Hollywood filmmaker teams up with cyber education charity to give students an insight into the world of film and gaming

Students around the country will get the chance to hear from a Hollywood filmmaker later this month – at an exciting set of events being hosted by five Further Education colleges.

Organised by education charity, The CyberHub Trust, scriptwriter, film maker and executive producer, Kristin Ellingson is visiting the UK to share her experience of the technology, film and gaming worlds. She will talk about her own career history and the many types of jobs on offer, giving young people first-hand insight into these exciting industries.

The five ‘Film and Gaming’ events will be taking place between 10 and 19 October 2023 at: Coleg Gwent (Wales), BMet College (Birmingham), Hugh Baird College (Liverpool), Barking & Dagenham College (London) and the City of Plymouth College.

Kristin was the writing partner of Rafael Moreu, who wrote the cult classic film ‘Hackers’ starring Angelina Jolie and Jonny Lee Miller in 1995. This film brought the relatively new world of cybersecurity, hacking and the need for ethical practices into the public conscience.

Kristin now works with the AR/VR VFX studio, MetaLVX, which uses Epic’s gaming software Unreal Engine to create virtual experiences and previews, production design and special effects for film and television. She is keen to share her experience with the next generation of film, gaming and cyber experts.

Each event will comprise a full day of activities, presentations, and a Q&A session where students will have the chance to quiz Kristin, as well as other specialist VIPs. Topics will include personal stories from big-budget movies, careers in filming, cybersecurity, the impacts of AI on the industry, and specialist software.

Alongside Kristin, speakers will include both the CEO and Chair of Trustees of The CyberHub Trust, Michael and Julia Klonowski, local Film & Gaming figures, experts from Police Regional Cyber Crime Units (RCCU) and representatives from cyber security specialists, the BIT Group, among others.

Kristin Ellingson says:

“My career in the Film & TV industry began back when I collaborated with Rafael Moreu to write the script for what would become the movie `Hackers’. It swept us both up into an amazing world, which was just the beginning of a wild & wonderful ride through Hollywood, big-budget and Indie movies and some awesome developments in the technology that underpins these industries, especially with the advent of the world of Online Gaming.

“I currently work with the AR/VR VFX studio MetaLVX, which uses Epic’s gaming software Unreal Engine to create virtual experiences, production design and effects – for film and television.

“As a woman in this industry, I want to show young people (and young women in particular) the amazing range of both creative and technological careers that are available to them. Follow your passion and you can find the most incredible careers.”

CEO of The CyberHub Trust, Michael Klonowski, says:

“We are delighted to be organising these events, which will give students at FE colleges and IoTs around the country the opportunity to hear from a Hollywood industry specialist.

“Our charity’s aim is to ensure that people from all background, male and female, and from all age groups, can access great careers within the digital technology and cyber industries. The Trust works predominantly with young people, some of who are ‘at risk’ (of hacking, or engaging in other criminal activity) and part of our mission is to guide and support them into alternative, potentially creative careers.

Kristin’s experience and knowledge, provided first-hand, will hopefully inspire and encourage FE students to pursue their ambitions in these industries – and highlight some of the opportunities they may not have considered before.

“We are extremely grateful to Kristin for her time and also to the five colleges for hosting these exciting events.”

Jason Turton, Deputy Principal at Barking & Dagenham College, adds:

“It was a great honour to welcome renowned Hollywood director Kristin Ellingson to our campus for such an uplifting event. The event attracted students from diverse disciplines like digital technology and cyber security, as well as those enrolled in our creative programmes like film, e-sports, media, design, and fashion.

“These kinds of opportunities are priceless for our young learners,
offering them a more nuanced understanding of the kind of rewarding career paths that the film and gaming sectors have to offer.”

Ian Millward, Faculty Director at Coleg Gwent said:

“Here at Coleg Gwent, we are passionate about empowering students to explore the career options available in the digital technology and cyber industries. Attending events like these can prove to be incredibly eye-opening for students, as they gain invaluable insights into the industries and the diverse range of career opportunities they offer.”

Rachael Hennigan, Principal and Chief Executive of Hugh Baird College:

“We are grateful to The CyberHub Trust for hosting an event with Hugh Baird College and to Kristin for sharing her knowledge and experiences with the next generation of creative and technological minds. It is a golden opportunity for our students to gain insights from someone with such a rich and diverse experience in the film, gaming, and technology sectors and learn about the myriad of careers available to them.”

“We look forward to a day of engaging activities, thought-provoking presentations, and enlightening discussions that will undoubtedly fuel the ambitions of our students.”

Joe Stephenson, Curriculum Lead and Development Officer for Computing and Science at City College Plymouth, said of the event:

“We’re delighted to be hosting this event, which will give our students the opportunity to hear first-hand experiences from a Hollywood industry specialist. We want to show young people, and young women in particular, that there’s a whole range of creative and technological careers available to them.

“Kristin is the perfect person to do that, so we can’t wait to see her pass on her knowledge and experience to our students.”

Jan Myatt, Vice Principal at BMet College, said:

“We are thrilled to be part of this exceptional opportunity for our students to connect with Kristin Ellingson, a prominent figure in the Film, Gaming, and Cyber industries. Her journey from ‘Hackers’ to her current work in AR/VR VFX at MetaLVX is truly inspiring. These events will provide our students with invaluable insights into the limitless potential of careers in these exciting fields.

“We are proud to say that our collaborative relationship with The CyberHub Trust continues to go from strength to strength, consistently providing these invaluable opportunities for our students. We believe this experience will empower our students to pursue their passions and consider new horizons in the world of technology and entertainment.”

Students studying digital technology & cyber security, as well as those on creative courses (including film, media, design, fashion & digital marketing) will be attending, alongside a range of stakeholders including local government & law enforcement representatives, film and documentary makers, studio executives and communications & marketing professionals.

The full list of events and venues are as follows:

• Wales:
• Coleg Gwent, Cross Keys, Newport
• Tuesday 10th October 2023, 9.30am to 3.30pm
• Birmingham:
• Birmingham Metropolitan College
• Wednesday 11th October 2023, 9.30am to 3.30pm
• Liverpool:
•  Hugh Baird College, Bootle
• § Thursday 12th October 2023, 9.30am to 3.30pm
• o Barking & Dagenham:
•  Barking & Dagenham College, London
• § Tuesday 17th October 2023, 9.30am to 3.30pm
• o City of Plymouth College:
•  City of Plymouth College
• § Thursday 19th October 2023, 9.30am to 3.30pm

For more information about the events, please visit www.cyberhub.org.uk