This post was originally intended to be released on April Fools Day 2024, but I was a fool and didn’t finish it in time. My idea was to find a funny or bizarre story and share it with you. I get a bit nostalgic at first, but stick with it! The Teddy bear will come!
In the late ’00s, I studied Media Production at Boston College in Lincolnshire. Although it didn’t feel like it then, it was possibly one of my most enjoyable experiences in further education. When I think back to this time, I feel a sense of mood, time, era, and perspective that feels mostly mentally processed. This allows time for reflection that isn’t dampened by unresolved things.
During my two-year course, I studied a range of modules covering different aspects of media. In those days, the course was based on Boston’s De Montfort Campus. I can still feel the atmosphere of the building, which also catered to students studying sports and performing arts. The place had a stale yet theatrical mood, further characterised by a mixture of indie, emo and geek. I was sad to hear it was closed down and sold off in recent years, its rooms were home to many memories for me.
Inside the Classrooms
I spent most of my time in a room labelled as “The Cave”, an internal space without windows populated by Apple Mac computers (how ironic). It was quite mentally draining in ways as it felt a bit claustrophobic, but some of my happiest college memories are within this area. This room was home to many lectures, but I predominantly did photographic work there.
Another classroom was a wide space with black curtains around the edge. I don’t remember if it had a particular name, but this was where media people hung out when not in session. I had a lot of media theory lectures in this room, and much of it went over my head at the time. It was often used as a studio, with many student films made here. I made a multi-shot demonstration of a vinyl record in this room; Not one of my finest moments.
A third room was on the first floor, full of more Apple Mac computers. This was predominantly used as an editing suite, a perfect place for video production lectures. Unlike The Cave, it had plenty of windows for maximum light and air! I made several films towards my course including music videos, short dramas and documentaries. There was one project I remember, which differed from the rest.
The Picture Story Module
In one of the course modules, I was tasked with taking photographs that told a story in a small number of images. I cannot remember the justification for doing the project, but I would assume it was to consider shot composition. Skills honed here would then transfer to the moving image. I guess it also teaches the art of less is more, a lesson I would later learn in screenwriting.
While on this course, you always got two tries at a creative project. This meant two chances to get it right and achieve the highest possible grade. With this module, they tweaked the formula so each differed in what was required. The first try was to take several photos (I think up to 6), and present them in a completely silent video; This meant only the images did the talking.
For the first round, I took around 6 images detailing a man’s search for milk. the plot was a little thin on the ground, but I got the job done. I roped a family member into playing the character, and we shot everything in under an hour. They wouldn’t win any awards for photography, but that wasn’t the point; The narrative was the important factor.
When I was doing this project, it wasn’t a positive time in my personal life. A Family member was seriously ill, and I did my best to keep going under the circumstances. This happened a few times during my college years, and I did the best I could despite my brain feeling overloaded.
The Difficult Second Time
When it came time to create the second batch of images, my lecturer said we could use sound as an extra layer of the storytelling. I came up with the idea of a children’s puppet show, such as Sooty. The plan was to find a stuffed animal, record some narration, and go on a little adventure with it.
I went home and found a stuffed teddy bear that my family had, and sought to come up with a story it could be involved in. Given the origin of the idea, the narrative would be a simple one. The bear would wake up in the morning, have breakfast then go on an outing. I hadn’t figured out how to finish the story, but thought one would come later. That turned out not to be the case.
The first few shots were easy, as I could take my time setting up shots at home. Once I got outside, it became a little more difficult. I walked around Boston, Lincolnshire with a teddy bear in a carrier bag, looking for opportunities. The memory of one particular shot will stay with me forever.
I spotted a local bench on the outskirts of town, so I placed the large teddy bear on it. Once the photograph was taken, I left the bear there for a minute and sat on the bench alongside it. As I did this, an elderly lady approached me and said “Is that your friend?”. I agreed, then listened to her as she told me about a young relative who also had a teddy bear. The exact details are hazy, but it makes me laugh in retrospect. I was 18!
Anyone who knows me understands that I can get very nervous when my activities are called out. After being spotted sitting next to a teddy bear on a park bench, I shouldn’t worry really! Nothing will ever top that.
I wasn’t sure how to finish off the project, so I mocked up an image and got my narrator to say “We’ve run out of time, see you again soon”. This was a move that didn’t go down well with my lecturer, but it was the sensible thing to do at that moment. I honestly couldn’t think of an alternative ending, and my time had run short.
The End
I got a nice grade for both of my efforts, which was nice. We would often question the legitimacy of doing such modules, where we weren’t doing what was expected, but would be thankful later.
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