It’s been approximately a month since we wrapped up The Future Is Now events with the screening of The Fly, so it’s as good a time as any to recap everything that happened and what we learned in the Future Producers course: we made some masks of Jeff Goldblum’s face to go with our replica teleport pod; we lay on a bed with a backdrop of Montauk behind us; we played with lights and transformed the atmosphere of the bar; I went to Secret Cinema, Hugh went to see The Man Who Fell To Earth, and a group of the others went to Future Shorts at the BFI; we set up a telescope on Watershed’s balcony for people to gaze in wonder at the moon before watching Moon; and we had long, meandering, just-shy-of-full-blown arguments about what actually counts as sci-fi cinema. The list could go on and on and on.

With a bit of distance though, it’s clear that the most valuable part of the experience was having responsibility for our own events. We learned a lot from the guest speakers int he introductory weekends and the sessions that followed, but to then produce events which depended on us applying the lessons from each guest speaker ensured we have practical experience to take forward into the next stage of our careers.

Speaking of which – I moved to London the day after The Future Is Now: The Fly, and I’ve already found that it’s a great advantage having Future Producers on my CV. I’ve had a number of promising offers and opportunities, and it’s definitely giving me an edge when it comes to applications and interviews. I’ve also made some strong, long-lasting friendships with my fellow Future Producers, who I’m sure will continue to be a good source of contacts and networks for the rest of our careers.