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Moving Image Arts Careers
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INDUSTRY PARTNERS

&

STAKEHOLDERS

 

CCEA’s Moving Image Arts qualification was conceived in parallel with the development of Northern Ireland Screen’s Wider Literacy strategy, our vision for moving image education for all our young people in Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland Screen has been supporting this exciting qualification since its inception through specialist teacher training in Northern Ireland’s three Creative Learning Centres (CLCs) – the Nerve Centre in Derry/Londonderry, Nerve Belfast and the Amma Centre in Armagh. Northern Ireland Screen has also been closely involved in supporting the BFI’s Film Academy scheme that focuses on identifying, training and nurturing young filmmaking talent in Northern Ireland. The programme is delivered in partnership with the three CLCs and Cinemagic. Work experience for MIA students and BFI Academy participants Northern Ireland Screen helps source work experience opportunities for 16-18 year olds on Northern Ireland Screen funded productions. The programme provides work experience opportunities for 16-18 year olds who are either studying Moving Image Arts (MIA) at AS or A level or are already selected for the BFI Academy (BFIA) in Northern Ireland. MIA and BFIA students will gain meaningful real world industry experience guided by industry professionals. Work experience opportunities will be on live action or animated factual or fiction projects across film, television or digital content. Work experience opportunities in writing, directing, producing or acting are not offered. Work experience opportunities will be timed to suit each production’s schedule and may be offered during schools holiday periods or other busy periods during the academic year. Schools, BFIA delivery organisations, teachers and students should allow for this possibility when applying for placements. How to apply Applications will be in the form of nominations by the school where the pupil is studying MIA or by the BFI Academy in Northern Ireland. Nominations will only be accepted by email on Northern Ireland Screen’s Work Experience Nomination Form which can be found at http://www.northernirelandscreen.co.uk/about/faqs/ Northern Ireland Screen will only accept up to 2 nominations per school and 2 nominations per Northern Ireland based BFI Academy delivery organisation (Cinemagic, The Nerve Centre, Nerve Belfast, The AmmA Centre) per academic year (September to August).

http://www.northernirelandscreen.co.uk/

   

The Foyle Film Festival launched CCEA’s Moving Images Arts Awards Showcase in 2003, with the support and sponsorship of Michael Bond from City of Derry Crystal. The showcase was conceived as a way of marking and celebrating the work produced by students undertaking the new Moving Image Arts subject. Since its introduction 14 years ago, this annual student showcase has gone from strength to strength, and has become one of the highlight events of the Foyle Film Festival’s Education Programme. The festival is delighted to highlight and celebrate the talent, imagination, and creativity of the MIA students by awarding the beautiful City of Derry Crystal Awards for the best films. It is with a great deal of pride and pleasure that Foyle Film Festival provides a platform for the work of these budding young filmmakers. The festival looks forward to be accepting the work of MIA students into the Light In Motion (LIM) Competition - which are Oscar® and BAFTA affiliated - in future years. In order to capitalise on Foyle Film Festival’s unique position as an Oscar® affiliated festival through its Light In Motion (LIM) Short Film Competition, the Festival launched its Shorts to Features Conference in 2014. Shorts To Features brings award-winning industry professional to the city in order to inspire and upskill the next generation of filmmakers. Up and coming filmmakers have the chance to learn how they can make the transition ‘From Shorts To Features’ through an exciting programme of panels, workshops, case studies and special screenings. Past guests have included Oscar® and BAFTA award winning director Andrea Arnold, Oscar® winning producer Mia Bays. Other conference events have included script writing and pitching sessions with Slumdog Millionaire associate producer Ivana MacKinnon and London-based producer Tristan Goligher. Other previous conference highlights have included a case study on biopic Good Vibrations with local producer Chris Martin and director Glenn Leyburn. Moving Image Arts students and BFI Academy students are given direct access to all conference events, and if possible special guests will also provide additional talks and support. Foyle Film Festival’s Shorts To Features Conference provides local students with another step up in the ladder - after studying filmmaking through the Moving Image Arts qualification and BFI Academy - to gaining direct advice and tips from industry professionals. The Light In Motion Short Film Competition completes the circle by giving filmmakers a platform to showcase their work and potentially win a LIM Award - enabling the winning film to be submitted for Oscar® consideration. https://foylefilmfestival.org/

