ODI SHOOTS THE GIG - "TALON" at the Prince of Wales Centre, Stafford - December 2008

The chance to shoot a live gig for DVD release was one Odi was initially wary about, he writes: "I had misgivings at first, about working with a professional production company to operate a camera and being paid to put my skills into practice. In fact, at the start of the course I had no experience whatsoever with any form of TV or DVD production. But I said something along the lines of “yeah sure no problem, I can do that” and hoped like hell I’d get by - but I was worried I might jeopardise my first attempt at work in a professional environment!

It turns out that diving straight into something and hoping things generally work out is sometimes better than just saying no because you’re unsure of yourself. When I arrived it seemed I was surrounded by people who knew exactly what they were doing without being told. It didn’t take long for everyone to start rigging, discussing where the cameras would be and who would be on them. I ended up on stage with a shoulder cam. For some reason I was holding the boom mic during the interviews which I’m accustomed to from when we did the pantomime VT although this time it seemed more important that I didn’t mess up and get it into the shot. One thing I did notice from that though was how a good interviewer works. Barron was good at asking questions which seemed to stimulate a natural response, but kept them talking with just facial expressions.

When it came time to shoot the live production we were told to get into position - I had to hook up my camera to the director’s monitor. Mine was being a bit temperamental; the menu options in the viewfinder wouldn’t deactivate and the flip screen interfered with the feed to the director’s desk. This meant it was hard to get properly framed shots since I couldn’t easily see what I was shooting. I was still enjoying myself though - my shoulder certainly wasn’t by the end of the show! Towards the end when my shoulder really started to hurt I learned a lot about how getting yourself comfortable can improve a shot vastly since you shake less and are in a better position to change what you’ve got. It was an absolute nightmare trying to get steady pans from the drummer to the audience with the floor shaking and balancing on the edge of a step, we didn’t have central racking either so I had to adjust exposure and focus as I turned while trying to keep it steady."

DICK WHITTINGTON AND HIS CAT - December 2008

Jessica, who production-managed our involvement in pre-production VTs, live cutting and webcast transmissions, writes: "It's that time of year again...PANTO TIME! - "Oh no it's not" - "Oh yes it is!" - and what better time to film our first multi camera OB?! Pressure? No - just lots of fun, time and effort, but well worth it! So all I wanna say is "Rock the boat.." only joking haha!

During the course of four weeks pre-production, we accumulated tapes and tapes of cut-away footage to produce the interval packages, which helped us all learn vital elements of the filming process from lighting and interview setup to working as a team to rig, direct, film and produce a professional piece of filming for an unseen audience of strangers to watch an enjoy of any age.

Panto week sprung upon us very quickly but being the close team that we have become over the past few months became the backbone which helped us succeed in this task. Helping each other and keeping each other's spirits up gave us all the pleasure to wear our 'crew' t-shirts with pride and grab every opportunity to reach out and truly experience our 1st OB successfully.

The final night was just the right way to end the mad week with a bang the show for us went perfectly and the pub afterwards helped a little too! Being production manager of this OB, I would just love to thank all of the crew for being little stars, and that's including Andrew and Brian the brain - we couldnt have done it without you too!"

SEUSSICAL THE MUSICAL - Stockport Plaza Theatre - December 2008

Alice writes: "The Plaza OB shoot was a huge experience for me and the team, this was my first multi-cam outside broadcast (OB). We were to cut live cameras for the Plaza Youth Suessical the Musical; we had a static wide and two main zooms on the sides; and a roving camera which will be edited in in Post-production. I was on the right hand zoom (camera 3), I found this a very enjoyable task; it was difficult to catch certain movements from the actors but with the excellent directing and PA-ing from Mat and Debbie it was made a lot easier.

I learnt on this OB that actors especially in panto and stage acting, always change the way they move across the stage (etc.), this made it slightly difficult to move with them when you have seen them do it one way and then another.

However when we recorded the Saturday matinee and the evening show, the filming did go really well, it was a tiring experience but I enjoyed every moment; and I'm really looking forward to having another chance on a multi-cam OB."

Jade writes: "It was ace!"

LOUISE ON THE CREW FOR YORKSHIRE TV'S "EMMERDALE" - December 2008

Louise writes: "Having grown up watching Emmerdale, getting the opportunity to do some work experience on it, I jumped! I spent 2 weeks both in studio and on location training as a 3rd Assistant Director. After the first day, I was left to be the 3rd AD on set rather than shadowing the other. Given the responsibility of being on set while the soap was being shot was fantastic. The early starts at 7am didn't particularly bother me - which is crazy as I'm not really a morning person, but in this case there was something to wake up for.
 
During my 2 weeks, I met some fantastic people. Both cast and crew made me feel welcome. A huge thing that scared me when starting my Work experience was the possibility of getting star struck, but from the very second I stepped into the studio, any fears had gone. I felt well in my comfort zone.
 
Confidence is a huge thing in being an Assistant Director, my only worry in this was having to shout for everyone to be quiet. I struggled with this as I can sometimes be a quiet mouse (no jokes Andrew), but the other elements to the job I thought I had done well. I was even left to sort out the extras in the background. I was very excited about this, and will be watching out for the episode on which I did this.
 
Getting this work experience was totally off my own back. I think Roy and Andrew were as shocked as me when I got the comfirmation. I originally sent an e-mail to Leeds Studios, where my e-mail was passed on a couple of times until it got to an AD at Emmerdale who requested my CV. After sending my CV and cover letter, a couple of weeks later I got a phone call asking me to go up to Leeds for a little chat. After this, I was then asked if i minded starting two weeks work experience the following Monday, I was so excited! Although this opportunity cost me a bomb, with two weeks living in Leeds, and driving expenses, I felt that it was well worth it. Working at Emmerdale has built my confidence up so much. I loved it there, and would really like to go back for more work.
 
