Ben Beard

Experience

• 

  BSTB Film Ltd

  Sept 2012 - now

  Company Director

  Events, corporate video and wedding video production service. Produced video content for organisations like Stoke City FC and Vodafone.

• 

  Staffordshire University

  Jan 2014 - Feb 2014

  Marketing Coordinator intern

  Produced a series of videos to highlight the "Staffordshire Graduate" pledge to current students. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEbnfEnjvtoHhqmskKTaBCGstC2CWCpPi

• 

  SFC Group

  Jun 2014 - Jun 2015

  Bar Staff

  Prepared and served drinks to customers at Download 2014 and 2015 (Donington Park). During 2015, was involved with topping up customer credit on the new cashless system.

• 

  Staffordshire University

  Jul 2014 - Jul 2014

  TV extra

  Appeared as an extra for Staffordshire University's latest TV advert "Opening Doors", currently being shown on Channel Four and ITV.

• 

  Eternal Iris Film and Photography Ltd.

  Aug 2014 - Aug 2014

  Digital Imaging Technician

  Ensured footage for a wedding video shoot was backed up and properly organised. Also made sure that all cameramen were supplied with fresh memory cards and batteries.

• 

  Staffordshire University Students' Union

  Sept 2014 - Sept 2014

  Welcome Information Assistant

  Provided new and returning students with information and coordinated the efforts of other Information Assistants and volunteers.

• 

  Staffordshire University

  Jan 2015 - Feb 2015

  Assistant Porter

  Staffs Uni Campus & Commercial Services. Mail room duty.

• 

  Staffordshire University Students' Union

  Sept 2015 - Sept 2015

  Welcome Information Assistant and Team Leader

  Worked for the Students Union during September 2015 Freshers' Week as a Welcome Information Assistant. Customer service role which involved the distribution of information to new and returning students.

• 

  Staffordshire University

  Oct 2015 - Aug 2018

  Student Ambassador

  Student Ambassador at Staffordshire University. Duties include taking prospective students on campus tours during open days, graduation information guide, outbound calling and clearing hotline phone work.

• 

  Staffordshire University Students' Union

  Apr 2016 - Aug 2018

  Barista/Student Union team member (Squeeze Box)

  Staff member at Student Union cafe at College Road site, Staffordshire University. Duties include cash handing and barista work.

• 

  Stoke City Football Club

  Aug 2016 - Aug 2022

  Graphics Technician and Video Production

  Responsible for updating team lists, scores, time and substitutes on the big screen at the Bet 365 stadium during Stoke City home games. Also involved in the production of videos for the stadium screens since Summer 2016, available for viewing online on the Community Trust YouTube channel. https://www.youtube.com/user/SCFCcommunity/videos

• 

  Staffordshire University

  Nov 2018 - Jan 2019

  Specialist Lecturer

  Teaching camera operation, motion tracking and green screen setup to first year VFX students.

• 

  Staffordshire University

  Sept 2020 - now

  I am currently a core member of the Visual Effects course team, involved with the design and delivery of various modules relating to Visual Effects & Virtual Production. My main specialism is digital compositing in Nuke and the use of green screen (chroma keying) along with CG integration. I am also extremely competent in the use of Maya for 3D modelling, UV unwrapping, materials, rigging, animation and rendering using Arnold. Film and Video Production is also a professional skill that I have been involved in through my company (BSTB Film) and this occasionally feeds into my teaching at the university, on the VFX & Virtual Production course but also film course modules (both undergraduate and postgraduate). I also have an interest in game design, art, programming and the use of Virtual Reality. With Visual Effects, there's an overlap that exists with games and I find this extremely useful (especially with the recent addition of Virtual Production to the course and the use of Unreal Engine 5 for real-time environments). My master's degree involved the research and implementation of digital environments for film production between 2015 and 2018 so "Virtual Production" as a concept has been an intrinsic part of my interests and skillset within film and visual effects for many years. Show less

  • Lecturer

    Aug 2022 - now

  • Part-time Lecturer

    Sept 2019 - Aug 2022

  • Module Leader

    Sept 2020 - Jun 2021