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Media School Practitioners in Residence

From left to right: Serena Cullen, Adrian Jeffrey, Damien Rayfield and Jake Wallis Simons.

High flying professionals from television, journalism, animation and advertising join Bournemouth University’s Media School.

The computer game ‘Blur’, the film ‘Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll’ and ‘The Times’ feature on the résumés of the Practitioners in Residence joining Bournemouth University’s Media School.

The four new recruits will share their industry experience and expertise with students and staff in the disciplines of Animation, Production, Journalism and Communication and Advertising and Marketing.

Jonathan Wardle, Director of the Centre for Excellence in Media Practice (CEMP) which funds the initiative said: “The Practitioners in Residence scheme puts professional practice at the heart of the student experience. Between the four Practitioners they will deliver over 100 days of practice-focussed teaching and learning. Students will be exposed to real life production questions and scenarios and will get to work on live briefs.”

Serena Cullen, who runs her own production company, joins the Media Production team. She has worked on ‘This Life’, ‘Waking the Dead’, ‘Holby City’, and the 2010 Ian Dury film ‘Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll’.

Jake Wallis Simons will share his expertise with the Journalism and Communications students. Oxford graduate Jake is a freelance journalist predominantly writing for ‘The Times’. He has three novels to his name and owns his own company.

Jake said: “I hope to bring to the university a sense of what it means to be a freelance novelist and journalist surviving in the cut-and-thrust of the modern world.” He continued, “I believe it is important not to lose an appreciation of the pursuit of knowledge and ideas for their own sake, while still earning a crust.”

Damien Rayfield, co-founder of Fireproof Studios, will join the Computer Animation team, where students and staff will benefit from his experience in modelling and texturing. Damien’s company collaborated with gaming giants Sony, Activision and Bizarre Creations to create artwork for ‘Blur’, ‘DJ Hero’ and the upcoming ‘Little Big Planet 2’.

The fourth Practitioner in Residence is Adrian Jeffrey, who has worked in advertising for 25 years on commercials with budgets ranging from £1000 to £1 million. Adrian’s industry knowledge and existing teaching experience will be of great benefit to Marketing and Advertising students.

This is the fifth year CEMP has funded Practitioners in Residence. Jonathan says: “I'm really pleased to welcome them to BU and hope that they enjoy their time working with us. We hope over the next six months that we will build relationships with them that will benefit students for years to come”.