John transfers from soccer to set design

Making the move from aspiring footballer to a theatre and television set designer may seem like a major task, but it’s one that John Walters has achieved with ease. John, 24, has just graduated from the University of Teesside with a BA (Hons) degree in Entertainment Design Crafts, which explores costume design, set design and construction and properties and effects. The degree is validated by the Middlesbrough-based University of Teesside and runs at the Hartlepool Campus of Cleveland College of Art & Design.

John is originally from Meir Park, Stoke-on-Trent and combined trials for professional football clubs, including Port Vale FC, with an interest in Art & Design. He gained a BTEC National Diploma in Design Crafts at Newcastle-under-Lyme College before moving to the North-East. John said: “Football was quite a risky career to pursue, I had a few injuries and sought alternative career advice. I’d always liked the creative aspects of school and college, such as ceramics and textiles. One of my lecturers at Newcastle-under-Lyme had some experience of the film industry and told me about the Teesside degree, it seemed to be only one of its kind that wasn’t London based.

“I’ve really enjoyed the course, creating and generating my own ideas and concepts and being able to use them towards a new career. You can be imaginative, independent, versatile and creative.”

For his final-year project John designed a fictitious theatre set for Stephen King’s novel The Wastelands. John said: “I wasn’t a fan of the author but was introduced to the novel, it was stunning and descriptive. I thought it would be ideal as one of the characters disappears into another land, and gave me a chance to devise and create two contrasting lands. It took about a year to research and plan, and my skills as a draughtsman really developed.”

John is now looking for his first post as a designer. He is the son of Marilyn and Keith Walters. “My parents travelled up to see the final exhibition, they’re very proud if my decisions. My brother Stephen, who owns a Midlands-based company, Comproc, also sponsored the final degree show.”

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