BRAVA (Bristol Academy of Voice Acting) is delighted to announce that it has received two Society of Voice Arts and Sciences (SOVAS) Award nominations.
Best Podcast Host
The nominations are for Outstanding Podcast – Best Producer/Host – for BRAVA Founder and CEO, Melissa Thom, for the High Notes podcast on the art and business of voice.
From Monoglian throat singing to vocal health, accents, gaming and more, High Notes uncovers the craft behind the business. Series 3 has just dropped and explores ‘Words at Work’, talking to some of the best minds about voice, speech and communication for business.
Best Audio Drama
BRAVA has also been nominated for Outstanding Audio Drama for Angels in Bristol, an original Film Noir script based in 1954 Bristol, written and directed by Elaine A. Clark, and produced by Melissa Thom.
Elaine wrote the script exclusively for BRAVA’s in-person Characters Masterclass, held in Bristol every summer. This annual event provides participants with the opportunity to be cast in and record a range of productions, from audiobooks, to audio dramas, video games and more.
Melissa Thom, Founder & CEO of BRAVA said:
“I could not be prouder of everyone at BRAVA involved in these nominations. It’s a real testimony to the talent of our voice clients. Here’s to storytelling, community, and the power of voice; to putting Bristol and the South West firmly on the global voice map; and, most importantly, to creating art for pleasure!”.
BRAVA’s High Notes podcast is hosted and produced by Melissa Thom, audio and video engineer Euan McAleece, and audio and video editor, David Macgregor.
The Angels in Bristol cast: Carla O’Shaughnessy, Tiffany Xin, Marilla Lamour, Tina Duffin, Gwen Henderson, Tyler Woodburn, Guy Pass, Daniel Watson, Amy Smith, Rebecca Kozlen, Tabitha Owens and Melissa Thom. The Producer was Melissa Thom and Assistant Producer, Tabitha Owens.
To work with BRAVA on voice, speech and communication in the workplace and beyond, drop us a line at [email protected] or visit our website at www.brava.uk.com
Students on Weston College’s UAL Foundation Diploma in Art & Design have recently completed an impactful seven-week project titled “Visual Rebellion: The Rule Breakers”, showcasing their creativity and critical thinking through bold artistic exploration.
The UAL Foundation Diploma in Art & Design is a 1-year pre-degree course designed to give students the opportunity to trial a wide range of mediums before specialising. It provides valuable time for learners to refine their skills, explore their interests, and prepare for progression into higher education or creative industries.
The project encouraged learners to break formal rules in art and design, using their work to express authentic beliefs and challenge social, political, and personal conventions. Themes explored included political and social issues, personal experiences, and the boundaries of scale and material use.
Throughout the project, students investigated influential artists who cover topics such as propaganda, war, corruption, and exploitation. The aim was to provoke thought, foster creativity, and stimulate dialogue through art that carries personal meaning and relevance.
The first part of the project focused on research, including a trip to Bristol and seminars on research methodologies. Learners explored five avenues of “Visual Rebellion”, collecting imagery and presenting their findings digitally.
Over the following weeks, students rotated through specialist pathways including Surface & Form, Interdisciplinary Fine Art, and Visual Communication. Students also took part in practical workshops which offered hands-on experience in digital media, printmaking, 3D design, collage, lens-based work, and illustrative sewing. This was a fantastic opportunity for them to trial a range of mediums and figure out which form of art was their preferred pathway.
Each learner maintained a record of their journey through sketchbooks and personal blogs, documenting research, workshop outcomes, and reflections which built their portfolios and showcased the effort and research gone into their artwork. The project concluded with a thorough evaluation of each pathway and the overall experience.
This course is a fantastic opportunity for students who are unsure what they want to do and who fancy exploring new ways to express themselves through art. Whether you have studied art before or not does not matter on this course, all you need is to have completed a Level 3 course and have a passion for creativity.
Well done to all the students and the amazing work they have produced so far!
This project forms part of the UAL Foundation Diploma in Art & Design Careers Excellence Hub. Weston College’s Career Excellence Hubs are designed to be the launching pad for our learners’ careers. In a world where connections and relevant skills matter more than ever, these hubs offer a holistic approach that prepares learners to thrive in their chosen industries. With the support of these hubs, our learners are well-equipped to make a significant impact in their professional journeys.
Progress to the next level in Creative Arts! At University Centre Weston (UCW) our students give us impressive feedback, with our latest National Student Survey results putting us above average in all nine areas! Find out more about our exceptional teaching, wellbeing services and learning resources by visiting our website. Click here!
