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Engaging conversations. Authentic stories. No scripts. One Take!
This unscripted video podcast from Visual PR Productions showcases the work we do for a clients with genuine, conversation-led storytelling that connects people through creativity, curiosity, emotions, and (if appropriate) laughter. Each episode highlights real journeys, inspiring insights, and the value of authentic video content.
00:00:00:01 - 00:00:24:03
Chris
Welcome to episode one of our new show, which is going to have a whole load of about bloomin time. This is take one with visual PR productions, and it's called that because that is something that we're very proud of, is that it's about that authenticity. It's just shot as live. It's not sort of edit together all these bits and pieces is it is one take done.
00:00:24:03 - 00:00:50:02
Chris
It's authentic, engaging conversations. And the whole idea of this, sequence of shows that we're going to be doing is, it's going to put spotlights on stories, it's going to spark curiosity, and it's going to subtly promote our guests journeys, industries or their organizations. It's going to be some interesting stories. Hopefully we're going to have some laughs along the way.
00:00:50:04 - 00:01:09:14
Chris
And it's just going to be an interesting to showcase what we at visual PR productions do. Conversation led video content and how we can repurpose all of that. But we're going to come back to that in more details because it's about time we're doing our own. We've been doing everyone else's, and we've not been doing our own.
00:01:09:16 - 00:01:32:09
Chris
Mainly because, well, purely because we're so incredibly busy, which is brilliant. But we need to be in our own studio and all of that stuff, and we're going to now be. You.
00:01:32:11 - 00:01:54:22
Chris
The second, I'm just as ridiculous about blooming time is I'm delighted to say that my guest, he's already been here for a year. He's our very own video editor and producer. And at last, I'm getting in front of the camera, Tom cotton. Well, I've got to do one of those on screen. I think even you said about time.
00:01:55:02 - 00:02:07:07
Tom
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I live in the shadows back there, you know? So. Yeah. You don't get to see me particularly, but I'm back there. I'm back there. Occasionally someone shouts out something to tell them I'm one of the shows. That's that's me.
00:02:07:09 - 00:02:30:10
Chris
So I do like to do that. Did I make you chuckle quietly as you can, and see how quiet he can stay with this Chuckling but it is the production desk is over there. That's interesting. We're going because I want to do on camera. This for episode one was that we're flying with the multicamera is being captured rather than you because you sit there with with the multicam to chase it.
00:02:30:15 - 00:02:54:18
Tom
Yeah. So for those that, well, yeah, all sets up has, we have my multi-camera production. They all run through the production desk to me where I monitor them. And then obviously I use the live switcher, so it's an eight, to keep track of the conversations. All of our stuff. Records individually anyway. Yeah. Giving us the option if actually that switch hasn't been made too quickly or if someone makes an off the cuff joke one way.
00:02:54:18 - 00:03:17:23
Tom
Obviously I'm not. I'm hearing it in real time so I can't get back in time to get to the, it means we can go in and sort of do that afterwards and keep for the flow as well, and especially for the clips that go out for all of our clients on, on social media and stuff. It means we've got that sort of, you know, you've got this camera angle on me, which is very different to this camera angle on me, particularly when we're talking like this.
00:03:17:23 - 00:03:35:01
Tom
Because again, for people out there watching, you'll see that I'm more profile now. That doesn't look as good when you zoom in on it. Yes. So but my camera over there, which I'm not going to look at whilst I'm making this point, makes it so that I can actually be tighter in on the shot. I get a cleaner image and it works better for a one for a long clip.
00:03:35:01 - 00:03:55:02
Chris
And of course we're set up to be able to have, we try to make the limits for people on here. So two seats here and two seats there. Yeah. We you still get that capability of of zooming in. Well, having the camera on you too, if there was someone else there, but the ability to also then zoom in on a vertical off of you.
00:03:55:04 - 00:04:07:19
Chris
But the my point being is, is sort of that's in the in a weird order that we've done that to some extent, but it was to explain that that's now just recorded all of them. And you've then got to do the multicam edit afterwards.
