Latest news with #EdwardRyan
BBC News
10 hours ago
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Austitic teenager from Sanquhar dreams of big screen career
An autistic teenager from the south of Scotland is hoping to pursue a career in filmmaking after picking up a prize for his Ryan, 14, from Sanquhar, won the audience award at the recent Into Film event in received his honour from actor Andy Serkis and presenter Edith told BBC Scotland News he hoped to turn his passion for movie-making into a job in later life. Edward was born in Inverness and grew up in Forres but has lived in Sanquhar for almost a organisers of the awards described them as "celebration of talent" but also a "clear statement of intent".They said they wanted to show that the UK film industry "values, nurtures and believes in the voices of the next generation".Among those voices is Edward's. "I'd always loved making and building with Lego when I was younger and I wanted to make these Lego people and characters and things come to life," he said."So I then started to make stop-motion animations with these Lego characters and buildings and things like that, make little movies with them."Then I would then progress my skills with that and then get different equipment and better equipment."The Sanquhar Academy pupil was given a laptop by the local council for his school work which he started to use for making films and it has "progressed and progressed" from award-winning film - More Than One Way To Go Home - tells the story of a young autistic girl who has to find her own way home when her brother leaves her to fend for herself. He said winning the prize for his work was a special moment."It felt great, it was just overwhelming with all the support that I got from loads of people voting me for this award."It was just great. I am still in shock that I won."All the support from my community of Sanquhar, it's just been absolutely brilliant and I'm so grateful for all of it."It has fuelled his passion to pursue a life in cinema after he finishes his education. "I really want to go into the industry and hopefully become a director of photography," he said."That's my dream goal. So I'm hopefully just going to stick in and then go to college and university and just work my way up until I'm a director of photography and do what I want to do."His mother Jess said the whole family was "incredibly proud" of what Edward has achieved."He was a nominee in the best story category as well and even though he didn't win that prize it was still just an incredible achievement to be chosen," she said."That was a new category this year that the judges chose out of all the films that were entered."So it was an honour to know that he was chosen to be part of the best story category up against other filmmakers that were 18 or 19 years old.""We're just really, really proud of him and very thankful for the support the community gave him." She said the fact that he was autistic made it all the more remarkable."He's obviously had to overcome a lot of different challenges in his day to day life," she said."Filmmaking has been a way for him to express himself in ways that he has otherwise found difficult."It's been a really good outlet for him." She said she believed he could go further in the field where he has already started to thrive."We just feel proud and we just hope that he can continue on and achieve his goals and his dreams of one day being a director of photography," she said."I don't see why he can't, to be honest, he's got his sights set on the big screen."He's got a lot of hard work ahead of him, but he seems really enthusiastic for it."
The National
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The National
14-year-old Scot wins prestigious award in London for short film
Edward Ryan, from Sanquhar, Dumfries and Galloway, scooped the publicly voted Audience Award at the Into Films Awards in London on Tuesday and was presented with his prize by actor Andy Serkis and presenter Edith Bowman. The 14-year-old's short film More Than One Way To Go Home was also nominated for Best Story at the awards and was inspired by the filmmaker's own personal experiences. The film follows a young autistic girl who has to find her own way home when her brother leaves her to fend for herself and aims to convey some of the difficulties that autistic people can face and demonstrates how the right support can be key to overcoming those challenges. READ MORE: Donald Trump no longer meeting King in Scotland ahead of state visit Speaking at the awards, Ryan said he felt overwhelmed with joy for receiving the award, as he said: 'I put a lot of hard work and effort into this film but none of it would have been possible without the help of my friends and all the support from my parents and family. 'Especially from my Mum for entering me into this amazing competition. I would also like to thank the whole of my community in Sanquhar for their unwavering encouragement. 'I feel overwhelmed with joy and gratitude to have this opportunity and to receive this award.' Ryan, who wrote, directed, acted, edited and produced the film alone, said the film was particularly inspired by one incident where he was bullied by an adult while out filming. (Image: Edward Ryan) The young Scot said that he was scared to go near the person and had to find a new way to get home and as an autistic person, it was challenging for him to do so. The encounter sparked the inspiration for Ryan to make this short film to highlight how the event made him feel and to show others what it can be like inside his head. Ryan said he started filmmaking during lockdown and that he loves creating with Lego and wanted a way to bring his creations to life, so he made short stop-motion animations. Soon his love of filmmaking evolved into him making short movies starring him and his friends. As Ryan developed his skills further, he became increasingly interested in the technical side of filmmaking, learning how to use various cameras and editing software. (Image: More Than One Way To Go Home) Ryan has a YouTube channel called Mr Porridgen, named after his love of porridge, which is run by his parents, and has created a variety of films including short reels and short films. He has also made a short film called Forward to the Past which premiered at a local community centre and a documentary for his local arts centre A' the Airts when he was 12, which led to him winning Young Community Champion at the Dumfries and Galloway Life Awards. Fiona Evans, CEO of Into Film, said: 'These Awards are both a celebration of their talent and a clear statement of intent: that the UK film industry values, nurtures and believes in the voices of the next generation.'