   The Nerve Centre is Northern Ireland’s leading creative media arts centre. More than 120,000 people a year benefit from the Nerve Centre’s wide-ranging programme of arts events, cutting edge projects, creative learning centres, training opportunities, and state-of-the-art production facilities. A successful social economy enterprise, the Nerve Centre employs more than 40 staff at sites in Derry/Londonderry and Belfast. The Nerve Centre Creative Learning Centre fuses the industry strengths of the Nerve Centre, as an Oscar and BAFTA nominated Film and Television production centre, with over 20 years of experience in working with teachers and schools around creative digital skills. The Creative Learning Centres jointly work with over 5000 teachers per year in providing CPD, resources and advice around embedding digital creativity at all Key Stages and across a range of subjects within the NI Curriculum. At the Nerve Centre CLC we connect industry practitioners with education to ensure that the skills and technology used in the classroom matches that used in the workplace as far as possible. Our work goes beyond specific skills development to look at cross-cutting themes such as Critical Thinking, Problem-Solving, Collaborative Working and Communication and reaches beyond film and moving image into digital fabrication, design, coding and music. Through programmes such as the BFI Film Academy and our industry experience scheme we seek to provide direct pathways into creative industries careers and further study opportunity for young people across Northern Ireland. We are very proud to have led on CPD and Resource support for teachers and students of Moving Image Arts for over a decade, and of the impact that it has already had on the film and television industry here. Long may it continue! For further information on support for Moving Image Arts and wider opportunities visit: www.nervecentre.org    

 

   

 

 Nerve Belfast Creative Learning Centre is a welcoming, supportive and fun place where young people, teachers and youth/community workers can explore how new technologies can be used in creative and inspiring ways. Working with the education sector and the creative industries in Northern Ireland, we are committed to promoting and developing the effective use of ICT in teaching and learning. We provide opportunities for training, in-school and community programmes in a wide range of multi-media areas including film making, use of mobile technology, animation, web-design, games design, music technology, coding, 3D design and fabrication. BFI Film Academy at Nerve Belfast offers a unique opportunity to young people already studying Moving Image Arts at higher level to participate in a skills-based academy of workshops and masterclasses delivered by industry professionals such as Greg Spence, post-production producer on Game of Thrones and John McClean, director of Slow West. Every September Nerve Belfast seeks talented young people aged between 16 and 19 years of age to join our acclaimed BFI Film Academy programme. As Project Coordinator Jennifer McAlorum explains: 'We are looking for talented and very committed young people who are already studying Moving Image Arts at school to participate in this unique programme. This course brings together students and industry professionals in order to help young people interested in a career in the film industry to increase their skills, knowledge and know how.” As a BFI Film Academy participant, students get a valuable opportunity to work directly with filmmakers and take part in a series of masterclasses and workshops with a focus on a range of film disciplines including producing, directing, cinematography, sound and editing. The course is accredited, with students gaining an NCFE Level 2 Certificate in Preparing to Work in the Film Industry upon successful completion. During the 18 weeks of training, delivered on Saturdays, young filmmakers develop their skills in all areas of filmmaking from script to screen; produce their own short film and hear industry experts top tips on how to get into and succeed in the film industry. Students get essential practice in developing and pitching ideas and producing their own work. Academy students also watch and discuss films from around the world and learn more about distribution, film-festivals and programming. Nerve Belfast is also creating opportunities for young people seeking a career in the animation industry. This August, we organised our first Animation Summer School offering 15 young aspiring animators an intensive 5 day practical experience of the animation industry and the techniques of 2D animation. Course tutor Joel Simon shared his long experience of working in the animation industry with the 15 participants and everyone had the opportunity to learn skills in the industry software packages Adobe Photoshop and After Affects, to design an original animated character on screen and to make it into a 3D model. In the final two days of the summer school, the young animators brought their characters to life using the techniques of stop motion animation. Next year we hope to launch Northern Ireland’s first Animation Academy.  If you are interested in applying for our academies in film or animation, please contact Jennifer McAlorum at Nerve Belfast on [email protected]  