During my final week, I even recieved a message from a lady at YTV asking if I was available for some paid running work for a script writing event called TAPS, which was run by Keith Richardson. Another chance I jumped at!"

VISIT OF HUGH FAUPEL, BBC EXECUTIVE PRODUCER - December 2008

Dawn writes: "As part of a stream of industry visits to our studio this year, we had the pleasure of meeting Hugh Faupel - Executive Producer for the BBC. Hugh showed and talked about his past and present projects and what TV media meant to him.

Hugh studied in London and then Leeds All Saints Trinity, doing a 3 year course in media; he finally started in radio and TV earning just £57.19 per week as his pro-active chances saw him start at the BBC 28 years ago.  He has since built his way into becoming a influential voice in the religious and ethical side of the BBC. His talk was wide-ranging - taking in such BBC favourites as "Top Gear", "Blue Planet" and a variety of live OB’s that attempt to involve the audience with interactive thoughts and feelings regarding the topics covered, Hugh has worked with communities and other TV enthusiasts (i.e.: Aardman Animations that have since given us the famous Wallace and Gromit), using his years of experience and passion to inspire career choices.

It was a privilege for us to be in a position at this early stage in our learning that Hugh graciously and patiently answered our questions and spoke with sincere realism and honest respect to the new generation that are about to embark on the same path and route as himself. To be able to ask questions and interact with a man that has quite clearly been part of the history and future of the BBC was a opportunity that should be taken with guidance and a benefit to all the students that participated in the session."

VISIT OF CHRIS SHAW FROM ITV - December 2008

Ex-student Chris Shaw from ITV Productions came to talk to us in December. Alice writes: "Having Chris Shaw from ITV come in to talk to us on our first lunchtime session, was a complete eye-opener. Some of the things he told us really made me think of what I actually want to do in the industry and made me wonder if I was aiming too high with my amibitions. However I haven't given up hope on what I want to eventually do but I now realise that starting at the bottom as a runner isn't the worst thing in the world, as it can build a lot of bridges whether they are a help or a hinderance. He also said to not be afraid of putting your ideas forward no matter how far-out they seem, and if they do get knocked back to think of it more as a learning curve instead of a rejection - "...don't let rejection of an idea get you down".

Chris told us how he went from being on this course to where he is now in ITV. He made me realise that the idea of actually working in a big company like ITV isn't impossible and can actually be achieved if you have the passion and confidence to do it."

WORKING ON ITV'S "60 MINUTE MAKEOVER" - October 2008

Gavin, Debbie, Edy and Joel worked on an episode of ITV's popular daytime programme 60 Minute Makeover, which was recorded in Stockport. Gavin writes: "working on ITV's 60 Minute Makeover proved vital to achieve an understanding of the industry. I got to see all the working parts of a production come together to create a successful show. If I could offer the first years one piece of advice it's not to lerave making contacts till the last minute because as quickly as contacts and opportunities arise, they'll quickly go..."

VISIT OF PAMELA HOSSICK FROM THE BBC - November 2008

Odi writes: "Pamela Hossick visited to discuss our involvement with Songs of Praise as part of this year's BBC Challenge. We knew before she arrived that there was an opportunity, after working on the "challenge", to go and work with Pamela and her BBC crew again on next year's "Big Sing".

If I'm being completely honest, working on Songs of Praise was not where I would have chosen to start working in the media, but after finding out a little more about what goes into the making of each programme it seems like exactly the sort of thing I'd enjoy doing. Not really because of the content, but the structure of the programme, the technical ability to make a large Chorus of largely amateur singers not only look and sound good but to keep the viewer interested in who they were. Moreover, getting work experiece for the BBC this early in my carreer can only be a good thing.

The first thing that Pamela did when she came in was get us talking about what was needed in a person's character if they wanted to be successful (and happy) working in the media industry - especially the BBC. I personally expected the meeting to be something more like a lecture, probably because that's what I'm used to from University elsewhere, but I was pleasantly surprised to have a "Guest" come in and discuss with us rather than talk at us.

Pamela officially issued us with our brief for what we are to produce: a short, creative Handel's "Hallelujah Chorus" and a video diary to go with it. The brief is as close as it ever gets to being given free rein to produce something, the only real stipulations are that it has to be a piece regarding Handel and his work, and had to last as long as a typical Hallelujah chorus.

After showing us some of her showreel she asked us if we'd had any ideas. I told her about my idea to have my piece as a job interview with Handel trying to convice an aggressive figure why he should be the guy to play at his club. Pamela seemed to immidiately warm to the fact that we were coming up with ideas, once one was out there, everyone started talking about what they could do with it, which seemed to get the ball rolling.

After today I certainly feel more enthused about the idea of working on a real set, and the prospect of being able to get a job as a temporary runner for the BBC makes me want to absolutely nail the breif we've been given. One thing that did stick with me was that we were advised to seriously think about where we thought we'd end up working in the television industry, because a PA is so different from a Vision Mixer, a Vision Mixer completely different from a Camera ops etc, and without a real idea we might end up nowhere. When we go down to Birmingham we've been told that there will be oppertunity's to meet the crew while there and get a feel for what the role really means. If I can, I'm going to try and speak to the floor manager."