Daily Record
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Scots teen filmmaker wins top award at star-studded ceremony
Edward Ryan, 14, from, has been praised for his powerful short film More Than One Way To Go Homeat the Into Film Awards. A talented young filmmaker from Scotland has captured hearts across the UK with his own story to win a top prize at an annual star-studded film awards ceremony at Leicester Square. Edward Ryan, 14, from Sanquhar, in Dumfries and Galloway, took home the coveted Audience Award—voted for by the public and sponsored by Universal Pictures International—for his powerful short film More Than One Way To Go Home at the Into Film Awards. Edward's deeply personal film follows a young autistic girl who must navigate her way home alone after her brother leaves her behind—an emotional and thought-provoking story inspired by Edward's own experiences. Autistic himself, Edward drew on a distressing real-life incident in which he was bullied by an adult while filming in his community, forcing him to find a new and unfamiliar way home. The film which was written, directed, acted, editied and produced by Edward alone, was also nominated for Best Story, sponsored by Amazon MGM Studios. Speaking after the awards on Tuesday, Edward said: 'I put a lot of hard work and effort into this film but none of it would have been possible without the help of my friends and all the support from my parents and family. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. "Especially from my mum for entering me into this amazing competition. I would also like to thank the whole of my community in Sanquhar for their unwavering encouragement. I feel overwhelmed with joy and gratitude to have this opportunity and to receive this award.' The film has been praised for its emotional depth, sensitive storytelling, and powerful message about understanding and supporting autistic individuals. The award was presented by actor Andy Serkis and broadcaster Edith Bowman during Monday's glittering ceremony celebrating the best in young UK filmmaking. Edward first discovered a passion for filmmaking during lockdown. What began as stop-motion animations using Lego soon developed into short live-action films featuring friends and family. With a growing interest in cameras and editing software, Edward quickly became a skilled filmmaker and storyteller. His YouTube channel, Mr Porridge —named after his love of the breakfast dish—is run by his parents and showcases a wide range of content, from short films and reels to reviews and documentaries. His earlier work includes Forward to the Past, which premiered at a local community centre, and a documentary for arts hub A' the Airts, created when he was just 12. That project earned him the title of Young Community Champion at the Dumfries and Galloway Life Awards. Fiona Evans, CEO of Into Film, praised Edward and his fellow nominees, saying: 'These Awards are both a celebration of their talent and a clear statement of intent: that the UK film industry values, nurtures and believes in the voices of the next generation.' The Into Film Awards, sponsored by the UK film industry and supported by the BFI awarding National Lottery Good Cause funding, celebrate young people's creativity in film, showcasing and highlighting the wealth of tomorrow's creative talent.
Scotsman
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
The 14-year-old autistic Scottish filmmaker who started during Covid and has now scooped industry award
Sign up to our Arts and Culture newsletter, get the latest news and reviews from our specialist arts writers Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... A young Scottish autistic filmmaker who started filming during lockdown has scooped an industry award for work based on his experience of struggling to find his way home alone. Edward Ryan, 14, has won the Audience Award at the annual awards ceremony organised by film education charity Into Film. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Edward, from Sanquhar in Dumfries and Galloway, won the award voted for by the public for his short film More Than One Way To Go Home. Inspired by Edward's own personal experiences, his film follows the story of a young autistic girl who has to find her own way home when her brother leaves her to fend for herself. Inspired by an event where he was bullied by an adult while out filming in the community, forcing him to find a new way to get home, Edward, who wrote, directed, acted, edited and produced the film alone, wanted to highlight how the incident made him feel. Edward Ryan, 14, from Sanquhar, Dumfries and Galloway has won the audience award at the 2025 Into Film Awards in London. | Into Film He said: 'I put a lot of hard work and effort into this film, but none of it would have been possible without the help of my friends and all the support from my parents and family. Especially from my mum for entering me into this amazing competition. I would also like to thank the whole of my community in Sanquhar for their unwavering encouragement. I feel overwhelmed with joy and gratitude to have this opportunity and to receive this award.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Edward started making stop motion animation during lockdown with Lego. He became increasingly interested in the technical side of filmmaking, learning how to use various cameras and editing software. Edward was handed the award at a ceremony in London. | Into Film Edward now has a YouTube channel called Mr Porridge, which is run by his parents. He has created a variety of films including short reels, short films, reviews of equipment, and some documentary style films for local groups. The young director has also made a short film, Forward to the Past, which premiered at a local community centre and a documentary for his local arts centre A' the Airts when he was 12. The project led to him winning Young Community Champion at the Dumfries and Galloway Life Awards. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad A still from More Than One Way to Go Home. | Edward The Into Film Awards, sponsored by the UK film industry and supported by the BFI awarding National Lottery Good Cause funding, celebrate young people's creativity in film. Young people from across the UK whose short films have been nominated across the 11 award categories will be recognised at a ceremony on Tuesday, hosted by actress and Strictly star Rose Ayling-Ellis at the Odeon Luxe, Leicester Square in London. This year's nominated films cover a wide range of subjects, including mental health, the war in Ukraine, gender identity, neurodivergence, multiculturalism and the potential harms of AI. Fiona Evans, chief executive of Into Film, said: 'The Into Film Awards wouldn't be possible without the unwavering support of our invaluable sponsors, the UK film industry. Their commitment allows us to provide real opportunities for young people to share their stories, develop their creativity and provide them with career pathways into the industry.
