BA (Hons) in Live Visual Design and Production

Specially designed to move with the trends of modern events, the Backstage Academy Live Visual Design and Production BA (Hons) course is widely regarded as a trailblazer within the live events industry.

Live production is an increasingly prominent market, and our full-time, three-year course has been sculpted alongside high ticket industry firms such as d3 Technologies, FIX8Group, Green Hippo, PRG XL Video and Panasonic in order to nurture promising students into industry-ready professionals.

The course leader is none other than Shannon Harvey, an inspiring US-born industry stalwart whose client list includes brands such a Louis Vuitton, Heineken, Jaguar, and Nike, working on projects that continue to take him around the world. His knowledge, vision and infectious passion for the future of visual production makes this course truly unique, presenting students with a conveyor belt of new challenges in line with the ever-changing landscape of the professional industry.

Alongside their studies, students are afforded the chance to live the life of a successful visual production professional and should expect to travel themselves during their time at Backstage Academy. In fact, course projects and paid placements have taken students as far as Prague and Taiwan in recent months and plans are afoot for more international work experience in 2016.

Alongside the incredible opportunities this course offers during your years with us, Backstage Academy is all too aware of the importance of the end goal and pride ourselves on nurturing highly qualified, industry-ready graduates who are fully prepared for the everyday challenges of work in the world of visual production. Our close working relationships with a number of large companies within the industry give our graduates unrivaled access to graduates roles closely aligned with their ambitions.

Qualifications are fully validated by the University of Bolton and information about each of our exciting modules can be found below.

Why Study This Course?

Live Visual Design and Production BA (Hons) has been created to meet increasing employer demands for skilled visual professionals within the live events and creative industries. The course content has been developed in conjunction with a range of industry partners including d3 Technologies, FIX8Group, Green Hippo and XL Video to meet the needs of this exciting and fast-moving industry. This is a growing market with today’s live events becoming ever more visual, artistic and complex as advances in new technology create fresh possibilities within lighting and video. As a visual production specialist, you will be able to take a project through from concept and design to delivery on site in a variety of settings including, festivals, shows, stadium tours and art installations. This requires a combination of skills, which draw upon those taught in traditional subjects such as design, art, photography, content design, event management, multi-media, physics, graphics and lighting design.

Careers

The knowledge and skills you acquire on this course will be transferable across a range of industries, from live music, theatre, and opera, to film and TV, and architectural installations. You will graduate with the ability to produce impressive lighting and video visuals using the latest techniques, making you highly employable for a career in visual production. Graduates are already in high demand for Production, Manufacturer, and Equipment Hire companies worldwide. Working as freelancers or as direct employees these individuals are already exceeding employment expectations.

Modules

Year 1:

• Professional Skills for the Visual Production Industry
• Visual Production Toolbox Basic Techniques
• Concept Discovery and Development
• Experiential Technologies – Design
• Experiential Technologies – Hardware
• Showtime Basics

Year 2:

• Industry Placement
• Visual Production Toolbox – Content
• Creative Research
• Show Technologies
• Contemporary Issues for Visual Production

Year 3:

• Visual Production – Design
• Experiential Technologies – System Design
• Showtime Applied Project Management
• Work-Related Project
• Major Project

Assessment

As well as traditional lectures, seminars and tutorials your learning will be enhanced with visits from guest speakers and masterclass seminars from industry experts, international case studies, workshops and more importantly opportunities to work on live projects as part of both practical modules and work placement; giving you unique insights and a thorough understanding of the visual production industry operating in international markets and in a range of sectors. Assessment is via a range of methods, from developing a portfolio of your work and skills to practical assessment and research projects.

Admissions Criteria

For 2017 entry

You would normally have five GCSE’s at Grade C and above, to include passes in English Language, Maths, and Science. In addition, you would:

Either have 104 UCAS points from at least two A levels in any subject, or BTEC National qualifications in Creative & Digital Media, Productions Arts (Theatre Technology), or similar.

Or if you do not have 104 UCAS points, but have a minimum of two years relevant industry based experience, together with a portfolio of creative work (photography, animation, production design or similar) then we may still be able to offer you a place subject to you completing a diagnostic assessment and attending an interview.

If English is not your first language you will need IELTS 6.0 or equivalent.

How To Apply

Applicants are advised to carefully read all the important information about applying for a place at Backstage Academy before applying and accepting any offer. This may be found on our partner University’s website by clicking here – www.bolton.ac.uk/Admissions

Applications are normally made via UCAS. When completing your UCAS application, please give special consideration to your personal statement, as this is the primary basis upon which we select applicants. Special consideration will be given to those without the necessary academic qualifications, but who are able to demonstrate relevant practical experience. We may additionally invite you to attend an interview. Our interview process is relaxed and informal; it’s your chance to tell us all about your experiences, ask any questions and for us to make sure the course is right for you. We try to make sure that current students are on hand to discuss their experience of the course with you.

Applications for this year

Please apply through UCAS (the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service) for September entry.

The online application form and guidance notes are available on the UCAS website.

You can apply for up to five courses through UCAS (at the same or different institutions) for a fee of £23. Alternatively, if you only wish to apply for a single course at a single institution then a reduced applicant’s fee of £12 is applicable.

You will need the following information to complete your UCAS application form:

• Institution Code Name: BOLTN
• Institution Code Number: B44
• Course Code: W990

Applications for next year onwards

Please register your interest and we can send you information about open days, updates on the course and information about how and when to apply.

Miscellaneous

Award: BA (Hons) UCAS Code: W990 Mode of Attendance: Full time Duration: Three years Start Date: 25th September 2017 Location: Unity Works & Production Park

Backstage Academy is where live industry learns. It’s everything that goes into creating live experiences, at the heart of where it all happens. It’s learning from people who have actually done it. It’s learning on a campus where some of the world’s biggest tours and productions are made and staged.

It’s walking amongst the designers, artists, technicians, producers and managers that are the best in the business. It’s getting your hands on cutting-edge equipment and technology that’s used by the industry. You end up with something far more valuable than a qualification on a piece of paper. This is not a testing ground, a mock experience or a simulation. This is the start of your incredible career in the live events and creative industries.