Four Bath Spa University students have collaborated with Somerset Wildlife Trust to create a powerful video raising awareness of ash dieback, the fatal fungal disease ravaging woodlands across the UK and Europe.
From filming, to sound and editing, BA (Hons) Creative Media students Caitlin Bancroft, Elizaveta Stoliarova, Rebecca Lomas and Kiana West worked on the live brief set by Somerset Wildlife Trust as part of their involvement in Artswork Media, the university’s final year BA (Hons) Creative Media student-led media production company and digital agency based at Bristol’s Paintworks media hub.
The brief came to students via Stephen Moss, the university’s senior lecturer and course leader in MA Travel and Nature Writing, and president of the Somerset Wildlife Trust.
Through the partnership the students created an impactful video highlighting the issue of the swathes of dead and dying ash trees in woodlands, parks, gardens and nature reserves that are fast becoming a risk to the public.
Caitlin Bancroft said: “Filming in different environments and working through the challenging elements was really interesting.
“It was very eye-opening to learn about the ash dieback disease, and I am proud to have been able to create something that will inform the public and hopefully have an impact on how people treat the environment.”
Somerset Wildlife Trust head of corporate relations and communications Kirby Everett added: “When Dutch Elm disease was at its peak in the 70s, we all knew about it. The same cannot be said for ash dieback. This disease has been in stealth mode for the last few years, and it is only now that we are starting to see the true impact of it across Somerset, across the Mendips in particular.
“Making the film with the students about the disease to educate people and to raise awareness of the urgency of the issue was a key piece of communications for us. We were incredibly pleased with the professionalism of the whole team and their ability to produce a piece of creative film work that absolutely nailed the key messages”.
Bath Spa University BA (Hons) Creative Media students get the opportunity to enrich their portfolios every year by working on real industry briefs. Previous clients have included the Bristol Old Vic and Glastonbury Festival.
Stephen Moss said: “I was delighted to be able to work with an incredibly professional team of Bath Spa University students to get this crucial message about ash dieback out there. I do hope that in the future Somerset Wildlife Trust and Bath Spa can work together again.”
Artswork Media director and Bath spa film and social context leader Dr Ruth Farrar added: “In our unique Artswork Media enterprising learning environment, we encourage our students to create socially conscious and meaningful media.
“Many of our students are passionate about environmentalism and Somerset Wildlife Trust’s client brief provided them with a brilliant opportunity to apply their skills to a real industry film shoot.”
The video titled Ash Dieback: A Silent Killer in Somerset can be viewed on the Somerset Wildlife Trust’s Ash Dieback Fund webpage.
Bath Spa University offers a wide range of courses across the arts, sciences, education, social science and business to more than 7,000 students.
Taunton-based Somerset Wildlife Trust has been protecting and preserving the county’s wildlife and wild places for more than 50 years. It has more than 21,000 members – making it one of the UK’s largest conservation charities. Its landholding of 1,700-plus hectares incorporates a diverse range of habitats from wetlands to woodlands, grasslands and meadows, which provides secure environments for a diverse range of wildlife such as dormice, otters, hedgehogs, barn owls and many other species.