http://www.nervebelfast.org/  

Amma Creative Learning Centre Creativity is at the heart of Amma Creative Learning Centre. We provide young people with opportunities to develop their creativity through digital technologies and a range of mediums. We explore the possibilities for self expression in the areas of film making, animation, web-design, game design, music technology, graphics, art & design, use of mobile technology, coding, 3D design and fabrication. In working with young people across Northern Ireland, Amma is dedicated to enabling the potential of future digital makers.

Since launching in 2004, Amma has always worked closely with Moving Image Arts students and teachers. We deliver training in skills across all areas of film making; camera, lighting, editing, sound and production design. Amma facilitates the progression of students’ skills, individually and in collaboration with others, using specialised equipment and software.

Moving Image Arts students also have the opportunity to join Amma’s BFI Film Academy, a prestigious programme of workshops and masterclasses by industry professionals, offering an in-depth knowledge of working in the film industry. Previous masterclasses have included: Seamus McGarvey (Cinematographer) Atonement, Black Mirror, The Avengers, Enigma plus many more. Enda Kenny (Costume and Production Design) Pirates of the Caribbean, GOT, The Golden Compass, King Arthur and more. Greg Spence (Producer on Game of Thrones). Students work collaboratively to produce an original short film, from the conception of ideas right through to editing and showcase of the final product. The Academy provides the setting for participants to make connections with like-minded peers and film makers, enhance their skills in script writing, producing, direction, camera technique, sound, editing and broaden their knowledge of film. Interested and enthusiastic Moving Image Arts students with a passion for film can apply for a place on BFI Film Academy in September. The programme lasts 18 weeks and participants can gain accreditation with an NCFE Level 2 Certificate in Preparing to Work in the Film Industry on completion of the Academy.

“The Amma Centre has helped me to an extraordinary level…(I) have a better idea on how to direct my own film, how to drive the narrative across, what type of audience that I wanted. Everything became just so much clearer because I was doing so much outside of the classroom.” Meghan McArdle, BFI Film Academy, 2013-14

For more information please contact:

Grainne Cullinane [email protected] http://www.ammacentre.org

    

   Into Film gives every child and young person aged 5 to 19 in the UK the chance to experience film creatively. Freely available to every school in the province we support teachers and educators to achieve a wide range of effective learning outcomes in their use of film. Our programme includes a network of extra-curricular film clubs, resources for use in clubs and in the classroom, training opportunities, in school industry visits, a cinema-based film festival and our annual Awards. With the additional support of Northern Ireland screen and in Partnership with Cinemagic and Nerve Centre we ensure that all young people across Northern Ireland have unique opportunities and experiences to enjoy, explore and create with film. "Film club broadens children's horizons and encourages them to think about issues such as the environment. It encourages new friendships and fosters empathy. There are pupils in the group who have special needs and are now better understood and accepted by their peers. There is a range of abilities but in film club, no-one feels intimidated to contribute – everyone’s opinion is valued" Paul Scowcroft, Bridge Integrated Primary School, Bainbridge. https://www.intofilm.org/

   

 

   

 

   

 

  Cinemagic is a film festival for children and young people and an award-winning film charity. Established and headquartered in Belfast, and delivering programmes and activities locally, nationally and internationally, the organisation is committed to transforming the lives of young people by maximising the impact and reach of film to educate, motivate and inspire young people, particularly those from disadvantaged areas and backgrounds. Cinemagic embraces the magic of film, television and digital technologies to educate, motivate and inspire young people. Film screenings, film education, industry workshops, masterclasses, filmmaking projects and outreach activities help children and young people to learn about the world around them, build confidence, develop new skills, and meet new people from diverse backgrounds. For some, these opportunities might be the first step in a career in the creative industries. For others it might be the empowering boost of self-belief which builds resilience and aspiration.

