media Archives - Capital City College Group

Creative Media student’s anti-litter campaign wins industry Snapchat advertising competition

Posted on March 22, 2023March 23, 2023 by Paul Cassell

A Creative Media student’s proposed Snapchat campaign urging people to reduce litter has won a national competition run by the UK’s leading body for advertising professionals.

Angela Nogales, 20, will see her creative idea turned into an actual Snapchat advert after she came first in the challenge set by the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA).

Creative Media Level 3 Diploma students at the College of Haringey, Enfield and North East London (CONEL) were encouraged to enter during a visit to global advertising agency M&C Saatchi Group.

They were invited to the company’s UK head office in Westminster as part of the IPA’s Advertising Unlocked programme, which sees UK agencies join forces for a nationwide careers open day.

Angela’s entry included background research on littering and solutions to the problem before going on to explain how her Snapchat campaign would encourage people to take action.

She said: “The idea for the campaign came from the research I did about this important topic and the Snapchat app. Firstly, I wanted to acknowledge the problem and what we can do to solve it., and then I looked at who the target audience was and what content would engage with them.

“I came up with an idea to create short, visual and dynamic information in a format the audience was familiar with to form an active community on Snapchat. I wanted to motivate them in a personal way by making them remember each one of us can do something small to make a big difference.”

Advertising Unlocked introduces students to career options in the industry with agencies running practical activities from workshops and interactive discussions to tours and creative challenges.

Bethan Neil, Senior Marketing Executive, Diversity and Effectiveness, at IPA, said the competition judges were “thoroughly impressed” by Angela’s campaign idea.

Referring to the judges’ comments, she added: “Your research is interesting, concise and clearly fed into your idea. You’ve constructed a clear narrative laying out the problem, the solution and how creatively you could help deliver that solution.

“You’ve answered the brief well, helping to genuinely change behaviour. Some of your ideas are more tactical which is great to see, highlighting the problems, but some of them are more creative and are a proper innovative use of Snapchat features, which is exactly what we wanted to see.”

M&C Saatchi Group was founded in 1995 and has operations spanning 23 countries including major hubs in the UK, Europe, Middle East, Africa, Asia and Australia.

During the visit, students heard about the industry from Chief Creative Officer Ben Golik before taking part in a two-hour workshop where they worked on a real creative brief.

They were also given a tour of the building before meeting representatives from across the sector at a speed networking event including those working in strategy and production.

Natasha Amegbe, Lecturer in Creative Media and Computing, said: “The students were thrilled to have the chance to visit a globally renowned creative agency and network with people already working in the advertising sector.

“This was also a fantastic opportunity for our students to link what they have learnt in the classroom to actual careers by working on an actual brief. They received excellent feedback from staff at the agency who were very impressed with their ideas, and all left feeling very inspired.”

CONEL is continuing to work with M&C Saatchi as part of the Advertising Unlocked programme with the agency providing students with live briefs and giving feedback on their work.

Find out more and apply here for Digital Media and Creative Computing courses here.

Creative Media students’ talent secures work placements with animation studio

Posted on February 23, 2023February 23, 2023 by Paul Cassell

Creative Media students from City and Islington College (CANDI) have won two-week work placements at an award-winning animation studio after impressing with their own short films.

Cainan Corlett, James Wallace-Budd and Jayden Fortunato all secured placements with Blinkink after taking part in a competition to showcase their creative talent.

Creative Media Production Level 3 Diploma students were asked to create a short film using an audio clip from their favourite scene in a film, TV show or animation on the Islington studio’s website.

Cainan created his own stop-motion version of Blinkink’s animation Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared using part of the original soundtrack, while James did the opposite and created his own audio to a video clip from the Channel 4 series that started on YouTube.

Jayden used audio of a poem read by the late world boxing heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali over a video of the Marvel Cinematic Universe film Captain America.

Cainan Corlett’s version of Blinkink’s animation Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared.

The three students were among a group of Creative Media students who visited the company near the college’s Centre for Business, Arts and Technology last month.

