Happy Birthday! To the University of Northampton’s prosthetic laboratory and TV studio

A spotlight was shone on two of the University of Northampton’s youngest creative courses last week, as academics, students and industry professionals came together to celebrate the latest significant investment into their teaching spaces and studios.

On Monday (28 November), as part of a celebration to mark the first-year anniversary of the University of Northampton’s Prosthetic Lab and TV studio at the University of Northampton’s Waterside campus, the Hair, Make-Up and Prosthetics and Creative Film departments jointly launched their innovative, state-of-the-art 3D printing functionality, prosthetic labs and dedicated TV studio.

Throughout the evening, a variety of interactive events took place to engage and delight attendees, including live demonstrations of three-dimensional printing facilities, displays of live-casted facial features by second-year students, as well as tours of the facilities at the Creative Hub.

Still within their first eight-weeks of study, first-year students on the Hair, Makeup and Prosthetics for Stage and Screen and Creative Film, Television and Digital Media Production courses have been making full use of the enhanced facilities and integrating this within their assignments, including plans to live stream a game show across the University’s social media platforms next month.

Notably, the investment and introduction of three-dimensional printers and a dedicated prosthetics lab follows direct consultation with Neill Gorton, multi award-winning screen prosthetics designer who has led the prosthetic designs on programmes including Doctor Who, Ex Machina and Red Dwarf.

Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Science & Technology John Sinclair opened the event, and said: “Our Hair, Make-Up and Prosthetics course is only in its second year of operation, and already we’re celebrating the second landmark investment into its practical teaching spaces.

“The creative film studio and prosthetic lab demonstrates the very best of cutting-edge facilities available for use by our growing cohort of students, established in-house following consultancy with leading industry professionals such as Neill Gorton. This is a fantastic opportunity to lead from the front with both Hair, Makeup and Prosthetics and Creative Film courses, and prepare our students for progressing into the industries as capable professionals.

“Here at the University of Northampton, we’re extremely proud of our students, who are already creating visually striking work and getting stuck-in with supporting their academics as ambassadors for a course still in its early infancy.”

Deputy Head of Subject – Media, Film and Special Effects Anthony Stepniak adds: “Our undergraduate students have already been working within the studio and lab for eight teaching weeks, and we’ve seen them creating a fantastically high level of quality work.

“This event was a key opportunity to showcase and celebrate both the facilities and teaching spaces available to our students, as well as provide a valuable opportunity to network with industry professionals and local UON partners, including Tresham College and Northampton College.

“As one of few universities offering these specialised courses and as we are continuing to see our intake increase year on year, I’m excited to support our students and play a part in establishing the very best facilities and opportunities for them as they prepare for their careers beyond university.”

Find out more about studying Hair, Make-Up and Prosthetics for Stage and Screen, and Creative Film, Television and Digital Media Production at the University of Northampton.