Connell Pavey, co-programme leader for the University of Salford's new course in motion capture technology tells TVBEurope how his passion for creativity led to becoming a teacher
By Contributor
Published: October 4, 2024 Updated: October 7, 2024
Connell Pavey, co-programme leader for the University of Salford's new course in motion capture technology tells TVBEurope how his passion for creativity led to becoming a teacher
target=_blank title=Share on LinkedIn class=share-linkedin> Connell Pavey, co-programme leader for the University of Salford's new course in motion capture technology tells TVBEurope how his passion for creativity led to becoming a teacher
https://www.tvbeurope.com/business/people/meet-the-motion-capture-technology-co-programme-leader title=Share via Email class=share-email>
Talk us through an average day in your role My role at the University of Salford is quite dynamic, which is something I truly enjoy. I am currently part of a two-person team that manages the Motion Capture space within the School of Arts, Media, and Creative Technology. This space is used by students across various disciplines performance, animation, dance, and games design. Ranging from undergraduate to postgraduate levels, including MA, MSc, and PhD students.
Connell Pavey, co-programme leader, motion capture technology at the University of Salford Our day-to-day work revolves around responding to the evolving needs of our students. We guide them through the intricacies of motion capture, helping them not only understand the technology but also apply it in ways that enhance their creative projects. Whether it's through capturing movement for animation or performance-based projects, we ensure they gain practical experience and leave with a deep understanding of how to leverage this technology.
When we're not directly supporting students, we focus on innovating and improving the ways our motion capture space can serve them better. We actively gather feedback and use it to develop new techniques and applications for the technology. Recently, we've collaborated with other university colleagues on a project that integrates motion capture with medical simulation. We ran a pilot project for a virtual patient system, where a simulated patient is controlled in real-time via motion capture and an iPhone for face tracking which allowed medical students to interact with the virtual patient, diagnosing ailments as part of their practical training.
How did you get started in the media industry? My journey into the media industry began during my time at university. I attended a masterclass led by the head of an independent film company, and I seized the opportunity to reach out afterward, which led to me working on their projects. The company specialised in low-budget horror feature films and heavy metal music videos, an ideal fit for me at the time!
Armed with nothing more than a basic SLR camera, some builders' lights, and a whole lot of enthusiasm, we set out to create. It was a small, tight-knit team, so I had the chance to explore various aspects of production, from cinematography to visual effects. One memorable experience was playing a creature in one of our films, spending a sweltering summer night running around in a heavy overcoat and rebreather as a demonic miner.
Although the days were long and the pay was minimal, the experience of working in eerie, unusual locations with total creative freedom was priceless. It was a fast-paced, high-energy environment where we could experiment and push boundaries, and I loved every moment of it!
What training did you have before entering the industry?
Before pursuing my degree, I worked in IT as a technician from the age of 18. I had always loved film and visual effects, but I tried to take a more pragmatic approach to my career by focusing on technology, a field where I excelled. While I enjoyed the technical aspects of IT, I quickly found it lacked the creativity I craved, and I began feeling unfulfilled.
Seeking another path, I initially enrolled in a course to teach English to speakers of other languages, alongside learning Japanese. My thought process was that having a second language would open up opportunities for travel, and teaching would allow me to work anywhere in the world. I thoroughly enjoyed learning Japanese, and teaching became a passion of mine. Watching students come to life when they grasped new concepts was incredibly rewarding, and I found great satisfaction in helping others learn. However, during this period, I experienced a personal loss, the death of a close friend, which led me to take time to reflect deeply on my life and career. I realised that while I had enjoyed certain aspects of my previous paths, I had never truly taken the leap to pursue my passion: film.
That moment of reflection was a turning point. I decided to take a gamble and enrolled in a degree in film production and media technology, chasing what I truly loved. My time at university gave me two invaluable things. First, it gave me the time and space to practice, research, and immerse myself in the skills I was developing. Second, it introduced me to a network of peers, people I could collaborate with, who helped me develop my ideas and challenged my ways of working, just as I did for them. This collaborative environment was essential for my growth, and I continue to value the power of teamwork and shared creativity.
Why do you enjoy working in the industry? Creativity, first and foremost. Even though my work involves technology, every interaction with students and academic staff is a creative process. We take the time to understand their goals and aspirations within the motion capture space, and from there, we develop engaging learning materials. Our process involves bringing students into a Game Engine in real
Europe Stories
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
01/05/2026
January 5 2026, 18:30 (PST) NBCUniversal's Peacock to Be First Streamer to ...
01/04/2026
January 4 2026, 18:00 (PST) DOLBY AND DOUYIN EMPOWER THE NEXT GENERATON OF CREATORS WITH DOLBY VISION
Douyin Users Can Now Create And Share Videos With Stun...
28/01/2026
Music discovery should feel intuitive and personal. That's why we're continuing to give you more control, so you can ask for what you want, shape what y...
28/01/2026
Today, Charlie Hellman, Spotify's Head of Music, shared the following note on the Spotify for Artists blog that the company paid out more than $11 billion t...
28/01/2026
As demand for more complex live sports coverage grows, Balkan broadcast specialist MVP has upgraded its flagship HD1 progressive OB truck with the installation ...
28/01/2026
Luxembourg, January 26, 2026 - SES S.A. ( SES or the Company ), a leading space solutions company, acknowledges the credit rating action announced by Fitch to...
28/01/2026
28 Jan 2026
VEON Notes Kyivstar Group Publication of Selected Full Year 2025 Fi...
