Xaverian College Alumni, Tehreem Faisal, has recently landed her dream job as VFX Production Assistant at Pinewood Studios.
Since leaving College in 2020, Tehreem has supported Phedon Papamichael, Academy Award-nominated cinematographer on the creation of Indiana Jones 5, as a Director of Photography (DoP) Assistant, before joining the visual effects team to work on Andor, a prequel series to Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.
Tehreem said: “I have always wanted to work in the creative industries, but it wasn’t until I started studying at Xaverian that I became truly excited about my future. My teachers, in particular Mr Steele (Fine Art) and Mr Drinkwater (Film Studies), were so inspiring. They make you fall in love with the subject and encourage you to experiment, which is the best way to develop.
“I had the opportunity to take part in the BFI Film Academy during my time at College and the connections I made have been invaluable. After leaving Xaverian I went on to study a range of BFI courses, including animation and production and this really helped fine tune both my skills and knowledge. It was through connections I made at the BFI that I was successful in securing an interview at Pinewood Studios.”
Tehreem completed her GCSEs at Manchester Health Academy before joining Xaverian to study Film Studies, Fine Art and Media Studies.
Tehreem continued: “Xaverian is such an amazing place! Staff are so supportive in encouraging you to succeed academically but also providing you with the space to grow personally. I enjoyed every single moment in and outside of the classroom and made so many great friends. If I could give one piece of advice to current students, it would be to believe in yourself and seize every opportunity!”
Shaun Steele, Divisional Lead, said: “With the support from our brilliant teachers, each and every year our students go on to do incredible things. We are so proud of Tehreem and what she has achieved in the last two years. It just goes to show how far hard work and determination can take you – in this case to the set of a blockbuster movie!”
Behind every terrific tale, symbolism and subtext is an extraordinary director and the Film Studies course at Xaverian takes students on a journey inside the minds of those with a revolutionary story to share. Students have access to excellent equipment and facilities, allowing them to sharpen their skills in every part of the frame, including lighting, sound, set design, composition and editing.
As one of the largest providers of post-16 education in the region, Xaverian College offers exciting opportunities to over 2500 students. To find out more, visit Xaverian.ac.uk – Discover Your Future!
