News from BTEC ND Interactive Media / E-media
Goodbye and site closure
Date: 23/06/08
After 3 years at Darlington College I have decided to leave and have accepted a job at Wakefield College to run the BTEC ND Media Production (Games Development) course. As a result this site will no longer be updated. I will leave the site live until the domain expires - probably until June 2009. However the assignments and grades will become inaccessible. If you need to contact me then please feel free to do so via the contact form.
Thanks for all of your interest. Hopefully I'll soon have a new site for my new course at Wakefield.
End of course
Date: 20/06/08
The BTEC ND Media Production (E-Media) course is now complete. There were some very good grades achieved and all those who applied for University achieved the grades they required. 4 students are heading off to the University of Teesside to study Games or Animation, whilst 3 students are off to Northumbria to study games, web and animation. 1 student is off to Sunderland to study animation. 2 students have found employment within the web industry, whilst 3 have decided to take a year out.
I hope you all have a great time in whatever you do, and should any of you become rich and famous be sure to keep in touch.
Alton Towers trip
Date: 16/06/08
As an end of year trip, 16 students from the BTEC ND E-Media and BTEC ND Interactive Media courses, 1 student from FD Media, and two staff, visited Alton Towers.
Photos of the day can be viewed by clicking here.
Games Industry Talk
Date: 05/03/08
Gabby Kent, Games Design Lecturer from the University of Teesside, presented a masterclass on working within the Games Industry. The session was a major success and videos of the class can be viewed by clicking here.
No Mickey Mouse Trip For Media Students
Date: 19/02/08
Young animators have been learning from the very best on a fact-finding mission to Disney World.
A party of 13 students and three staff from the BTEC National Diploma Media courses embarked on a professional tour of one of the world's greatest amusement parks in Florida.
Whilst there they were instructed in how to draw iconic characters by Disney animators. They also learned about graphics, producing narrative and music, customer service techniques and branding, on what proved to be the trip of a lifetime.
Tutor Mike Jaques said: "Disney really is the very best at what it does and the trip has inspired our students to reach the highest standards. The experience was great as a team-building exercise, the students got to mix with other schools and colleges and they really soaked up the special atmosphere for which Disney is renowned."
Student Ben, 18 said he had been blown away by the whole experience and was looking forward to going back one day. "It is not every day you are taught how to draw Disney characters by a Disney animator" he said.
His colleague Darren, 19, added: "You think it would be childish hanging around with the Disney characters but when you are actually there you are drawn to them. Disney is like living in a perfect world; everyone is so polite and the experience is so uplifting - you can't wait to go back."
Walt Disney World, Orlando, Florida Trip
Date: 12/02/08
The educational trip to Walt Disney World, Orlando proved a great success. 13 students and 3 staff made the 9 hour flight to Orlando International Airport.
Click here for more details and to view some of the photos
Tournament Paintball
Date: 14/12/07
Students from the BTEC ND Interactive Media and BTEC ND E-Media courses went head-to-head in Tournament Paintball at Northern Star Paintball Academy - organised by Scotch Corner Paintball.
Videos and photos can be viewed here
Disney confirmed
Date: 1/11/07
Final payments for the Walt Disney World trip have now been collected. 14 students have been confirmed on the trip. This includes 7 students from BTEC ND E-Media, 3 from BTEC ND Interactive Media, 4 from BTEC ND Moving Image. They will be accompanied by Mike Jaques, E-Media and Interactive Media Programme Leader, and Rachel Murie, Lecturer.
Fusebox Visit
Date: 30/10/07
Fusebox Design, a leading Newcastle based web design company, visited the Media Design Centre to talk to the students. Chris Clarke, senior designer, gave a 1 hour talk on the web design process and provided an invaluable insight into the industry. Sarah Linley, Managing Director, also met with the teaching staff to offer advice on developing the courses.
The event proved a major success. Videos of the talk can be viewed by clicking here.
New computers and software
Date: 28/09/07
Following our recent purchase of 5 new 20" Apple iMacs, we have now been authorised to purchase £10 000 of additional Mac Book laptops and software. This will enable us to teach larger class sizes, and allow for future growth.
The new BTEC ND Interactive Media course now has 22 students. No further enrolments are expected as the course will be closed.
Disney Hotel confirmation
Date: 08/09/07
Our hotel for the Disney trip has now been confirmed as the Disney's All Star Movies Resort. To see the main locations in Disney click here to view a annotated Google map of the area.
It has also been confirmed that we wil have 4-day Park Hopper tickets that will allow us to go between the parks freely. We will also have a 1-day water park ticket for Typhoon Lagoon - unfortunately Blizzard Beach is closed for refurbishment.