00:04:07:21 - 00:04:08:16
Tom
Yeah.
00:04:08:18 - 00:04:09:15
Chris
Fully.
00:04:09:17 - 00:04:41:05
Tom
Yeah, yeah. So you're welcome. I'll go through. I'll go. In essence though, it's not it's not more work in terms of, of my work time because I will just watch back through and make those live switches in the multicam edit as I go. Anyway. Yeah. So in that sense that I, let's call it an hour of me sitting there doing that over there is just been put on pause for me to now go do an hour, but doing it as a multicam at it instead.
00:04:41:07 - 00:04:52:14
Tom
It's just the the hour I now have talking and stuff, so but no, that would be good. It's it's a useful feature and function for us to be able to have. And I think it's really, really important. So it.
00:04:52:14 - 00:05:13:01
Chris
Is. Yeah. And the beauty is and again, we will come into more detail, is that it's either for the visual PR content that we do for our clients. I know we've got our logo here, but normally that would be the client's logo and the color backlit would be relevant to them. Quite often with me hosting it just because it's what I do professionally anyway.
00:05:13:03 - 00:05:39:21
Chris
But it doesn't have to be. But we've more recently got people coming in for podcasts and episodic content or training content or whatever it might be, and that's like, no, no, no, that's their content. The studio, the equipment, you as the production and the post-production work as well. And it gives us that scope across the board. And this might be our studio, but all of this is able to be lifted up and taken to another location as well.
00:05:39:22 - 00:05:54:03
Tom
Absolutely. I mean, all people really have to do is, you know, check our channel out and you can go back in time and see some of the things that we've done. And you'll see some of the spaces that we've been into. And, you know, we can get into small spaces, we figure it out. Yeah. But obviously.
00:05:54:03 - 00:06:07:03
Tom
Yeah. B now it's sort of we, we came in here sort of at the start of January, and we sort of developed over the last few months to the stages. Now, which is great. There's still a few things that we're going to keep going with, you know, never sit still and all that.
00:06:07:03 - 00:06:11:00
Chris
You're the one that keeps the reins on me a little bit. No, we don't need that yet, Chris.
00:06:11:02 - 00:06:29:06
Tom
No, I just think you remember a day where I've gone outside to get some fresh air as you pulled in, and I just see this car pull in full of stuff in the back, and I admit to them again, what have you done? And there's the plants. I think it was the Chaz. Yeah. Oh, okay. All right. I guess that's the rest of today that I.
00:06:29:07 - 00:06:40:04
Chris
Knew then came back and suddenly there was the shelving unit and the TV. Yeah. And a coffee to a new coffee table. Yeah, yeah. You know what? You then me away.
00:06:40:06 - 00:07:07:01
Tom
It works. It's good. I'm. You know, I'm particularly proud of what we've been able to sort of develop in here. And I think but, you know, getting the clients in when they come in, when they've been in for their first show in the space since we've either added something or enhanced it or whatever it might be, their reaction is to see that as well is brilliant, and I think that shows that they really value those extras that we're putting in our production side of it.
00:07:07:03 - 00:07:23:02
Tom
And the value that that brings to them as clients and their products. So, you know, we we won't sit still. We'll keep going and developing the sets and get everything, you know, more and more and more. Yeah. To bring more value to, to everybody else and obviously ourselves, now that we're finally.
00:07:23:04 - 00:07:44:22
Chris
Doing our yes, we actually can market ourselves a little bit. Exactly. And we know that there's there's all sorts of other things will come on to future. In a moment. I'm gonna now backtrack, to, to a more logical start where I really wanted to do is, is is your story a little bit, this time, the title of this episode is called From Blackboard to Black Light.
00:07:44:22 - 00:08:00:16
Chris
That backlight, sorry, blackboard to backlight. That's the one, bit of a tongue twister. And that's because you were a teacher. Yep. And then did a complete switch. Now, first things first. What were you teaching?
