Bridgwater & Taunton College students have had their work shown to approximately 400 of the top local business owners as part of the Somerset Business Awards. The ceremony, presented by the BBC’s Alex Lovell, featured videos of each shortlisted nominee and was the culmination of almost five months work.

This is the seventh year media students at Bridgwater & Taunton College have been asked to film footage for the Somerset Business Awards. Students were originally briefed by Jenn Chidley-Saunders and Loren Gray of the Somerset Chamber of Commerce in July, who explained the organisation that goes into the project and how the students fit into the big plan – specifically generating the nomination films for each shortlisted company. The students were then given to the task to go on their summer holidays with the sole objective of researching corporate and promotional films.

At the start of their second year, we look at the technicalities of completing filming and interviews. At the same time the Somerset Chamber of Commerce send judges to visit each entrant, whittling it down to an official shortlist for the end of September. Students then had a three week filming window in which to research, plan, contact, film and edit 38 films.

Media Course Leader at Bridgwater & Taunton College, Alan Hardcastle said,

“This is an enormous logistical undertaking. We need to send crews all over the county, with the right equipment to the right addresses. Not many of the students drive, so it is up to us as teachers to drive them. It provides the students with real life experience of what it would be like to work in the industry. A great experience for all involved.”

Tansy Maggs of One Step Recruitment said,

 “We were really impressed by the quality of the students work.”

If you would like to know more about studying Media at Bridgwater & Taunton College, please contact our Information and Guidance teams on 01278 441234 or 01823 366311.