Jon Bourne

Film and Video Production Technology at Surrey stuck out to me as one of very few places where I could use knowledge from my three A-level subjects (Media, Physics and Maths) and continue applying and developing these skills. 

During secondary education I wanted to be a film editor and spend the rest of my life in the creative industries, however after digging deeper into Electronics at GCSE, then later Physics and Maths at A-level, I wanted to find a way to apply my technical mind to a creative craft that I also found enjoyable. 

I’ve enjoyed our work on networking and coding in C during Semester 1 of Year 2, as well as studying broadcasting and TV/IP transmission and the paths that future technologies are taking the industry – it’s fascinating to see what’s coming next!

I was the also Production Assistant for 2019’s Strictly Come Surrey programme amongst several hundred students, and was responsible for timekeeping for the show – definitely out of my comfort zone at first but it was an excellent way to use new facilities and develop our industry knowledge! 

If you are considering applying to the course, take a look at the module information on the website – this is not your typical filmmaking course and has a far greater engineering orientation that you don’t often find elsewhere. 

What’s lovely with such a small intake is that we have really personal relationships with the academic staff – everyone’s known by name and lecturers can easily tailor aspects of their teaching to what the class benefits from most. Personal tutorials are excellent for pastoral support as well as individual feedback and support with current or past assignments.

"What’s lovely with such a small intake is that we have really personal relationships with the academic staff – everyone’s known by name and lecturers can easily tailor aspects of their teaching to what the class benefits from most."

We have access to a modern television studio with newly installed fibre links into the Performing Arts Technology Studios and University Hall from which we can conduct our broadcasting, as well as multiple edit rooms with Creative Cloud, Media Composer, Pro Tools and more industry standard software – many of these are accessible 24/7. Additionally, our stores area hosts a wide range of microphones, cameras and other equipment to aid with our coursework and personal projects.

My greatest achievement so far this year is definitely finding a Professional Training placement I’m happy with – I will be working in a broadcast engineering focused position at The Walt Disney Company in Chiswick. The application process wasn’t easy but with the help of friends, family and staff I was fortunate enough to be awarded the position. I had several personal tutorials with staff to make my application the best it could be and was given lots of advice for interview techniques, too. 

"My greatest achievement so far this year is definitely finding a Professional Training placement I’m happy with – I will be working in a broadcast engineering focused position at The Walt Disney Company in Chiswick."

Though I’d thought more about engineering careers after finding the course, it was only once I settled in here and became immersed in the subject that I decided my long-term goal was not for a creative position, but for a technical one. Many of the skills on the course are transferable to other engineering and/or creative fields and so even if I did want to branch out in terms of a career, I’d definitely have a lot of options.

The Stag Hill campus is in an excellent position in Guildford – Tesco and the town centre are both a 15-minute walk away. There’s plenty to do both in town and on campus – having London so close makes the occasional visit really easy too! 

I lived in Surrey Court for my first year and, although it seemed scary at first, I enjoyed being able to have my own space but also engage with my flatmates. Being on campus was great as I could get to my lectures within minutes and host people for lunch or dinner whenever. 

I attend the Christian Union weekly as well as leading events during the week for new students. Getting stuck into a society is invaluable and is where I’ve made some of my closest friends. It’s also a great way to find people to live with outside of your course or flat, and a great way to find people to collaborate on future projects with!

"Since I started at Surrey I’d say I have grown more mature in my academic skills as well as my knowledge and confidence with equipment and software".

Since I started at Surrey I’d say I have grown more mature in my academic skills as well as my knowledge and confidence with equipment and software. This has made me more confident in helping and guiding others, as well as continuing my own research into subjects of interest.

My advice to other students would be make the use of the facilities available to you, have fun and don’t be afraid to ask for help!

Discover more about our music and sound recording programmes, including our Film and Video Production Technology course.