[I]t’s one of the best known and most dramatic outdoor films of recent times and now one of those who helped create Touching the Void has joined the University of Cumbria as a visiting professor of practice.
Film-maker, director of photography and author Keith Partridge is the latest professor of practice to be invited to lecture students at the Institute of the Arts in Carlisle. His credentials are impressive; 30 years’ experience at a world-class level, Emmy-award winning and highly respected by some of the world’s top mountaineers.
“Touching the Void turned out to be a pivotal film featuring great characters and a great story shot in some extremely challenging conditions,” said Keith, whose many credits include the filming of the multi-award winning series Wild Climbs for BBC2 and the BBC’s iconic Human Planet series. Recently, he directed and produced the film Bonington: Mountaineer, the life story of one of the world’s most successful mountaineers.
Media arts at the Institute of the Arts has a track record in producing high calibre students who learn using professional video-editing suites along with cutting edge kit.
Several have gone on to win Royal Television Society awards.
“It just felt the right time to develop this concept of the visiting professor of practice and Keith is the first in the media arts area,” Michael Mitchell, principal media arts lecturer, said. “He’ll bring priceless experience of working in a professional environment that will help inform and inspire our students to help them become ready for work in this exciting medium.”
A pioneer in adventure film-making, Keith is a regular at the Banff Centre for the Arts in Canada and is excited at the prospect of sharing a lifetime of experience with students in Cumbria. “Film-making is about enthusiasm and making it fun – that’s what I’m going to do.”