During the visit the group were given presentations by Blinkink animators Reg Isaac and Ewa Luczkow who shared their advice on how to get into the industry.

They also spoke to students about different types of animation and the animation process including storyboarding, concept art, model making and character design.

Cainan, 17, said: “When I was younger, I would play on my brother’s PS2 and wanted to get into games design, but as I got older I started looking at animated music videos by bands like Gorillaz and thought I want to do something more like this.

“I originally did GCSE Media Studies, which further sparked my interest and then I came to college to study it further. I began to think I can make this work, especially with opportunities like this with Blinkink. The future is definitely looking bright.

“I’m interested in animation, but not sure personally how good I am at it. They say you miss every shot you don’t take, so let’s see what I can do. If I put my head down and work towards it then it definitely could happen.

“You think it is impossible to get a foot into this industry, but being at Blinkink and hearing how many animators start freelance and then go on to work with a production studio, has made it feel much more accessible.”

Mohamed Elsherbiny, 18, who also visited the studio, said: “My passion for animation comes from gaming and watching animated movies. I’ve always been interested in seeing behind the scenes and how it’s done and think I would really enjoy it.

“My family would always push me to draw, make videos and use my creativity. I’ve learnt a lot about things that I wasn’t familiar with before about mood boards and storyboards. That really impressed me. I didn’t realise it took so long to create all the scenes.”

Blinkink is part of Blink, a BAFTA award-winning production company established in 1985, which has also scooped accolades at the Cannes Lions Festival, British Television Advertising Awards and British Animation Awards.

Find out more information and apply for Digital Media and Creative Computing courses at CANDI here.

Students join Spurs and England football legend Jermain Defoe for launch of his new podcast

Posted on February 3, 2023February 6, 2023 by Paul Cassell

Students joined former Tottenham Hotspur and England legend Jermain Defoe as he launched his new BBC podcast on his quest to be become a football manager.

The ex-striker spoke to students from the College of Haringey, Enfield and North East London (CONEL) about the podcast called Outside The Box for BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Sounds on a visit to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Around 20 Creative Media Production and Music diploma students attended the talk, which was part of a podcast and social media masterclass run by the BBC Young Reporter Scheme.

Jermain made 363 appearances for Spurs and scored 143 goals – making him the club’s sixth highest goal scorer – and won 57 senior caps for England and scored 20 goals.

He retired from playing professionally while at Sunderland in March 2022 and returned to Tottenham as a Club Ambassador and Academy Coach in the summer.

Jermain said: “Management was on my mind towards the end of my career. You get to that stage where you start to think realistically about how long am I going to play for and what will I do next?

“I’d started back at Tottenham as a coach at the academy when this opportunity came about. I’ve done a bit of media and a few podcasts and enjoyed being interviewed, but in terms of actually having my own podcast, that was something completely different.

“The concept was such a good idea. I thought I can go round and speak to managers I played for and pick their brain about what it takes to be a manager, the ups and downs, and what to expect. I’ve enjoyed it to be honest, it’s been really good.”

James Peacock, Managing Director of production company Folding Pocket, which made Outside The Box, and Junior Producer Joseph Sam, explained the process of making a podcast and gave students advice on their productions.

BBC Sport Presenter Liam Loftus, who interviewed Jermain, was later joined by Producer Olivia Portas. Both were in Qatar to cover the FIFA World Cup and shared their tips on filming and creating social media posts and reels.

Creative Media Production student Teti Purwanti, 47, said: “I’m a Spurs fan and it was amazing to meet Jermain Defoe in person and hear about his new podcast and career.

“It was great to have chance to learn more about podcasting and hear from people who work in the media about how they started. I’ve gained so much knowledge about how to create podcasts from coming up with ideas and scripting to presenting and recording. I made a podcast while at college, and it’s really inspired me to make more in the future.”

Daniela-Elena Moise, 20, who is studying the same course, said: “My ambition is to work in social media for a company or as an influencer. I began using it when I was young and started gaining followers, and that really motivated me to think I would like a career in social media one day.

