Industry experience shaping Sound Tech student’s future

Sound Technology student Eva Ballhatchet says spending time with one of the UK’s leading natural history sound supervisors has opened up a “whole other world” of possibilities. 

LIPA’s strong industry links enabled Eva to spend two days with multi BAFTA and Emmy award-winner Kate Hopkins, whose credits include - Blue Planet II, Frozen Planet II (BBC), The Secret Lives of Animals (Apple TV+) and Our Planet (Netflix) - at Wounded Buffalo Sound Studios in Bristol in July. 

Later in the summer Eva, who’s a third-year student, also spent two weeks at Twickenham Film Studios. We caught up with her to find out more. 

Have you always been interested in natural history programmes? 

It’s not something I’d delved into before as far as a career goes, but the skills I’ve been developing on the course are applicable to it. When I got there, it was a bit of a lightbulb moment. It was a whole other world of post-production audio work that is really exciting and interesting. 

I came away from Wounded Buffalo Sound Studios thinking this is an area I’d love to work in. For my final project I’ve decided to dedicate it to natural history work, both practical and in my research project. I feel like this is a new area with new opportunities for me. 

What was it like spending time with Kate? 

I was very nervous meeting her, but she was super lovely and very down to earth. I was worried that I might be intruding on her time, but she was great and very happy to let me watch her work and ask questions. Meeting Kate was an affirmation of what I want to get out of working in audio. It was really inspiring.

You also spent time at Twickenham Film Studios. How was that? 

It was a great contrast to Wounded Buffalo, as Twickenham Film Studios has so many people working there and so many different projects on the go. During the two weeks there I shadowed the whole mix team - ADR, dialogue recording, Foley. I also sat in on mixes for a feature film with the director and producer. I got a very rounded view of everything they do. 

When I first got there, I was a bit intimidated by the scale of everything they do, but to be in that environment and come away thinking, yes – this is what I want to do – was a real boost. 

Did it help that there are so many LIPA graduates working there? 

I didn’t realise there were so many until I started shadowing them! It was a nice bonding point with them. It also meant they knew what knowledge and experience I had and were able to relate that back to what they were doing. 

Have your experiences over the summer influenced your creative practice? 

I was working on a Foley session for a friend of mine recently and when it came to my prep and planning, I based it on what I’d seen at Twickenham Film Studios - and it made me more efficient. It’s been really useful to take inspiration from these experiences. 

Eva’s time at Wounded Buffalo Studios was organised by LIPA Council Member Maria Walker. Maria is a senior media consultant with extensive film, TV and post-production experience. The two weeks at Twickenham Film Studios was organised by LIPA and is part of an ongoing relationship with the multi-award-winning production facilities. Eight LIPA graduates have worked at Twickenham Film Studios, with three currently working there.

Find out more about our Sound Technology course

Find out more about Wounded Buffalo Sound Studios

Find out more about Twickenham Film Studios