City College Plymouth students will get the chance to hear from a Hollywood filmmaker next month in an event organised by education charity, TheCyberHub Trust.
Scriptwriter, filmmaker and executive producer, Kristin Ellingson is visiting the UK to share her experience of the technology, film and gaming worlds at further education colleges across the country and has chosen City College as one of her destinations. Set to delve into her own career history and the many types of jobs on offer, Kristin’s extensive knowledge will give young people in the city a first-hand insight into these exciting industries and what they can offer.
Kristin was the writing partner of Rafael Moreu, who wrote the cult classic film
‘Hackers’ starring Angelina Jolie and Jonny Lee Miller in 1995. This film brought the relatively new world of cybersecurity, hacking and the need for ethical practices into the public conscience.
Now, Kristin works with the AR/VR VFX studio, MetaLVX, which uses Epic’s gaming software Unreal Engine to create virtual experiences and previews, production design and special effects for film and television. Keen to share her experience with the next generation of film, gaming and cyber experts, Kristin is excited to meet the South West’s most budding technical experts at City College Plymouth.
The event will comprise a full day of activities, presentations, and a Q&A session where students will have the chance to quiz Kristin, as well as other specialist VIPs. Topics will include personal stories from big-budget movies, careers in filming, cybersecurity, the impacts of AI on the industry, and specialist software.
Joe Stephenson, Curriculum Lead and Development Officer for Computing and Science at City College Plymouth, said of the event, “We’re delighted to be hosting this event, which will give our students the opportunity to hear first-hand experiences from a Hollywood industry specialist.
We want to show young people, and young women in particular, that there’s a whole range of creative and technological careers available to them. Kristin is the perfect person to do that, so we can’t wait to see her pass on her knowledge and experience to our students.”
Alongside Kristin, speakers will include both the CEO and Chair of Trustees of The CyberHub Trust, Michael and Julia Klonowski, local film and gaming figures, experts from Police Regional Cyber Crime Units and representatives from cyber security specialists, the BIT Group, among others.