00:08:00:17 - 00:08:02:14
Tom
I was head of computer science.
00:08:02:16 - 00:08:03:04
Chris
That's right.
00:08:03:04 - 00:08:10:07
Tom
Yeah, I had a form class as well. But I was my sort of, my time was split between those two year olds.
00:08:10:07 - 00:08:22:02
Chris
Yes. And as I understand it, this the the sort of the motivation for this change into the, the videography side of thing was, was the pandemic.
00:08:22:04 - 00:08:40:11
Tom
Yeah. So I mean, the, the short synopsis is, yeah, I was, I worked in a school for I think in the end it was about 11 years I was there. And I think in that time I was teaching for 9 to 10 of them, something like that. Eight, nine, ten. I'd have to probably backtrack on it.
00:08:40:11 - 00:08:58:07
Tom
I'd started there when I was doing my training. I got in as a Ta after that, then, again, keeping it short, one of the teachers, I was ill for a little while, so, I mean, a number of other to sort of stepped in to help cover that class we were high level to. So we we could do that.
00:08:58:09 - 00:09:22:01
Tom
I would I did was a private school as well. So certain regulations don't apply quite so much, in terms of certain qualifications being needed to have in order to do those roles. That person came back and then decided actually for their health, they were going to leave at the end of that year. I was sort of subtly encouraged to put my name in the hat for the job.
00:09:22:01 - 00:09:39:18
Tom
I was still finishing my qualifications at that point. And, and fortunately for me, I got the job. Did make it a bit tricky in my final year of qualifications, where all of the assignments are being thrown out. How would you do this? As to how would you do this? Use examples from your settings. I'm sure they're going to go into my lectures again.
00:09:39:19 - 00:09:45:13
Tom
Yeah. I need to talk to you about this because I need to I need to figure out how to frame this because I'm not. It's here.
00:09:45:15 - 00:09:48:01
Chris
About teacher. Yeah.
00:09:48:03 - 00:10:01:21
Tom
So yeah, that was that was how that started. And. Yeah, I was there a long time. I'd always had an interest in video production and video stuff. I did, I did start a photography A-level. Once upon a time, I dropped it.
00:10:01:23 - 00:10:02:13
Chris
Over. I quit.
00:10:02:13 - 00:10:04:02
Tom
Grade, not because I.
00:10:04:02 - 00:10:06:01
Chris
Because it was static. That's why you say not because.
00:10:06:03 - 00:10:23:08
Tom
Yeah. Not because I didn't enjoy it. I loved actually the, you know, being able to adjust the apertures and the lenses and create all these beautiful images and then take them to the computer and work on them. I loved all of that. It was actually just there was a distinct unit that was assigned to the class, and I just went, yeah, and I'm done.
00:10:23:10 - 00:10:52:03
Tom
Which because it was fashion, right? I've looked at that and gone, yeah, this, this is going to work for me. I've got no idea what I'm going to do with this. It's, you know, I leave that. Yeah. So I've always had that interest is where I'm getting with that. The in my sort of role with the computer science, whilst that was predominantly a teaching role with that, I ended up getting on really, really well with the actual it team.
00:10:52:05 - 00:11:09:19
Tom
Yeah. You know, the support crew, there was only only three of them. And I ended up getting on really, really well with them, but a really strong working relationship with them. Absolutely love those guys. I think all three of them are still there. So yeah, I think I spoke with one of them not that long ago.
00:11:09:19 - 00:11:32:11
Tom
Dropped me a message. So that relationship sort of blossomed. And from that then was able to come a more technical side to my role. So we started to be able to then bring in some video things here and there, just within a normal school environment pre-pandemic. Okay, a few little bits and pieces coming in, nothing major, but a few little bits.
00:11:32:13 - 00:11:49:07
Tom
I for example, I may I made sure that I pushed and I got a special box from the providers that we, we borrowed certain, resources from. And as part of that kit was, a green screen and a special kids camera that was designed to be able to run the green screen in real time and stuff like that.