28/01/2026
Rohde & Schwarz to host 2026 edition of its online event Demystifying EMC Rohde & Schwarz invites the global EMC community to join a crucial discussion on pre...
28/01/2026
Stadtwerke Wolfhagen Modernize Customer Management with AEP.energysuite from Arv...
27/01/2026
Click for Japanese version
Tokyo, Japan - January 27, 2026 - Akamai Technolo...
27/01/2026
Today, Spotify is proud to support our partner Backline, an industry-leading men...
27/01/2026
With nearly 29 million monthly listeners and clear momentum on Spotify, Net n Ve...
27/01/2026
eds3_5_jq(document).ready(function($) { $(#eds_sliderM519).chameleonSlider_2_1({ content_source:......
27/01/2026
New agreement for uninterrupted UHF connectivity for Australian Defence Force through 2033, With Options Extending to 2041
Luxembourg, January 13, 2026 - Satel...
27/01/2026
Tuesday 27 January 2026
SNL UK creative team expands as Pauli Lovejoy, Annie Ha...
27/01/2026
RT Supporting the Arts is delighted to support a dynamic programme of cultural events taking place across Ireland this February. From visual art, film, music, ...
26/01/2026
Music videos play a huge part in how fans connect with their favorite songs, but...
26/01/2026
Wuppertal January 26, 2026
Riedel and Media Tailor Deliver Unified Broadcast a...
26/01/2026
26 Jan 2026
VEON Unveils the New Beeline Uzbekistan Network Operations Center, ...
26/01/2026
Bookish is created by and stars Mark Gatiss
Images available HERE
Following th...
26/01/2026
Monday 26 January 2026
New Sky Original Series explores Entertainment Juggernaut, The X Factor
Sky today confirmed it has greenlit a premium, definitive docum...
26/01/2026
Monday 26 January 2026
Sky confirms major investment to transform Livingston ca...
26/01/2026
Software for Stable Data Management and Lasting Business Success in Uncertain Ti...
26/01/2026
RT is today publishing a statistical summary of the Register of External Activities for the third quarter of 2025.
The RT Register of External Activities com...
24/01/2026
RT and Virgin Media Television kick off comprehensive free-to-air coverage of t...
23/01/2026
Staines-upon-Thames, UK, 29 July, 2025 - Yospace, the global leader in Dynamic A...
23/01/2026
Spotify's annual Best New Artist celebration honors the rising stars whose talent, creativity, and dedication have propelled them to the music industry'...
23/01/2026
Paramount is transforming its operations by unifying the media supply chains of their top brands into a scalable global pipeline.
This transformation enhances ...
23/01/2026
Every delay costs. When a subtitle fails QC, even the smallest issue can mean missed deadlines, extra vendor costs, or frustrated teams. The new Accurate.Video ...
23/01/2026
Find out where Sare and Suze are now on RT One and RT Player Thursday 29 January at 10.15pm
Hit drama SisterS, created by, written by and starring real-life ...
23/01/2026
Friday 23 January 2026
Sky appoints Lisa Clark as Commissioning Executive for SNL UK
Lisa Clark headshot
PNG (468KB)
Lisa Clark joins Sky as Commissioning E...
23/01/2026
RT is delighted to announce that the RT and F s ireann / Screen Ireland supported short film Retirement Plan has been nominated for Best Animated Short at th...
22/01/2026
Last November, Ed Sheeran returned to his musical roots for an intimate, one-nig...
22/01/2026
Every delay costs. When a subtitle fails QC, even the smallest issue can mean missed deadlines, extra vendor costs, or frustrated teams. The new Accurate.Video ...
22/01/2026
Thursday 29 January 9:35pm on RT 2 and RT Player
The dating show returns with something old, something new and a dater you may already know
Thursday evenings...
22/01/2026
Rohde & Schwarz, Qualcomm, and Motorola demonstrate successful 5G Broadcast comp...
22/01/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
21/01/2026
Wednesday 21 January 2026
Backing Britain on the global stage: Sky becomes an o...
21/01/2026
Fox Corporation Executives to Discuss Second Quarter Fiscal 2026 Financial Resul...
21/01/2026
Baselight v7 brings colourists and post-houses smarter mattes, faster workflows and deeper control
FilmLight, known for its detailed colour toolset and longsta...
21/01/2026
RT News is pleased to announce the appointment of Jackie Fox as its new Washington Correspondent. Jackie is a multimedia journalist with RT News and has repor...
19/01/2026
Monday 19 January 2026
Sky News reinvents News at Ten for the modern audience with The Wrap
Sky News today announces The Wrap, a bold evolution of its 10pm ou...
19/01/2026
DPA Microphones is striking a new chord in piano miking with the debut of its DPK2015 Piano Stereo Kit, an out-of-the-box, plug-and-play miking solution that ta...
19/01/2026
DPA Microphones will present its 4099 CORE Instrument Microphone and redesigned...
19/01/2026
Trianel relies on Arvato Systems for future-proof data center operations
Moving to the cloud: Arvato Systems implements extensive IT migration project
Migrat...
19/01/2026
Celebrating 21 Years of the RT Choice Music Prize
RT Choice Music Prize
In association with IMRO and IRMA
Irish Album of the Year 2025 - Shortlist Announce...
18/01/2026
January 18 2026, 21:30 (PST) Dolby Cinema Arrives in Bengaluru: Dolby Laborator...
Connell Pavey, co-programme leader for the University of Salford's new course in motion capture technology tells TVBEurope how his passion for creativity led to becoming a teacher
