STUDENT-LED CREATIVE AGENCY
Case study:
The University of Winchester’s student-led creative agency
CASE STUDY
How the University of Winchester is creating a student-led video production agency to foster real-world learning and industry access to talent.
Project: A student-led creative agency
Collaborating Organisations: Film production professionals, clients, and agencies
Project Timescales: Ongoing
Combining its industry-experienced teaching team, and the new generation skills of its students, the University of Winchester is launching a student-led creative agency initially specialising in video production. The agency will enable students to gain direct experience within the industry and a comprehensive understanding of how a business in the sector operates, and the film industry will gain early access to future creative talent in this outstanding example of education and business knowledge exchange (KE).
The University of Winchester’s Research and Development Team
Jake Hawkins is an alumnus of the University of Winchester, who since graduating in 2008, has founded his own video company, Red Red Video, specialising in 3D motion design and animation.
Jake is passionate about embracing new technology and his company is currently producing several immersive experiences
for businesses using Unreal Engine and MetaQuest VR. Jake started working with the University in 2022 as a visiting lecturer to teach specialist subjects, and his passion for helping students work in the industry has led him to join the University’s teaching team for the Film Production degree.
Using his industry insight, Jake is able to introduce students to the latest developments in cinematic and content creation and is now spearheading the launch of a student-led creative agency.
Project Overview
Stemming from the teaching team’s industry experience and the hands-on nature of the video production degree, the University of Winchester is developing a student-led creative agency. Initially offering video production services, the idea is that it will build into a full-service and self-funding creative agency, pulling in designers and photographers. The agency will be entirely student-led with the support of lecturers and industry professionals.
What we did
CREATIVE AGENCY
Some of the students are phenomenally talented which is supremely beneficial for agencies in accessing the next generation of talent. The production level of what the students are putting out now is incredibly good – it’s broadcast standard
The concept is in its early stages, but it is already up and running and providing services to clients. A recent production was a shoot at the University of Winchester for TEDx run fully by a student team.
Jake explains, “The recent TEDx shoot was a completely student-run team. They led the whole thing – they met with the clients, did the meetings, and ran the whole shoot – it was fantastic. The goal is to work with more clients to get the students working and getting proper experience.”
Partnerships
Because the agency will be a commercial entity, it will be partnering with external clients as well as its network of industry professionals – including directors, producers, editors, visual effects artists, and other agencies – providing expertise and knowledge for the students.
An example of one of those partnerships was coordinated by course leader Rob Ferrin, with postproduction house Halo visiting the University to review the students’ work and to stay in touch with the students once they graduate.
Project Challenges
Working with a lot of stakeholders can pose challenges in decision-making and delivering to timeframes. On a personal level, Jake is also balancing the need to be available to support the students without stepping on their toes and hindering their experience.
Jake explains, “A challenge for me personally, is taking a backseat. I’m very much about giving the students the experience, but I naturally want to get involved and support them. Every time I intervene, it’s a bit of experience that they’re losing out on.”
What we did
Project Impact
The project is at an early stage of development and has yet to formalise KPIs but these are likely to include income generation and building up a database of the students who have been involved. Such a database will be beneficial to the industry in accessing talent, to the students in accessing opportunities, and to the University in assessing how graduates progress professionally.
Jake explains, “There’s a great community where all year groups of students collaborate. It’s a very cohesive group and I think that’s down to the way that it is taught and the values that the University has in terms of the film production department being very much about collaborative experience.”
Best Practices
The project stems from enabling students to access work experience in a field that is hands-on and in a commercial way,
overcoming the expectation that students should work for free. Making it a formal process, and run as a proper production company, professionalises the process for both the students and the clients.
Future Prospects
The agency already has some good clients like TEDx, so the aspiration for the near future is to continue working with brands and companies to deliver more of that work.
Alongside delivering the work, the agency is working on its own branding and website before it launches formally.
Jake believes, “What makes the University of Winchester’s film production degree different is that because it covers such a diverse range of film production aspects – like script writing, sound, screenwriting, cinematography – it generates a collection of very capable students and I think that’s really special.”
We want to ensure that the students get paid for their time. They’re learning the craft, they’re putting in time, they’re good at what they do, and they need to get paid. When there’s a monetary value attached to something it’s a transaction as opposed to a favour and the students get genuine experience in a much more professional way
Jake Hawkins, University of Winchester
For further information please contact the Research and Innovation team on collaborate@winchester.ac.uk
RESEARCH AND INNOVATION
University of Winchester, Sparkford Road, Winchester, Hampshire, SO22 4NR
winchester.ac.uk
Tel: +44 (0) 1962 841515