PITCHING TO INDUSTRY - VISIT OF MOIRA KEAN FROM THE BBC - November 2008

One of the most important factors governing the success of any aspiring media professional is their ability to "pitch" - to explain and persuade and justify an idea in terms of its feasibility as a programme. Whilst we touch on this at many points throughout the duration of the course, it is in the early second year that students get the opportunity to put their pitching skills into practice with a visitor from industry. On this occasion, it was Moira Kean - BBC Producer (Heaven and Earth Show)

GRADUATION - October 2008

This year's successful graduates had their passing-out parade in the august surroundings of Stockport Town Hall.

OCEANSIZE - THREE NIGHTS AT THE ROADHOUSE - October 2008

We were invited to crew a three-night live shoot (for DVD release) with Dash Productions. The three nights celebrated the tenth anniversary of the band "Oceansize", and they played a different album on each night! The gig was mixed live using a Tricaster Studio, and directed by Andrew and Hasan.

Mat writes: "Camera Operating in such a small and crowded venue was a new experience for me. A fun experience that involved maximum concentration and impecable patience with some members of the slightly inhebriated thronging crowd! When the band began, crowd noise and the band's sound filled my ears making listening to the Director's instruction over COMMS very difficult. Despite these insignificent occupational hazards it was a brilliant night and a very succesful shoot. The experience gave me an incredible and powerful image of how a team should work; we were ahead of schedule at some points and had very few technical hitches for an OB of this magnitude."

Hasan writes: "Directing the second and third nights of Oceansize's 10th anniversary gig was an unbelievable experience, I was calling the shots I wanted and everybody came together very well. This was my first paid live directing gig, and I loved every minute of it: from the technical aspect of it to the late nights, it was definitely worth it. The gig required a lot patience as the main event didn't start till late, however we had to be ready early as people started coming into the building to see the support band. From the directoral side, it was unbelievable, I had to talk constantly make sure all the cameras knew what was going on and what was going to happen, you would just see a perfect shot and tell the camera person to stay as still as possible so you could get on them.... but you wouldn't have time to appreciate the shot as the next shot was already asking to be taken!"    

Jack writes: "I spent the three nights filming on what we dubbed 'Pit-cam', a small hole in front of the stage between two speakers. It was cramped and very loud, but it enabled us to get some great shots. I really enjoyed the shoots, but it left me aching for several days afterwards!"

Steven Writes: "Filming Oceansize at the Roadhouse in Manchester was an amazing experience: it really gave us a chance to see what a "live" Outside Broadcast (OB) is like. Most of the equipment used was hired, therefore it was top end. When I was faced with the challenge of getting to know my camera it looked a rather daunting prospect. I looked at all the switches and dials, I was overcome with fear "what if I mess up or break it". after 20 minutes I became comfy and had got to know my camera. I then had the rest of the night to look forward to. Once the band started it was nearly impossible to hear the director call our instructions but once you had tuned your ears it was awsome, it was like being involved in the industry. There were Instructions flying at you all the time you really had to be on the ball. At the end of the night the bar looked very tempting to us all....!"

THE PINK PATCH: RUNNING ON A CORPORATE PSC PRODUCTION - October 2008

Louise writes: "'The 'Pink Patch' project was a great experience for me. Working on the outside broadcast in Huddersfield as a runner developed my skills working with new clients. I was working alongside Director Jonathan Robinson from Bellyflop.tv. It was great watching Jonathan at work, as I could see what a professional who has been connected to 'CELEBRITY LOVE ISLAND' and 'I'M A CELEBRITY GET ME OUT OF HERE, was capable of.

The shoot was a corporate video for an American company who make the appetite-supressant slimming aid 'Pink Patch'. After putting together hundreds of pink balloons, I assisted with the production in dealing with the guests, and helping with the crew. It involved a long, long day: I had to prize my eyes open as I drove home in the early hours of the next morning. I got some great contacts within the industry: two camera operators who have both been involved with 'MOST HAUNTED', and a make-up artist from 'CORONATION STREET'. A fab piece of paid work experience, and I even got myself some samples of the famous Pink Patch - no slimming results as yet, although I am that hungry I may end up eating the bloody things!!'

"WHAT WILL WE PRODUCE TODAY?" - ESKAY TODAY - A SERIES OF 14 PROGRAMMES - September/October 2008

Mark writes: "Originally I was at Stockport College where I studied on the ND Media course. I completed the course and loved every minute of it, well maybe not the more theoretical elements! When I finished the course I chose to go to university and study ‘TV Production’ at a university in the middle of nowhere. Don’t ask me why, I suppose I just felt the ‘uni thing’ was what I wanted to do at the time. And as for the uni itself, let’s not get onto that subject...

I did a year there and had to admit to myself it wasn’t right, so I emailed Andrew and organised to go and see him to talk about studying on the FD course. Now I’m here and I’m kicking myself for not staying on in the first place after the ND. The course is hard to describe to outsiders. Its like no other course out there, you don’t drag yourself in every morning and sit and listen to a teacher waffle on, drifting in and out of sleep, you wake up and think, what challenges will today bring? What will we produce today?

We've just finished our first assignment, which was Basic TV Studio Operations. In this we each individually directed a 10 minute show based around a TV news programme. If it wasn't your show, we would rotate job roles so that everyone had a go on all the equipment. The 3 weeks this took for us all to direct our shows was so exhausting, but at the same time so fun and so educational.

Now we have so many more things lined up I don't really know how it will all fit in! Filming the Christmas pantomime, producing our feature package programme (20 minutes long this time), working with the BBC in Manchester & Birmingham in early '09, and any other work experience that crops up! I recommend for everyone and anyone to come and have a look at what we do in the studio, you will be amazed and understand that it's not like any other course out there."

