Ben Thompson, Senior Lecturer and Course Leader

Currently, I have over 15 years’ industry experience as a broadcast television cameraman and producer/director. I have worked for a whole range of UK and international broadcasters, production companies and corporate clients including BBC, RDF, Endemol, Granada, ITV Productions, Disney Channel, BSkyB, Ducati, Yamaha, Guinness and BT to name a few.

I have also worked as head of production for an independent production company based in London, where I managed high-end film projects for leading UK and international clients such as the London Business School, Oxford University, Kingfisher Group, Unilever, Selfridges, Novonordisk and Honda. Filming has taken me all over the world from the UK, Europe to the US.

I am a full member of the Guild of Television Cameramen (GTC), which is an independent, international organisation for the profession, as well as an active member of the Royal Television Society (RTS).

My current research activity involves digital cinematography and story-telling, and HD technology. I regularly produce short dramas and documentaries in collaboration with industry and course colleagues. I am currently working as DOP on a football-based feature film.

Damian Toal, Senior Lecturer

I work as an editor, filmmaker and installation artist working in broadcast and the independent sector, both collaboratively and independently on screen-based, site specific and performance based-film and video. This is complemented by my position as Senior Lecturer on this course.

Johnny Lochland, Lecturer

I graduated from the University of Westminster in 1998 after majoring in film production. Since then I have been a productive independent filmmaker and writer, screening films at festivals around the world.

I wrote and directed The Donor for the Big Dipper Production Company, a North West Vision, National Lottery and UK Film Council co-production, which has been screened at Cannes. I am currently developing a football-based feature film.

David Jordan, Lecturer

I joined Portsmouth in 1999 to support video within this course. I combine my university work with my own practice as a professional photographer and cameraman. My 20 plus years photography experience includes studio and location advertising, as well as sports photography for Premier League football.

On this course I deliver lectures, workshops and seminars in camera craft and technique, as well as cover single camera production. I am currently involved as Director of Photography for a short documentary-drama titled The Dream Life of Debris.

Dr Yael Friedman, Senior Lecturer

I have been teaching film studies on this course for several years and teach contextual studies as well as Documentary Production and the Major Project. I have an undergraduate degree in political science, a masters’ degree in documentary film from Goldsmiths and a PhD from Westminster.

My main research interests are documentary film theory and issues of memory, migration and national identity in cinema. Specifically, my research so far has concentrated primarily on the Middle East. I am currently looking at Palestinian and Israeli cinema, research that stems from my PhD thesis.

David Kinnaird, Lead Technician and Demonstrator

I graduated from this course in 2010 and was immediately offered a job as an editing technician. My specialism is based in post-production editing, both Final Cut Pro and Avid. I have also edited films for corporate clients such as Ad-Esse, Portsmouth City Council, Igloo Films and JLT Insurance Brokers.

During my studies I worked for independent production companies Firecracker Films, Silverglade, Prime Television and Shorts Productions. I was also recently contracted by US channel Fox News to cover the Royal Wedding.

In 2011 my film The Last Resort  won a prestigious Anthony Minghella Award in addition to numerous international film festival prizes. I am currently involved with many of the course units and assist in the technical demonstration of specialist post-production software and filming equipment.

Steve Whitford, Senior Lecturer

Over the last 20 years I have worked across a whole range of programme output for international broadcasters, independent TV companies and corporate production companies. My first love is as a documentary sound recordist.

In 2003, I won an Royal Television Society award for sound recording on BB2's Fighting The War documentary series where I was embedded with the Black Watch (7th Armoured) during the invasion of Iraq.

Jenn Feray, Lecturer

I have worked professionally in film and television for over twenty years now as a producer, director and editor,  and have over 100 broadcast credits. I have worked across most genres, including documentary, drama, factual entertainment, natural history and feature films.

I have also worked as a programme maker and trainer all over the world including Australia, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, gaining extensive location experience.  This has included very challenging work as a video-journalist in war zones (Bosnia, Iraq and Ethiopia) and undercover investigations.

Current areas of interest/expertise include post production, location production and story structure.

Searle Kochberg, Principal Lecturer

I joined Portsmouth in 1992 and my principal research is in narrative/story telling within film and performing arts. I am also a freelance media lecturer/educational consultant to Imperial College London and the London Jewish Cultural Centre, where I support practical and theoretical programmes.