Painballing
Date: 07/09/07
The new first year Media students got to experience the thrill of Paintballing at Scotch Corner Paintball Village. The day was a great success and everyone left with fond memories and numerous bruises.
Take a look at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-e76vNOKk9k
Enrolments
Date: 03/09/07
The new BTEC ND Interactive Media course has recruited 22 new students.
New enrolments
Date: 16/08/07
Enrolment for the BTEC ND Interactive Media course will take place on Thursday 23rd and Friday 24th August. Applications and acceptances have been high and two students have already enrolled due to not being available for the enrolment event. If you are hoping to sign up for the course please try to ensure that you attend on one of these dates and bring along your GCSE results / certificates.
Walt Disney World confirmation
Date: 16/07/07
The Walt Disney World, Florida Study Experience has now been booked and confirmed. We will be flying with Virgin Airlines. Our flight times are as follows:
06 FEB 08 Flight VS075
Depart Manchester (MAN): 10:25
Arrive Orlando (MCO): 14:50
11 FEB 08 Flight VS076
Depart Orlando (MCO): 18:30
Arrive Manchester (MAN) 07:25 (landing 12 FEB 08)
Disney update
Date: 22/06/07
16 students have now paid their deposits for Disney World, Florida. We are now just waiting to hear whether Greg also paid. The booking will be made this coming week.
Those who have paid should now start to save up the remaining balance, and start buying bermuda shorts or speedos. Final payment is due by 1st November. However you can pay earlier at any time. I will obtain some forms that will allow you to make regular payments if required.
Please ensure that you have a valid passport.
A discussion of room allocations is on the Google group. Please let me know if you have any special requirements. I will also need everyone to complete a consent form prior to departure.
New Software upgrade
Date: 22/06/07
We have just received our order for 20 copies of Maya 8.5 for Area 2 of the Media Design Centre. This will be installed over the Summer, and the machines will be upgraded to 1GB of RAM to ensure that they can handle the software.
Maya 8.5 ensures that we can fully deliver the 3D Modelling, 3D Environments, and 3D Animation units of the course.
We have also received our order for Dreamweaver CS3 and Flash CS3.
The new MDC server has also been installed providing us with 1.5 Terabytes of storage that is exclusive to Media students. This should ensure that all Media students have plenty of backup storage. From September all Media students will have to log in to each machine.
Students Complete Year 1
Date: 22/06/07
All of the BTEC ND E-Media year 1 students have now completed the first year of the course. Of the 19 students who started the course, 16 remain. This is 84% retention.
The first year of the course has so far proved to be a success and everyone is looking forward to the new intake to the BTEC ND Interactive Media course. Next year will also include the 6 day trip to Disney World, Florida, which is sure to be a fantastic experience.
Thanks to all of the students for not causing me too much hassle. I hope you all have a well deserved break and look forward to seeing you at Paintball during induction week in September. Be sure to keep checking this page and the Google Group for any news over the Summer.
Paintball day
Date: 18/06/07
On the wettest day of the year the e-Media group (and Rob Barker) braved the torrential weather to go Paintballing at Scotch Corner Paintball Village. The Red team - led by Luke and Mike - took on Blue (bluesers) team - led by Jamie and Oxo. 
After 9 intense battles - through several of which several players could not see due to steamed up goggles - the score was a tight 5 - 4 to the Reds, with only 2 games left to play.
In the penultimate battle Mike's marker ran out of gas and victory was snatched from the Red's hands. The Bluesers managed to cling on until the end of the game and the score was all tied at 5 - 5.
In the last game Ben somehow managed to sneak through the Red defences and capture the flag, winning the game for the Blues.
The battle finished 6-5 to the Blues.
Following the last game the Marshals recognised the aggression of Mike with a special award, whilst also awarding Oxo with the loser of the day mug, for falling into the river.
More photos can be seen here.
Google Group launched
Date: 10/06/07
A new Google group has been set up to allow the group to keep in touch, particularly over Summer. The group will feature news and discussions. Be sure to sign up. All new first year students will be encouraged to sign up in September. A link has been added to this website.
Disney World and Paintball- Update
Date: 09/06/07
Five students have now paid their deposits - Oxo, Tom, Foxy, Luke and Martin. To encourage early payment the paintball teams have now been changed. "Team Disney" will include all those that pay their deposits by Wednesday 13th June, whilst the "Other" team will include those who have not paid.
Paintball teams decided!
Date: 04/06/07
The teams for the upcoming Paintball day have now been decided. After much deliberation, and arguing, the teams were selected.