SK SOLUTIONS CORPORATE TRAINING DVD - August/September/October 2008

Hasan writes: "Filming for SK Solutions has been an unforgettable experience, we have had our ups and downs with this project but have learnt a great deal about real life industry work. Pictures were taken of the shooting for the internal SK magazine and this one project has already lined up several other (paid!) jobs for us in the near future.

This is our first official paid client job and we have had to handle this as professionls and no longer look at things in the perspective of a student. This was a very large-scale project and it has taken a while to put togther and complete, however the end result will help us with future jobs and the experience has increased our knowledge of the industry a great deal..."

Jack adds: "We have experienced a few problems, paticularly with extra shots that were not agreed at first, and challenges with communication, as there are seven people involved in this project within SK Solutions, and it is sometimes difficult to ensure everyone is up to date. But, we have overcome all the difficulties professionally, and after 12 days shooting (to date!) it appears that we are on track to deliver a final piece that both we and the client will be very pleased with."

EDDY GETS HIS DREAM WORK EXPERIENCE - Shoot for T:Media / The Playboy Channel - September 2008

My first piece of work experience was a definite eye-opener for me, for lots of different reasons. T:Media Productions approached Andrew, looking for someone who wanted "hands-on" work experience on a shoot for Playboy One and featured a host of Playboy Cyber girls playing sports.

I nearly bit his hand off at the shoulder when he asked! But in the back of my mind I realised how this could make or break me in terms of my work experience, I was going to be like a kid in a sweet shop, but unless my professionalism shone through, I would not be asked back to shoot again.

I had to respect the nature of what we were shooting, understand the etiquette of how to treat working topless models. My roles were varied; general lugging of kit, tape logging, making refreshments for the team, making sure the girls were OK, I even got to operate a Camera on one shoot; afterwards, the initial day’s work experience turned into a second shoot, and then post-production work. I had a fantastic learning experience about what was a very different environment. I made a good impression, and a great future contact in T:Media Productions. I got to gain an insight into the workings of a very busy small production company.

JACK ON THE CREW FOR QUESTION TIME - September 2008

I have always been a fan of the BBC programme Question Time, and I was keen to see exactly how it was put together. When I discovered that they were to shoot a show in Manchester, I contacted Mentorn Media, who produce the show for the BBC, to see if I could go along for work experience.

Having spoken directly to the show's Production Manger, it was agreed that I could work as an unpaid runner on the show. The experience was fantastic. My duties mainly involved dealing with the audience, taking questions from them to be asked during the show. It was great to see a real, high profile programme put together by a team who are obviously very experienced and work well together. I even opened David Dimbleby's salad box for him!

One of the most interesting things to watch was the boom operators. In the College Studio I am used to static ceiling mics and radio mics. On Question Time, a lot of the interaction comes impromtu from the studio audience, and so there were crew members (one in each corner) equipped with an approx 15ft Boom mic, which would swoop on any audience member who dared to open their mouths. Often two or three of the booms would jostle for position to get to a source first, such was the speed and efficiency of the operators.

Overall, I seemed to make a good impression on the producers, and having spoken to them since, it is likely I will get the opportunity to work as a runner for them again next time they shoot in the north west.

CHORLTON WATER PARK LOCATION SHOOT - September/October 2008

Debbie writes: "I am currently making a short film about Chorlton Water Park and the service it provides to the community. As the film may be seen by the public, there are broadcast regulations to consider, such as taste and decency, copyright issues and consent paperwork from participants. Broadcast compliance is one of many subjects I am researching as part of my ongoing studies and will be invaluable to my future career in the television industry."

Louise says: 'Filming in such a beautiful location was a godsend, in the past we have been unlucky to work in murky fields in the pouring rain. We were blessed with good weather on these occasions. We had to be fully aware of our surroundings, including getting consent from parents when their children were on camera, and making sure we did not film anything inappropriate. Working with Debbie and Mike again was much fun. Without Deb, I'm sure we wouldn't have gotten anywhere!"

Mike adds: "The footage we have acquired includes a wide range of material showing the events that go on and the vast selection of wildlife, which looked very visually beauitiful. It was a a lot different than previous work because it was great being able to interact with the public and film them participating in different activities as it was our intention to illustrate all the different things you can do at the park to persuade people who watch it to go there."

A BURST OF 80s NOSTALGIA AT GRANADA STUDIOS - September 2008

An invitation to participate in the recording of a large-scale TV programme at Granada was one that the crew jumped at: particularly as it included contributions from Spandau Ballet, Kajagoogoo, Ali Campbell (UB40), Nik Kershaw, Paul Young and others and was hosted by Denise van Outen!

Louise writes: "Given the chance to be part of the tele-recording at Granada, I jumped at it. The experince of sitting watching how a programme in a huge studio is made, gave myself and the others the opportunity to see what our industry intails. We were tasked with 'audience encouragement' - crucial to an atmosphere of dancing and enjoyment - just as they will be seen on the TV! As the 80's is a favourite music era of mine, I loved every minute of it as did Mike and Jack - we could see across the studio that Joel and Eddy were also making the most of the experience. It still makes me chuckle thinking of how Hasan and Gavin (who were sat above us) coped with the campness of Kajagoogoo and Heaven 17. An amazing experiece, in which we were able to meet up with a past student Chris who works at Granada - something that is worth working towards."

BBC PREMIERE FOR SAM'S MENTOR PROJECT FILM AND RADIO FEATURE - September 2008

The conclusion of the BBC Mentor Project was marked by a grand screening in the BBC Club at New Broadcasting House in Manchester. The event was hosted by Gordon Burns who provided anecdotes about his early days with the BBC along with praise and encouragement - as well as a live interview - for this year's participants.

