D. Artists and Organisations

On the 29th October we went to visit 2 film institutes to learn more about the film industry. The first place we visited was the NFTS (National Film and Television School). We started in their very fancy cinema with a talk from Shola Amoo. He showed us some clips of films that had NFTS graduates in the crew, and it was amazing seeing how many of them were on such high-production films! The same that stood out to me the most was Nick Park, as I grew up watching Wallace and Gromit and Shaun the Sheep. Shola also mentioned the Craft Skills Residentials held at the NFTS. They sound like incredible things to do, and very interesting, and I think I might apply next year after I have gained more experience through making more films of my own.

Shola then took us on a tour of the NFTS. The thing that struck me the most was the size of the place! The stages were massive, and the technology they had there was incredible. Seeing this made me really want to go on the residential, as the experience I would gain would be amazing.

We then got back on the coach to visit Warner Bros Studios. I have always been a big fan of Harry Potter, and getting to see the sets, props and costumes up close was incredibly exciting! However, seeing the actual design elements made me realise how much detail goes into making a film. There were so many things I noticed on the studio tour that I never noticed in the movies, and the level of detail was incredible.

Seeing all of the sets, props, costumes, animatronics, hair, and concept art, amongst many other things, was so inspiring. Seeing the sets really increased my passion for film and my drive to get into the industry. It also helped me realise that there are many different elements that go into making a film, and that one of those will definitely be for me.

We then got an exclusive talk with Dan Dark, who works at Warner Bros. Hearing about his journey to get where he is today was really helpful, as it made me realise that I don't need to know exactly what I want to do right now. He also gave us lots of tips for getting into the industry, including selling yourself well and not taking no for an answer. I found his talk to be the most inspiring of the Academy, as he gave us practical advice and told us that there is something for us in the industry. He also told us that we could jump from position to position, and we didn't have to settle for just one thing forever.