Experimental Film Production just doesn’t feel real. In the best of ways. When you come to an open day, you meet course leader Dan Hopkins and he really sells the course as this bombastic joyride where you get to make and study films, go on trips around the world and meet all kinds of insane people.
Then you start the course, and it’s all that and more.
I can’t describe the joy the course has brought me. Dan, Tom, Ed and the whole team are extremely passionate, knowledgeable and talented when it comes to filmmaking. The teachers here are the ones you want to teach you filmmaking.
In the first crafts lesson we were taught some introductions to cinematography and then we were sent out to make a film. In the first week we were given these little black books to turn into a personal visual notebook where we put down whatever ideas come into our heads and are rewarded for our creativity. In the first month I’ve already directed more films and been involved in more projects than during my entire Media GCSE and Film A Level combined.
It is brilliant.
As well as this, the Media Centre is stocked full of a tremendous array of equipment and is overseen by absolutely lovely and exceptionally helpful staff. We have technical instruction sessions with these staff and each one has been a pleasure; they will answer any question and make sure everyone can comfortably use the equipment
It’s not just the lecturers and technicians, the class is fantastic and everyone is so friendly and welcoming and delightfully devoted to film. That extends to the entire school over all levels and age groups. The friends I’ve made in Film Production, Games Development and more join with the Experimental Film Production class as one of the nicest communities I have the honour of being a part of.
Overall, the first half of term has flown past and there is no doubt in my mind it is because of how amazing my course has been. I am so excited to continue working through the course and seeing what else we can discover and accomplish.
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