A former media student from the Isle of Man has won a British Academy of Film and Television Arts award for her contributions to a BBC title sequence for the Tokyo Olympic Games 2020.

Rachel Miles, from Douglas, was invited to The Brewery in London on Sunday along with her BBC Creative team after being nominated for a BAFTA in the Titles/Graphic identity category.

The title sequence, which showcased the wealth of sports on offer at last summer’s Olympic Games as well as capturing a real and authentic Tokyo, was announced as triumphant by television presenter and wheelchair basketball player Ade Adepitan MBE.

Rachel, a former student at St Ninian’s High School, said: ‘To be stood on stage in front of so many talented and creative people that I respect and admire, and to hear the music blasting that you helped direct and craft was very, very priceless.’

There were a number of hurdles that Rachel and her peers had to overcome, with the pandemic not allowing them to go to Japan to shoot, therefore having to link a camera that was on set filming with a local crew in Nakano, Tokyo.

She added: ‘The production team and BBC Creative were all connected at 2am via Zoom, and still managed to bring a detailed and genuine version of Tokyo to life, including never been seen before truths of the city.

‘Japan isn’t just samurai and ninjas, it is such an eclectic, visual city that doesn’t shy away from aesthetic joy from beautiful drain covers to food that looks like works of art.

‘Over a year and a half in the making, we were incredibly proud to work with Japanese composer Kenji Kawai to bring this obsessively detailed and authentic version of Tokyo to life.’

Rachel, 32, added that the award would never have been won without a great team.

She said: ‘All of my love and thanks go to the BBC Creative family who let my creative partner Michael Tsim and I dream for a living, and to Nexus Studios, Factory Fifteen, Fantasista Utamaro, The Mill, Factory Studios Ltd and Kenji Kawai for making dreams come true.

‘When I was younger, I had a picture of a BAFTA stuck on my bedroom wall, it was something I always wanted to achieve. I really do think that if you think you can, you can.’

Rachel’s ambitions don’t end there. She is currently working on a war drama, as well as planning a personal project on the Isle of Man.

‘At the moment my creative partner and I are working on Stephen Knight’s (Peaky Blinders, Taboo) new series SAS: Rogue Heroes which is a war drama but one that you have never experienced before,’ Rachel said. ‘If you like to watch men drink rum, fight dirty, break the rules, it’s one for you. Outside of work I would like to do a personal project.

‘Last year over 30 people committed suicide on the Isle of Man which isn’t spoken about. In a world where so many people struggle with mental health, anxiety and depression I would like to work with the government to create a campaign on the island that could help.’