Bristol… we are coming to meet you! Help us shape the future media creatives for our region. We are looking to engage with TV, film, content media, games, animation and the photography industry on 26th November at the gorgeous St George’s Hall
✅ Discuss key challenges and opportunities in the creative sector
✅ Shape future talent pipelines and influence taught curriculum
✅ Strengthen collaboration between education and industry to drive
Enjoy breakfast and open discussion with representatives from Weston College, University Centre Weston and Business West LSIP team
If you’re an employer in the creative industries and would like to join us, sign up through here
https://www.weston.ac.uk/event/media-production-photography-games-and-animation-employer-advisory-board
Join the online SEND Employment Forum: Building an Inclusive Workforce in North Somerset.
North Somerset Council and Weston college have launched Inclusive Futures – a SEND focused Employment Forum to drive growth in Supported Internships and create more employment opportunities for young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).
Securing and maintaining meaningful work can be challenging for individuals with autism or learning disabilities. However, evidence shows that Supported Employment, a structured, partnership-based approach; can make a lasting difference by helping individuals gain and sustain successful employment.
We are working closely to support local employers, education providers, and support organisations to increase the employment rate of young people and adults with learning disabilities and/or autism.
The Inclusive Futures SEND Forum aims to:
We invite you to join us for an engaging discussion on Supported Internships in North Somerset. This event is tailored for forward-thinking employers who want to explore inclusive recruitment strategies and open doors for young people aged 16–24 with SEND or an Education, Health, and Care Plan (EHCP). Employers of all sizes are welcome from all sectors to discover more and be part of a young person’s employment story.
University Centre Weston is gathering valuable insights from employers across all sectors to better understand current and future demand for digital apprenticeships and we’d like business input.
If your business employs, or is considering employing, digital talent at any level, please take a few minutes to complete our short survey:
Complete the Digital Apprenticeships Employer Survey
The survey lists a range of digital apprenticeship standards (Levels 2–6), from data and software roles to cyber and digital infrastructure. Your feedback will help us ensure that training and skills provision in the region align with real employer needs.
We’re particularly keen to hear from:
Your input will directly inform how we design, deliver, and support digital apprenticeships that meet the evolving needs of employers and industry. You can also sign up to join our Digital Future Breakfast on 10th November taking place at University Centre Weston.
Thank you for helping us shape the future of digital skills in the West of England. If you would prefer to chat directly, please reach out to me at [email protected] and we can arrange a call.
🚫 “It’s great to be here.”
🚫 “Hello, I am [insert name, job title]. Today I’m going to talk about…”
🚫 “Thank you for having me”
Avoid these predictable presentation intros. These just set up your talk as nothing new.
If you want your talk to be memorable you need to hook your audience from the very beginning and give them a compelling reason to pay attention.
The graphic below from Sequoia Capital illustrates a typical attention span over 60mins and the potential to lose 90% of your audience within the first five mins…but how to remedy?
Here are three ways (and a bonus fourth😁) to help to set up your talk as unmissable:
🎬 Set the scene like a movie.
“Our industry is facing seismic challenges. That’s what I would have said – until six months ago we discovered something that changed everything. Here’s what happened..”
📊 Drop an eyebrow-raising stat.
“If women started and scaled new businesses at the same rate as men, we could create £250 billion in additional value to the UK’s economy, according to a recent review. Here’s what needs to happen…”
🔍 Use a prop or an attention-grabbing slide.
One influential presenter wordlessly put up an image of an elephant to kick off a talk where they went on to talk about tackling ‘the elephant in the room’ of their industry, while another promised a visual to capture the current state of the economy…and put up a completely black slide.
Remember: with audio only, retention of content three days later is around 10%, but with an image that increases to an incredible 65%
⭐ Or you can call us. We can to help you to be memorable in all your business interactions.
Weston College and University Centre Weston are looking to work with creative businesses to shape delivery, curriculum and skills alignment to provide your industry with a talented and work ready future workforce.
Current courses delivered by us include:
Please join us at one of our events (you can find them all here) and have your say! https://forms.office.com/e/0T1Z42Ey2V
University Centre Weston’s Dirigo Film Festival is returning for its 12th year! Organised by our talented Film and Media Arts Production students, it’s a fantastic opportunity for student filmmakers worldwide! Entries are open now!
As an open festival with no set boundaries, the festival aims to inspire and showcase creativity in film making. The organisers actively encourage new styles, voices and direction! This year’s categories are:
In addition to the film side of the festival, for the first time this year we are introducing the Dirigo Photography Awards! This is a separate category for photography submissions for International Students, UK Students, and Young Photographer categories.