“It was good to learn more about how you can really engage people on social media and potentially go viral. A lot depends on what you post, it can be something funny, sad or motivational. There’s no limits. Hearing from other people how they got there was really inspiring and gives you confidence to achieve your dreams.”

The students were also given a tour of Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, courtesy of the Tottenham Hotspur Foundation, where they had the chance to see the club’s trophies, visit the players’ dressing rooms and the press room, walk up the tunnel, stand pitch side and sit in the dugout.

Find out more and apply for Creative Media here and Music courses here.

COLLEGES WEEK: Media students make a positive difference in global Creative Conscience Awards

Posted on October 18, 2022January 23, 2023 by Hannah Fenton

Colleges Week is a celebration of students, staff and skills from 17-21 October #LoveOurColleges

Short films by media students from Westminster Kingsway College have been named among the best animations in this year’s international Creative Conscience Awards.

Ben Dullea and Raiam Koroma were both recognised in the competition, which encourages students to use their creative talents to make a positive difference in the world.

The competition was open to individual students or teams of up to five enrolled on further and higher education courses in the UK and abroad.

Entrants were asked to come up with a project to tackle an issue of their own or one under a series of themes set by Creative Conscience – health and wellbeing, social issues, climate crisis, the natural world and education and learning.

They had to choose from 16 creative disciplines including film and photography, animation, graphic design, fashion and textiles, illustration and motion graphics.

Ben, 21, was among the winners in the animation section and was highly commended for his film highlighting the need for better mental health and wellbeing in the hospitality industry.

Raiam, 20, drew on personal experience for her film about sickle cell anaemia, a genetic condition that is particularly common among African and Caribbean people.

Several students from Korea visiting WestKing and other colleges within Capital City College Group also took part in the competition and were named among the winners.

Creative Conscience is an Islington-based not-for-profit organisation focused on using creativity and innovation to make positive change across the world.

It aims to empower, mentor and reward creative communities using their talents by running change-making workshops, training programmes, events and its annual awards.

The shortlisted projects were judged based on the entrant’s creative approach and their potential impact, by a panel of industry experts.

Ben and Raiam entered the competition while studying an Access to Higher Education Diploma in Creative and Digital Media, which they completed in the summer.

Access courses are one-year study programmes for adults who may not have the usual entry requirements to get into university or other higher education course.

Katy Milner, Lecturer in Creative Media and Digital, said: “Big congratulations to our Access Media students Ben Dullea and Raiam Koroma in this year’s Creative conscience awards.

“Ben was a winner in the animation section and was highly commended overall and Raiam also did so well to be shortlisted. Ben’s success is an even more remarkable achievement when you consider all the other winners were second and third-year university students.

“It just shows that Access students can punch well above their weight on an international stage when given the appropriate incentive, support and opportunity.”

Find out more about Access to Higher Education Diplomas and apply here.

Helping Londoners into great digital and hospitality jobs

Posted on October 11, 2022May 26, 2023 by Paul Cassell

On Wednesday 21 September, Capital City College Group (CCCG) and Central District Alliance (CDA) came together to celebrate the launch of the Mayor of London Academy Hubs in the Digital and Hospitality industries. The Hubs are a key part of the Mayor’s Academy Hub programme – a £44 million initiative to support the capital’s recovery from the pandemic.

They were joined by London’s Deputy Mayor for Planning, Regeneration and Skills, Jules Pipe, and employer partners who are working with the Group and CDA to deliver the Academy Hubs’ work.

Supporting Londoners into work for the first time or into higher paid and more secure work – especially from under-represented groups such as minority ethnic communities, women and disabled people – is a key priority for London’s Mayor, Sadiq Khan. The Digital and Hospitality Hubs will work with employers to train Londoners for work in those industries, helping them meet their staffing and recruitment challenges.

Having strong Digital and Hospitality sectors will be critical to London’s recovery. For example, the hospitality industry employs around 400,000 people in London, but the lack of suitable and trained staff means there are too many vacancies which is costing the sector billions in lost revenue.

