Students at a north London university got a taste of life on a professional film set this year — working as paid extras on Sharon Horgan’s new HBO Max comedy, Youth.
The mid-life crisis comedy, written by and starring the Catastrophe and Bad Sisters creator, filmed scenes at Middlesex University’s Hendon campus. Episode one, which aired last week, features a school graduation scene shot in the university’s Grove Atrium — and students from arts and creative industries courses got to watch the live filming, work as extras, and learn from professionals across the locations, art, graphic design and digital imaging departments.
A familiar face in Hackney
Horgan, who lives in Hackney, has become one of the most recognisable names in British and Irish comedy. She co-created and starred in Channel 4’s Catastrophe alongside Rob Delaney, and created the Apple TV+ hit Bad Sisters — winning multiple BAFTAs and earning six Emmy nominations along the way.
In Youth she plays a woman in her 50s juggling dating, family life, a teenager and ageing parents — classic mid-life-crisis territory, and familiar ground for a writer whose work has always found comedy in the mess of grown-up life. She stars alongside Aran Murphy, the son of Cillian Murphy.
Students on set
For the students involved, it was more than a brush with celebrity. Third-year film student James Afflatt said: “Being so close to the professional cast and crew along with industry-standard equipment was fantastic. It gave film students like me a real-world industry experience, seeing the production of a film or show that will be seen by a large audience. It shows us how it’s done and makes us more determined after seeing filmmaking first-hand.”
Jieun Sin, a second-year student who worked as an extra, said: “It was a novel experience to witness real filmmakers working on a TV series that will be aired. It’s important not only to learn film theory but to understand the different roles in a real production environment.”
Helen Bendon, the university’s deputy dean for education in arts and creative industries, said: “Bringing major productions to Middlesex gives our students a fantastic opportunity to see the industry up close and gain on-set experience. Through this partnership with FilmFixer, we’re helping to remove barriers to gaining access and experience on large-scale high-end productions. We look forward to continuing to bring more productions to Middlesex and create opportunities for our students to build their skills, networks and industry experience.”
One of eight productions in a year
Youth is one of eight productions filmed at Middlesex University in the past year, as part of a team-up with UK film services company FilmFixer. Apple TV, the BBC, Netflix and Studio B have all used the campus for projects — and future episodes of Youth will also feature scenes shot around the university and at StoneX Stadium, the Barnet home of Saracens rugby.
Emily Charlton, FilmFixer’s film service manager, said: “Working with Middlesex University to welcome HBO’s Youth to the campus is a fantastic example of how bringing major productions into educational environments can create meaningful opportunities for students and the wider screen community. We’re look forward to welcoming more productions to the site in the future.”
North London’s screen boom
The partnership is part of Middlesex University’s involvement in Screen London Barnet, an initiative designed to promote the borough — and north London more widely — as a centre for film, television and digital content production.
London’s production boom has been running for years, with studios and location shoots spreading well beyond the traditional west London hubs. Universities make attractive filming locations: they offer varied architecture, large controllable spaces and — as the Youth shoot shows — a ready supply of young extras. For the students, the benefit runs both ways: paid work, professional contacts and a line on the CV before they have even graduated.