Sam writes: "I have now finished the mentor project and it's premiere was last week. I was interviewed by Gordon Burns live in front of BBC staff. Our radio program was called "Heart of the Community" and was about a church that donates furniture in the heart of Salford. We took the difficult route and covered an entirely different subject to the televison program. However this turned out to be worth it in the end as it sounded brilliant. My television program was called "Rejunvenation Generation," The program was about elderly people making the most out of their retirement by volunteering, travelling and even being extras on televison programs! I had so much fun travelling to the different locations including Blackpool Pleasure Beach and Teggs Nose in Macclesfield. Again, we chose the diffcult route as we had to do a lot of travelling but this enhanced the final edit. We also found a lot of interesting people to interview - especially Moira Furmage who trekked to Macchu Pichu. I have been offered some more work from the BBC in November after my holiday."

FILMING THE TALL SHIPS - WORK AS A STEADICAM ASSISTANT - July 2008

Joel writes: when I was first told that I would be helping out as a steadicam assistant I didn't really know what to expect but thought of this as a great opportunity to get to work with a professional outside of college.

As soon as we got to Liverpool we had to get straight to work with the steadicam which I found to be a very unusual piece of equipment, this was a great experience for me though because I've never worked with such an expensive and delicate camera before with all types of gadgets that ended up to be extremely useful to us. In a situation like this, you learn so many things - even the things that may seem less obvious - the wind, for example, that meant we had to give up on the steadicam because balance made it really difficult for Anthony to operate!

The tall ships was a really enjoyable experience and I learnt a lot from an experienced professional cameraman and steadicam operator, the gorgeous weather and the amazing tall ships help me to make this a memory I won't forget.

THE REVENGERS TRAGEDY - June 2008

Pre-production of a series of high-quality short VT inserts (shot against infinity black) for inclusion in a series of live theatrical performances of Cyril Tourneur's Jacobean drama "The Revenger's Tragedy" - but this time updated to the 1960s underworld of gangsters and sleazy dealings; we also shot the resulting drama live for DVD

MEET THE EMPLOYABLES - May 2008

This year's gala occasion marking the departure and celebrating the achievements of our completing students took place - as has become usual - in a lecture theatre; but one in which our first year students installed and operated a complete de-rig studio for the occasion! This year's event was graced by BAFTA award-winning MARILYN GAUNT as guest-of-honour; as an occasional lecturer at the National Film and Television School, Marilyn couldn’t be more aware of the sort of TV production training going on in colleges such as ours; but her BAFTA award winning ‘social documentary’ recently completed its final chapter after the transmission of the final part of her trilogy "Class of '62: from 16 to 60", this earned her some pretty amazing reviews from documentary makers throughout the industry. She's made over fifty documentaries and series as True Stories, First Tuesday, 40 Minutes, Present Imperfect,Cutting Edge,Under the Sun and Real Life. Her films include Julia’s Baby- Why Blame the Mother? - Great House Wives - The multi-award-winning Kelly and Her Sisters - Living on the Edge AND Lin and Ralph: A Love Story.

She is just about everything that most of our students aspire to becoming; but her message was one of individuality within an industry which might not make you "rich", but could certainly make you "en-riched".

THE GREAT CHANNEL M MAKEOVER - May 2008

At the request of ex-student Joanne, four of our students had the pleasure of working with Channel M, on a world record attempt! Emma, Louise, Chris and Jo all acted as runners on a chaotic but fun event. The attempt was to 'make over' as many women as they could in an hour. Their jobs mainly involved escorting and entertaining the contributors, many of whom were random members of the public, and ensuring they got through the three stages of the make over, 'Hair, Make-up and Costume'.

Jo writes: 'It was great fun to do. Everyone at Channel M were really nice to work with. The event was a little Chaotic but we kept it together and made some great new contacts!'

CARL ON THE CREW FOR COMEDY LAB - May 2008

Peter Slater's Comedy Lab was a Comedy production for Channel 4's series that's in it's ninth year. This was a seven day shoot that turned out to provide we with a wealth of experience. I also met some great professionals. It was definately proof that if you put your all into something then it can open many doors for you.

My experience in one word? Amazing!

The culmination of two years of intensive activity and skills development results an an activity which - ironically - is essentially "hands off"; at least in terms of equipment! The job of producer is the prize in television; the privilege of having a fully equipped studio, a full crew and heaps of rehearsal time leading to a "live" timeslot is a prospect that few view without at least mild trepidation. But it's this which stands as testament to the emerging production skills of our young professionals

Jo writes: "The experience of running a show was immense. It was a great opportunity to show all of your strengths, whist at the same time making a programme for your favorite genre. I had lots of fun making my "paranormal programme". It wasn't just a brief for college, it was a long journey through the documentary to structuring a 40 minute show. Though a huge amount of work goes into a production of that magnitude, it was great fun to do, and it certainly heightened my motivation for making it in the industry..."

Joel writes: "Work experience:...The chance to shoot Nizlopi - a chart-topping band with a number one hit under their belts (remember the JCB song?) proved an amazing experience - not least because it was great to shoot a live gig out of studio (and out of college). The intimate venue of the Roadhouse generated a great atmosphere for filming - the crowd's obvious enthusiasm for the band was captured by the cameras during our live-mixed shoot.

Shooting with four cameras - but making them look like forty-four by using a live mix, meant that the rig and de-rig was less complicated than anticipated and actually proved to be great fun working against the clock to make ready for the one-chance live-mix. An experience to cherish forever."