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
The Descartes Systems Group Inc (DSGX) Q1 2026 Earnings Call Highlights: Strong Revenue Growth ...
Total Revenue: $168.7 million, up 11.5% from $151.3 million in Q1 last year. Services Revenue: $156.6 million, representing 93% of total revenue, up 13.6% year-over-year. Adjusted EBITDA: $75.1 million, 44.5% of revenue, up 12.1% from $67.0 million in Q1 last year. Net Income: $36.2 million, up 4% from $34.7 million in Q1 last year. Cash Flow from Operations: $53.6 million, 71% of adjusted EBITDA, down from $63.7 million in Q1 last year. Cash Balance: $176 million at the end of April, down from $236 million at the end of January. Gross Margin: 76.4% of revenue, slightly down from 76.6% in Q1 last year. Operating Expenses: Increased by 10.4% year-over-year, primarily due to acquisitions. Acquisition Cost: $115 million plus restructuring costs for 3GTMS. Restructuring Charge: $4 million in Q2, with expected annual cost savings of $15 million. Debt Status: Debt-free with an undrawn $350 million line of credit. Tax Rate: 24.4% of pretax income, expected to trend between 24% and 28% for the year. Warning! GuruFocus has detected 3 Warning Sign with VRNT. Release Date: June 04, 2025 For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript. The Descartes Systems Group Inc (NASDAQ:DSGX) reported a 12% increase in total revenues from the previous year, with services revenues up 14%. The company achieved a 9% increase in income from operations and a 12% rise in adjusted EBITDA, with an adjusted EBITDA margin improvement to 45%. The acquisition of 3GTMS, despite requiring restructuring, is expected to enhance the transportation management portfolio and provide additional functionality to existing customers. The MacroPoint real-time visibility business experienced strong demand, contributing to growth despite a challenging domestic truck market in the US. The Global Trade Intelligence business saw significant growth due to increased demand for tariff and duty information amid changing trade environments. The broader macro environment remains challenging, with shipment volumes down in various transportation modes, particularly in US-China trade. The company had to undertake a restructuring, impacting about 7% of its workforce, to prepare for potential future economic challenges. Cash flow from operations decreased to $53.6 million, down from $63.7 million in the same quarter last year, partly due to acquisition-related charges. The US's removal of the de minimis tariff exemption for Chinese imports led to temporary disruptions in the company's small package import business. Uncertainty in global trade and economic conditions is causing decision-making paralysis among customers, impacting transaction volumes and growth. Q: Can you provide more details on the workforce reduction and its impact on the business? A: Edward Ryan, CEO: The reduction was across the board, affecting various functional areas and geographies, totaling just under 200 people. This decision was made to maintain healthy margins and prepare for market uncertainties. AI advancements have facilitated some of these cuts. Q: What were the headwinds affecting organic services growth this quarter? A: Edward Ryan, CEO: Uncertainty in the market led to fluctuations in transaction volumes, particularly in customs and security filings. Ocean and truck volumes were down, influenced by tariff uncertainties, causing customers to hesitate in decision-making. Q: Have you observed any changes in renewal rates or sales pipeline conversion? A: Edward Ryan, CEO: There hasn't been a significant change in renewal rates or sales pipeline conversion. Sales momentum remains strong, and there have been no major customer defections or contract renegotiations. The future depends on economic developments and tariff negotiations. Q: How does the current downturn compare to previous ones like 2022 or 2023? A: Edward Ryan, CEO: The current situation feels less severe but is marked by greater uncertainty. Unlike past downturns, it's unclear if we're in a recession. The uncertainty stems from unresolved tariff negotiations and geopolitical tensions. Q: What is the status of the 3GTMS acquisition and its integration? A: Allan Brett, CFO: The 3GTMS acquisition is reflected in the baseline calibration. The integration process is ongoing, with efforts to align cost structures and leverage cross-selling opportunities. The acquisition is expected to enhance Descartes' transportation management offerings. Q: How is the competitive environment evolving, especially with recent industry consolidations? A: Edward Ryan, CEO: The competitive landscape is shifting, with prices coming down and private equity firms less active. Descartes is well-positioned to capitalize on acquisition opportunities due to its strong cash reserves and debt capacity. Q: Can you elaborate on the impact of the de minimis rule change on your business? A: Edward Ryan, CEO: The removal of the de minimis exemption for China led to a temporary pause in shipments, but Descartes benefited by offering alternative filing solutions. The company gained business from competitors unable to handle the new transaction types. Q: What are the growth prospects for the Global Trade Intelligence (GTI) solutions? A: Edward Ryan, CEO: GTI solutions, particularly tariffs and duties, are experiencing strong growth, approaching 20% year-over-year. The demand for accurate tariff information is driving this growth, alongside increased interest in data mining tools. For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript. This article first appeared on GuruFocus. Sign in to access your portfolio