The BFI Film Academy delivered by Cinemagic provides opportunities for aspiring young filmmakers to take their careers a step further with intense, practical training and annually Cinemagic young people have succeeded in getting placements at advanced UK based training programmes to further develop their skills. Over 100 young filmmakers have benefited from the BFI Film Academy over the last 4 years. Just this year, two Cinemagic BFI Film Academy Alumni students were selected to participate in the prestigious Future Film Skills programme at Pinewood Studios where they secured Trainee Positions on the new Star Wars film. Cinemagic’s annual Young Filmmaker Competition exhibits the work of young people from the UK and Ireland and celebrates young filmmaking talent. Annually Cinemagic programmes a practical weekend of activity for young filmmakers to network with peers and participate in q&as and workshops with industry professionals to nurture and encourage them. Over the last 28 years and more specifically from 2014-2018 we have delivered highly successful Young Consultants panels and CineSeekers/CineFocus panels and the learning outcomes have been immeasurable in terms of developing literacy skills, appreciation of the world around us and creating active and memorable learning. The ethos of these panels is to promote and celebrate a diverse and varied range of international youth films. By providing the young audience with an outlet for world cinema, the aim is to develop and nurture a broader appreciation, understanding and love of film; as well as celebrating the stories, peoples and cultures from around the globe. Two of Cinemagic’s major recent projects were the production of Cinemagic's first feature film A Christmas Star and second feature film Grace and Goliath which together gave 90 young filmmakers from Northern Ireland, Ireland and USA a chance to earn their first credit on a feature film and receive practical, hands-on training. A Christmas Star premiered in Belfast, New York and Los Angeles; it was screened in Northern Ireland/ Ireland on UTV and BBC on Christmas Day and was distributed across numerous territories including platforms such as Netflix and BBC iPlayer. www.cinemagic.org.uk

 

 

  BBC Northern Ireland Learning  BBC Northern Ireland Learning can help you get the skills and experience needed for a career in journalism and media production as well as offering practical no-nonsense advice on how to prepare for employment in any industry. Interested in journalism? Then you’ll be interested in BBC School Report - a journalism project for students aged 11 to 18 across the UK. You make the news and upload it to your website that we link to via our interactive map. This means that your news is accessible to a worldwide BBC audience. We showcase the work of School Reporters across BBC programmes in the UK on News Day which is Thursday, 15 March 2018. http://www.bbc.co.uk/schoolreport Still working toward a GCSE in Moving Image Arts, Media Studies and Journalism? Don’t worry. BBC Bitesize is on hand with a host of resources aimed at Northern Ireland students revising for these subjects as well offering solid, practical advice on producing your own content for course work. https://www.bbc.co.uk/education And if you’re leaving school and about to take your first steps in the world of work, no matter what the industry, then BBC Northern Ireland’s Make it is here to help. It has everything from how to produce a CV, preparing for different types of job interview and advice from those who’ve made it on the qualities and attitude you’ll need to get on and get ahead.  https://www.bbc.co.uk/makeit   

HIGHER EDUCATION

NI    

 

  