00:11:49:07 - 00:12:08:21
Tom
So as part of what they could do, they could go get this camera that mates could go stand in front of the green screen and they could actually change the backgrounds on it, on the camera and these sorts of things. Then of course, pandemic hit. So school closed, actually say school closed. We didn't close. So technically we never closed.
00:12:08:21 - 00:12:37:10
Tom
We still had to provide that provision for key families and key support. So that we sort of did that on a rotation basis. You had some staff who were always in the building, predominantly made up of ones who lived closer by or we did have staff that lived at the school as well. Yeah. And then other people who would come and do a day here and there or whatever it was, us had some staff that actually preferred to work from their classrooms, but still remote that way.
00:12:37:11 - 00:12:56:21
Tom
Got. Yeah. Just our home environment wasn't conducive to be know, to sit on a video call teaching. So they would often times find themselves in that sort of down periods. And I'll get to that in a minute. But there's a reason I go go down periods. Going in and helping with those key support children and stuff as well.
00:12:56:23 - 00:13:16:14
Tom
I sort of got left exempt from that because of my knowledge and my skill sets in the technical side of stuff, including the video work. Okay, so what my role quickly transitioned into was helping train lots of members of staff on suddenly you having to do everything online. We.
00:13:16:15 - 00:13:17:14
Chris
Knew to a lot of people.
00:13:17:14 - 00:13:35:01
Tom
It was incredibly new. And I remember having to say to a lot of people who are really struggling with it, the amount of times in that could change when you're a fantastic teacher, absolutely brilliant. You wouldn't blink twice about someone coming into your classroom and just observing you. Part of what we do is our career. Yeah, we have observations.
00:13:35:01 - 00:13:43:00
Tom
We have, you know, people check up and I said, we're not just making stuff up all that. Yeah. But suddenly you're on a camera and you've changed.
00:13:43:03 - 00:13:53:04
Chris
I've got to be a presenter. Yeah. That's why my sister company, Open Doors Training exist where we train. Exactly. That is that you suddenly go, I've got to be something. Do something and not just be yourself.
00:13:53:04 - 00:14:13:06
Tom
It's really, really difficult. And and so I was helping people try and be more comfortable with that. Being on camera is something that's never forced me, particularly I. I always felt that, well, what I do for a living one I'm stood up in front of people talking all day. Secondly, my natural sort of conversational or professional style is always quite talkative.
00:14:13:08 - 00:14:20:20
Tom
That's one of the reasons why I actually, you know, working here is it's one of the things that really interested me because the that I, we always put it that conversational format.
00:14:21:00 - 00:14:25:02
Chris
Stuff, the principles aligned for what you thought. Yeah.
00:14:25:04 - 00:14:47:07
Tom
And we'd also just implemented a whole new set of Google softwares, Google Classroom, Google Drive. We were using Google Meet because they linked up with classroom backgrounds to provide our lessons. And so I was at the time, only my qualification has actually expired now. But I was Google Educator Circle certified, which meant I was able to train my members of staff on that.
00:14:47:09 - 00:14:54:03
Tom
So in the end, by the time all was said and done, I think I'd written a 50 page training manual on how to do all this stuff. I.
00:14:54:05 - 00:14:57:01
Chris
Yet you're still invited to dinner parties?
00:14:57:02 - 00:15:20:10
Tom
Yeah, I'm invited to pay. But that's it. That's by the by, all of that being said is because there was that technical side of it as well. And I was really enjoying that. And there was a bit, you know, the it goes, you need a desk in a room as well. And all this aside, Hannah is cool, but the video stuff then started coming in more with that.
00:15:20:11 - 00:15:41:00
Tom
So when I say I was sort of exempt from going in, it's because my time was split at this point. Now between teaching all day. So we would do a registration at 815 in the morning. Yeah. So I'm on camera in my classroom at 815. We would then be live till about 11. Then there was work on your own time.