This industry film festival forms part of the Art, Film, Game and Graphic Design Careers Excellence Hub. University Centre Weston’s Career Excellence Hubs are designed to be the launching pad for our learners’ careers. In a world where connections and relevant skills matter more than ever, these hubs offer a holistic approach that prepares learners to thrive in their chosen industries. With the support of these hubs, our learners are well-equipped to make a significant impact in their professional journeys.
Entries for the festival are now open, you can submit your film by clicking here! Apply for our Film and Media Arts Production degree by clicking here!
While each client I work with is unique, there is a common thread that runs through so many of my coaching sessions: expectation.
We have expectations of others, and for the most part we consider these reasonable: to listen to us, to trust us, to treat us fairly. But how do we know when the expectation becomes unreasonable? To remember our birthday, our anniversary, the names of our pets and children; to show us patience when we’re late, or tired, and support us when we’re struggling… even when they are struggling too. The expectations differ based on the relationship, of course, and that becomes a minefield of its own. What more would you expect of your partner compared to your closest friends?
We have expectations of life. We expect it to be sunny on our wedding days, sports days and holidays (we know it’s silly, but we do); we expect the roads to be clear and the printer to work and that Whatsapp message to just… bloody… send. We expect these things because we are programmed to spot patterns, and if the pattern breaks and something lets us down, we don’t appreciate it.
And then there are the expectations of ourselves. If that fool at school can get a six-figure salary and that weird guy at the gym can get married, and he can get promoted and she can get pregnant, why can’t we? It’s not just that we want these things. We expect them.
We expect ourselves to have more energy than we have (despite what we’re eating and how many hours we’re sleeping) and we expect to be happy at least 99% of the time (unless that character dies).
Every day, we expect more of ourselves and others, and more of life, than could ever be considered reasonable. But it’s not our fault. We’d still be living in caves if we didn’t have high expectations. We’ve just forgotten how to manage them.
If this resonates with you, you might like to join my free workshop on expectations and blindspots:
https://whatsinyourblindspot.eventbrite.co.uk
When we learn to identify our expectations, to drag them from the subconscious and into the light, we can choose which expectations to act on, and which to let go.
And if you want to start exploring your expectations now, finding a little clarity and more peace in your day, drop me a message.
[As always, not written with AI. Yup, ‘resonates’ was all me…]
Weston College is pleased to announce a new Careers Excellence Hub (CEH) partnership with a creative agency, Noor Creatives. This exciting collaboration will offer students the opportunity to apply their creativity in real-world settings, developing content for live clients, gaining valuable insight into the creative sector, and building skills that align with current digital industries.
Through this partnership, students will be mentored by professionals from Noor Creatives and take part in practical workshops and collaborative campaigns that emphasise branding, digital storytelling, and inclusive communication.
Noor Creatives, founded by Mir Sadat, is a values-led creative agency specialising in branding, digital solutions, and content creation. Working with charities, community projects, public-sector organisations, and purpose-driven businesses, Noor Creatives help clients craft compelling brands that connect and inspire.
Founder and CEO of Noor Creatives, Mir Sadat, added, “At Noor Creatives, we are passionate about helping the next generation shine through creativity, innovation, and empowerment. My journey — from early challenges in Afghanistan, to rebuilding my life and business in the UK — has taught me that with the right support, every individual has the potential to excel. Partnering with Weston College gives us the chance to share our knowledge and experience, and to help students, particularly those facing language barriers or cultural challenges, to believe in their potential and build their own bright futures.”
Mir’s own journey is central to the mission of Noor Creatives. ‘Noor’ means light and it embodies the belief that creativity and communication can inspire change, build confidence, and empower communities.
This partnership also contributes to the creative economy by nurturing local talent and ensuring students gain experience within their own communities. With a shared commitment to inclusion, innovation, and opportunity, Weston College and Noor Creatives are working together to shape a more accessible and dynamic future for creative industries in North Somerset and beyond.
Lynsey McKinstry, Strategic Business Partnership Manager at Weston College, says, “We are so excited about this new partnership, giving a range of students the chance to flex their creativity and apply their knowledge outside the classroom. The opportunities and pathways that partnerships like this provide to the students are invaluable for their growth, allowing them to contribute to a professional environment and assist with real-world projects. We look forward to working closely with Noor Creatives in the future and seeing how they help our students grow.”
This opportunity will help develop our students’ personal and professional growth, giving them the chance to work closely with industry professionals and build transferrable skills that they can apply to future careers. They will gain responsibilities and build relationships with clients, ensuring our students leave college career-ready, confident, and prepared for the competitive job market.
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