent but the reality is that there isn't any money here. It would be great to see the British film industry flourish in the future.'

And finally a word for his teachers at Anglia who first recognised his ability: 'I would love to teach and give something back. If Sue and Gianna will let me swing by once in a while, I would be very happy to share my knowledge with the next generation of students.'

You can follow Charley on his twitter page @charleymcdougal and ask him any questions regarding the courses or what to do once you leave.

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