00:15:41:00 - 00:16:00:17
Tom
So about lunch, we'd be back on it. One. Yeah. And I would have to be available sat in a video call. So I would then live teach for an hour or so. The lesson itself would run for another half hour, 40 minutes, where I'm not set my camera off and my microphone. But I am there and we expect all of the students to be there still.
00:16:00:19 - 00:16:22:07
Tom
Yeah. But working on the tasks that have been assigned. So obviously I would deliver a lesson. Yeah. And then it's cool. Has your activities to go off and take what I've done. And then I am expected to be available until at least 5:00 for any parent or any students to be able to send me a message via the Google system at the time.
00:16:22:07 - 00:16:41:12
Tom
So Google Classroom saying, can you help with this? And it's a it's an instant. Here's a link. I'm here. Hi, how can I help? What do you need? Yeah. So, for for me. And that was that itself was the same for all of my members of staff who were doing that at the time. So it is one thing that still bristles with me when people go, oh, teachers are too easy during the pandemic.
00:16:41:12 - 00:16:51:07
Tom
They, you know, don't get me wrong, I know not I know not everybody provided the level of provision that we did, but for what we did, that was a huge amount, I have.
00:16:51:07 - 00:17:18:22
Chris
To say, because my daughter, what would she have been in, let's say year four, in primary school and obviously we were off with her doing that. And a me trying to teach my daughter some stuff. I don't know how teachers do it, honestly. My respect went through the roof and then watching these video things with all of these kids that don't go quiet, you know, it's mayhem that somehow is managed and you're now getting it.
00:17:18:22 - 00:17:36:07
Chris
Oh, even then you sort of hear some of the questions and you go, oh my word. What what are you on about? And the teachers just completely calm, explain it in a different way and maybe in a different way again. And honestly, my respect went through the roof for teachers. It was a very hard it was a tough general.
00:17:36:07 - 00:17:39:03
Chris
But to now deliver it this way. Yeah. Wow.
00:17:39:05 - 00:17:55:23
Tom
Yeah. It was it was really tough time and I'm proud of the way we came through it and what we were able to deliver for, for the students. So I was doing that. That was sort of my daytime role, as it were. Yeah. All around that. Then they were still we were still marking just the stuff that they did would be photographed and submitted.
00:17:56:01 - 00:18:28:00
Tom
And I would then have to sit and market and provide feedback. So that didn't change. But then I was also, I say, helping to train staff on the systems or being teaching teaching this way. And I was also because at this time, staff obviously couldn't provide the, the pastoral side of care as well. Yeah. So things like assemblies, the things that make people feel welcome at that school, that feeling of community and celebrated.
00:18:28:01 - 00:18:50:09
Tom
So what started as just a weekly assembly that they would that the, people would film. And then it got sent to me. I tidied up a little bit. I'd done a little intro and outro for it. Suddenly by the end I was making nine videos a week for, that would be different clubs, it would be different assemblies.
00:18:50:09 - 00:19:12:16
Tom
It would be, storytime for the younger children. Yeah. Or all sorts of bits and pieces. Nine videos a week, plus the training staff, plus the Google staff, plus the actual teaching and marking. It was loads. And the reason I've given all of that information is because you can you can see how I could have really gone any of three different ways at that point.
00:19:12:16 - 00:19:13:09
Chris
Yeah.
00:19:13:10 - 00:19:37:07
Tom
The teaching side, the technical side on the video side. We then went back to school and I'd managed to avoid Covid completely till this point. I'd done a good job, been a good boy, stayed away from everybody. And sure enough, within several weeks and then back at school, there is. I've got it. Yeah. Brilliant. Right. Well, I've got to go.
00:19:37:08 - 00:19:45:11
Tom
Nothing I can do about that. And I found myself at home and it was almost that time then to reflect.
00:19:45:14 - 00:19:46:22
Chris
Oh, really?
