A VIDEO production studio founded by Tavistock College students is pulling in big name clients, thanks to the skills they learned in media studies at school.

Nick Peres and Simon Hunter's MindMaker Productions has already attracted the custom of PX Limited and leading travel company i-to-i after setting up shop in Plymouth.

Nick said: 'It has been our dream since the age of 15 to start a film production studio. I really have to credit the media studies teachers at Tavistock College; they were so passionate about film and helped students to understand it in a way that has stayed with me all these years.

'It really confirmed for me it was an industry that I wanted to be part of, and I'm really grateful to them for that.'

The pair started MindMaker in 2002 while making films in media studies lessons and formally set up the company in 2008 after moving back to the South West.

When they left Tavistock College, Nick and Simon studied film courses at university before taking media jobs in London.

'I was working for a media publication as a video producer in the video games industry when the opportunity arose to bring someone else on the team,' said Nick.

'I put a good word in for Simon and a few weeks later we were working together again.

'We produced a video games show and covered big events around the world before deciding we would like to do this for ourselves, and set up somewhere a little quieter than London.'

Nick and Simon are growing the business so they can take on larger projects and undertake more broadcast work. They currently specialise in promotional videos which companies use to showcase themselves to customers.

'The project we are probably most proud of is the teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL) online video course we made for gap company i-to-i,' said Nick.

'We produced 50 classroom activity videos which are used by students who are travelling to teach English abroad. It's basically a complete online course minus the classroom.'

Nick disagrees with what he sees as the unfair negative portrayal of media studies and believes students should be encouraged to study the subject.

He said: 'We live in the digital age; an age that relies more than ever on communication. With the revolution of broadband, high definition TV and video games consoles we are constantly exposed to it, and the media form is a very influential way of understanding the world.

'Media studies encompasses far more than the odd film and I think people forget it actually requires a lot of study.'

Tavistock College offers the subject at GCSE and A level, providing an excellent introduction to careers in the media.