CDA is the Business Improvement District for Holborn and Clerkenwell. Its footprint, which spans Holborn and Clerkenwell, is also home to a world-leading tech cluster, including household names such as Google, TikTok, Snapchat and LinkedIn. These employers – alongside hundreds of others in the CDA district and across the city – can provide a range of jobs and career opportunities for Londoners and so CCCG, working collaboratively with CDA, will establish partnerships to facilitate these new roles.

However, 210,000 people are currently unemployed in London and a further 1,080,000 adults – some 21.7% of the working age population – are economically inactive. So, the Academy Hubs’ role will be to unlock the valuable contribution that businesses can bring and enable more socially-excluded Londoners to gain employment.

As Jules Pipe explained at the event: “The inequalities that were already present in London were laid bare by the pandemic. Over 750,000 working people in London are still paid less than the London Living Wage and more than a quarter of Londoners are living in poverty once their housing costs are taken into account.

“We’re committed to using the skills funding that we have at our disposal to support Londoners – particularly the most disadvantaged and those most impacted by the pandemic – to acquire the skills they need to progress in life and get into good work.

“I’d like to congratulate all the partners for the leadership shown by the CDA and Capital City College Group for making this possible.”

Also speaking at the event, Alexander Jan, Chair of Central District Alliance (CDA) said: “We want to ensure sustainable and inclusive economic growth, which means delivering skills and employment opportunities for our communities.

“We need some big ideas and collective action, and we very much believe that connecting and encouraging people back into the labour market and to help people who are looking for work gain the skills they need to do so, is at the heart of that approach.

“We and our members are delighted to be working with Capital City College Group, to help provide long-term unemployed people with opportunities to gain good quality jobs and helping them gain the skills they need to do so.”

Westminster Kingsway College is part of Capital City College Group and already runs a wide range of courses in the hospitality and digital sectors. The Group is therefore ideally placed to support even more Londoners into these exciting industries. To illustrate the transformative effect that skills training can have, current and former students from the college also spoke at the event about their experiences.

Opeoluwa Odutayo studied Culinary Arts at Westminster Kingsway College, before setting up Ice Cream and Ting, which produces ice creams with Caribbean and African flavours, including Plantain, Hibiscus, and Avocado and Strawberry.

She said: “My teachers at Westminster Kingsway College helped me with advice and boosted my confidence. I worked at events and did internships at four different restaurants to gain experience and at the end of my course, I won the overall best student award. My mum was so proud of me!”

The college also exposes students to industries that they will be working in when they have qualified – helping them gain contacts and eventually secure good quality work.

Student in Hospitality Archie Smitton said: “Working at events with the college helps me get contacts in the industry and work out where in the industry I want to work.

“Last year I did work experience in a Peruvian restaurant in Green Park and a modern English restaurant in Soho and later this year I’m going to Lisbon for two weeks’ work experience. I’m really looking forward to learning a different language and working in a different country.”

The Hubs have already started work – holding taster sessions and introductory courses hosted by industry experts. These have been in, for example, culinary skills, coding for women, digital marketing, cyber security and user experience (UX) design.

In addition, the Digital Hub will be running internship programmes which will come with additional support including employability training, ongoing support, advice, and guidance on getting the most out of the programme, as well as support for interns to build their network and prepare for their next steps.

And the Hospitality Hub is working with Westminster TalentServe (Westminster City Council’s new recruitment service for its hospitality and leisure businesses) to provide all the training to people who are referred to the service.

You can find out more about the Digital and Hospitality hubs and all our Mayor of London Skills Academies here.

Boost your career prospects for FREE during the cost of living crisis

Posted on October 7, 2022January 23, 2023 by Hannah Fenton

At City and Islington College (CANDI) we believe the cost of living should not come at the cost of your education and job prospects.

That’s why we run FREE Short Courses throughout the year to enable you to develop new and existing skills for your future regardless of your age or income.

Cost is one of the main barriers to learning and times are extremely tough at the moment, but there has never been a better time to learn or try something new.

Thousands of people have signed up for our FREE Short Courses since we started running them in 2018 and many have progressed on to full-time study with us.

And what’s more, all our full-time courses up to Level 2 and some at Level 3 are also completely FREE.

