Media students make memories at The FRIENDS experience

Students from Creative Media courses take an immersive look at one of TV’s most memorable sitcoms.

Capital City College (CCC) students from Creative Media courses enjoyed a visit to The FRIENDS™ Experience: The One in London at the ExCeL Centre, on 13 June. The attraction is based on the TV show Friends, which ran for ten seasons from 1994 to 2004 and consistently ranked within the top ten shows for ratings in the USA. With an enduring cultural impact, from Rachel’s haircut to character catchphrases, the show has a lasting legacy within popular culture.

During the visit, the group of 30 Creative Media students explored detailed recreations of the show’s most memorable sets, including Monica and Rachel’s apartment, Joey and Chandler’s living room, Central Perk café, and Phoebe’s famous yellow taxi. 

Visiting The FRIENDS™ Experience provided the students with a unique opportunity to explore many of the behind-the-scenes aspects of TV production. By spending time within a series of replica sets from the show, they were able to gain firsthand knowledge about how set design, props, and layout contribute to storytelling and help to engage the audience. The students were also able to reenact key character experiences from the show such as sitting on a replica of Central Perk’s orange couch and looking through the peephole of Monica and Rachel’s purple apartment door.

The Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3 Creative Media students were enthusiastic about the visit and enjoyed their time at the attraction while also reflecting on its relevance to their studies. One student said: “Seeing the sets up close was amazing—and as media students, it gave us a real insight into how much work goes into creating something so iconic.”

Marek Morzuch, Lecturer in Creative Media at CCC, said: “It was a great experience. Our students loved visiting the sets and said this was their favourite trip of the year.”

The trip was funded by Into Film as part of their Film Making Grant. Into Film is a leading UK charity that supports the use of film and cinema to create inspiring learning experiences.

Are you interested in learning more about the world of Creative Media? Our excellent range of expert-led courses can take you through everything from Animation to Audio Production. Take a look at our Digital Media and Creative Computing Courses and apply now!

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