The School of Arts, English and Languages The School of Arts, English & Languages at Queen’s University Belfast officer a significant number of degrees that connect very well to those who have enjoyed studying Moving Image Arts at School. Here are details about just some of the degrees we offer in this school where we would be delighted to see applications from those studying an A-Level in Moving Image Arts. In fact, many of the students already on the courses outlined below have studied Moving Image Arts in school at either GCSE, A-level or both. BA Hons in Broadcast Production https://www.qub.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate/broadcast-production-ba-p310/ This degree is an intensely practical and industry facing pathway designed in collaboration with our industry partners such as the BBC and other local broadcasters. Making programmes for television, radio and online has never been more exciting or challenging in an industry that is currently seeing unprecedented growth. This degree will prepare students for careers in television, radio, journalism, creative media such aspects of Virtual Reality, 360 video and other new and emerging digital media platforms. It will also develop their critical understanding of the broadcasting landscape, scriptwriting, presentation and storytelling abilities, merging academic and vocational skills. BA Hons. in Film Studies & Production http://www.qub.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate/film-studies-production-ba-w600/ The Film Studies and Production degree aims to introduce students to the widest possible experience of filmmaking and film culture through the integration of film production and critical thinking. Film degrees at Queen’s were ranked 1st in the 2017 in the Guardian League Tables. Our Film degrees use cutting-edge digital production facilities; we have both offline and online editing suites, with software such as Avid Media Composer and DaVinci Resolve. Practical classes are held in a dedicated Film Studio just off University Square. The course is a fusion of academic and practical skills. BA Hons in Film & Theatre Making http://www.qub.ac.uk/Study/Course-Finder/UG/FilmStudies/WW65/ This is a new, practice-oriented BA programme in Film and Theatre Making, combining the strengths of the University’s highly regarded Film and Drama departments. Students can now study the intricacies of production practice in both film and theatre. Over the three years of the programme, students will learn the basics of directing and acting, along with technical and production elements (including lighting, sound, set and costume design, and stage and production management) for both stage and screen. For further information please contact: Dr Declan Keeney, Head of Broadcast Production, [email protected] Office: 02890975463 or [email protected] Office: 02890975364 

Ulster University’s Moving Image Arts Provision Ulster University has a long pedigree in the provision of Media courses and was, in 1978, the first university in the UK to deliver a Media course. Of course the creative industries have burgeoned since that development and Ulster University has remained central to developments (just Google ‘Professor Martin McLoone publications‘), has a range of courses to indicate its expertise in the area and is proud of its many graduates who, since 1981, have progressed to now hold key positions within the creative industries. The University has established links with employers who recognise and have experienced the strengths of our graduates. We welcome applications from those taking the Moving Image Arts to a range of programmes (please visit the online prospectus for further details):

BSc Hons Cinematic Arts BSc Hons Interactive Media BA Hons Media Studies and Production BDes Hons Animation BDes Hons Interaction Design

BSc Hons Cinematic Arts The BSc (Hons) Cinematic Arts programme brings together filmmaking, drama, visual design, and music with the single purpose of finding new pathways for moving image, stories and user engagement. You will develop key skills in filmmaking and image production, cinematography, post-production, editing, narrative development, screenwriting, acting/directing, music/sound design, and entrepreneurship. BSc Hons Interactive Media Interactive Media is a ground-breaking course that delivers graduates who have the production, creative and intellectual skills to undertake and develop careers in the creative digital media. The course centres on creative approaches and responses to new media technologies. This course has a focus on emerging media forms and creative and artistic media practices and offers students training in the latest industry standard software. The course taught through the integration of theory and practice within the dynamic and ever changing landscape of digital and interactive media. BA Hons Media Studies and Production This course offers an exciting intellectual environment within which to both study the media and engage in bold, imaginative and innovative approaches to industry-standard media production. You will study the expanding world of media and popular culture covering the history, sociology, psychology and theory of mass communication from its invention to the present day. This theoretical base will inform your own media productions. The course has been designed to allow you to vary the ratio of assessment between media production work and academic writing as your interests develop. You will be a student in one of the most highly respected and long-standing media departments in the UK and Ireland. Our new modern media school (£6.5m investment) includes a high definition TV studio, radio studio, production gallery, newsrooms, media production labs,

