Exploring and experiencing creativity in Birmingham’s societies

Hello, I’m Mel and I’m a Drama student at UoB. I love my course and the range of opportunities the department offers, but I’ve found the creative societies to be a great place to meet people from a huge range of courses with the same interest in trying something new! Being creative and making art (in all its forms) is a huge passion of mine. By getting involved with societies I have the chance to explore a range of creative endeavours that I wouldn’t have dared to pursue for the first time alone. The welcoming environment makes all the difference!

Filmmaking society

I’ve always been interested in filmmaking but never had the opportunity (and courage) to try. It’s always daunting to start something without knowing anything about the subject. Before the first society meeting, I was so nervous! I assumed everyone there would be a film student or some kind of film expert, judging my every move. But when I sat down and started talking to the people around me, I understood that the aim is not to achieve greatness and become the best filmmaker in the world. You are just there to have fun and learn a new skill while being surrounded by other students who are either in the same position as you or supporting you in giving it all a try.

And just like that, all my worries evaporated.

At the beginning of each session, the committee (final-year film students) give a basic overview of one of the aspects of making films. The rest of the sessions are spent running around campus in groups, trying to shoot a short film in just over an hour! The sessions are great fun and I’ve been looking forward to them each week now.

Watch This (Improv, New Writing and Original Plays Society)

Writing and directing theatre are fascinating skills that I’ve often thought about but which have always seemed so out of reach to me. How often do you get given the opportunity, as a complete beginner, to write AND direct something that people will come and watch? Having just moved from abroad and therefore not having English as my first language, I had never thought I could actually write a piece of theatre that people would enjoy and see value in.

When I read about Watch This’s performing arts festival Plot Twist I thought I’d just give it a try and send in a short 5-minute I’d written. I was welcomed into a real family! It felt as if everyone was rooting for each other and we ended up putting on a wonderful showcase of performances by new actors, directors and writers called The Next Page. This was an amazing experience that allowed me to test my limits and I definitely made myself proud!