AVÊÓƵ

Corinne’s story from her Drama, Theatre and Performance BA (Hons)

• Video transcript

  [Music starts – ambient textures with minimal piano building into an electro-pop groove]

  Corinne Furman speaking: I started off as a dancer, from when I was really, really little. And, acting was the thing that I really fell in love with.

  [Sequence of black and white still photos of Corinne alone on stage in striking poses, cutting to video shots of her walking into the beam of a spotlight on a stage from off-screen]

  You really get to use your life experiences and those emotions that you felt, to tell important stories. Anytime you felt anger or upset, you get to get that out of you

  [Close up video shot of Corinne conveying emotional turmoil on her face, cutting to shot from behind her capturing her and the camera operator filming]

  And, I think that's why acting is so special.

  Coming back here today, walking back into the ACCA, I've just felt so calm, and it makes me feel safe, and it makes me feel happy. And, I had so many great memories here.

  [Shot of fish pond outside ACCA with the building visible in the reflection, cutting to shot of Corinne walking through the main foyer at ACCA]

  What better opportunity to… really get to know yourself, where you can be learning, and you can do your degree in a theatre, in a full-size auditorium. You can do your workshops on the stage, and you're getting to really practise how to use your voice, and how to project, and how to perform, and how to reach the back of the room.

  [Shots of Corinne entering the ACCA auditorium, cutting to shots of students rehearsing a course performance and ending with shots from multiple perspectives showing Corinne walk from behind the curtains off stage to the fully lit centre of the stage where she comes to a halt]

  [Music: minimal electronic building gradually to a drop to finish as an energetic dance track]

  [Slowly moving drone shot capturing an a busy library square during the daytime]

  But also the tutors. They really did care about us as individuals, and they wanted the best for us, and they really pushed us... to be the best versions of ourselves.

  [Montage of various shots and stills of Corine having a photoshoot in various downstairs areas of ACCA]

  During my time here at Sussex, I was part of Sussex Dance Society. I have such fond memories of being here, and getting ready before shows or competitions, and being in the rehearsal space and being backstage in the wings and having that excitement, and that nervousness to get out on stage.

  [Various shots of Corinne performing an energetic street dance routine on the stage at ACCA in vibrant and colourful stage lighting]

  And, you do your performance and...you have this adrenaline, and this feeling! It's just such a nice release.

  [Shots of Corinne finishing her routine and easing to a relaxed walk off stage]

  [Music: emotive minimal piano with brooding string motives]

  I had the opportunity to go into a place called 'First Base Day Centre’, which is a homeless shelter for people in Brighton. Just seeing other people who had maybe never acted in their lives, experience the same thing that I do…I feel like without that experience, and learning about other people's life experience, I wouldn't be as a matured actor as I am now.

  [A further montage of shots and stills of the photoshoot seen earlier in ACCA]

  The most recent job that I did, I had a main part in a drama on TV, which is to be released soon. And, this was the job where I could really show off what I can do, and have a really raw, deep storyline.

  [Smooth drone shot starting a close top-down perspective of the roof of the Meeting House and orbiting away whilst a seagull flies into land]

  I don't think that I would be where I am today, without those experiences that Sussex gave me.

  [Shots of Corinne performing a slow sequence of ballet moves, ending on a graceful bow as the auditorium fades into complete darkness]

  [END CARD: Still of the AVÊÓƵ logo against a blue-purple solid colour background]

  [Music ends]

• Video transcript

  Hello, my name is Ella, and I am in my final-year of studying drama at Sussex.

  I am also a bit of an art lover in general, which might not come as too much of a surprise, and I'm going to talk a bit about my experience at Sussex.

  [ON SCREEN TEXT] CHOOSING SUSSEX

  So firstly, why did I choose to study at Sussex?

  Well, I looked at the website, I read about the course and I was quite interested in the fact that it has a contemporary focus.

  So it looks at performances which are relatively new, often performances which intersect with dance and live art and other forms of art making and which are also often very politically oriented.

  So I was interested in all of these different things, but what sealed the deal for me was actually coming to the University and walking around the campus and getting a feel for the atmosphere.

  [ON SCREEN TEXT] FAVOURITE THINGS

  So my favourite part of being at Sussex so far has been making theatre not just as part of the course, but also within the Drama Society.

  In both of these different places, people are really passionate and really open, and it's quite easy to make friends.

  [ON SCREEN TEXT] HOW I’VE CHANGED

  So I think I've grown the most as a writer.

  Not only how I become more confident in my approach to writing.

  I've also developed my own niche interests, which I think will propel me nicely towards my dissertation, but also set me up well for the future in terms of knowing what it is that I want to do.

  [ON SCREEN TEXT] WHAT’S NEXT?

  So what's next?

  Well, I am going to be in my final term of University very shortly and I will be doing the work experience module, which means that I get to travel up to London and work at Arts Admin, an organisation that I'm really interested in.

  I'll also be doing my dissertation and then once I graduate, I want to get some experience in the arts and start working towards directing and writing.

  [ON SCREEN TEXT] MY ADVICE

  My parting words of advice are if you get the opportunity to, do come and visit the University.

  It's really helpful in allowing you to visualise yourself working and studying and living in the University and in the city of Brighton.

  All of these things are useful when you need to make a decision about what it is that you want to do, and where it is that you want to do it.