and Adobe editing suites and collaborative spaces for students in a high Tec building that generates its own energy. You will be taught by academics with international research records as well as professional media practitioners. You will have the opportunity to take up work placements in the media industries enter competitions and exhibit your work. BDes Hons Animation Animation has become an integral part of the film, television, games and design industries – from Jurassic Park to Avatar, Angry Birds to Call of Duty, Xbox to mobile. The field of animation has experienced unprecedented growth in recent years. During the course you will study drawing, the principles of animation and design, storytelling and narrative, design and the history, practice and theory of screen production. You will gain an understanding of creative and technical process using industry standard software in order to create interactive designs and computer animations. BDes Hons Interaction Design This design-centred course is aimed at those who aspire for a career as an interaction designer, helping to shape the digital landscape we all, increasingly, live in. The course equips you with the skills you need to meet the challenges of an industry that’s changing rapidly and which offers exciting international career opportunities.  BA Hons Photography with Video We are passionate about photography, encouraging and supporting our students to explore, learn, question and become experts. At Ulster we will help you develop your own creative style and individual voice. You will leave with a valuable set of skills and a fresh way of thinking that help you stand out as you embark on a career in an exciting sector. www.qub.ac.uk   

 

   

PROFESSIONAL PROFILES

Carla Stronge (Casting Director)

  Carla Stronge is a born and bred, double Emmy award winning, Northern Irish Casting Director based in Belfast. She garnered her first casting credit on HBO's Game of Thrones and it is the show for which she won an Emmy in 2015 and again in 2016 for Outstanding Casting in a Drama Series. In 2016 she became a member of the Casting Society of America and in 2017 received a further nomination for an Artios Award for Outstanding Achievement in Casting for a Television Series Drama. She has worked on numerous other productions made in Northern Ireland and also as Casting Director on all three seasons of The Fall for BBC, The Secret for ITV and other up and coming independent feature films.    

What was the best piece of career advice you ever received? Make yourself INVALUABLE any and every which way you can (so people can't do without you) and be nice to EVERYBODY, ALWAYS, (we work too long hours to want to work with people who aren't nice) especially the runners - as one day they will be hiring you. What do you enjoy most about your work? Exploring people really and what it is to be human and to empathise with another humans situation, through reading scripts, watching performers, listening to directors, it's like trying to piece together a giant big truth puzzle - one audition, one script, one scene, one film, one piece at a time. We have to find truth in whatever we're doing, making, creating, so others will believe it, and if they believe it, they'll feel something about it.  

   

Joel Simon (Animation Director)  

  Joel Simon is an animation director with 20 years’ experience in the animation industry who has worked on BAFTA and IFTA winning programmes for clients such as Comic Relief, BBC ONE, CBBC, Channel 4, Children In Need, Discovery and Sesame Street. He founded the animation studios Hola Lola and Flickerpix, directed multiple award winning TV series and short films such as MACROPOLIS, which formed part of the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad, the film has been selected by over 200 international film festivals, and won 17 awards. Joel regularly speaks at animation events and conducts animation workshops for organisations like the British Council and Cinemagic UK. What was the best piece of careers advice you ever received? Trust your creative instincts What do you enjoy most about your work? That part of the creative process when you finally see some beauty and cohesion emanating from you artwork, after a period of hitting your head against a brick wall... metaphorically speaking :)   

 

 

 

 

Brian Philip Davis (Editor)

 

Brian recently edited Bad Day for the Cut for director Chris Baugh. A revenge thriller starring Nigel O’Neill and Susan Lynch, which was selected for the 2017 Sundance Film Festival.

His other credits include Zoo, a family adventure starring Toby Jones and Penelope Wilton for writer/director Colin McIvor and The Cured, a post-zombie thriller starring Ellen Page. Written and directed by David Freyne and premiering at Toronto International Film Festival.

As well as feature films, Brian has cut over 20 short films in a wide variety of genres as well as TV dramas, documentaries and music videos.

