Few know Harry Potter film effects wizardry developed in the UK
Research by Ipsos for NESTA as part of the Livingstone-Hope review: Next Gen. suggests that there is low awareness of the UK’s visual effects and video games industries among young people, parents and teachers of selected subjects, and there are misconceptions about the academic subjects most useful for careers in these industries.
In addition, although the industries would prefer more Computer Science and less ICT in schools, our research suggests that increasing the amount of programming taught in schools may prove challenging.
Few think CGI/visual effects or video games are developed in the UK
Ipsos’s research asked where people think the CGI and visual effects were created for blockbuster films Inception, Prince of Persia, The Sorcerer’s Apprentice and Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Only 9% of young people, 27% of parents and 30% of art, ICT (Information and Communications Technology), maths and physics/science teachers interviewed know the effects were mostly created in the UK.
Awareness of the UK origin of top-selling videogames also appears to be low. Only 3% of young people, 12% of parents and 21% of art, ICT, maths and physics/science teachers interviewed are aware that the video games Grand Theft Auto, SingStar and Lego Star Wars were developed in the UK.
Desirability of physics is underestimated
Both industries highly value physics, as the Next-Gen. review explains.
Yet the Ipsos research found that only 4% of art, ICT, maths and physics/science teachers surveyed think physics is one of the most important subjects a child needs to do well in at school to pursue a career in the CGI and visual effects industry.
Similarly, only 2% of art, ICT, maths and physics/science teachers surveyed think physics is one of the most important subjects a child needs to do well in at school to pursue a career in the video game industry.
Shifting the balance from ICT to Computer Science
The Next:Gen. review argues that ICT (Information and Communications Technology) does not teach enough programming knowledge for young people wishing to pursue a video game or visual effects career, and that Computer Science should be part of the national curriculum.
Ipsos’s research for the review highlighted some challenges that the education sector would face if schools need to teach more programming. ICT teachers interviewed are less likely than their colleagues interviewed to have a degree or equivalent qualification in their subject specialism: 19% say they have one, compared with 42% of physics/science teachers and 35% of art teachers surveyed.
In addition, few describe themselves as ‘good’ at computer programming. One in five ICT teachers surveyed (22%) say that they are ‘very good’ or ‘fairly good’ at creating or modifying basic computer programmes. When it comes to modifying or creating advanced computer programmes, only 8% think they are ‘very good’ or fairly good’.
Download the topline findings:
Technical Note
Young people survey Ipsos interviewed 564 11-18 year olds in the UK between 16-23 September 2010 and 537 11-18 year olds in the UK between 14-21 October 2010. Interviews were conducted face-to-face in-home and weighted to the known population profile. Parent/carer survey Ipsos interviewed 4,063 members of the UK general public face-to-face, in-home, from 17-30 September 2010 and 3,989 members of the UK general public face-to-face, in-home, from 15 October-1 November 2010. Data were weighted to the known population profile. Results are based on 918 interviews (September survey) with parents/carers of at least one child aged 0-19 years old (where 16-19 year olds are in full-time education) or 887 interviews (October-November survey) with parents/carers of at least one child aged 0-19 years old (where 16-19 year olds are in full-time education). Teacher survey Ipsos interviewed 403 specialist teachers of art, ICT, maths and physics/science. Interviews were conducted by telephone in a representative sample of UK primary and secondary schools from 15 October-16 November 2010. Data were weighted to the known profile of UK primary and secondary schools.
