Trainee in Focus 03: Colette Njoteh

This weeks 'Trainee' in Focus looks at Colette Njoteh, a current Film and TV Trainee and aspiring Director. We had a chat with her to find out more about her world!

What do you do?

I am an aspiring Director and Film and TV Trainee at ELAM. At the moment I am working on Music Videos for some Music Trainees, which has been really enjoyable. I am constantly drawing random things such as buildings, which gives me a lot of inspiration for Film Concepts. I also recently went to the BBC to check out their facilities. I wrote an article on my experience. It gave me a great insight into how I can help them in the future.

Why did you start Film and TV?

My passion for Film and TV started whilst taking pictures for my Art GCSE coursework. I loved how intimate and interesting these pictures where. They sparked a real interest in Film for me.

Also, my dad would take me to the cinema every weekend when I was younger. I always enjoyed these films and had a desire to make films that were similar. I now really enjoy portraying my visions through Film.

What are your aspirations?

I want to be a Successful Director. By that I mean I want to make films that make people laugh and make people happy. I want to give the audience a similar feeling that I had when my Dad took me the cinema. Hearing everyone laugh together is something I wish to recreate with my Films.

I would also love to  work on a Disney Film in the future as I absolutely love them!!

Trainee In focus 02: Lauren Metcalf

Our Next Trainee in Focus looks at Lauren Metcalf, an aspiring Concept Artist and current ELAM Trainee on the Games Design Course. We had a talk with her in order to learn more about her world:

What do you do?

"I am a Games Design Trainee at ELAM and an aspiring artistic director. I can always be find drawing in my sketchbook when I'm free as it is my passion.  I spend most of my time gaming, drawing, coding and looking after my pet snake. I have learned a lot about programming whilst being at ELAM which has helped my overall game massively."

Why did you start Games Design?

"I started Games Design solely because of one game, Bastian, by Supergiant Games. It was so beautifully designed! The sole reason why this game got me into game design and the reason why I'm in ELAM today is due to the art. It caught my eye and inspired me to be where I am today."

What are your aspirations?

"My aspirations are to work in the gaming industry as a Concept Artist or Artistic Director. I want to make games that inspire others and make people happy. I believe games to be another world, a place to enjoy yourself and de-stress. To be the one who creates these worlds that people can immerse themselves in is a dream of mine and one that I am determined to make a reality."

“ELAM has surrounded me with the perfect facilities and people to excel in the Games Design Industry”

— Lauren Metcalf

Play our Trainee's first prototype games now!

Play our Trainee's first prototype games now! They have only been here 3 weeks and this is the magic they have already been able to conjure! Click on a game below and play away!

Toku Ball- By Andrew Marmo

Stop Golf 1- By Nahid Uddin

Dap and the orb life- By Sheub Islam

Sylvia Young Theatre School visit a massive success!

Last Week we visited Sylvia Young Theatre school to speak to students about what ELAM has to offer. One student had this to say about the experience:

"'Last Thursday ELAM college came to speak to some interested students about what they have to offer. Their courses are Film & Media, Music and Games Design. The head and a former student who now works at ELAM came to speak about their courses and their past/present student successes which were incredible! The reason why ELAM is my first choice is due to how connected with the industry they are. It’s unbelievable to see how many big companies/record labels and artists support the college. Something else I loved was the work experience. If you’re on the music course for example, ELAM sends you to a company such as Warner Music, Universal, Sony etc to learn from and even be noticed by the best! Something I know all parents will be happy to hear is that it is compulsory to take maths or English A LEVEL, which I admit I’m sure will come in handy!'

A huge thank you to Sylvia Young, we thoroughly enjoyed being in your wonderful building, surrounded by such amazing students!

Star Wars Episode VIII title announced

It's official, the 8th film in the Skywalker saga will be called The Last Jedi, which will be released on December 15th 2017

The news was announced in a tweet from the official Star Wars account, which read: “It’s official. STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI is the next chapter of the Skywalker saga. This December.#TheLastJedi”

Read more here.

Rogue One's CGI resurrection tech: how 'ghosting' will change Hollywood

It’s already possible to be in two places at once in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as Benedict Cumberbatch proved during several out-of-body experiences in last year’s Doctor Strange. So the New York Post story that the Sherlock star has been replaced by a body double for the shooting of scenes as the sorcerer supreme in the forthcoming MCU instalment Avengers: Infinity War Part One should come as no shock. Moreover, with Rogue One: A Star Wars Story having shown you don’t even need to be alive to star in a new movie, we should hardly be surprised that an actor no longer has to be on set to get involved in a shoot.

Disney has denied that Cumberbatch’s performance will be superimposed over that of Broadway thesp Aaron Lazar, just as the late Peter Cushing’s features blanketed those of Holby City actor Guy Henry for Grand Moff Tarkin’s return in Gareth Edwards’ Rogue One. But the Post’s story reveals the brave new and rather scary world of ghosted performances that we now live in.

Cushing’s posthumous appearance in Rogue One was inspired by a determination to bring back as many fan favourites as possible from the original Star Wars – and perhaps, if we’re being cynical, the knowledge that morbid curiosity would help boost the box office receipts. It is hard to imagine that studios, particularly those struggling with the scheduling conflicts that always come into play when working with busy A-list talent such as Cumberbatch, won’t consider taking a similar route with still-living talent in the future.

Read the full article here