What was the best piece of career advice you ever received? An editor is hired for their ability as a storyteller so don’t get obsessed or worried about the computer software you’re using. It’s just a tool like a pencil or paintbrush that helps create a world that you can play in.

What do you enjoy most about your work? The variety of projects and directors I collaborate with. This year I’ve ended up working with an elephant, a pair of priests, a wave of zombies and a Tyrone farmer out for revenge. I can’t say it’s been boring.

Gráinne McGuinness (Producer)  

 

 

Gráinne is the creator of ‘Pablo’ for CBeebies and RTÉJr, which launched in October 2017 to a storm of media praise for its timely portrayal of a smart little autistic character.

Gráinne was creator of preschool cookery series ‘Bia Linn’ for TG4 and Na Dulradóirí, a wildlife series for 8 – 12 year olds.

Gráinne holds a BA, Media Studies and an MA, Marketing from Ulster University, a PG Cert in Teaching Adult Learners and PG Cert in Computer Based Learning from QUB. She is kept well informed about kids’ content by her two small children.

 

What was the best piece of career advice you ever received? My father once said to me ‘If you don’t have experience of your own, use someone else’s’ There is so much in that – and I’m still doing it, learning every day. It’s about standing on the shoulders of giants so that you can get further quicker, saving your own energy for positive creativity. Smart, talented people have gone before us, made the mistakes and learned the lessons – it’s only good sense to try and not make the same ones. It’s a piece of advice that is all about good learning and teamwork and I love it. It’s what we are supposed to do as humans – build on the successes and learn from the mistakes of others to push our development as a human, creative team forward.

What do you enjoy most about your work? Without hesitation it’s the moment when a flash of an idea comes and you know, know that it’s a good one. It’s a very exciting thing and it’s following by the hard work of development and seeing your idea come alive. To have a commissioning editor or funder then agree with you and help you make it happen – it’s just about the best job in the world.

 Kitty Crawford (Games Producer and former MIA student)  

  I’m Kitty Crawford, a Games Producer operating in Belfast Northern Ireland. With 3 years’ experience, I’ve worked freelance with multiple companies in Northern Ireland and England, including Blackstaff Games, Boom Dash Digital, Boom Clap Games, Italic Pig, Inlifesize and more. I am also Chair of local association GamesNI, an organisation created to support game developing businesses in local and international awareness, skills and training, events and funding. Despite this being my main trade, I am also a multiskilled creative. I have been building websites for over 17 years, 10 of which have been commercial, worked in television as a researcher and camera operator for 4 years and continued to create videography. I’m also an educator, and have been running private and public workshops in everything from web to video to game design for the past 10 years. It all began in 2005 when I was lucky enough to be one of the first students to go through Moving Image Arts A level. I learnt an incredible amount in those 2 years, not just about the craft, but also about diligence, that I carried through to later life. After school, I completed a degree in web developing, at the time believing it was going to be my career. During that time, I did a placement at Hazelwood College where I had completed my A levels, working in the department assisting students with their projects. From my experience at Hazelwood, I decided to focus on video, and spent my final year rebranding a company from scratch, creating a website and promotional videos to go along with it. I graduated with a 1st, securing a job in web development that I left no more than a month after. I successfully secured a job at Waddell Media, the company I would work with for the next 4 years on documentaries and factual entertainment, all based on my video focus in my degree. In 2014 I left Waddell Media looking for a change. With very little plan, I took time to re-evaluate my professional life and gained the opportunity to explore game development. The combination of a love of games and my experience with Waddell Media, made me a perfect fit as a Producer. My path to where I am today is by no means a conventional one, but each step along the way has played an important role, including my time in Moving Image Arts; as it was its influence which lead me to TV, and then in turn to games. What is the best piece of career advice you ever received? Profession wise, I’d say networking. Creative industries are notoriously difficult to break in to and being known for who you are is just as important as what you do. Going to networking events and meetups in casual settings are one of the best ways to do this. Also finding someone who you could connect with to ask questions is a great way to learn and make connections. What do you enjoy most about your work? I’d say it’s a close call between getting to develop new game ideas, and the people I work with. Creative industries can attract some of the greatest people and I really love working with a team of passionate, dedicated individuals. That being said, nothing is more satisfying then coming up with new ideas and finding things that stick and are really fun to play.