Tim Mansfield, 41, took a FREE short course in plumbing followed by a Plumbing Level 2 Diploma at CANDI’s sister college, the College of Haringey, Enfield and North East London (CONEL).

He said: “CONEL’s free short courses were exactly what I needed. They gave me the opportunity to try different trades without having to overcommit until I knew what I wanted to pursue more seriously. If they hadn’t been free, I’m not sure I would have taken the chance.

“The teachers are well-qualified and approachable, and always on hand with advice and support. I’ve made some great friends at CONEL and learnt some great skills that I fully intend to build upon in my future career. I’m excited about starting a new chapter.”

Our FREE Short Courses are run at our centres and online, in a wide range of subjects:

Find out more by searching FREE Short Courses and book a place at CANDI.

Book now for our Open Days at our centres on Saturday 12 November and Wednesday 23 November.

Al Jazeera news producer shares her advice with students on getting into TV news

Posted on July 12, 2022January 23, 2023 by Hannah Fenton

Students had the chance to question a TV news producer and reporter about careers in broadcast journalism when she visited the College of Haringey, Enfield and North East London (CONEL).

Michelle Gooden-Jones from Al Jazeera English shared her experience and advice at the college’s Creative, Computing and Media End of Year Show.

Michelle, who has also reported for US media including NBC News, explained how she studied TV journalism at university and did an internship at Al Jazeera, aided by a friend’s mum who was a presenter and introduced her to an executive producer.

She said: “You need to study media or journalism, but you also do need to get yourself out there and telling stories. It’s also about connections as well, so network and make sure people know that you’re interested in working in the industry because then they’re more likely to help you.”

Al Jazeera’s main headquarters are in Doha, Qatar, with Al Jazeera English located at The Shard. The channel broadcasts to 80 million homes in 100 countries and its reporters come from all over the world.

Michelle admitted it can be harder for under-represented groups to find work in the industry but with the right mentors and determination it was possible to succeed.

“As long as you go in there and you’re confident in yourself and you have stories and you do the work, there’s nothing stopping any of you from achieving in news,” she said.

The End of Year Show celebrated the work created by students across the college’s Creative Media, Computing and Music courses, and saw this year’s best performing students presented with mini-Oscar statuettes and certificates of achievement.

CONEL invests in new £30k music recording studio

Students on Music courses at CONEL will be able record and mix their own tracks in a new £30,000 recording studio at the college’s Tottenham Centre this September.

The studio is kitted out with leading industry-standard equipment and features a live recording area, control room, microphones, mixers, synthesizers and digital software.

CONEL runs Music Performance and Production courses from Level 1-3 led by lecturers who have many years’ experience working in the music industry.

Our teachers have worked for major music companies alongside top artistes, been influential on the club scene and recorded music for TV series.

Apply now to start composing and recording your own tracks on one of our music courses.

Apply for a music course

Creative Media Level 1 Diploma student Daniela-Elena Moise, 19, was presented with this year’s award for Best Photographer.

She said: “I’ve enjoyed everything about the course. I’ve taken photos, learnt how to do a promotion and make a documentary, and created layouts for magazines and leaflets. My teachers have been amazing, I’ve never had teachers like this. They’ve really helped me and have made it a lot of fun in class.”

The show featured showreels of students’ work during their studies featuring clips of film trailers, short films and music videos as well as video games, 2D and 3D animations and graphic design.

Toan Phan, Curriculum Manager Computing Creative and Media, inspired students at the show when he shared how he came to the UK as a Vietnamese refugee but later graduated from university despite being dyslexic, before working as a web designer and a teacher at CONEL.

IT Diploma students Mario Busato and Alex Gomeniuk spoke about a project they worked on with an actual client to design a website called Key London Walks providing information on walking tours around north London.

There was also an esports competition where students played computer games against each other with the chance to win a £30 Amazon voucher, which was won by Creative Media Production student Glen Miguel.

Students also posed for photos against a VIP backdrop with various props including a picture frame and silly disguises as a memento of their time at college.

Laila Hassanzadeh, Head of School for Computing, Creative and Media, said: “This academic year students have produced some amazing pieces of work, which has been reflected in their high achievement rates this year.

