A talented student at Ron Dearing University Technical College (UTC) has been recognised in a prestigious national competition for her imaginative set design and creative vision.
Year 12 student Amelia Prajsnar scooped the Highly Commended accolade in the set design category of the Royal Opera House Design Challenge, a national competition which celebrates young creative talent.
The annual competition challenges students to follow the processes of a professional designer to meet a brief set by The Royal Opera and Ballet, with this year’s challenge set by Creative Associate David Pickering, for the ballet The Winter’s Tale.
Entrants are tasked to create a costume, set, marketing campaign or wig and makeup design, for the selected theatre production.
The competition recognises, celebrates and showcases the next generation of design talent while improving access to design jobs in theatre and beyond, enhancing students’ hands-on skills to help them achieve their qualifications.
Ron Dearing has supported students to enter the competition for the last two years, by tasking Year 12 creative students to develop a design, and selecting one winning design in each category to enter into the competition.
Amelia, who is studying Fine Art, Graphic Communications and 3D Design was one of 800 students from across the UK who entered the competition, and stood out amongst fierce competition to secure the Highly Commended Award.
The 17-year-old was invited to a special event at the Royal Opera House where the winning students were presented with their award and had the opportunity to spend some time with professionals to get an insight into the day-to-day working life of the Royal Ballet and Opera.
Amelia also had the opportunity to see her work on public display in the Linbury Foyer at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, where it will remain on display until July 1st.
Speaking about the trip, she said: “It was a great day, and I met so many amazing people. They took us on a tour of the Royal Opera House’s backstage areas as well as the set design and prop design departments which were so inspiring! I’m so happy I had the opportunity to go!
“I was never expecting to win the Highly Commended Award, it took a while to sink in when I found out, but I feel really proud.”
Amelia’s set design was centred around juxtaposition, and featured an abstract illustration of trees, complemented by changing light projections.
She said: “A key theme in A Winter’s Tale is the contrast between the two kingdoms, Bohemia and Sicilia, so I wanted to reflect that in my design, by using juxtaposing elements, colours and materials.
“I play in an orchestra in my spare time, so my interpretation of the show’s music was also a big inspiration for my design.
“Another key factor which influenced my design was environmental considerations. The Theatre Green Book is a guide to creating more sustainable theatre operations, so I wanted my design to align with considerations outlined in the guide.
“Many sets are only used once, they are difficult to transport, so end up in storage. I made all the elements of my set detachable, so they are easier to store and transport. The versatility of my design also means it can be used for multiple shows, by creating different light projects for different productions.”
The judges said Amelia had “carefully considered” all aspects of designing for the Royal Opera House, including the movement of dancers and the audiences experience, adding that her ideas to incorporate lighting and projections were “wonderful”.
Lynn Garland Collins, Creative Director at Ron Dearing said: “Amelia always goes above and beyond with her research, development, analysis and experimentation, so we’re delighted to see her hard work and creativity recognised in this prestigious competition.
“She always considers the client’s needs and regularly reflects on her own work to push herself to produce the best outcome. Huge congratulations to Amelia on this fantastic achievement.”