Creative students at the University of Worcester will be showcasing their work to a wider audience than usual this year as they take their annual final year show online to overcome the current lockdown restrictions.
Creative Digital Media students, who would usually have marked the end of their time at the University with a special Final Degree Show, along with other Arts students, have collaborated with help from staff to bring about the virtual Future Vision exhibition. The website launches today (Friday, May 15), the same date that had been planned for the physical show.
Student Niall Higham, 23, said: "Pulling together as a course to achieve what we have in the circumstances has been a true highlight of my time at University. We've built an even better sense of community in this period of social distancing, which I know has been really helpful to myself and others in getting through it."
The exhibition features students with a range of skills and creative specialisms – from content designers to photographers, videographers to motion graphics designers, creative directors to sound designers. Their work covers photography, videography, sound, visual effects, motion graphics, web and social media content, and campaigns.
Preparation for the showcase originally began in January. The original concept was to build a physical ‘future vision’ of Worcester for people to experience in-person, with interactive light and soundscapes, projection mapping, and shop-like displays for each student to present their work within. But, when lockdown looked highly likely, students and staff decided to drastically change the approach. The students adapted their plans to build a website, using the future vision concept as a base. Every student has a page of their own, with a digital showreel, stills, profiles and links to their personal promotion sites and social media. Normally small teams would be responsible for elements of the show like brand, theme, design, photography and videography, promos, web, catalogue and social media. The students adapted their roles to fit a virtual show and the teams have been meeting regularly online to discuss progress.
Student Petra Sobotkova, 20, said: "The privilege of the traditional, physical exhibition has been replaced with the most memorable experience of solid teamwork, digital resourcefulness and creativity to generate a show with as much potential and excitement as the real thing. The virtual show has confirmed our innovative and modern perspectives as well as our status as true 'future visionaries'."
Helen Holmes, Senior Lecturer and Course Leader, Creative Media, said: “I’m so proud to have worked with our Class of 2020, to see them develop over the last three years and to help them prepare for employment in the creative industries. The students really showed their professionalism and adaptability in a very difficult time by stepping up their plans and embracing the opportunity to take the Show online and adopt the campaign to purely digital. I’m looking forward to following their careers in the years to come, and to welcome them back as alumni.”
Image: Photography by Ellie Mayner called Look through Life with Rainbow Coloured Eyes – credit Ellie Mayner