FBCI Technicians

Charlotte: "We are a team of Technical Instructors and Officers who have specialisms in Theatre and Drama, Music, Fashion, 3D model and set building, TV, Film and Radio, 2D digital design & Visual effects, Photography and Music. We work closely with the academic teams to keep courses up to date and ensuring students get the practical training needed to work in the creative industries."

Simon: "Our team teach and support students in learning a wide range of software and equipment, as well as how to use the variety of technical spaces in the building such as Media and Theatre spaces as well as Music, Fashion and Photography studios. We also have a wood workshop so students can build models, props and sets for their film, TV and Drama projects, and we lend our technical expertise to support events in the Theatre as well as on location."

Charlotte: "A typical day for our technical instructors mainly involves planning and teaching groups of students how to use a range of equipment, software and spaces needed to give students the skills needed to produce their work, and set them up for the real world. The officers mainly work on the equipment loans desk, handing out and taking back borrowed equipment, checking it’s all present and maintaining equipment where necessary.

Charlotte: "We spend a great deal of time ensuring studios and workshops are tidy and maintaining the equipment in these spaces, so they are in safe working order. We also have to ensure the equipment we have and techniques we teach are up to date and enjoy researching the latest advances the areas they support. We also support events at Cardiff Campus, working with external companies who hire our spaces or working the lights and sound in the Theatre for the event itself. We also help courses by constructing bespoke structures to display work at graduation shows. We’re a practical bunch who are always willing to help staff and students, and can turn our hand to most things!"

Charles: "It sounds like a cheesy thing to say, but enabling students to produce work has always been the very best part of the job; in one case for an MA Animation student, this was key to her getting her first professional animation job in games."

Gawain: "We're on the front line so we get to witness student progression, from first to third year. Teaching hands-on with a group of students is still the best part of the job.

Matthew: Seeing the end product of a student’s project. Supplying them with the equipment and providing little tips and tricks, becomes so rewarding when you see their projects, especially final media projects and graduate films. It’s also lovely to see/hear when students get job opportunities from the skills and knowledge they’ve learnt from our team."