#AcademyAdvent: My highlights of the BBC Academy year
Ben Toone
BBC Academy
As the planning and publishing producer for the BBC Academy’s digital content team, it’s my job to promote our online training – from our beautifully crafted guides to articles, podcasts and online courses. You may have seen our recent campaign, 12 Days of Academy Christmas - or #AcademyAdvent - on Twitter or Facebook, or if you are BBC staff on Yammer or Ariel.
The campaign featured some highlights from 2017 but here I'm picking my own personal favourites.
In true Top of the Pops style I'm counting backwards from five to one. (If it helps you hum the Top of the Pops theme tune whilst going through this list.)
Nick Robertson
Our articles and videos about Snapchat have been among the most popular online content we've had this year amongst BBC staff. We've published a couple of pieces on Snapchat journalism but my favourite is this one about Snapchat with BBC One's Snapchat producer Nick Robertson.
It was produced in conjunction with one of our Fusion events for BBC staff.
BBC WM's Nicky Tapper with actors Sunny Ormonde and Simon Williams. Probably discussing bedroom scenes.
Dum de dum de dum de dum… The Archers is a national institution and it's made in BBC Birmingham, where I and most of the BBC Academy team are based, so this podcast just couldn't not make the cut.
It's a recording of an event that marked the opening of an Archers exhibition at BBC Birmingham for the Birmingham Weekender. Amongst the gems in the podcast, you'll hear how the Archers is written and produced, including how Lilian and Justin's bedroom scenes work!
3. Q&A: Social media tips from BBC The Social’s Anthony Browne
Ben Toone with The Social's Anthony Browne. I really like post-it notes. So do the Scottish social media team.
I had the opportunity to travel to Glasgow to meet Anthony Browne, executive producer on BBC The Social, a really interesting project engaging young creatives across Scotland to produce social media for the BBC.
He was generous with his time, giving us a fantastic Q&A and his tips for creating a viral social hit. I did the talking while my colleague Laura Taflinger did some furious typing to produce this lovely piece.
From The Blue Planet
Your TV might be UHD ready, but are you?
You may have been fortunate enough, if you have the right TV set, to watch Blue Planet II in glorious ultra-high definition on BBC iPlayer.
This guide tells you what UHD is all about and gives you an insight into the production.
It also looks beautiful – I love the infographics.
The view from the director's seat
And at number one: this is brilliant, IMHO.
Try your hand as a studio director, as you find yourself in the gallery in the BBC Academy's first foray into using virtual reality for training.
It's best to download and run the VR version on Oculus Rift if you have access to one – we do have one at the Blue Room next to reception at BBC Birmingham, which is open to the public. But you can also play an online version of the game using your keyboard.
I was one of the volunteers who was asked to try it out in VR for this short film to help explain how it works.
As you can see, I shouldn’t give up the day job.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year and thanks for reading!