00:19:47:00 - 00:20:19:08
Tom
And with that came that realization of, well, what's the part that I've enjoyed the most over the last several months? And it was the video and working on the stuff afterwards and bringing out the, the personalities of the people on the camera or telling the stories there that, you know, I, I remember probably one that, that ones that I really enjoyed was I made a video for my form class at the end of that year, and that was, that was the class just after they came back to school from the pandemic.
00:20:19:09 - 00:20:49:09
Tom
Yeah. So they were used to all my videos and all of this at this point. So I made them a special one and the whole and I delivered it to, to all of the my parents via the Google classroom and has this is from me to all of you going this is your your children's year right here is and I love that because it got to to put across the joy, the enthusiasm, the happiness that was in these students and in their days and stuff that as a parent, you don't get to see that because you're not there.
00:20:49:13 - 00:21:02:08
Tom
Yeah, I see it. But me telling you, it is one thing, you know, like I picked my daughter out from nursery. Oh, she's had a great day. She's been in the sandpit. She's been doing this okay. Yeah. You know, like lovely. I'm taking you word for it.
00:21:02:13 - 00:21:02:20
Chris
Yeah.
00:21:02:22 - 00:21:08:12
Tom
You know, and that's that's difficult. And I love that. And I love bringing out that story. So I want to do more of that.
00:21:08:14 - 00:21:32:03
Chris
And I think that is the you know, again, a line in our perspectives is that that was that or it wasn't just a video that said something that, that, that just recorded something. It was about that authenticity oozing through its content. Yeah. And that's what, again, that we do. So again, I can see even more why we aligned as soon as it was put to you.
00:21:32:03 - 00:21:39:09
Chris
The idea. Yeah. Okay. So you've now picked that this is what you're loving the most. What then.
00:21:39:09 - 00:22:03:20
Tom
So I started looking okay. Well how do I do that. I'd already been editing on my obviously with the stuff for school. But I developed those skills. I deliberately gone and invested in the Adobe suite of applications. When I first originally started, I was using just a free editor that weirdly, I was recommended on a training course. The school sent me full, which I think was meant to be something completely different, but that ended up teaching me the basics of the video editing stuff and green screen and stuff up.
00:22:03:20 - 00:22:04:13
Chris
And for a reason.
00:22:04:13 - 00:22:29:19
Tom
I walked away from. I was like, that was fun. So that I was like, okay, I if I'm going to get a bit more serious about this, what's the software and the stuff that is more broadly used across sort of the industry? Not in filmmaking terms, because I can't afford that kind of stuff anyway. But in terms of amateur videographers or even professional videographers, but people are more akin to what we are here, not your big budget sort of bits and pieces.
00:22:29:19 - 00:22:41:04
Tom
It's not, you know, your broadcast television or whatever. So I invested in that myself, so I could teach myself that to get those skills within the software that everybody uses, thinking, how do I make myself marketable?
00:22:41:09 - 00:22:42:02
Chris
Yeah, I need the.
00:22:42:02 - 00:23:04:01
Tom
Skills that are going to be instantly applicable. So I had done that. So I started looking up then, okay, how can I what do I need? What do the jobs saying? Okay, ideally this, this and this and preferably if it was called, what was it called? I can't remember what these things were. It's having it, but some sort of qualification in it.
00:23:04:02 - 00:23:29:06
Tom
Yeah. Well at this point I'm 28, 29 years old. I've, I've got my student there. I've been there, done that. I've got the t shirt from all of that too. I really want to have to go into all of this again. I, you know. I don't know, where because I work as well. Yeah. Like I can't just get down to Southampton University.
00:23:29:06 - 00:23:54:13
Tom
Easy peasy to go to lectures. What? What am I going to do? And funnily enough, I stumbled across the, Swindon College, which now I think is their Institute of Science and Technology or whatever its rebrand is, has been, and now it's actually a university center, I believe, as well, which I was, I had a bit of a hand in them actually getting that accreditation accreditation.
