Visitors were both scared and delighted at this weekend’s Spooquay Halloween event at the Royal Navy Museum in Hartlepool, where our students used their creative skills to bring the dark history of Britain’s oldest floating warship to life on the quayside.
Students from across our Acting, Film, Costume, Graphics, Photography, Production Design and Model Making degree courses collaborated with the museum and its staff over the past two months, creating sets, costumes, animations, graphics and performances for a spectacular two-night event.
BA (Hons) Acting for Stage and Screen student Joe Michael Stanley, who worked as Creative Lead for the project, said:
“For Spooquay, I was initially responsible for creating the narrative and characters across the quayside. Following the brief, I developed roles that would appeal to children but could also become more frightening as the night went on. For example, Mad Admiral Mouse (in his Mad Admiral House) began the night as an authoritative veteran, barking orders at his lackey, Pork Chop. As the night went on, he became crazed, deranged and aggressively delusional about the return of Hangus the monkey to his quayside.”
Students had the opportunity to develop new skills by supporting multiple departments behind the scenes. Joe added:
“Throughout the process, I became the on-camera social media rep and rehearsal runner for Spooquay, offered support to the ship team and became a senior creative for Spooquay, collaborating with Matthew Burton, our Production Lead, Hannah Ord and Harriet Auton from the Museum.”
BA (Hons) Animation student Lauren Hulmes also had the opportunity to broaden her experience she commented:
“I worked on animation for the event and assisted with both production design and technical set-up. Working on the event involved manipulating 3D rigs, using Foley and vocal acting skills, and assisting with set design and installation. These aren’t activities I do all the time as part of my course, but it’s always great to have opportunities to work with others and collaborate with organisations.”
Joe said, “The entire team smashed it, the quayside and ship looked visually phenomenal.”
Speaking of working with the museum he said “The staff at the Museum offered incredible collaboration, not only by investing in our work but also by bringing in their frequent collaborators to help bring everything to life. Everyone was very nice and accommodating, incredibly supportive and invested in my team’s work. I would work with the Museum again in a heartbeat. They are a fabulous bunch in a fabulous workplace doing fabulous things!
“I am immensely grateful for the trust placed in me to help lead this project, and I am very, very proud of everyone for making it the spectacle it was.”
Reflecting on bringing the event together, Joe said: “The moment I saw everything come together still makes me so happy. I will never forget seeing everything fully set up and decorated, all the actors in costume and all the staff ready to go, and thinking, ‘This is going to work.’ I was unbelievably excited and couldn’t wait to let the public into our little spooky world!”
Laura Reynolds Jenkins, Spooquay Assistant Producer & Social Media and Communications Lead from the Royal Navy Museum in Hartlepool said:
“It was great to see all the students working together across their various courses. It was super-co-operative, interactive and, overall, just a fab experience to be involved in. It wouldn’t have been Spooquay without our amazing crew of creatives.”
The sold-out event, which included a live folk band, cannon demonstrations and spooky ship tours, received positive feedback from visitors. Joe said: “I’m confident we gave everyone who came something positive to walk away with, and we heard plenty of demand for its return next year. Personally, I loved Spooquay, and would be delighted to return next year.”
Find out more about our careers-focused creative degree courses here.