Gwreiddiau 003
Bradley Scott Kaler || Photographer + Filmmaker
Introduce yourself…
My name is Bradley Scott Kaler, I'm a South Wales based Film Director/Writer and Freelance Photographer.
What is your hometown to you? What was your experience growing up there?
To me, Merthyr has its own unique charm. It's a beautiful place to grow up, with the Valleys that surround us and the Brecon Beacons on our doorstep.
Obviously, there are some negative perceptions of Merthyr. What with the town being stricken by a complete lack of council funding since before I was even born, to the slow death of our town centre at the hands of big shopping complexes. As well as being home to one of the biggest housing estates in the UK, anti-social behaviour and crime are present. But I don't think its any more present than anywhere else in the UK. It can be a tough place to grow up in at times, but so is anywhere else.
Merthyr has been very good to me, but it was only after moving away and living in Swansea for 4 years that I was truly able to appreciate it for what it was; a town with a huge sense of community. So much so that I can't walk through the town centre without stopping and talking to people I know at least 3 or 4 times.
It's also where all my family live, so I always think of Merthyr as home.
How has Merthyr influenced or shaped you and what you do, if it has?
​
When I first bought a camera about 6 years ago, there were a wealth of shows being put on in the various pubs in the town. So many bands of different genres frequented the town, so there were always options of shows to go and shoot. Having performed in bands since the age of 15, I was already pretty ingrained in the music scene and the various bands within it - this made my transition to live performance photography really easy. It really enabled me to just keep practising and experimenting with a camera, although a lot of the photos at the time weren't very good...
From a filmmaking standpoint, growing up in Merthyr has always enabled me to stay grounded in my storytelling. I like to tell stories that are very much akin to the people I know, and stories I've heard in an attempt to make my work relatable to as many people as possible.
​
What do you know about your hometown’s artistic history, does it resonate with you?
Merthyr's artistic history, at least for me, is a massive motivator when it came to deciding what I wanted to do with my life.
We've had bands like The Blackout and Pretty Vicious that proved to everybody that just because you're from Merthyr, that doesn’t mean you can't be successful.
We've also got people like Julien Macdonald who started out in Merthyr and is now one of the biggest names in the fashion industry.
Not to mention the amazing talent we have in the town right now who are yet to be properly discovered. You've got bands like Florence Black, Tracey Island, Al Moses, The Mondaines and Paisley Park, just to name a few. Bands spanning so many genres who are consistently bringing out banger after banger.
Is there a photo or film you’ve created that you feel is linked to your roots?
​
My latest documentary 'BELIEVE' that I did for BBC Wales only came to happen purely because I wanted to do something which showed a more positive side to life in Merthyr.
You're fed all these negative stereotypes about Merthyr through exploitative shows like 'Skint' or 'Valleys Cops' which only focus on the stuff that'll get ratings. But that's not all there is in Merthyr, that's just a small part, and I wanted to show the other side of the coin, a wanted to show a success story of sorts.
The documentary (which is still available on BBC iPlayer) highlights Merthyr's history of world-champion boxers, and follows the journey of Welsh MMA Prospect Oban Elliott, detailing his life growing up in Merthyr and how everything has shaped him into the person he is today.
From my perspective, the documentary is like a love-letter to Merthyr. I'm immensely proud of where I come from, and I just wanted to tell a story that told people that there's plenty of good in there.
​
Is there something you see or feel from your hometown that you look for when working on projects about other subjects?
From a filmmaking standpoint, I just look for something that is either grounded and believable or something I can relate to, because you really need to understand the characters in order to deliver a story effectively. So when I write a script, a lot of the characteristics that go into a specific character, come from people I know. Because the best thing I've learnt is to write what you know. And so I guess you can say Merthyr is always a part of my work because Merthyr is a part of me.
What about Merthyr would you want to document in a project for the world to see?
I would love to do a long-form documentary down the line, or maybe an online sessions series which showcases the immense musical talent of Merthyr and the surrounding Valleys.
Kind of like BBC Radio 1 Sessions, but for people who say 'Butt!' And 'Like!' a little too much.
​
Facebook: Bradley Scott Imagery || Instagram: @bradleyscottimagery
​
​
By Hannah Nicholson-Tottle