00:23:54:15 - 00:24:11:06
Tom
And that's where at the same campus where I had done some of my teacher training years earlier, I really so my, my initial teacher training was Oxford Brookes University. Yeah, but based out of Swindon College. So I would go into an in college and I'd have my lectures there. Yeah. And I only went to Brookes with a handful of times.
00:24:11:08 - 00:24:33:15
Tom
That was easier. It made sense. It worked. Yeah. So okay, so I wrote the course leader Simon email thinking this is a long shot of them. Yeah, this is a long shot, but what's the harm in asking? Yeah. And he came back and said, okay, well yeah. Do you want to meet. So I arranged to meet him in the February half term that year.
00:24:33:17 - 00:24:48:22
Tom
So I've gone down, met with them, sort of gone through that what I can do. And I spelled it a lot of it out in the email. So that's why I think I think I piqued his curiosity. And, it was a really good meeting. I said, well, what do I need to do now? He says, go home, click the apply button.
00:24:49:00 - 00:24:59:13
Tom
And well, actually, now, I don't know if I can say that, but that bit the story on camera. I just put it this way. I've. I was thoroughly assured of my place if I was going to apply.
00:24:59:15 - 00:25:05:11
Chris
Okay. That's impressive. That's what interviews and discussions are about. Exactly. He saw something.
00:25:05:13 - 00:25:09:04
Tom
So I then started that in September. Wow. So that was.
00:25:09:04 - 00:25:15:14
Chris
To you know, I've always had huge respect from you at that sort of 20, let's call it 2930.
00:25:15:14 - 00:25:26:04
Tom
I would have been at that point actually, because I yeah, I had just been born and that was how I was able to wrangle the time off work for the following September. Right. I needed for my course.
00:25:26:06 - 00:25:48:08
Chris
So approaching 30, you've got a daughter now as well. And you have had the balls. Frankly, I'm going to say, yeah, to change career. I mean, it wasn't a full change because you were kind of doing it, but for you to be able to focus on what you've identified, you enjoy the most, it had to be a career change.
00:25:48:08 - 00:25:53:14
Chris
It had to be going to college. It had to be going to college with people considerably younger than you. Yep.
00:25:53:15 - 00:25:56:16
Tom
Yeah. I was by far the oldest person in that room.
00:25:56:18 - 00:25:57:21
Chris
And that's not easy.
00:25:57:22 - 00:26:15:07
Tom
No it was. I was quite apprehensive about it. Start with them. And I remember sort of having to word myself again. For goodness sake, tell them you're a teacher. For starters, you walk into places and you deal with things all the time. Yeah, you'll get in there, you'll get on with it. However, I did walk in and sit at the back of the room the first day and the I think it was Sam who's meant to be teaching us that day.
00:26:15:09 - 00:26:29:20
Tom
He didn't arrive for like 20 minutes. Everyone is sat there and it was only like a week later after having to get to know, got to know people a little bit. But they did admit, yeah, we were all sat there waiting for you to stand up and walk to the front of the room. We thought you were the lecturer.
00:26:29:22 - 00:26:32:19
Chris
Like really?
00:26:32:21 - 00:26:53:06
Tom
So I was like, I get it, it's fine, I get it. But no, they were all considerably younger. But in a lot of ways that was really good with with that course, because. By being younger, they had grown up with technology in a different way.
00:26:53:06 - 00:26:55:07
Chris
Then they got stuff to teach us.
00:26:55:09 - 00:27:17:08
Tom
And the way they my technical skill, I would say, and sorry guys, if you're watching this, but were my technical skills were a little bit higher than theirs, when I, when we started, but then the way they saw things when we would be planning sheets or sheeting was different to me.
00:27:17:13 - 00:27:18:01
Chris
Right.