“The End of Year Show was a wonderful way to showcase their work and celebrate the successes of all our wonderful students.”

If you’re looking to get into the media or IT, CONEL’s courses will give you the knowhow to work in these fast-growing and exciting industries.

Apply now for Digital Media and Creative Computing courses here and ICT and Computing courses here.

Creative students showcase ‘fantastic’ work at Art, Design and Media Show

Posted on July 1, 2022January 23, 2023 by Hannah Fenton

Students showcased their creative talents when they exhibited a “stunning and thought-provoking” collection of work at an Art, Design and Media Show at Westminster Kingsway College.

The show featuring students’ final year project work filled the atrium of the college’s King’s Cross Centre and attracted viewings from creative professionals, teachers, staff, parents and students.

It featured a collection of paintings, drawings, textiles, sculptures, photographs and digital designs created by Art and Design, Fashion and Textiles, Creative Media Production and Animation and Games Design students.

Art and Design students’ work included designs and illustrations for books, vinyl record covers and product packaging. There were also character drawings, paintings and sculptures made of wood and plastic and other materials including some created using 3D printing.

Fashion and Textiles students exhibited various colourful fabric prints and garments alongside the materials they used to make them and photographs of students wearing the finished outfits.

Animation and Games Design students gave demonstrations and displayed large prints of screenshots of many of the games they had created, while Creative Media Production students displayed digitally manipulated prints and sculptures including some that incorporated video.

Grace Jackson, Head of School for Creative, Digital Media and Arts, said: “After many tribulations of multiple lockdowns it is great to see the students stunning and thought-provoking work on display at the college.

“The exhibition really shows their dedication. They have each shown to their creative specialism and the breadth of their knowledge and skills they have gained while studying at WestKing, from traditional methods to modern digital techniques.

“It was amazing to have a celebration of the students and their fantastic work with their friends, family and industry professionals. I am so proud of every one of them and I wish them all the best in the next step of their journey.”

Explore your artistic and creative side and express yourself at WestKing this September.

Apply now for Art, Design and Fashion courses here and Digital Media and Creative Computing courses here.

Autistic Creative Media student’s ‘remarkable journey’ to university

Posted on June 17, 2022January 23, 2023 by Hannah Fenton

A student with autism at the College of Haringey, Enfield and North East London (CONEL) has shared his excitement at getting a place at university this September.

Chinwoke Edeh, 24, from Tottenham, has an offer to study a Foundation Degree in Media at Middlesex University when he completes his Creative Media Production Level 3 Diploma.

He said: “I’m really excited to be going to university and looking forward to the foundation course in media. It will give me even more independence and improve me as a person as well. I’m very proud of myself and happy with the progress I’m making towards my future career.”

Chinwoke experiences daily challenges with language and communication, literacy and numeracy, but has made huge progress and grown significantly in confidence since he started at CONEL in 2017.

“Sometimes when I’m asked to do things for the first time, I have to write it down step-by-step in order, so I get the hang of doing it. The college has really helped me complete the tasks to the best of my ability,” he said.

Chinwoke has completed Media diplomas at Levels 1-2, having previously been part of the college’s Supported Learning provision for young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). During this time, he also studied English and maths courses to help him gain independence and work skills.

“I’ve always been very creative, firstly with pictures and then I got interested how to use Adobe. I like it because you get to express yourself and bring out your ideas and personality,” he said.

“The teaching I have had at college has been excellent. The teachers were really supportive and helped me with any areas I needed to improve. They were always around when I needed them.”

Over the past two years Chinwoke has been supported by Additional Learning Support Assistant Sandra Fox, who is also neurodivergent with dyspraxia and dyslexia.

She said: “Since I’ve been working with Chinwoke, he’s excelled to the extent he is now at Level 3 and done amazingly well at college to get a place at university.

“He will still need help, but each year he’s been moving away from support and working more independently. To go from SEND to mainstream is incredible. It’s been a remarkable journey and I’m so proud of him, but most importantly he is proud of himself.”

