News Collywood! 10.07.2025

Collyer’s film and media students visited the renowned MetFilm School Brighton to take part in creating a short horror film with cinematography experts such as famous actress April Pearson, best known for her role as Michelle in the British television show ‘Skins’, and Jamie Patterson, filmmaker and co-founder of ‘Jump Start Productions’.

The students were eager to gain first-hand experience on set, and each took on a variety of roles such as directors and actors to produce an impressive sequence, telling the story of three young adults trying to survive in a zombie apocalypse.

Media student Erin Lobb said the event was, “A genuinely magical experience that really gave an amazing insight into what it would be like to work on a set”.

Stuart Andrews, Head of A-level Film Studies, said he was, “So thrilled that students had the opportunity to experience film making first hand. The facilities and expertise of the staff were out of this world!”

The trip to MetFilm School Brighton was extremely high quality. Student Jemima Robinson said: “The experience incorporated a number of immersive and fun filmmaking tools that I absolutely loved exploring”.

Thanks to this workshop, students were able to gain meaningful experience which will certainly aid them in the near future, as Creative Digital Media students are soon to be creating their own horror sequences as a part of their BTEC coursework.

Rebecca Moon, Head of Creative Digital BTEC Media, was delighted: “The workshop was an extraordinarily well-prepared session, engaging the students from the off with exciting industry experience!”

Collyer’s Deputy Principal Steve Martell said: “Huge thanks to Rebecca, Stuart, and all at the MetFilm School Brighton, for staging this wonderful educational opportunity for our talented students.”

The media and film departments are keen to organise a similar event like this next year.

Student Reporter Stephanie Do Carmo Gomes