Students on set for Nativity 3

Two UCB students have recently had the opportunity to work on the film set of the highly-anticipated ‘Nativity 3: Dude, Where’s My Donkey?’. 

Catherine Averill and Sian Atkinson, currently in their second and first year of a Specialist Hair & Media Make-Up BA (Hons) degree respectively, spent two days in January working in Leamington Spa and Coventry helping Megan Jones, a UCB Graduate Teaching Assistant, look after extras (or dailies, as they are known in the industry) and assist the make-up artists with preparing them to go on set. This included ensuring that hair was styled and basic make-up was applied to fit the events being filmed on the day.

On their first day, Thursday 16^th January, the BBC did some coverage on the film for a news slot. It was an exceptionally busy day, and there were over 100 extras on set. It was Catherine and Sian’s responsibility to help look after them, including powdering them to prevent shine and making sure hair remained in the same style for continuity purposes. The following Friday they were just as involved, helping to prepare the children’s hair for the day’s shoot. 

Catherine said: “I found it to be a wonderful experience, and it gave me an insight to the industry. The cast and crew were warm and inviting people, and it was lovely to work on a film with some big names. I would love to take on another opportunity like this, as it will help me get my name into what is considered a competitive industry. Megan was very supportive and reassuring throughout, and I can’t thank her enough for the opportunity.” 

Sian said: “Working on a film set for the first time was a great experience – the staff were friendly and helpful and I loved every minute of it. Being part of such a great film was amazing, and I still can’t believe that I’ve been able to be a part of such a fantastic opportunity in my first year. The staff at UCB are great, and I hope to have the opportunity to do more placements in the future.” 

Filming for Nativity 3 started in November 2013, starring Catherine Tate, Martin Clunes and Adam Garcia, with Marc Wootton returning to his role as ‘Mr. Poppy’. The film will be released in time for the festive season this year.

Pictured above: Megan Jones (UCB Graduate Teaching Assistant) and Specialist Hair & Media Make-Up student Sian Atkins.