College students takeover BT Sport for Boxing Day
December 15, 2020
BT Sport will premiere a thought-provoking short film created by students from Newham Sixth Form College, as BT Sport Takeover returns on Boxing Day at 18:45 on BT Sport. With no prior experience, twelve students took part in a 8-week course to create the show, run by BT Sport and hosted by Plexal, an innovation centre and co-working space.
The course aims to teach the students how to film and produce a television programme. BT Sport Takeover, presented by broadcaster Pippa Monique and the Takeover creators, forms part of the BT Sport United commitment, which looks to champion positive social change in three areas, community, inclusivity and sustainability, while making TV production more accessible to young people from the community local to BT Sport, and providing a platform to showcase their work.
The BT Sport Takeover programme includes short films which cover the three BT Sport United pillars and deal with topics that embrace both sport and culture on a local and national scale:
- Inclusivity – tackles the subject of homosexuality in sport and how Keegan Hirst, the first professional British rugby player to come out as gay, mustered the courage to reveal his sexuality to his teammates and the world
- Sustainability – An examination of how Forest Green Rovers became the world’s first 100% vegan football club
- Community – How Hackney-based support group Badu Sports helped lift their local community during lockdown through physical activity.
Jamie Hindhaugh, COO of BT Sport, said: “We are proud to showcase the phenomenal work of these talented young people. Considering this was their first foray into television, the standard is very high; to produce not one, but three thought-provoking pieces is nothing short of incredible. I would like to thank this year’s Takeover creators for their enthusiasm and dedication throughout the process. This is the second year of BT Sport Takeover. It is an important part of our commitment to encourage diversity in the broadcast industry and to give opportunities to the east London community within which we are based.”
Wiktoria, Level 3 Media Production student added: “What an incredible experience, eight weeks of pure fun and learning so much. Being in this environment and working on the floor of an actual studio on a professional video and shadowing staff, you don’t do that every day. Without NewVIc and BT Sport this wouldn’t have been possible and I am so grateful for this opportunity. I can take this experience with me to help me in my future career. It has also widened my thoughts about media production as I have always had a passion for it and where it could lead, I can’t talk highly enough for what this experience has meant to me.”
Maria Kelesidi, Media Teacher, Newham Sixth Form College, said: “This was an exciting opportunity for students from NewVIc to produce a 22-minute magazine-style studio show, this year the show was based on sustainability, inclusivity and community in the sporting world from their own perspective that represents London. A superb learning opportunity on all aspects of production. We are extremely proud of these students and what they have achieved with the project and very lucky to be working with BT Sport, giving students this experience in a real working environment for two years running.”