Benjamin Beard

Lecturer

Digital, Tech, Innovation & Business

My passion has always been creativity, and this has been specifically channelled into film. My undergraduate time at university allowed me to nurture and enhance this passion before leading me into the specialism of Visual Effects. My subsequent masters provided me with the opportunity to explore the practical and technical aspects of green screen production and the use of digital environments in film. My passion for knowledge eventually led me into teaching where I currently lecture on the Visual Effects and Virtual Production course, as well as film.

My background includes sports camera operation, matchday (Association Football) vision mixing, content production, documentary filmmaking, corporate video production, editing, animation and both 3D and 2D asset creation. My interests include Virtual Reality and Virtual Production technologies and their place in the future of filmmaking but I am also interested in analogue film technology and the contribution that historical methods have made to the discipline

Academic qualifications

  • MSc (Master by Negotiated Study) in Digital Environments for Film Production (Staffordshire University 2018)
  • BSc (Hons) in Film Production Technology (Staffordshire University 2013)
  • Higher National Diploma in Media Production Film (Staffordshire University 2011)

Expertise

• Visual Effects production (matchmoving, Nuke compositing, rotoscoping, photogrammetry, HDR panorama creation, chroma keying and dynamics simulation).

• Asset creation in Maya (3D modelling, UV unwrapping, texturing, rigging, animation, dynamics and rendering).

• Use of camera technology for the purpose of film and video production. Years of industry experience spanning many areas including sports, corporate video, entertainment and documentary.

• Television production in the form of internal (live) broadcast during matchdays for Stoke City Football Club. This includes vision mixing, motion graphics and camera operation with the use of transmitter technology.

• Green screen production and post-production, including the use of digital environments in film production.

• Motion Graphics and 2D animation in After Effects. • 2D design and texture work in Photoshop. • Use of games engine software including Unity and Unreal, with intermediate competency in C# and similar programming languages.

• Use of 360 camera and Virtual Reality technology for the purpose of interactive film and computer game development.

• Editing and post-production (including colour correction and grading) in Adobe Premiere and DaVinci Resolve.

• Use of Analogue film/video formats including 16mm motion picture film and various analogue tape formats.

• Prop/product design and creation using subtractive and additive manufacturing processes, including milling, drilling and turning along with both FDM and SLA 3D printing

Research interests

  • Deep immersion Virtual Reality and its potential therapeutic benefits.
  • Virtual Reality and Virtual Production in Film Production.
  • Feature film production.

Enterprise and commercial interests

Managing Director at BSTB Film Ltd

Teaching

Undergraduate

-Module Leader and lecturer for Visual Effects and Virtual Production modules.

-Lecturer in Film Production

-Supervisor

-Specialist lecturer for chroma keying/green screen production and post-production

 

in the UK for Quality Education

Sustainable Development Goal 4, Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2024

for Career Prospects

Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2023

for Facilities

Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2023

for Social Inclusion

The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2023

of Research Impact is ‘Outstanding’ or ‘Very Considerable’

Research Excellence Framework 2021

of Research is “Internationally Excellent” or “World Leading”

Research Excellence Framework 2021

Four Star Rating

QS Star Ratings 2021