00:27:18:03 - 00:27:38:21
Tom
And that was so valuable for me to absorb and take in. And then by sort of help, it was quid pro quo. They sort of helped me with that element of it. I could help them with some of the technical side of it. By doing that. It was also pushing me to keep developing my technical side and keep driving and learning that.
00:27:38:23 - 00:27:57:13
Tom
Yeah. So it worked out really well. And some of them are still the, you know, really, really close friends of mine. And we catch up a lot. And they do little bits and pieces here and there, and it's always a yeah, it's all me around, you know, I'm working on this. Can you come or I here's my planning documents for the shoot that's coming up in a couple of months.
00:27:57:13 - 00:28:00:17
Tom
You know. Could you look this over for me? Yeah. Just things I'm up.
00:28:00:21 - 00:28:02:10
Chris
In here as well. We've got.
00:28:02:10 - 00:28:23:08
Tom
Yeah, yeah, we've been fortunate enough to to reach out and, sort of link up with Swindon College a couple of times this year, unfortunately. So yeah, my course it ran for two years. It was originally a two year course. Yeah. During that time they did expand it to a third year. They got the university, authority, authorization with a link with Gloucester University.
00:28:23:08 - 00:28:37:04
Tom
Yeah. So they can now offer the full degree top up at the end for that third year. Most of us opted not to do that. I think for a lot of us in our heads, we'd always seen it as a two year journey. I know that was very part and parcel. And they want.
00:28:37:04 - 00:28:38:15
Chris
To get out and get your hands dirty.
00:28:38:16 - 00:29:05:17
Tom
Exactly. There was, you know, being real about it as well. There was an added cost as well. It's an extra year of tuition and learning and, you know, on time as well. And I mean, for myself, at that point, I had actually stopped teaching fully. Yeah. So I guess the first year I, I had my studies with teaching, and then I looked at that and I went, I've managed that because I can, I can, yeah.
00:29:05:17 - 00:29:14:18
Tom
But it's been a struggle at times. I think I, I think I've got just enough tucked away that I can take a chance on this for a minute, and I did I call I called it a day.
00:29:14:22 - 00:29:19:08
Chris
You know, I've also had massive respect for you on that front as well all along.
00:29:19:10 - 00:29:26:01
Tom
I called it a day right before, the Easter of, of, of that year. And,
00:29:26:03 - 00:29:28:20
Chris
Because the demands were just too heavy on you for them.
00:29:28:22 - 00:29:47:18
Tom
It was a lot. It was a lot. And, it was becoming trickier to manage it all. I mean, particularly it I wouldn't even call it the workload. I mean, we've touched on I'm older. I, I'm not the 18, 19 year olds down there anymore. What their jobs are. You know, I started job at working at TK Maxx.
00:29:47:18 - 00:29:55:01
Tom
So, stuff like that where it's perhaps not quite so efficient process.
00:29:55:05 - 00:29:56:17
Chris
Yeah, absolutely. Yeah.
00:29:56:19 - 00:30:07:02
Tom
Certainly it's not. I've still got to come home and carry on marking and planning and prepping. So there was that element here. But it was also, you know, I wasn't getting any time with my daughter.
00:30:07:04 - 00:30:09:09
Chris
Absolutely. Life priorities are changed by that.
00:30:09:09 - 00:30:18:15
Tom
And and that was a huge, huge, huge thing for me. And I was like, right, well if I stop, I can focus on getting this right with the studies. I've put my money into it at this point.
00:30:18:16 - 00:30:20:00
Chris
Yeah.
00:30:20:01 - 00:30:35:10
Tom
I have taken that chance on investing in myself to go do this. Yeah. I think what I've I've always held there to do with it is it's about getting across the story from the images, the story of who's who, of what is.
00:30:35:16 - 00:30:43:00
Chris
Which is always amazing, isn't it? The people, their experiences or their product. They service the organization. Even if you love that.
00:30:43:00 - 00:30:57:07
Tom
Even if it's a product or service and there's nothing to say, we're still going to be able to take what we film and tell the story of your company or yourselves or your product with that.