Unit Six – ‘Being a Producer‘ is taught this term; and then students go straight on to their Unit Seven projects, which can centre on professional work and / or secondments to arts organisations.
Unit Six – ‘Being a Producer’ The emphasis this term is on practical issues confronting the producer. The backbone was a series of Julius Green classes on the professional producer’s working life. His guests included director Joe Harmston. In addition Rachael Stevens & Natalie Macaluso took a series of in depth sessions on how to identify aims and goals as a professional producer.
The term began with a frank and inspiring session with Kerry Michael, TRSE’s Artistic Director, who gave us an overview of TRSE and glimpses into an exciting future.
Other specialist tutor-practitioners included
• Jackie Elliman (ITC) - Company Formation & Intellectual Property
• Jenny Williams - Diversity in Creative Practice
• Rachel Tackley - Director English Touring Theatre
• Judith Hibberd - Festival work, particularly Spymonkey's OEDIPUSSY
• Chloe Dear - Iron Oxide
• Laura Kriefman - Clore Fellowship
Andrew McKinnon also took a number of classes on relevant topics and had several solo teaching sessions with each student. A full student assessment was held during the term for Unit Four, and there was also a ‘part-assessment’ for Unit Six.
Very kind invitations from Bill Kenwright Ltd allowed students to attend closed dress rehearsals of STARLIGHT EXPRESS and a performance of David Edgar’s WRITTEN ON THE HEART at the Duchess Theatre.
The teaching term culminated in two exceptional events.
First, after touring Graeae’s terrific building in Kingsland Road, we met Jenny Sealey (Artistic Director) and Judith Kilvington (Executive Producer). Unbelievably, Jenny took time out of her Olympic Schedule to give us a truly inspiring talk about her work. We then also met Deepa Shastri (who has worked as a producer with Stagetext, LOCOG and DaDa) who gave us an in-depth session on Access issues.
Then ... we all descended on the Phoenix Arts Club for a final reception with students, ex-students and tutors – a great way to end our final day of teaching.
Unit Seven – ‘The Producer and Producing'
For their final project, students this year are seconded to, or working at, a wide range of professional arts organisations and projects, including
Crying Out Loud
Finborough Theatre
Fuel
Headlong
Jeremy Goldstein Ltd
David King Ltd
Lightning Ensemble
Renaissance One
Untitled Projects (Scotland)
Students return to Birkbeck in late September for two days of final assessments.
The ‘class of 2012’ handbook will be available in August ......
... and in the meantime a new cohort of students for 2012-13 is being assembled ..... applications are still being accepted!!
