Members Spotlight: Academy of Live Technology

We hear from Rich Blair, Head of Production Services at Production Park, where the Academy of Live Technology (ALT) is based. Rich tells us what’s in the pipeline for ALT, learnings from working on the new TV hit, Adolescence, and how they’re building relationships overseas.

Who are you and what do you do?

I’m Rich Blair, Head of Production Services at Production Park.

What are you currently working on?

Across the Production Park campus, we are making huge developments in both our production and rehearsal facilities, and in our education provision. Inside our studios, over the coming weeks, we’ll host some of the biggest production teams and artists who will soon grace the world’s biggest and best stages. We’re duty-bound not to disclose who is using our studios until after their work has finished!

XPLOR, the pioneering research and innovation community at the heart of Production Park, is proud to welcome a number of new partners to its expanding roster of high-profile members. Through XPLOR’s Research Community membership, our members benefit from access to world-class research, collaboration with other innovators, and cutting-edge facilities in the heart of the industry.

What has been your organisation’s proudest achievement?

Our proudest achievement to date, and something that we’re continually advancing, is our commitment to industry-immersed education. Alongside 20 years of providing space for live events and entertainment rehearsal facilities, we have the Academy of Live Technology (ALT). ALT’s uniqueness is in our students’ experiences of learning and teaching alongside some of the world’s greatest productions, where our short course and degree students are – quite literally – at the heart of our industry ecosystem on campus.

How is your organisation working to champion EDI within your sector?

Particularly at the Academy of Live Technology (ALT), our Outreach team has been delivering an industry-tailored Progression Plan within schools and colleges across the UK for a number of years. Our Progression Plan opens the doors of our campuses and communities within for prospective students of all ages, to learn about the incredible careers and roles that are out there. In this area of work, there is a dedicated aim of diversifying not only our student population but of diversifying the industry as a whole. Targeting areas of low socio-economic activity within education, diverse communities and championing equity are all central to our Outreach work.

As part of this work, ALT’s Access and Participation plan is integral in setting out our commitment to breaking down barriers to higher education and the live events and creative industries for students who are typically at a disadvantage to accessing education.

What are three things you’re loving in your sector right now?

1. The demand for more ambitious TV, film, and live productions – Whether it’s high-end drama, arena tours, or theatrical productions, the scale and complexity of projects are increasing. Seeing more productions push creative and technical limits is exciting and we’re looking forward to seeing where the industry goes in coming years.
2. The UK’s continued strength in global TV and film – The UK has long been a major player in the industry, and this looks set to continue. What’s even better is that the regions and nations of the UK are now getting more opportunities, rather than the industry being centred around London, so we’re now more able to take advantage of everything the UK creative industry has to offer.
3. Advancements in production technology – Virtual production, automation in live events, and large-scale stage design are pushing creative boundaries and improving efficiency.

And three things you’re not loving so much in your sector?

1. Pressure on touring productions – Rising costs and logistical challenges are making it harder for large-scale live shows to be as ambitious as they used to be.
2. Freelance job shortages – With productions slowing down, many experienced crew members are struggling for work, which is worrying for the wider industry.
3. Budget pressures – Rising costs are making productions more cautious with spending, sometimes limiting creative ambition and investment in studio infrastructure.

Who would be your dream collaborator/collaboration?

Working on Adolescence with Warp Films and Matriarch Productions was a dream—an amazing creative team, a high-end production, and full use of our facilities. It’ll be hard to beat, but we’d love to build on that success and welcome more full-scale TV and film productions.

Beyond TV and film, we’re also focused on bigger, more technically complex live performances. Having worked with world-class touring productions like Les Misérables and Cirque du Soleil, we want to continue supporting ambitious projects that push the boundaries of stage design, production technology, and live entertainment. Partnering with a major theatrical or music production that fully utilises our expertise would be an ideal next step.

What does creativity mean to you?

Creativity means pushing the boundaries. It means innovation and problem solving, and developing wholly new and diverse audience experiences. Whether this is our students at ALT finding new ways to create immersive and interactive experiences for audiences across the live events sector, or through the very latest advancements in technology through our R&D team in XPLOR.

What’s next for your organisation?

Continued international expansion for ALT both on campus at Production Park and in our education delivery on the Rock Lititz campus in PA, USA. In addition, we now have a tangible presence in Saudi Arabia, delivering a diverse range of short courses in live entertainment production to young Saudis.

For Production Park, we’ve recently announced our largest-ever investment in Park expansion. Our campus is in the process of expanding to over 140,000 sq ft of multipurpose studio space, making us the biggest studio complex in the North of England.

What do you think needs to change in the UK’s Cultural and Creative Industries?

The UK needs to ramp up promotion of its amazing assets of TV, film and live events studios, production companies, education providers and freelance crew to overseas clients – especially those in the USA, Europe and elsewhere.

We should also emphasise the existing scale of UK production – particularly in areas outside the South-East and our profile on global streaming platforms such as Disney, Netflix and AppleTV as well as for global touring artists.