Salford offers tips and prizes at North West Student Awards 2019

The University of Salford enjoyed a successful night at the North West Student Television Awards. Film-makers from the university won four of the main prizes – Animation, Comedy and Entertainment, News, and Short Feature – and another Salford student, Josh Davies, took home the Editing Craft award.

Manchester Metropolitan University students won the Drama and Camera awards, while the Factual award went to the University of Bolton. Manchester School of Art’s Chelsea June Hicks won the Production Design award.

“It is so important to recognise the emerging talent in the industry,” said Richard Frediani, Chair of the RTS North West Student Television Awards. “The winners and nominees this year demonstrated the exceptionally high standard of work which continues to be produced across the North West.”

The ceremony at the Lowry Theatre, Salford, in February was hosted by Granada Reports presenter Ann O’Connor and included an interview with Lucy Fallon, who talked about playing Bethany Platt in Coronation Street.

Earlier in the day, RTS North West hosted an afternoon-long student media conference at the same venue. In the first session, “Spotlight on drama jobs”, Coronation Street senior production manager Lee Rayner and Red Production Company script editor Laurie Kirkham offered insights into working in the genre.

They were followed by a panel from documentary-maker Title Role Productions, which discussed how to find programme contributors. The indie made Channel 5’s Manchester Terror Attack: In Their Own Words, which won the Regional Story prize at last year’s RTS North West Awards. When working with contributors, emphasised the panel, “be decent, upfront and transparent”.

Tom Clarke from Manchester’s Space Studios offered advice on how to bridge the gap between young people and employment, including apprenticeships. He also discussed opportunities at SharpFutures, a social enterprise that helps young people into employment in the creative sector. ITV’s Cold Feet and Sky 1 street-racing drama Curfeware just two recent productions shot on Space Studios’ stages.

The final session, on breaking into TV, covered a wide range of questions, from the technical aspects of production to CV writing. It was hosted by Margaret Burgin from ScreenSkills, the screen industries’ skills body, and included panellists from the BBC Academy and factual indie Blakeway North.