Chris Skarratt: Broadcasting BA(Hons) graduate
Chris Skarratt, BA(Hons) Broadcasting Studies – 9 years on…
Chris Skarratt
BA(Hons) Broadcasting Studies 1996 – 1999
Why Broadcasting and Why Falmouth?
I was a terrible film and TV addict growing up and had, like a lot of people, dreams of making films or TV programmes (I think I wanted to be a stunt man at some point as well). Falmouth offered a course that would lend structure and understanding to something I’d always seen as a commodity to enjoy without really knowing why. It was also very nice to have palm trees on the campus and be able to see the beach from the lecture rooms. Along with film and TV I’d spent a lot of my formative years by the sea and didn’t want to be land locked for 3 years. My only regret - one of the modules on the course wasn’t Stuntman 101.
What are you up to now?
As soon as I completed the course at Falmouth my heart was set on working in media and in London; after 9 years I’m now running (with 2 business partners) Petrol Digital Media. We are a creative facility in the heart of Soho servicing film and TV clients. We offer production services, on-line, print and DVD to, amongst others, ITV, Film 4, Icon, Nintendo and the BBC. Soho is like Falmouth in many ways, art everywhere you look, people expressing themselves in odd and sometimes illegal ways - if only the sea were a little closer and one of the ubiquitous pubs sold Quay Side style hands I’d feel right at home! If you want to break into the TV, post-production or film industries Soho is a great place to start.
How did your course help you get where you are today?
Hitting deadlines, collating information, creating an end product whether it be an essay or TV/radio programme and having to work to a strict brief mimics the same processes involved in professional production. Although the pressure is less and you’ll not lose your job if you get it wrong – the principles are the same and the course laid solid foundations that I’ve built on since graduation. I’m fiercely independent and really enjoyed the freedom that Broadcasting Studies gave me to look at a broad range of topics. Though it’s changed a lot since I was in Falmouth, the fundamental elements are still there and I’d recommend anyone considering it, to jump in feet first.
Check out the latest from Petrol here: http://www.petroldigitalmedia.com
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