Hasan writes: "..Assisting behind the scenes of the Nizlopi gig was a great experience, watching the mix live and watching the shots being called as everything was recorded live made me realize the reasoning behined having the cameras placed where they were. The energy that came from the gig was amazing and it was an experience I will always remember..."

Steven writes: "...14 shows, each 20 minutes. It was a great experience directing your own show and being incharge of what goes into the show and being incharge of your own crew. The 999's were a test for us all but overcoming them was all part of the fun. Although the atmoshere could get a bit stressful it was a brilliant experience to put our skills to the test when it mattered. There was a lot of preparation that went into the shows but when you see the finished peice it was well worth it."

MARATHON MAN - March 2008

Jack writres: "We were approached by Greg Billingham to create a music video for a charity single that he is releasing as part of a tie-in with his running the London Marathon. The big difference is that he will running the marathon by dancing in slow motion!

We filmed him 'running' against green screen, and then went to several locations to film backgrounds. Hasan and Joel went to Manchester, Louise and Richard filmed around Stockport, and Mike and myself went to London.

The finished video is available to view online here - If the single is successful, the video may even be seen by a wider audience on national television. The video alone has raised over £20,000 for "Get Kids Going" charity"

Sarah writes: ".The Manchester Book Awards is an awards ceremony held once a year to celebrate the authors of childrens books, It was held at the Manchester City Stadium where children from various schools attended to vote for their best author. It was a long but productive day which turned out to be a great experience. I operated a roving camera for the ceremony, I found it heavy and challenging but thoroughly enjoyable. It was difficult to move through the crowds of excited children to prepare for the next shot, however pre-planning and a good shot list allowed me to carry out my role effectively, it was an experience that I will remember for a long time"."

Harriet writes: "In February this year we were lucky enough to be able to pitch to Louise Cowmeadow, a successful producer who's work includes AP on "Most Haunted - Live" and Producer on the current TX of Jerry Springer. The idea of pitching to anyone is quite nerve-racking, even more so when we told that it would be Louise! We each had to make sure we were prepared for any questions she might ask us, so the pre planning was very important. I watched other people in the class pitch which gave me a taste of what to expect, but i was still very nervous. I needn't have worried though, Louise was very talkative and liked my idea and she also gave me a few ideas as how to film my documentary and other angles I could take. Having spent the day more or less dreading it, I wanted to do it again. It was a really enjoyable experience and really good for us."

Sam writes: "I was thrilled to be offered a position on the BBC Learning mentor project 2008.

22 applied - I was one of 17 shortlisted and 12 of us were successful - apparently, I'm the most technically adept person in my group! The project so far has enabled me to understand how ideas get turned into commissioned programmes, and how the BBC as a business works. I have a mentor called Christine Kenrick who is a talent manager on programs such as Dragon's Den!

The aim is to complete a five minute radio programme and direct a five minute BBC TV programme.....and get paid for the privilege as part of a four week placement in the summer (until when I have to attend training sessions at BBC Manchester every other Friday).

I have also undergone an intensive ten-hour health-and-safety training course which has made me aware of the legal implications of filming both in the studio and on location. The project is still ongoing and I will have many more opportunities to further my knowledge of how the BBC makes programmes."

It's always good to catch up on where our graduates get to and what they're up to - never moreso than on this occasion when graduate Carly Brooks brought a programme pilot back to record in the studio here in Stockport! Carly, who is presently working in programme development for Channel K, realised that the pilot of "Mobsters" would be the perfect opportunity to involve the current eskayproductions recruits as studio crew for the pre-record which is destined for pitching to Channel 4. Chris writes: 'Mobsters was the most unique opportunity we've had this year, seeing how a Game show is created, and to see every single step of the way in pre-production, production and post production. Mobsters gave me a lot of opportunities, a lot of chances to take the lessons of the last 2 years and put them in to practice; not just with the CGI but the chance to be a Floor Manager as well, keeping the 20 people in order, and keeping the camera operators without comms up to date. It was a good experience, and I benefited a lot from it'

'Tis the season to be jolly!" It's that time of year again, and the crew couldn't resist the opportunity to celebrate in style with Santa, a children's choir (courtesy of our friends at Banks Lane Junior School) and a programme of seasonal favourites all wrapped up into what they called "The Christmas Cracker" - a celebration of all things Christmas-y!

"He's behind you - oh no he isn't!" Panto season again, bringing with it the usual series of challenges: preparation of high-quality pre-recorded VT for the interval features, observation and script preparation culminating in a series of live-mixed multi-camera webcasts of a complex theatrical production (inlcuding live interviews during the interval for the benefit of the TV audience watching "live" on the web).

Hasan writes: " At the beginning of the assignment I felt as though it was something that could not be done in the time period we where given, however with the class working as a group we managed to pull it off. I remember as the countdown to the first show of the panto began, there was such a buzz all around the auditorium, from the actors to the make up crew to us. It didn't bother me that we had early call times and late nights, it was such a blast. at the end of it you can't help but quote one liners from the show, it's the curse that comes from a week of pantomime!"

Harriet writes: "in December, Gina and I were fortunate enough to be able to be able to gain useful work experience on a shoot for EMI. This was for a podcast for the EMI website, which will contain news of new releases, a chart and also their bestsellers. The shoot involved a greenscreen with the presenter doing a piece to camera while Gina operated the autocue - I was the Floor Manager. Although it was a tiring morning (and on a Saturday, at that!) it was a great experience working with the professional crew and also with a highly-experienced professional presenter. It was interesting at the end, after watching someone act against a blank green screen, to then see what it would look like as a finished product with a 'virtual' background."

