Level 3 Creative & Digital Media student shines behind the scenes on Sky One’s ‘Brassic’

Residents of Warrington recently rubbed shoulders with the stars as the filming of the much-loved Sky One comedy, Brassic, continued in Orford Park. Amongst the excitement, in the middle of it all was Level 3 Creative & Digital Media student Jan-Willem Venema from Warrington & Vale Royal College who was able to secure a coveted position working on set.

The college, fondly known to local young people as “Your Career College”, prides itself on providing students with numerous high-quality interactions with key industry employers. Working hard to create these experiences are the college’s Industry Placement Team and Business Centre Managers, who are a driving force in the college’s innovative, career-centric approach to education.

Through a close connection with Warrington’s Chamber of Commerce, Business Centre Manager for the college’s multi-million-pound Advanced Creative & Digital Skills (ACDS) Academy, Stephanie Doyle, found out about the upcoming opportunities to work on this major production. Jan, who is one of the college’s gifted student ambassadors and an aspiring camera operator, was approached to consider submitting an application due to his well-renowned work ethic and passion for all things media.

Jan sent an impressive CV to the location manager, along with a reem of glowing recommendations from his college tutors, and was quick to receive a call inviting him to assist with the filming. As his first paid role in the sector, Jan was thrilled to get involved with all aspects of life on set, gaining invaluable experience shadowing the assistant producer, chatting with members of the cast and crew, all while working with the location manager to control the variables on set and assuring the quality of filming.

After just two days of filming, Jan had left a lasting impression on his colleagues, and has since been offered other work in studios in Manchester and the surrounding areas on upcoming TV projects. Reflecting on this lucrative experience, Jan said:

“Working on Brassic has felt like the first step towards making my dream career in the TV and film industry a reality and it has really put into perspective just how well my course has prepared me for the real world of work.

“I felt comfortable while working on the project, as I was familiar with much of the equipment from the TV studio at college and my course has given me plenty of insight into what working on a live set would be like. It was really exciting and I am so glad I had the chance to get involved.”

Due to high demand, school leavers who are considering a future at Warrington & Vale Royal College are encouraged to apply for September 2024 as soon as possible to avoid waiting lists on GCSE results day.

To find out more about the exciting range of courses and state-of-the-art facilities available at the college’s new ACDS Academy, please click the button below.