Jason Phillips is a BA(Hons) Live Visual Design and Production student. With a background of running tech for theatre productions at school, our course has allowed him to work on real-world projects, including making content for stadium tours and exploring interactive technologies.

What did you do before coming to Backstage? 

My background has always been in the technical side of things, I enjoy programming and tinkering with Arduinos. I also enjoyed running the tech for my school theatre and was beginning to understand video technology from that. I initially intended to study Cybersecurity but, during lockdown, I decided that a life exclusively sitting at a computer wasn’t for me. So, I looked into developing video technology and as a result, found the Live Visual Design and Production course (LVDP) here at Backstage. 

What’s your favourite part of studying Live Visual Design and Production?

Live Visual Design and Production has helped me to develop my theatre tech experience in an artistic way I’d never seen a link to before.

I enjoy using interactive technologies and really enjoy seeing the surprise on someone’s face when an inanimate object reacts to their interaction. It could be visual, an audio response or maybe even smell… that was definitely an interesting project to pull off!

What do you do on your course?

Live Visual Design and Production is all about using visual technology to create experiences and events. The limits that you can apply it to are pretty unrivalled. Whether it's an interactive art installation, running visual content for a music event, making generally cool content creation, or even something that doesn't exist yet!

We are fortunate enough to be able to work with real clients and real-world projects from year one. Whilst it seems daunting, it prepares you well for the real world…. because it is the real world!

What’s been your favourite project to work on so far?

Making content for NDubz stadium tour. It was a great experience to be thrown into a real working production and with such a brilliant and supportive team. I couldn't think of a better first industry project seeing my content going on tour across the UK.

Is there one thing that inspired you to do what you do now?

I’m inspired a lot by Instagram and AI-based art. It makes me look at traditional art mediums that I’d like to find ways to modernise.

Is there a dream project or collaboration you’d love to work on?

Full interactivity that people can't see! Recently, I found out that interactive video floors exist. I would love to be able to do something with that!

What advice would you give someone who wants to study at Backstage Academy?

I think understanding that everyone is in the same situation and going out and talking to people in those first couple of weeks will really help to build strong connections.

From content creation to world-building, projection mapping to immersive technology, our course in Live Visual Design and Production will leave you with a highly prized skill set to create extraordinary visual experiences, bring your ideas to life and explore the future of entertainment technology.