Emma writes: "I received a chance to work with Channel M helping to make a pilot programme. It was great fun and experience seeing how people work in a professional television studio environment. My main job role when working with Channel M were to help with the rig and de rig, and also camera operating. I fully enjoyed my time with Channel M. It was a great opportunity and a real eye opener. "

Nak and ex-student Brian were on hand to film the Shilpa Shetty theatrical spectacular "Miss Bollywood" at the Opera House in Manchester; Nak writes: "'I had the experience of independently working on a client video - when I say independently, it means I worked with no on-location guidance by my tutors or my seniors. I was totally in charge of myself during this shoot and that gave me great deal of confidence and self managment in all areas of pre- and post production. It felt real and I started to recognize myself as professional as I had a chance to apply all the knowledge I gained during the course so far.''

It's that time of year again when we pay tribute to the success of some of our number who are heading out to make their way within the wider industry.

The Emotions (yes, THE Emotions!) came to Stockport for a special one-off performance. Sam and Nak and crew were on hand to record the occasion for posterity. It's difficult to recall quite so lively an event in the Peter Barkworth Theatre....

The first series of live programmes made by our new recruits hit the screen in October '07

Richard writes: "This was the first module we did on the F.D. It was my first hands-on experience of live T.V. Each of us had to create the content for a ten minute newsflash and then be the director, while everybody else was our crew. We started off making these programs in PP1, using a basic setup involving idiot boards. This gradually got more and more complex until we were in the studio, doing blind down-the-lines and having Andrew throwing 999's at us!"

Jayne writes: "Being a new student was quite a daunting experience and on my first day I was faced with creating short news programmes. I was put into a production gallery which I had no experience within and away we went! Using all of the new equipment seemed a bit scary at first, but it was great how we just got straight into it all and were faced with the kinds of problems within this environment. The work is demanding but very rewarding and I feel as though I achieved so much within the first few weeks."

After his period of summer work experience, Carl writes: "The youthful Channel M was a great environment to gain experience in many different job roles. While I was there I was Sound Engineer, Camera Operator, Runner and Autocue Operator. The Breakfast team were welcoming and willing to help me learn and gain experience. Even the 5am starts are bearable when you're doing something you love!"

"In July 2007, four of us were approached by musical artist Gavin Heaney, and asked to film and edit a music video for his song "The Complexity". Just before the summer break, we met with Gavin to discuss some ideas and brainstorm some locations to film. Gavin had a lot of his own ideas that he wanted to include so we worked with what he wanted and created a "storyline" for the video. Over the summer break we filmed and edited the video, with Emma as Director, Gina as Producer, Sarah as the camera operator and Jo as the Production Manager/Editor. The result was pleasing for all of us and the shoot itself was an enjoyable experience.

Producer Gina Smith said, "I think communication kept the project afloat at all times, the organisation by Jo was spot on as was the direction by Emma. Sarah did a grand job of getting the shots needed and consequently the end product is something to be proud of...it looks really good."

Production Manager/Editor Jo Alton said, "I think we all worked really well together and the hard work paid off. Although I wasn't available for all the shoots, I learned a lot about both pre-production and post, it really helped me put what I learned about orgainsation and editing at college in to practice. I loved every part of it."

The end result of months of hard work for a dedicated cast of young actors resulted in a fully interactive promenade performance (in the round!) of "Flight", which we webcast live from Stockport working alongside professional crew from FieldOB

Joseph writes: "Filming a live drama in a ready-made 360 degree set - it was a challenging production that I enjoyed from start to finish. From rigging the equipment and discussing camera movements to being on the roving camera in the centre of the action. What a day - and I got paid...

Our annual end-of-year jamboree celebration has become a fixture on the north-west media circuit, assembling (as it does) media professionals from a wide range of employers across the sector all of whom are keen to see just what our graduates can achieve. Guest of Honour this year was Chris Curley - fresh from his stint as Line Producer on Channel 4's "Big Brother", no less. The skills showcase also marked the first showing of the period drama "High Window" which had been created by outgoing graduates.

Working alongside our friends in the Performing Arts Department, our First Year Directors were commissioned to produce a dozen highly-stylised video inserts for a theatrical performance - in the style of 1930s newsreels. The resulting short VTs - complete with Chris's haunting animation - slotted handsomely into the live performances, one of which we filmed as a multi-cam post-edit.

Emma writes: "During the stages of filming the VT inserts for CASE CLOSED, I really enjoyed directing; I had a chance to work more one-on-one with actors and direct my own individual piece. It was a lot of fun, and furthered my knowledge and skills as a director"

Jo writes: "I had the pleasure of working with the Channel M team filming the Great Manchester Run on 20th May 2007. The events that we had filmed needed to be ready to be aired on the following Thursday, so all of the footage needed to be returned back to the office very quickly. I spent most of my time working alongside a cameraman called "Mike" and we were stationed out on location at the half way mark of the run. There we filmed general shots of the runners and also interviewed Channel M's "contributors" who were taking part. It was a very fun day, I loved the atmosphere of the run, it was amazing."

Chris spent an arduous day working alongside the Creative Team on a film shoot for a new TV advert for Crown Paints - their new screw-top paint can (!)

Chris writes: "I worked alongside the creative team most of the day - finding out how they realise their ideas on paper and bring them to life. I also got involved in equipment setup and de-rigging.....and making lots and lots of tea!. It was a large crew, but they had as much difficulty as we do in finding suitable locations. It was a revelation to see the director having to shift and change his vision in line with the changing visions of the creative team - he was the intermediary between the creative team and the acting talent - he spent more time on his walkie-talkie than anything else!"

Joseph and Jo spent a day working as runners on a corporate video shoot with our friends at Centre Screen Productions - the advantages and disadvantages of aerospace flight.