Team 1:
Oxo,
Foxy,
Lee,
Mark,
Matty,
Dobo,
Ben,
Chris,
Mike,
Glynn
Team 2:
Dagg,
James,
Daniel,
Rob,
Martin,
Jamie,
Tom,
Luke,
Liam,
Sam,
Colin
Oxo was finally happy with his team, having been matched with Mike and Foxy. The Paint Ball day will take place on 15th June. News and results will be posted on this site.
First Student Finished!
Date: 04/06/07
The first student has now completed all of their work for this year. Jordan has completed all assignments, and key skills, and only needs to drop off his completed website and animation report.
As a result, Jordan can now officially claim to be "Above the bar" and "Better than Platinum".
When asked about Jordan, Ben stated "He's a swot". Dobo and Craig were unavailable for comment.
Mike enthused "I wish all of the students were finished. Then I wouldn't have to deal with them every day!".
Oxo stated "My mate's mint at Football. He's better than Mike. He's not very good at Paint ball though."
Disney World, Florida Trip
Date: 04/06/07
The first deposits have been paid by eMedia and iMedia students hoping to travel to Disney World, Florida in February 2008. The trip has been given the go ahead and students have been supplied with consent forms. The first students to pay their deposits were Oxo and Tom.
The deadline for deposits is 29th June. If 16 students have paid by this date then the trip will go ahead.
The trip will incorporate 4 days in the Disney parks - Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney- MGM Studios, and Animal Kingdom, as well as a day in a Disney Water Park. The students will be staying in Disney's All Star Resort. The trip will also include a lecture session entitled "ANIMATION MAGIC" which will explore the use of technology in the production of Disney animated characters, from pen and paper to advanced 3D graphics.
More details to follow ...
Disneyland Paris - Where Dreams Come True
Date: 29/01/07 - 01/02/07
MEDIA students got an eye full of Paris as they were invited to take a look behind the scenes at one of Europe's largest theme parks.
Twenty-four students from the Media courses spent four days as guests of Disneyland Paris, discovering how the organisation runs its public relations, marketing and media empire.
BTEC national diploma in e-media tutor Mike Jaques said: “It was a great experience for the students. Disney is one of the best companies in the world at marketing their products and organising their media. It’s certainly no Mickey Mouse operation.
“Our students saw how the different departments were all linked closely together from the animation design, the film production, the promotional merchandise, the marketing and web design.
“This is the first time we have taken our students overseas to look at how multinational media companies operate and we are hoping next year to be able to visit either ABC Studios in New York or Disney in Florida.”
The students also managed to attend a number of Disney seminars including marketing the magic, market research, the Disney genre and ideology, selling the magic, media influence and press relations and presenting and communicating information.
E-media student Craig Oxley, 17, of Darlington said: “When I leave College I’d like to work in computer animation or games design, so the Disney experience was really interesting for me.”
The E-Media programme is new for 2007 and covers the production of computer games, website design, flash technology and 3D animation using the latest industry standard technology including Apple iMacs, Dreamweaver, Flash, Photoshop and stop motion animation equipment.
“Computer animation game and web design are really big business and the course has proved extremely popular in its first year, so much so that we are looking to double the number of places available for 2008.” added Mike
New Focus On Media Courses
Date: 28/02/2007
MEDIA courses have been given more focus to equip the next generation of movie, music video and website makers for the fast changing needs of a hi-tech industry.
The BTEC national diploma in Media Moving Image has become Media, Film and Television placing more emphasis on hands-on studies and getting a job at the end of the course.
The revamped course will now cover music video production and film studies as well as single camera techniques and TV studio and vision mixing work.
Students will still get the opportunity to produce QTV for Darlington Football Club, the only football channel outside the Premiership.
They will also benefit from the installation of new £70,000 digital radio studios which will make audio editing available to them, invaluable should they want to go onto become sound engineers.
Last year students got to work on the blockbuster movie Atonement, on a David Dickinson antiques TV programme and were given advice by Channel 4 production staff.
The Emedia course becomes Interactive Media and now includes the production of computer games along with website design and Flash technology.
Revisions by the exam board Edexcel, which runs BTEC, will also see the inclusion of key skills such as maths, English and IT which will automatically add 30 points to the courses’ UCAS scores, a boost for getting into university.
College tutor John Gibb said: “The changes really will make the courses more focused and useful to students wanting to work in the media industry or as freelances.”
Student Andrew Young, 17, of Hurworth, said: “The College’s media facilities are fantastic allowing us hands on experience of industry standard equipment.”
James Freeman, 19, of Winston, said: “The vocational nature of the course is the real strength of studying at this College. You get to do practical work from the very start.”
Jenna Coates, 19, of Newton Aycliffe, added: “Working on QTV is amazing. You actually get to film live feeds of the match which is scary but great experience."
Del.icio.us - 
StumbleUpon - 
Digg - 
reddit - 
Facebook