Prince Edward opened a new film and television production facility at the University of Hertfordshire on November 12. The Propeller Stage, at the university’s College Lane campus in Hatfield, gives students a chance to work on professional productions while they are still studying. The university says the Duke of Edinburgh toured its School of Creative Arts and met students and staff.
The Court Circular records the opening, and the university’s account explains what the space is for. Students can work alongside industry professionals and take on the practical tasks that make a production run. The formal opening marks a new milestone for a facility the university had already put to use.
Learning the work behind the camera
A soundstage is an indoor space where crews can build sets and control lighting and sound. At Hertfordshire, it brings together students who might otherwise spend most of their time in different classrooms. The facility’s course overview lists film and television, music, model design, and character and creative effects among the disciplines it serves.
One example of the wider training program is Propeller Sessions, a partnership with the Featured Artists Coalition. Musicians perform for a production that gives students a chance to practice working with several cameras and recording a performance as it happens. The artists get material they can use to promote their work, and students see how decisions on set affect what a viewer sees and hears.
Two stops with a focus on practical experience
The visit was the first of two different engagements that day with a connection to learning by doing. That evening, Edward attended a dinner at Abbey Road Studios marking 70 years of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. The film training program and the Award are separate initiatives, but both give young people ways to practice skills outside the classroom.
See the university’s opening photographs and account for a closer look at the visit. For the evening engagement, our guide to the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award in the U.S. explains what participants actually do.
Sources: University of Hertfordshire · November 12 Court Circular · Featured Artists Coalition.
Featured photo: Prince Edward speaking at an education forum in Auckland on November 16, 2023. New Zealand Office of the Governor-General, CC0 1.0. Archive photo; it does not show the Hertfordshire opening.
