A student studying the Filmmaking course at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David has benefited greatly by collaborating with Afanti on various television productions whilst studying for his degree at the same time.
Finlay Prydderch’s interest in the media world began when he accepted an invitation from his uncle to observe how the ‘Eisteddfod T' programme was being filmed as a production. From there, through his University course on the Carmarthen campus which provides closeup industry experiences with Canolfan S4C Yr Egin, he was invited to go on work experience to observe the production of ‘Jonathan' by the Afanti company.
Over the past 8 months, Finlay has been fortunate to receive several work experience opportunities with Afanti, from starting with them as a runner, and now working for them as a camera assistant and occasional camera operator.
He has had the opportunity to work on various productions for S4C, BBC, YouTube, Channel 4, BT Sport, BBC4 and BBC2. Of these, Finlay has successfully worked on popular series such as ‘ Jonathan' ‘Songs of Praise' and ‘The Perfect Pitch'.
Finlay said:
“By having the opportunity to work on all these special productions, I've learned that in order to succeed in this industry I need to work hard and treat everyone with respect. All these opportunities have helped me to show the kind of experience I need to do this work after finishing my time at University.”
Finlay also states that all these additional experiences have managed to build his self-confidence by being able to do what he enjoys.
Osian Afan Davies, Director of Operations at Afanti, said:
” Collaborating with Yr Egin, UWTSD and S4C on projects like this is important for us as a company to support and promote the next generation coming into the television industry. Finlay is an example of this close collaboration. Since starting as a runner on Jonathan's production, Finlay has gone on to work on a number of Afanti projects including Jonathan 60 (S4C), The Perfect Pitch (Channel 4), Songs of Praise (BBC One), Inside Classical (BBC Four) and Tisho Fforc (S4C Hansh). He has gained experience in a variety of different locations across the UK and we are pleased to see how much his skills have grown over the period. We look forward to welcoming Finlay back once he finishes his studies at the University.”
Carys Ifan, Director of Canolfan S4C Yr Egin, added:
“One of Yr Egin's main aims is to nurture new talent and this is a perfect example as Finlay grabs valuable experiences and makes numerous contacts that will allow him to step confidently from Higher Education into the workplace with a quality CV and skills. It's great to collaborate with S4C, Afanti and other companies to deliver real experiences and flow to the industry. ”
Brett Aggersberg, one of Finlay's lecturers, said:
“Our degrees are designed with experience and employability at the forefront of our motivation. I am proud of the work that Finlay has achieved, and the confidence in the subject he has grown as a result of taking part in the initial placement opportunity. I am pleased to see that the links we have developed with the industry through Yr Egin and Avanti, have benefited students.
“As a Welsh speaker, Finlay has been able to work professionally in his mother tongue for an exciting local company. We will soon be inviting students to apply for this year's placement opportunity for work experience ‘Jonathan’', and I hope that students will take up the offer and develop their network as it will be an advantage for them when graduating and when entering the creative industries.”
The future seems very promising for Finlay, and he hopes that after he graduates, he will be able to land a job within the television industry.
