Video projection on stage and student

Our Approach

All students on the Lighting Design, Design for the Stage and Production Lighting courses receive an introduction to video and digital media, by top practitioners including Jack Henry James and Louise Rhoades-Brown of Really Creative Media, Ana Jabares-Pita teaching video story-boarding, and freelance video designer Cate Blanchard.
 

Video projection on stage of lips above student performing

Embassy Shorts

The Embassy Shorts project provides an opportunity to play with video on stage for lighting and stage design students at the beginning of their second year. The project fosters interdisciplinary collaboration and exploration of creative skillsets in students, and the brief involves the creation, production and live performance of their work.

Video Design Roles on Public Productions

Central’s Public Productions offer up roles such as Video Designer, Animator, Video Programmer, and Production Video Chief. Storytelling lies at the heart of all this work, whether for scene-setting animation projected on a gauze, live writing as part of a post-modern re-working of As You Like It, or video mapping using Hippo and QLab in a re-telling of Dracula (pictured, below).

Student holding phone in low light, with image of face with red eyes on left side

Placements

Students can also use Central’s extensive contacts in the world of Video and Projection Design to gain placements, or to work on outside projects, building up experience and their video portfolio. Recent placement hosts include Really Creative Media, award-winning freelance video designer Nina DunnFray Studio and 59 Productions.

See Exhibitionism - Fray Studio

Music studio with instruments and image of Mick Jagger on one wall

Video Design Work Created by Students

As You Like It

Live writing as video image: a combination of techniques enables the lyrics to appear to be drawn live behind the singer, in this BA (Hons) Acting - Collaborative & Devised Theatre production at Central (2013). This was produced by 2nd year Lighting Design student Vincent Steenhoek, who went on to work for d3 (now disguise), and Marzio Piccetti.

Student performing in front of black wall with words 'Blow wind blow' written in white

‘13’

13

The stage floor for ‘13’ (2017) was animated by video projections created by student video designer Santiago Martinez in Adobe After Effects.

Students performing under coloured lighting design

Video Design by Graduates

Graduates have taken the video and animation skills learnt at Central on to the Concert Stages, for example producing video design for Jess Glynne and Two Door Cinema Club.

Others have gone on to work for video design companies including 59 Productions, disguise (previously d3 Technologies) and Really Creative Media. Roles include animator, associate designer, project manager and creative and technical support roles.

Recent projects they have been involved with include video mapping Bilbao’s Guggenheim museum with 59 Productions (see video) and content creation for the touring installation EXHIBITIONISM - THE ROLLING STONES for Fray Studio (founded by graduates Finn Ross and Adam Young).

See more examples of Video Design work by graduates Finn Ross and Adam YoungLeo FlintIain Syme and Virginie Serneels.

Lighting Design, BA

This course trains you in lighting design for theatre and live performance and develops the ability to make aesthetic and technical design choices. Investigate aspects of video and projection design, and be encouraged to make full use of automated lighting, video, projection, LEDs and other emerging technologies to help you become one of the leading practitioners of the next generation.

Find out more about Lighting Design, BA

Production Lighting, BA

The course trains students in the practical and managerial skills of realising performance lighting systems, video and projection. You will benefit from Central’s industry-focused research culture, which ensures your developing skills and experience are at the cutting-edge of knowledge and industry practice in theatre, live events and concert touring.

Find out more about Production Lighting, BA

Design for Performance, BA

Studying on the Design for Performance pathway of the BA (Hons) Theatre Practice course prepares you to work creatively and professionally as a set and costume designer. You receive intensive design training with industry-wide interaction, and collaborate with performers, directors, designers and production crews and engage with interdisciplinary processes and knowledge.

Find out more about Design for the Stage, BA

Scenography, MA/MFA

These courses offer a range of practical and innovative approaches to intersecting media and performance. Students work with a range of professional practitioners and researchers to explore audio-visual composition for the screen as well as the integration of media in live contexts (with a particular emphasis on live-feed video manipulation and projection using software such as Modul8 and Isadora).

Find out more about Scenography, MA/MFA

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