Tamara Lesniewska, Curriculum Manager for Creative and Digital Media, was also in awe of Chinwoke’s accomplishments during his time at CONEL.

She said: “Chinwoke is a really wonderful student to teach. I’m immensely proud of him and the high standard and quality of work he has produced at college. What he has achieved from when he started to where he is now with a university offer, is nothing short of fantastic.”

CONEL is committed to providing adjustments to ensure that everyone can succeed with us. If you, or your or your child, has a learning disability, we will provide an exceptional learning experience, understand that your needs are unique andl provide support that is most appropriate for you.

Find out more about CONEL’s Supported Learning provision here and how to apply for Creative Media Production courses here.

Former Performing Arts student returns to CANDI to cast aspiring actors in short film

Posted on May 4, 2022January 23, 2023 by Hannah Fenton

A former Performing Arts student has returned to City and Islington College (CANDI) to cast two current students in a short film he is directing this summer.

Karl Jackson, 30, turned to the college where he studied more than a decade ago, when looking for two female actors for his new film Independence.

The film has been funded by the British Film Institute and tells the story of the challenges faced by Amba, an 18-year-old who has just left the care system.

It follows her as she adapts to being moved out of her area and living alone in a rundown flat with minimal support apart from her best friend Ciara.

Karl, from Walthamstow, has seen first-hand the impact that coming out of care has on young people, through his work for care provider Lignum Vitae Care & Support.

“Preparing young people for living independently is easier said than done as their needs are all very different,” said Karl.

“Depending on where they are housed the standard of care and support can vary, which can have a drastic effect on their future prospects. I wanted to make a film that shed light on some of the shortcomings.”

Karl held an open audition at CANDI in March when he asked students for their suggestions to the script, improvise different scenarios and make an audition tape.

Joanna Rutagambwa, 19, and Mia Campbell-Fiawoo, 20, who are both studying for an HNC Performing Arts, were cast as Amba and Ciara.

Joanna, from Tower Hamlets, said: “When Karl told me I’d been cast I was very excited and accepted it straightaway. We got the script and had a one to-one and he asked me for my opinion and explained what he wanted from it.”

Joanna hopes to bring to the role her personal experience of having to change and grow up quickly when looking after her younger brother when her mum was at work.

“Amba is very quiet and passive. She is trying to hold everything together and does not want to ask for help because she wants to try and do things herself and not burden other people.

“It’s a lot about the silent moments and the way she behaves than what she says. It’s very powerful in the way it cuts through each scene, which gives it sense of realism.”

Karl studied a Performing Arts Level 3 Diploma from 2008-10 and has gone on to appear in roles on stage and screen including Game of Thrones, Casualty and Doctors. In 2019 he directed and starred in a short film called Relapse about a young father who is struggling to rebuild his life after being released from prison.

Karl was impressed with Joanna’s ability to instinctively encapsulate Amba’s emotions through her eyes and stillness, and Mia’s audition really fitted the character of Ciara.

“From my own experience I’ve always been aware of the high standards at CANDI, but to come back over a decade later and see the same enthusiasm, devotion and care was inspiring,” said Karl.

“From the start of the audition process with CANDI the calibre of talent and the attitude of the students was incredible.

Relapse (2019) – A short film by Karl Jackson

Joanna admitted to being quite shy when she first came to CANDI but she is now starting to realise her talent and getting the part of Amba had further boosted her confidence.

“The opportunities created at CANDI are amazing,” she said.

“When you look at people like Karl and see them thrive, not only as a former student but as a person of colour, it gives you hope that there are opportunities out there. It makes me feel there are endless things I can do.”

Tim Chaundy, Curriculum Leader for Performing Arts, said: “It was amazing having Karl back at CANDI and giving opportunities to our students to act at a professional level. The industry experience and skills Karl possesses have been a huge inspiration for our students.

“It’s even more thrilling that Karl decided to audition our students and cast Joanna and Mia in his new film. Both are creative students with innovative ideas and approaches to performance, and have developed excellent acting and theatre skills. This is such a fantastic experience for them.”

Independence is expected to be released later this year.