Born in Kirkintilloch, Scotland, Tom Hughes graduated in 2009 from the University of Stirling with a degree in Film and Media studies. This marked the beginning of a remarkable journey for the young filmmaker, who went on to collaborate with childhood friends Graeme McGeagh and Keith Grantham to write his debut film, The Big Slick, in 2011. The film received widespread critical acclaim and was chosen to open the 2012 Loch Ness film festival. In recognition of their outstanding work, Hughes, McGeagh, and Grantham were nominated for a British Academy Scotland New Talent Award for best achievement in writing, and they ultimately took home the Best Writing accolade at the ceremony held in Glasgow in March 2011.
After the success of The Big Slick, Hughes reunited with McGeagh and Grantham to pen their next feature film, A Practical Guide to a Spectacular Suicide, in 2012. The film, starring McGeagh in the leading role, tells the poignant story of Tom, a troubled individual whose string of failed suicide attempts leads him to plan what he believes will be his own "spectacular suicide". Despite initially struggling to secure funding from the Scottish arts body Creative Scotland, Hughes turned to the public and successfully sourced the budget for the film through a crowd funding channel, which raised over £3000. The film was released in 2014 and quickly gained international recognition.
A Practical Guide to a Spectacular Suicide had its American premiere at the Cinequest Film Festival in California and its UK premiere at the Edinburgh International Film Festival, where Hughes was nominated for the Michael Powell Award for Best British Film. The film received further recognition with two nominations at the 2014 British Academy Scotland New Talent Awards for Best Film and Best Acting Performance. In September 2014, Hughes was invited to participate in the British & Irish Film season at the Ciné Utopia in Limpertsberg, Luxembourg, where he screened and discussed his film with audiences.
