East Sussex College students get behind the scenes at local film studio

Film and Game Development students from East Sussex College visited Fountain Digital Studios in Polegate to discover how professional studios produce films and TV adverts, and explore the technology behind the scenes.

Students from the College's Level 3 and FdSc degree courses, based at Ore Valley in Hastings, got a taste of the industry during a visit to Fountain Digital Studios, a new film production arm of the award-winning digital marketing agency based in Eastbourne.

The trip brought together first-year Level 3 Creative Media students and first-year FdSc Production in Film and Game students, who also had the opportunity to meet Fountain Digital Studios' founders, Danny Hazelgrove and Matt Derbyshire. The two filmmakers shared insights from their experience in the industry and gave students a chance to learn directly from the people behind the studio.  During the visit, students watched upcoming TV adverts being created in real time and had the chance to handle high-specification filming equipment, gaining a closer look at the tools and techniques used in professional production.

They also asked questions about the different stages of the filmmaking process, including what happens before filming begins, how sound is recorded and edited, and how production teams ensure the final film looks and sounds its best.

“I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and it was very enlightening,” said Lauren Rolfe, Level 3 Year 1 Creative Media Production student. “We were able to view their editing suite and how they created advertisements and short films for clients and then view them on the big screen.” Danny Hazelgrove, Co-Founder, Fountain Digital Studios, said, “It was a real pleasure to welcome the students from East Sussex College to Fountain Digital Studios and give them a behind-the-scenes look at how we bring our productions to life. It was great to show them around the studio, demonstrate the equipment we use and explain the whole creative process, from the initial idea through to producing the finished content for our clients.

“We also really enjoyed sharing the story of how we started the business, our journey so far and what it's like working in the industry. The students asked some fantastic questions, and it was brilliant to see their enthusiasm and interest in what we do. We're passionate about supporting the next generation of creative talent, so being able to share our experience and hopefully inspire a few future filmmakers was really rewarding.”

The visit also highlighted the creative industries on students' doorsteps, giving them the opportunity to learn from an award-winning local business. Fountain Digital, part of an established Eastbourne digital marketing agency, most recently picked up two awards at the Eastbourne Business Awards, recognising its work and success in the local business community. 

Mike Barlow, Lecturer of Game Development and Creative Media at East Sussex College, said: “Visits like this give students a valuable opportunity to see how the skills they're developing at college are used in the industry. Being able to see professional production in action, explore the equipment and ask questions helps bring their learning to life and gives them a better understanding of the opportunities available to them.”

Find out more about creative courses at East Sussex College and explore opportunities in film production and game development here: https://www.escg.ac.uk/search/?q=creative