Leo McGuigan (Filmmaker and former MIA student)

Leo McGuigan is a 22 year-old filmmaker, currently working in Northern Ireland. Leo attended St Malachy’s College, Belfast, where he studied Moving Image Arts at both GCSE and at A level and achieved an A* in both specifications. He was the top candidate overall at A Level, with his student films at AS and A2 coming first and second, respectively in the CCEA Showcases of 2012 and 2013. His western, “Cody” won the Cinemagic Young Filmmaker award in 2012. Leo was offered a place in the National Film School, Dun Laoghaire but opted to take the opportunity to develop his creative skills, by working on a number of film projects in Northern Ireland. In 2014-2015 Leo wrote the screen play for his first feature length film, “Braxton” which he went on to direct. In February 2016 “Braxton” was premiered to a full capacity cinema in the Belfast Film Festival. It also lifted first place in the Horror category at the Toronto Film Festival. Braxton is currently available on demand through platforms including Sky, Virgin Media and Amazon. Leo is currently in preproduction on his second feature length film and producing a number of projects set to move forward in the new year.

What was the best piece of career advice you ever received? Keep your creative integrity and maintain your determination to realise your intentions fully are two pieces of advice that have helped me greatly. You have to be true to your vision of how your work should look. You cannot allow your work to be compromised in terms of quality or the vision that you have for the final outcome.” What do you enjoy most about your work? Watching your own film screened to an appreciative audience that reacts exactly in the way that you hoped is an experience that cannot be equalled. Also the camaraderie of the whole crew on a film has to be experienced to be believed. Notwithstanding the blood, sweat and tears involved, the sense of achievement derived from the realisation of a creative piece of work is quite simply beyond compare.

Meghan Mc Ardle (Production Assistant and former MIA student)

 I first studied Moving Image Arts at GCSE and then again at A-level. Despite my Theatre studies and Moving Image Arts clashing for my full two years of A-level, I received the highest performance mark in Theatre studies and the highest mark in the year for Moving Image Arts. I was a participant in my local BFI Academy at the AMMA centre in Armagh and from that, was selected as one of the 66 young people from around the UK to go to the national academy at the National Film and Television School, Beaconsfield to be an editor on the short film, French Cricket (2014). I had the great privilege of working as a mentoring assistant on the BFI Academy in the Nerve Centre, Derry, just last year,during my final year of University. Shortly after completing secondary school, I was offered a place at University to study Cinematic Arts BSc, which I recently just graduated from in July with First Class Honours. I had my first taste of set-life on Cinemagic’s feature film, A Christmas Star (2015) as a ‘Trainee Documentary Director’. In the past two years alone, I have worked on over ten BBC productions and even got to travel to London to work at the NFL London Games. I have had the great pleasure of working closely with Stellify Media, who have just won two RTS awards last weekend for Beauty Queen and Single and for Solitary. For my final year university film I wrote and directed a short comedy film Take It From Me (2017) which was selected and screened at the Belfast Devour film festival and recognised by NI Screen I am now currently working for BBC Belfast for Nolan Live and am currently producing a short film, funded by NI Screen, to be filmed early in the New Year. What was the best piece of career advice you ever received? “Good manners will open doors that the best education cannot.” (Something that Brian Tufano, DOP of Billy Elliot, said in a talk he was giving.) What do you enjoy most about your work? Collaborating; there is something so wonderful about seeing the hard efforts of every department come together to create something that usually always exceeds the expectations you previously had.

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