Students from the University of Westminster have produced the title sequences for this year’s Royal Institution (RI) Christmas Lectures delivered by Dame Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock and broadcast on the BBC. The lectures are hosted each year by the RI, with this year marking the 200th annual lecture and the sixth year Westminster students have created the title sequences.
The 2025 lectures will be presented by leading space scientist Dame Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock who will explore scientific breakthroughs that have revolutionised the understanding of the universe, such as the James Webb Telescope which Dame Aderin-Pocock helped develop. The lectures will be broadcast at 7pm on 28, 29 and 30 December on BBC Four and will be available to watch on BBC iPlayer shortly after.
For the title sequences, the students devised an ambitious and imaginative concept in which Dame Aderin-Pocock launches from Earth in a cosmic camper van, gathering space probes from across the solar system before blasting off on a quest to discover life beyond our planet. The sequence was brought to life through hands-on, craft-based techniques, using intricately constructed cardboard scale models filmed as layered elements in the University’s green screen studio.
The result is a visually distinctive and playful title sequence that showcases the students’ creativity, technical skill and ability to deliver broadcast-quality work for internationally recognised institutions.
Still from the title sequence
Apart from a four-year break during the Second World War, the RI has hosted its Christmas Lectures every Christmas since 1825, when renowned scientist Michael Faraday delivered the first one with the aim of engaging and educating young people about science. The BBC have broadcast the lectures on television each year since 1966.
This is the sixth consecutive year that Westminster students have designed and animated the titles for the lectures, as part of a longstanding historical connection between the University and the RI. In 1847, Professor John Henry Pepper became the first director of the Royal Polytechnic Institution, the predecessor organisation of the University, based in what is now Westminster's Regent Campus. Following in the footsteps of the RI, which still stands just 600 metres from Westminster's Regent Campus, Pepper began delivering a series of evening lectures to the working people of London from the Polytechnic.
Both institutions became well-known in London for Christmas lectures and scientific presentations, and Professor Pepper even invited Michael Faraday to visit the Polytechnic to show him behind the scenes of his world-famous Ghost Illusion in what is now the Regent Street Cinema.
Omari Edwards filming Dame Aderin-Pocock
About working on the title sequence second year Animation BA Honours student Omari Edwards said: “This project was a great experience in understanding typical production pipelines. I enjoyed collaborating with my classmates as part of a larger production. Sharing our ideas and progress with each other was an exciting and rewarding process. Working on this project really encouraged me to be experimental with character design and to let go of my self-consciousness when creating.
“I really appreciated constructive feedback which encouraged me to keep reiterating and to be more playful with my ideas. I particularly enjoyed helping with the initial green screen filming with Dame Maggie. Working alongside a professional really motivated me to be on top form to make sure we got the best shots for the titles.”
About the students’ work Series Producer Lucy Haken from Windfall Films said: “Everyone from the production team, the BBC and the Royal Institution were hugely impressed with the title sequence that the students from the University of Westminster produced. They completely defied our expectations! The collaborative process of commissioning and design of the sequence was a joy. The students had brilliant and thoughtful ideas and incorporated our feedback with ingenuity and grace.
“The resulting product was highly professional, slick, fun and perfectly reflected the themes and tone of these very special lectures. I wish the students all the best with their next endeavours.”
Stephen Ryley, Course Leader for the Animation BA Honours course at Westminster, added: “I’m immensely proud of our students and what they have achieved. They delivered an inventive and highly accomplished title sequence, working together as a dynamic, proactive and professional team throughout the process. Effectively, they were balancing the expectations of three clients simultaneously: the production company, the Royal Institution and the BBC, each with its own creative and practical requirements. Successfully meeting all of those demands, while maintaining a clear creative vision and a high standard of execution, is a remarkable achievement and a true testament to their talent, adaptability and professionalism.”
The Royal Institution Christmas Lectures and the students’ work on this project contributes to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 4: Quality Education and 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth. Since 2019, the University of Westminster has used the SDGs holistically to frame strategic decisions to help students and colleagues fulfil their potential and contribute to a more sustainable, equitable and healthier society.
Watch the Royal Institution Christmas Lectures from 28 December on BBC iPlayer.
Find out more about Art, Design and Visual Culture courses at the University of Westminster.
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