From Glastonbury to Eurovision and Strictly Come Dancing, Next Robe Generation offers unique work experiences across the live sector, and the TPi Awards is no stranger to the organisation, with a select few students gaining experience at the event for many years now. This year’s volunteers were selected from a pool of other like-minded students and were then invited to Robe’s UK HQ for training and a sneak-peak into this year’s rig before the night.
This year’s NRG Students featured Nottingham Trent University’s Daniel Nunn, Assistant LD in the main room, Jamie Mather, LD in the bar area and Kayleigh Brown, RoboSpot Operator. As well as Academy of Live Technology’s Annie Francis, LD in the Robe Bar, Tom Skinner, LD for the courtyard, while Falmouth University’s Gabriel Reis, RoboSpot Operator, and Royal Conservatoire of Scotland’s Abby Wills, RoboSpot Operator, were also onboard for the event.
Nunn told TPi about the application process, describing it as “welcoming” and “thorough”. Applicants had to design multiple lighting states using Capture and submit them for assessment.
“When I got confirmation, I was in disbelief,” Nunn said. “I knew about the scale of the TPi Awards before I applied, and to be told I would be in the main room programming and operating a giant lighting rig in a room full of the top people in the industry was an incredible surprise.”
Nunn also walked through the training, which was held at Robe’s Northampton HQ, where day one focussed on RoboSpot and Avolites refreshers, while day two looked into previsualisation and programming for the awards. “It was a great honour to be part of the 25th anniversary of the TPi Awards. With such high stakes, it was comforting to know I was surrounded by amazing designers and programmers who encouraged me every step of the way,” he said.
Mather, who took on the role of Bar Lighting Designer, also commented on his experience: “I was absolutely overjoyed to hear that I had made the opportunity, let alone achieved one of the design roles! I was very daunted at the idea that I now had to help design one of the largest events in the production industry’s calendar. I was filled with nervous excitement at the idea of being in a room with some of the biggest names in the industry. Being a member of the NRG crew at the TPi Awards is an achievement in itself, and that gave me the confidence to be able to speak to professionals who had earned their own right to be at the awards.”
Francis, who headed up the lighting design for the Robe VIP Bar, added: “Getting involved in one of the industry’s largest and best-known events was such an honour. While also being given the privilege to design lighting for one of the biggest lighting companies, with the audience being some of the biggest names in this industry, is still unbelievable to me,” Francis added. “I would 100% recommend applying for the opportunity to anyone who is thinking about it in the future. The experience was beneficial, rewarding, memorable, and joyful.”
Responsible for looking after the nine iBOLTs for the outdoor installation was Skinner, who elaborated on his experience: “I was thrilled to have the opportunity to light the entrance to the event as it’s the first thing that the guests would see,” Skinner added. “The pressure to perform is really on as everyone in the room knows more about what you’re doing than you do, and you’re there to impress them. Having the team to support shifted my focus to get the most out of the experience.”
Ensuring winners were appropriately lit during their walk to the stage, was down to Reis, Brown and Wills. “NRG have lots of opportunities around the year, but the TPi Awards experience had the widest amount of learning available; with training the week before at Robe HQ, a day of setup and then the show itself,” Reis commented. “It occurred to me about five minutes before the show started that there is a high chance my future employer is potentially sitting somewhere in front of me, which at first was a little daunting, but actually, as I thought about it, I liked how connected the industry is, and how everyone comes together for amazing events like this.”
Brown applied for the opportunity after some of her university peers had taken part in previous years, and what solidified her decision to apply was meeting Jane Monk and other Robe crew at a Production Futures event.
“They were very encouraging throughout the whole process, and it gave me the confidence to just apply,” Brown said. “When I received the call from Jane that I had been selected as a RoboSpot operator, I was thrilled. From there on, it was all just about preparing for the big day. After the training day at the Robe HQ, I felt a lot more confident. This day also introduced me to the rest of the crew I would be working with, which was incredible as we were all in the same situation and all figuring it out together.”
When reflecting on how it felt to be involved in one of the industry’s biggest events, on such a special anniversary, Wills put it perfectly: “It felt like a reminder that I am headed in the right direction, and that I can use this stage of my career to my advantage, but also that this is truly only the start,” she elaborated. “The professionals at the event are responsible for creating some of the most challenging productions in the industry. Seeing them also catching up with old friends, colleagues, and meeting people for the first time, the same way we were – that was a moment of realisation that made it a whole lot easier to take everything in, and made the prospect of one day being part of those incredible achievements feel a little bit closer.”
To thank the NRG Students for their hard work in the lead-up to, and at the awards, they will be whisked away to the Czech Republic to visit Robe to see the ins-and-outs of the lighting manufacturer’s processes. The group have also been invited back to TPi Awards 2027 as guests of the magazine.
Words: Alicia Pollitt
Photo: Joe Okpako
