Production Futures: NRG Goes Pangea

NRG Goes Pangea

TPi chats to the students brought in by Arcadia for its latest Glastonbury spectacular.

Robe UK’s Ian Brown, NRG’s Jake Paige, Jasmine Williams, & Arcadia’s Dorian Cameron-Marlow.

For the second year running, Robe’s NRG (Next Robe Generation) teamed up with Arcadia, this time offering two NRG crew members the opportunity to work on Pangea - Arcadia’s brand new Glastonbury installation.

Jasmine Williams (recently graduated from RWCMD), and Jake Paige (studying at Rose Bruford) travelled to Somerset for a roller coaster of a production experience as an integral part of the Arcadia team. Arcadia’s Technical Production Manager Dorian Cameron-Marlow explained why they reached out to students engaged with the NRG initiative. “A huge part of our ethos is about supporting the next generation - keeping fresh energy and ideas flowing, maintaining a cycle of opportunity, and exploring new ways to co-operate. Robe’s NRG is such a great programme and we want to do what we can to encourage that kind of thinking across the industry.”

“This was an incredible opportunity to work on one of the most creative installations at Glastonbury,” commented Williams. “I learnt more than I could have imagined and working on such a large-scale project has provided me with a wealth of knowledge and understanding which I can take forward in my career. The Arcadia crew were fantastic – pushing me, taking the time to help me learn new ways of working, enabling me to better judge what is required in a pressurised environment, working at a

faster pace and how to balance work and play! The experience has built my confidence and increased my passion for working on innovative, creative projects that challenge limits and provide a unique experience for crew and festival-goers alike.”

Paige agreed: “I’ve engaged with NRG initiative since I started my course – and without NRG I wouldn’t have grown into the person I am now and these amazing opportunities would never have been accessible to me at this stage in my studies. I’ve taken so much wisdom and knowledge away with me as a result of being on site for three weeks with Arcadia. It’s been incredible to see all the backstage workings of a huge festival at this stage in my career.”

Cameron-Marlow summed up having NRG crew members on his team. “Working with students who are part of the NRG programme over the past two years has been a pleasure. All of the students have been very talented, hard-working and eager to learn with a keen eye for detail. They all have strong futures ahead and I am certain our relationship with Robe and the NRG will continue as Pangea evolves organically over the next few years.” TPi Photos: Robe and Lukonic Photography www.robe.cz www.arcadiaspectacular.com