Ben Thomas studied BA (Hons) Television Production at BU and has since co-founded House of Ace Productions Ltd. He reflects on his BU experience and his career since graduating in 2019.
Ben hadn’t originally planned to go to university, but notes: “My A-level results surprised me, and I knew a degree would be a great stepping-stone. I chose television production as I enjoyed making short films with my secondary school best friend. The television studios at BU are amazing and it was the best course in the country in helping me achieve a future career in the world of TV.”
Reflecting on his academic experience, Ben says: “The staff were lovely throughout all three years of study. One lecture, with Ashley Woodfall, involved a watermelon and a hammer… and Annie East, Level 4 Leader at the time [who would later become Ben’s academic advisor], was great. She organised monthly catch-ups ensuring everything was running smoothly.”
Ben recalls the Department of Media Production promoting a collaborative, creative, and industry-focused community. He said: “I loved studio days! I remember the first year very fondly. We would create a 30-minute television show each week. I never threw myself into the deep end when it came to roles, but by my final year I’d found my passion as a production manager for the television studio. So much so that my graduate project was six-hours of live news coverage on Brexit, emulating a 24-hour news channel.”
Bournemouth’s Student Union has over 100 clubs and societies, something that Ben made the most of in his third year. He said: “I found some extra time and joined the Ultimate Frisbee Society. I honestly felt so welcome; we trained twice a week and made better friends here than from my course. We still visit one another at least once every three months.”
Right now, Ben is the Director and Video Manager for the company he co-founded in 2020, overseeing employees across all departments, ensuring video deadlines are met and that final edits are of the highest quality. He said: “During my time at BU my main role in projects was as Production Manager and to do that job well you need to be able to talk to anyone in any situation. My communication skills improved so much and with business these days it’s a lot of who you know, so I can be thrown into a room and literally talk to anyone.”
Following graduation in 2019 Ben recalls feeling a bit stuck, until a meeting with his best friend from school led to the idea of going it alone. He said: “We always jokingly talked about starting a business together, and at that moment he said he knew of someone who was looking for a video editor for YouTube. From there, four of us moved to a place together and just became an ultimate video editing house. We took on all the work we could, networking was a priority because if you couldn’t do it, you should know someone who can.”
Founding their business in the summer of 2020, Ben notes he is particularly proud of what they have achieved in that time. “We have edited more than 500 social media videos which have amassed over 500+ million views worldwide”, he says.
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