University News Last updated 13 November
Award-winning actor Jason Watkins delivered an exclusive masterclass to Birmingham City University (BCU) students as part of the Bickerton’s Freelancers’ Fair, a week-long event providing valuable insights into the television, film and media industry.
The Albrighton-born star of film, stage and television is best known for his acclaimed performances in The Crown (2016), Des (2020), and The Lost Honour of Christopher Jefferies (2014), for which he won the BAFTA TV Award for Best Actor.
A graduate of RADA, Watkins was also nominated for a Laurence Olivier Theatre Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in A Servant for Two Masters at the Young Vic and New Ambassadors Theatres.
Students were given a unique opportunity to learn from Watkins, gaining first-hand insight into the craft of acting and the realities of working in the creative industries.
His experience of screen performance gave great insights to students on BCU’s Digital Film Production and Film-Making programmes into directing, photography, lighting, sound and the collaborations between actors and film-makers which help make award-winning films.
The actor (pictured) also took part in a Q&A session.
Nosa Obayiuwana, Course Director of Digital Film Production at BCU, said: “It was a real privilege to welcome Jason to BCU and for our students to learn from someone of his calibre.
“His generosity in sharing his experiences, both the challenges and the rewards of the industry, provided invaluable lessons for our aspiring filmmakers and actors.
“Opportunities like this embody what the Bickerton’s Freelancers’ Fair is all about – connecting education with real-world expertise.”