Media students making music videos

Media students at Nescot are creating a music video as part of their qualification.

The first-year Level 3 students are working in teams to plan, film and edit a video to a song of their choice over the next three weeks, which will then be showcased in the college’s screening room.

“This is a great way of bringing together all the skills our students have learnt in their first term,” said Louise Gaskin, Head of Sound and Visual Arts.

“Each team of students will need to cover every aspect of film-making, from operating a camera to post-production, which helps them to understand the process and to start planning their careers.

“We’ve challenged them to be ambitious and creative and to really push themselves, and we’re already looking forward to seeing their finished pieces.”

Every student in the class chose a song and then researched and planned an idea for a video, which they then pitched to the class.

Tutor Abi Partington-Moran then chose the best three concepts, and the students are now working in groups of six or seven to bring their ideas to life.

The teams are currently working on pre-production, which involves planning out the video and working out when, where and how to shoot and edit.

Jamie’s concept involves the journey of a boy who eventually breaks free of his turbulent upbringing, and will be set to Human by Rag’n’Bone Man.

The video involves complicated ideas and techniques, such as using mirrors and having a camera panning around the actor in a single take, and will partly be set in a boxing ring.

It will also involve logistical challenges, such as finding particular filming locations and getting the right equipment and crew members to the right place at the right time.

“It’s going to be hard to do, but if we do it well it will look amazing,” said Jamie, who will direct the video and be the assistant producer.

“The idea is to show that what you see isn’t always the full story – someone might have a lot more going on in their life than you realise.”

Jamie, who went to Glyn School, said he has always known he wanted to work in the creative industries and is planning to produce or direct in the future.

“I wanted to come to Nescot because of the emphasis on learning by actually making films yourself rather than just watching films other people have made,” Jamie said.

“We learn a lot in lessons about different technical things, like ways of framing a shot or how to use the editing software, and then you get to work on lots of different film projects.

“You’re also encouraged to try out different roles on each project if you want to, so you can get experience doing sound or light if you want to – or you can get lots of experience in one particular area so that you get a good showreel.

“We’re treated like we’re professionals and expected to work independently, but the teachers are always there to help if you need it.”

Nescot offers qualifications in Creative Media at Levels 2 and 3, as well as Level 1 in Media and Music Technology, Level 3 in Digital Design and an Apprenticeship in Content Production.