Richmond students stepped behind the camera and into the heart of the local community at this year’s Brentford Canal Festival, bringing their skills, creativity and energy to one of West London’s most vibrant summer events.
Ten student photographers and videographers from our BA Film programme and electives took part, volunteering to cover the event in full. Tasked with capturing the festival’s sights, stories and atmosphere, they worked across the canal-side route, documenting live performances, local stalls, family activities, and the spirit of the Brentford community.
Each student had the chance to use professional, industry-standard kit including Blackmagic cameras, DSLRs and gimbals – supported on-site by Richmond’s Technician Jim Jenkins and external videographer, Peter Meakin, who brought years of industry experience to the mentoring sessions. Richmond is an official education partner of Blackmagic Design, giving our students access to top-tier equipment and training.
Students returned between shoots to the Richmond booth where a live edit was in progress using DaVinci Resolve – the same editing platform used by industry professionals. Peter helped coordinate and guide the students in creating the initial video edit. This is then re-edited and reviewed by the Brentford Canal Festival team for next year’s promotional campaign in the planning and build up to the 2026 Canal Festival.
Student’s working on the live edit with support from Jim Jenkins and Peter Meakin at the Richmond booth.
This live production hub wasn’t just a behind-the-scenes base – it was an open window into the real-world production cycle, giving students a chance to contribute to something meaningful, fast-paced and collaborative.
“It’s invaluable giving students the chance to experience working to a live brief for an external client,” said Jim Jenkins. “They’re not just practising – they’re producing. It builds confidence, improves their technical skills, and shows them the level they need to achieve to deliver to a professional standard.”
The opportunity came at just the right time for many of the student volunteers. As they progress into their next year of study or into industry, the equipment and workflows they encountered at Brentford will become a bigger part of future projects – giving them a crucial head start.
“Being part of the Richmond team for the Brentford Canal Festival gave me the opportunity to develop my film and photography skills by experimenting with professional equipment I had not used before. The highlight of the experience, however, were the deeper bonds and friendships I got the chance to create with all the other people involved,” shared Augusto, a Richmond third year Film and Photography student.
Haylie, another Richmond student in the event team, added, “Photographing the Brentford Canal Festival was equal parts fun and valuable. It was my first time on a professional assignment, and being behind the scenes of such a dynamic event gave me insight, confidence, and a chance to apply what I’ve learned.”
Alongside the film crew, Richmond student ambassador Isha Tiwari joined the Brentford team in a voluntary role, helping run the festival’s social media and supporting communications before and during the event. It was another way Richmond students played an active part in shaping the day and its wider reach.
Richmond’s presence at the Brentford Canal Festival is part of our growing connection to local cultural events and partnerships in Hounslow, bringing students off campus and into the community to contribute their talents, build experience, and strengthen ties with the world beyond the classroom.
