As part of the festival’s 'Creative Futures' programme, the trip gave students the opportunity to explore the many career paths available behind the scenes in film, discover routes into the industry and hear first-hand advice from people working in the sector.

There were plenty of highlights throughout the day! Andy from 'Arch Model Studio', the puppet director behind Fantastic Mr Fox, gave a fascinating insight into the art of puppeteering, explaining how he sculpted and created the film’s characters from rough sketches sent by director Wes Anderson. He also brought along some brilliant props from 'Isle of Dogs', giving students a glimpse into this often-overlooked area of filmmaking.

Tommy Shackles from 'Digital Orchard' shared practical advice on breaking into the film industry, from set etiquette and tailoring CVs for practical production roles to gaining valuable experience. He even offered students the opportunity to send him examples of their work!

The afternoon featured talks from Chris Andrews, writer and director of 'Bring Them Down', starring Barry Keoghan, and 'Girls in Film' ('The Dreamers'), exploring opportunities and experiences for women and non-binary individuals entering the film industry.

It was fantastic to see students engaging with the speakers and gaining a broader understanding of the creative industries, including careers beyond acting and directing.

Here's what some of our students had to say:

Phillip (Y13): “I really enjoyed the speakers, particularly the Director Chris Andrews who wrote and directed 'Bring Them Down' starring Barry Keoghan because the film looked really intriguing and he gave us funny advice about breaking into the film industry.”

Charlie (Y13): “The puppeteering company 'Big Arch Studios' brought some really cool props from their film 'Isle of Dogs' and it gave me insight into the ins and outs of an often overlooked industry. I myself am considering going into animation if I can pull a few strings.”

 Alexus (Y11): “It was a really fun day and I learned loads of things about what goes on behind the scenes in filmmaking. I really hope we can do trips like this again.”

Yoan (Y13) reported: “I thought the trip was useful because it gave us a chance to speak with people actively involved in the media industry and hear their experience and advice. It provided a broad overview of all aspects of the media industry which was really useful rather than being a narrow focus and allowed me to have a better view of the media industry and what I could do in it. The guests were very informed and knowledgeable, they were also very friendly.”

Experiences like this are a brilliant way to help students build confidence, explore future study and career pathways, and feel inspired by the possibilities within the creative industries.