by Stuart Drummond

Revisiting the schools PROTO trip experience

Earlier this year we were thrilled to deliver an opportunity for students from our Film & TV, Production Design, Model Making and Visual Effects degree programmes to explore the fantastic facilities at PROTO in Gateshead. This facility, which is part of the UK’s pioneering Advanced Media Production (AMP) Network, is designed to support educators, practitioners and innovators in defining the future of art and entertainment.

During the visit, students experienced first-hand the immersive technologies at PROTO, from virtual production stages to motion-capture systems, scanning, camera and tracking systems. As Level 5 model maker Luke Brandrick reflected, “The impact of seeing technological developments in person really allows us to see where the film industry is and how we, as creatives, will fit into it.” Likewise, Level 4 model maker Molly Avery said, “They were so laid back and so knowledgeable … it has really made me feel much more at ease and inclined to explore further into this newfound interest! All the demonstrations felt like a really exciting insight to how these processes and jobs work.”

For Level 6 Film & TV students, the visit was not just observational but practical. They used the PROTO environment to shoot footage for their fictional short ‘Broken Mirror’ (written and directed by James Withycombe, produced by Meg Boyle), giving them direct exposure to a working production setting.

As a future-facing faculty, we need to be switched on to the growing industry in the North East and PROTO have been at the heart of this, attracting projects to the region, supporting homegrown talent and getting new workforces prepared for an ever-changing landscape. Level 6 Production Designer Christy Robinson said it encouraged her to consider staying in the North East after graduation, especially since PROTO staff were enthusiastic about students returning for work experience.”

Why This Matters & What It Means for Our BA (H0ns) Visual Effects degree

Our BA (Hons) Visual Effects course will offer a blend of creative vision and technical practice. Students are taught environment creation and compositing, to collaborate with peers on interdisciplinary screen and stage projects, practice skills like teamwork, problem-solving, organisation and pre-production, all while using industry-standard software and workflows.

Working with our creative partners at PROTO provides a physical and practical grounding for those aims, in a way that classroom-based learning alone cannot. The curved LED wall, tracking, motion-capture systems, and virtual-production workflows at PROTO reflect the kind of professional-level technology that contemporary VFX, film, and game studios use.

Moreover, the multidisciplinary, collaborative environment experienced in visits and events like the one earlier this year mirrors the collaborative approach built into the VFX course’s ethos. This kind of real-world, cross-disciplinary teamwork helps prepare students for the collaborative demands of industry projects.

Finally, the exposure to professionals working in the field, combined with hands-on use of advanced tech and workflows, helps students build confidence, practical know-how and industry awareness, all of which contribute to stronger portfolios, showreels and readiness for future employment or further study. We are excited to be working with PROTO again this year as a development partner and to deliver student experiences, watch this space!

You can find out more about our Visual Effects degree programme by visiting our web page, or by attending an open day.