Joseph writes: "What a quality day! - a client video - lots of aerospace stuff! Started off making tea - ended up helping to rig and de-rig. Would definitely do it again!"

Jo writes: "They were all really helpful - and it was great to work alongside the director and see how he chose to light the stuff.....and I've got some inside tips of techniques for faking "window-light" effects."

Not even a 5am call time could deter Turaab from joining the Channel M crew for their live breakfast show.

Turaab writes: "The atmosphere was professional. I gained a sense of what it feels like to work in a real TV Studio. I was a cameraman and a cable basher; however the best role was making brews for everyone!"

Always on the look out for opportunities to mix business and pleasure, John - who works as a part-time Validation Technician for Teradyne - writes: "...a colleague of mine sent me an email asking me if I could help produce a short 'demo' of one of Teradyne's products. It's to be used to help promote our products at conferences and suchlike - it's easier to a show a short video of one of our products rather than to take all the necessary equipment (we'd need an entire car, several laptops, and an array of bizarre electronic devices known to us 'gateways'!) to meeting rooms all over the globe.

I was very pleased to be asked to do this as it first of all allows me to put my newly acquired media skills into practice, and it also allows me to demonstrate to Teradyne that leaving them from full time work to part time work is perhaps as much worth their while as much as it is mine!

It was a very good experience as it was a taste of what 'real work' in the industry could and would be like - even though I'm a part-time employee of Teradyne, I still had to make sure I dealt with this work in a professional manner, as after all the finished product will be presented to some of the world's leading car manufacturers major bosses! Hopefully the finished edit will be a key item on my showreel, which could possibly land me more work like this in the future...."

The presence of a "make-up artist to the stars" meant that the cameras were assembled and the audience primed for an insight into the magical mysteries of make-up. Nak and Louise made the most of the opportunity as camera operators recording the event and transmitting it - live - to screens for the benefits of an audience keen on observing every last detail.

The single most difficult thing to achieve is a completed film drama - and that's whether you're shooting on film or digital tape. Made as a vehicle for (current completing student) Adam by (ex-students) Graham and Nick, Phoenix Dark draws in skills and expertise from a wide range of others - as is usual with such projects: CGI from former students of Multimedia and current enthusiastic contributors from HND Media (Broadcasting), cast and extras drawn from current and former students of media at all levels, an unexpected cameo performance from Maurice, and a highly-professional atmospheric sound mix from ex-student (and Union President) Jason; Phoenix Dark proved a hoot with the premiere audience who enjoyed its tongue-in-cheek proto-Stallone central performance.

Well done guys - we know just how hard it is to pull off a project as complex as that - and how agonizing it can be to show your completed work to an audience!

In a business where contacts can be your most important asset, it was good to see Gina being invited back to work with a crew from Centre Screen on a corporate project.

Gina writes: "...two days with Centre Screen certainly took it out of me...but just reinforced the view that this IS the career path I want to take. I've done many things from making brews and making the contributors smile to rigging a track and dolly and redheads. Having only been on the HND Media course for 5 months I have learnt so much and this has enabled me to look and act more professionally on shoots. Consequently this time round I am being paid and was also asked for contact details by the DOP Geoff Perry.

I really enjoyed the two day shoot and hope to work on a shoot in the future in order for me to gain more experience in both the communicational and technical side of the media business. It was also great to work with Carly again and the same crew as last time as I felt more at home with them."

We were indeed fortunate to be able to work alongside Jon Snow - distinguished anchor of Channel 4's flagship news programme since 1989.

Mr Snow was in town to open the new "Stockport Story" museum, which proved the ideal opportunity for us to present the "Stockport Story News" - six key stories from Stockport's history - which Mr Snow read whilst we operated, and we then gave members of the public (mostly excited young children on their half-term break) their own chance to read the news under studio conditions.

A lesson to us all, Jon was rushed to the 11.15 train to London and fronted the evening news for Channel 4 as usual; but his day didn't end there: at the evening's Royal Television Society News Awards, he was named "Presenter of the Year". The jury singled him out for his passion, energy and commitment. We'd certainly second that....!

Carl - who directed - writes.... "The opening of the Stockport Story was a great day in many ways. We went to bring the experience of live television to the people of Stockport and the opportunity to be in the limelight was relished by plenty of people. Children through to adults stepped up to the newsdesk, under hot lights and with an audience, they made some good efforts to read the news. Reactions to the experience varied immensely, but everyone came to the same conclusion - that it's not easy!! I was amazed with the interest shown, many questions were asked, and the feedback from the Museum was great. People took pictures of their friends and families stepping behind the desk that had earlier been dominated by professional Jon Snow.

Jon Snow is obviously at home behind a news desk, but he also has a passion for news reading and that really showed. Within minutes of introducing himself he went to sit down in front of the camera. Carrying his own earpiece for talkback, he sat down attached his mic and he was off reeling off the autocue with passion and emphasis. He was very impressive, breathing life and vibrancy into the stories.

It was great to be part of an outside broadcast that was able to bring the museum and it's stories to life. Through the medium of television we were able to give history a distinct edge."

Check out Jon's award here

BBC Television's popular antiques programme FLOG IT! came to Buxton last weekend, and no less than seven of the crew - Tom, Emma, Joe, Chris, Damian, Sarah and Daniel - worked as runners on the show!

Joe writes:

"Helping out as a runner on BBC 2 show FLOG IT! was fantastic. I got to talk to the director about camera angles, shot set-ups and equipment. The atmosphere within the crew was fun and relaxed but still one that gets the job done. I'm so looking forward to gettin out there and passing on the SKILLS..."