College alumnus Ben Brown returns to inspire East Riding students
Thu 26th October 2017
Over 200 students from across the East Riding attended a talk at Parkway Cinema in Beverley by East Riding College alumnus Ben Brown.
Ben is now enjoying a successful career in the film and media industry and works for Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), famous for its work on blockbuster franchises such as Star Wars, Back to the Future and Jurassic Park.
The former East Riding College student studied Level Three Visual Effects for the Film and Broadcast Industries (VFX) before progressing to the University of South Wales in Cardiff. He was selected for an internship place with MPC (Motion Picture Graphics) in London and worked on films such as Wonder Woman, Pirates of the Caribbean 5 and Alien Covenant.
After achieving a first class degree, he has now gained a place on the prestigious graduate scheme at Industrial Light & Magic based in London.
Ben shared his learning journey with school pupils and College students, explaining the choices he faced - and the challenges and rewards - as well as presenting some material that he has worked on.
Ben said, “What I learned from my college course was pretty vital, as when I got to uni I knew more programs and process than some of my course mates, which helped me learn and understand techniques a lot faster and easier. It was important for me to come back and give an alumni talk as I’m just a normal lad from Beverley, and I want people to know that if they pursue their interests, they’ll be amazed where it can lead! I’m only just starting my career, and I would never have dreamed I would already have worked on three Hollywood films at this stage.”
Pupils from Bridlington School, Headlands School, South Holderness School and Winifred Holtby Academy joined East Riding College students at the Parkway Cinema. The talk is one of a series of alumni talks funded by the Federation of Regional Colleges for Engagement (FORCE), which is a regional network to raise aspirations and increase participation in higher education.
Ben’s talk was aimed at students with an interest in media, art, design and IT who may be interested in careers in the creative industries in sectors such as film, media and TV, which is a growing industry in the region as well as nationally.
Since Hull was confirmed as the host of City of Culture 2017 in 2013, investment of more than 1bn has flowed into the city, creating thousands of jobs. Hull 2017’s legacy puts culture and arts at the heart of Hull’s regeneration and Hull is one of the top 20 clusters of digital growth, with identified specialisms in software development and games design.
