The University of Salford has opened four new industry-standard film sets.
Repurposing of the Newton Building, a former science facility, commenced in summer 2023 with the film production team aiming to create a teaching space enabling young filmmakers to learn their trade. Four production rooms, a production office with the capacity for more than 100 students, a 100-seat screening room with 4K projector and two rehearsal rooms have been opened at the site.
The four new sets comprise a traditional cafe, ’60s-style office, a laboratory set up and the recreation of a South Manchester home. They join an existing pub set, a living room and a bedroom with props donated by local partners.
Debra Prinselaar, director of creative technology, film and broadcast media at the University of Salford, said, “To the untrained eye, Newton’s former aeronautic and civil engineering halls are just draughty, cold, echoey, empty spaces. But once we packed them with film sets and props, they became hives of industry, reflecting studio set culture in the world of filmmaking. Any day, any time, our students are filling these spaces, building their experience and expertise. Not only do these facilities help our students prepare for the world of work, they have also undoubtedly helped the programme increase the number of applicants, and strengthened our firm belief that we run of the best film production programmes in the country.”
Thomas Kirby, programme lead for BA film production, added, “With these new sets, we’ve nearly doubled the available set space that we can offer to students now and one of the big differences we have with this area is that we have the classroom right next to the sets, so you can be teaching one minute and then be able to put this in practice immediately next door on the sets.”
The team has also moved a considerable amount of kit from the university’s MediaCity campus to the building, reducing the need to transport equipment between the two locations and freeing up more teaching space at the latter site.
