Since 2006 we’ve seen thousands of students inspired by workshops, lectures and demos by creative industry professionals at our Industry Week event. Industry Week swaps regular timetables with unrivalled access to some of the top names from the TV & Film, Games, Music and Design Industry. Industry Week began with a handful of guests and has grown to become an essential and exciting week dedicated to the industries our students aspire to work in.
As the countdown to Industry Week 2017 continues, let’s look at some of the best moments over the past decade…
When we had Cassetteboy on stage…
Cassetteboy walked onto the stage at Industry Week 2015 wearing matching Cassette Tape headpieces to maintain their anonymous image. Well known for making the Prime Minister rap Eminem’s track ‘Lose Yourself’, which became a viral sensation overnight, they spoke to the students about their story, from “early tape days” to 5m hits on YouTube and developing projects for TV. Cassetteboy have been producing comedy together for over 20 years. They spoke to a packed audience of Confetti students during Industry Week, taking it in turns to deliver a hilarious presentation.
When Professor Green opened up…
Professor Green took students through his music industry career at Industry Week 2015, offering insights into his success and passing on the advice learned throughout his years as a musician. He started off by explaining how he got into music through rap battles, before sharing with our students his personal life which touched on his battle with depression. Green finished his talk by giving some good advice to our aspiring musicians, explaining that it’s vital to ‘always keep contacts’ and also to ‘be ready for some rejection’.
When the father of Glastonbury came to town…
Michael Eavis is the founder of the world’s largest greenfield festival – Glastonbury – and he came to Industry Week in 2013 to give our students an unforgettable talk. Our students got to learn about how Glastonbury started and what influenced Michael to pursue the venture that has made him so successful today. Our students not only discovered his musical influences, but also learnt how advancements of technology has helped the festival evolve – visuals are just as important as the audio!
When Nottingham’s BAFTA award-winning actress inspired us all…
Nottingham’s famed BAFTA award-winning actress Vicky McClure captivated an audience of film and TV students with her behind the scenes stories of working on dramas such as Shane Meadows’ This Is England and working for Madonna. She was an inspiring and motivating speaker and gave students valuable insight into the mechanisms of film and television drama.
When we had Cineworld’s most famous employee on stage…
Best known for his roles in Skins, This is England ’86 and Game of Thrones – Joe Dempsie is an undisputed Nottingham success story. But what our students didn’t expect was when Joe spoke about his part-time job at Cineworld in the Cornerhouse. He joked it was his intention to watch loads of films, but after a 10-hour shift and a lot of popcorn, he just wanted to go home. The audience loved Joe – from him starting to act at The TV Workshop aged 13, all the way through to his career in Game of Thrones, plus his future ambitions – our students heard it all.
When Sleaford Mods explained their choice of lyrics…
Known for their electronic minimalist punk-hop rants for the working class, the Notts born Sleaford Mods’ hits include ‘Straight outta Nottz’ and ‘The Corgi’, and all of their music has a strong anti-establishment vibe, borne out of the first-hand experiences of the band. Frontman Jason Williamson came to Industry Week 2015 to talk about the history behind the Sleaford Mods and why it’s important to stay true to your own sound. He spoke about emphasising social dialogue and explained that it’s important to highlight relatable issues – “The UK’s seen huge cuts to the welfare system and basic services and I’ve had first-hand experience of what those cuts mean to real people. On a lighter side, we like to see the humour in situations. From going to the shop in your pyjamas to hanging out on the back of a bus, it’s stuff that everyone can relate to.”
When Will Kennard spoke about discovering the ‘Wall of Death’…
Students got the opportunity to get up close and personal with one half of the electronic duo from Chase & Status as Will Kennard gave a Q&A session at Industry Week 2016. Our students learned how Will became obsessed with music without even realising it – being blown away when a friend showed him how to mix two songs. He also shared his time playing a support slot at the Warrior’s Dance Festival with Plan B, where half-way through the set, the rapper separated the crowd, and encouraged a wall of death – it was crazy!
When our students met the co-founder of Dungeons & Dragons…
Ian Livingstone co-founded iconic games company Games Workshop in 1975, launching Dungeons & Dragons in Europe and the Games Workshop retail chain. Our students were inspired by him and his talk at Industry Week 2016 which included how he started Games Workshop, his important career tips in the gaming industry, and how it’s important to put kids in front of computers.
When Andy Rogers inspired our students in his workshop…
Andy is a Senior Producer of Live Music for BBC Radio 1 but also a Confetti supporter and Industry Week favourite. Students were invited to his workshops to learn about the technical aspect of radio, as well as informing local musicians on how to acquire the knowledge, skills and contacts they need to succeed.
When Ned Dowd spoke about Mel Gibson…
Ned Dowd is a former actor and current film producer whose best known for his work on Apocalypto, The Last of the Mohicans and King Arthur. During his seminar he was able to give insight into his journey from actor to producer, as well as some handy advice for aspiring film producers. He also shared his memories working with Mel Gibson who directed Apocalypto, giving some amazing behind-the-scenes anecdotes in the process.
When Hollie spoke about the perks of working for PlayStation…
PlayStation Community Manager Holly Bennett took to the stage and spoke about her various roles during her time at the company, as well as starting her career as a midwife! Our students learned about some of the amazing things she was involved in, including driving an F3 car for Project Cars, banqueting in Stirling Castle in Scotland for Witcher Wild Hunt and having lunch on top of the Space Needle while visiting Bungie. At the time the PS4 was launching so our students were lucky enough to hear a bit more about the console before it was released!
When our students learned how to create Shaun the Sheep…
Aardman Animations, the four time Oscar-winning studio behind Wallace and Gromit, came to Confetti and gave workshops, teaching our students about the art of animation. Many of our students came out with the know-how to create a Shaun the Sheep out of Plasticine, as seen in the image. If you’ve seen any claymation appear from Confetti you’ll know what inspired it!
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