A recent MA Wildlife Filmmaking graduate from UWE Bristol – described as a “cross between Tinkerbell and the Terminator” – has been awarded a special accolade by the university after starring in BBC Two series Special Forces: Ultimate Hell Week.
Katy Parrott, pictured above, was named Arts, Creative Industries and Education Student of the Year at the Celebrating UWE Talent Awards for taking on what has been described as the ultimate endurance challenge.
She beat thousands of other applicants to be selected for the show, filmed in South Africa, in which some of the UK’s fittest men and women are pushed to their mental and physical limits by veterans from the world’s toughest special forces.
The UWE awards recognise the achievements of students who have represented the university through hundreds of work-based learning opportunities including placements, internships and volunteering in local, national and international businesses.
Katy, who is now working on wildlife and adventure film ideas at Bristol-based Seadog Productions – whose managing director is BBC Two’s Great Escapes presenter Monty Halls – said: “I’m delighted to have received this award. My experience being a ‘recruit’ in Special Forces: Ultimate Hell Week is far from your average work experience.
“But it turned out to be life changing. The opportunity exposed me to life in front of camera, on location with a 100-strong crew and, more importantly, revealed a physical and mental resilience I didn’t know I had.
“And it’s a good job I possessed those qualities as three days after filming in South Africa for the show, I set off to trek 400km for my Masters final film project in Bulgaria.”
For that project, Katy was one of a trio of explorers who became the first team to trek the entire length of the Bulgarian Rhodope Mountains, each carrying 30kgs of kit and wild-camping in bear-infested forests.
Katy took up film-making after completing a degree in biology and seeking a career path that combined creativity with her passion for the natural world.
She added: “I chose MA Wildlife Filmmaking at UWE Bristol because it sits within the heart of the Natural History TV world; Bristol.
“The links with the industry, specifically the BBC NHU (Natural History Unit) and high employability rates, were a massive draw for me. I was amazed by how many skills I learnt during the year.
“I had never used a film camera or editing software before the MA and ended up producing my own ambitious film, with incredible guidance from Peter Venn, the media centre staff and my BBC mentor, Liz White.
“I couldn’t have asked for a more challenging, rewarding and amazing year and would do it all again in a heartbeat.”
Monty Halls added: “Katy plainly has a very bright future indeed. She joined our team here at Seadog Productions two months ago, and immediately made an impact.
“Her drive and initiative, combined with a lively imagination and formidable determination, have made her a highly-valued team member. She is a cross between Tinkerbell and the Terminator.”
In her spare time, taking inspiration from her special forces training, Katy has joined the Army Reserves to train as a combat medic for an infantry unit.
UWE Bristol’s popular MA in Wildlife Filmmaking, which is delivered in partnership with the BBC NHU, is a practical, one-year Master’s degree featuring masterclasses from industry leaders, practitioners and experts in the field and craft of wildlife filmmaking. Now in its fifth year, the course has a graduate employment rate of more than 95%.
