Open Day: Saturday 10 January

BA (Hons) Design for Theatre and Screen graduate, Brontë Mitchell, secured a place on ScreenSkills’s Trainee Finder programme less than a year after graduating in 2024. With paid placements and training, Trainee Finder gives a range of oportunities.

“I’ve had a couple of placements: In the summer I worked on a new Channel 4 comedy and have recently finished working on a children’s television programme, which were both great fun.”

“One of the most valuable things I’ve gained during the programme has been an understanding of how the art department works. I’ve been able to learn about and try most of the jobs in the art department to find out what I’m most passionate about. It’s been brilliant networking, I've met individuals who have been very generous with their knowledge and support. I’m excited to see where my career might take me.”

“Before I began university, I wanted to be an actor, writer and illustrator, but UCA’s foundation in art and design introduced me to Design for Theatre and Screen, and I couldn’t have picked a better course for me.”

Hosted and produced by UCA students who are studying Television Production, the event featured comedy legends that included Ed Bye, director and producer on Bottom, Red Dwarf, and Vicar of Dibley; Rob Grant, writer, director, and producer on Red Dwarf and Spitting Image; and Paul Jackson, director and producer on The Young Ones and The Two Ronnies.

“Working at Maidstone Studios alongside industry mentors gave me a huge confidence boost. It’s shown me that I can do this as a career, not just as a course project,” said Adam Birtwistle, first-year student.

Katarina Sengstaken, Senior Lecturer, said: “Working on Comedy Relics showed our students that they don’t just belong in the TV industry – they can lead it. By combining hands-on production experience with sustainability, they’ve gained the confidence, resilience, and awareness that today’s media landscape demands.”

Patrick Togher, a BA Hons Photography graduate, created ‘Under the Touch of Giants’. It consists of darkroom prints and photobook that are part of a wider academic and personal investigation into queer-male attraction and desire.

Mingyi Sung, a graduate of MFA Photography, has produced a body of work titled ‘Looking for Nirvana’. This photobook comprises of four unbound booklets that invites readers to immerse themselves in her inner world through themes of intimacy and the female experience.

Another MFA Photography graduate, Adam Isler’s was selected for his ongoing photography project ‘Modern Romance’. It delves into the emotional landscapes of couples grappling with the challenges of intimacy and isolation as they navigate their later years together. It was inspired by a street photo he took in New York, of a middle-aged couple having coffee together and staring past each other.