University of Northampton Students make a YouTube drama out of university life

Thousands of viewers are tuning in to a YouTube drama series that portrays the tangled lives of @UniNorthants students living under the same roof @House27_ 

A group of undergraduates at the University of Northampton are behind the House 27 series, which has clocked up more than 6,000 views since it was launched in 2019.

The seven episodes, which you can watch on the House 27 channel, delve into a range of topics, with storylines and sub plots covering love affairs, housemate bust ups, the camaraderie of living in students digs, nightlife and moving to a new country. 

The show’s realism is key to its success, as House 27 Marketing Manager and Business Entrepreneurship student, Brandon Fokobo, explains: “There wasn’t really a show out there that we felt portrayed our experience as students visually, and so we thought, let’s make one.

“We wanted to be able to portray a more realistic representation of student life, so that the people watching might think ‘that happened to me, I know how that feels’.”

For Jason Tshibangu, who plays TJ in the series, House 27 gave him the opportunity to explore acting: “It was a huge jump for me taking an acting role in House 27. I study Architectural Technology and never thought that acting would be something that I’d like, but I’ve enjoyed and gained so much from this experience and am looking forward to seeing House 27 grow.”

The logistical task of fitting filming and editing in around everyone’s timetables has allowed Location Manager and Law student, Chikaelo Enwelum, to develop her skills.

She said: “It’s been an interesting challenge to find filming locations that are available at the same time as the cast and crew. I’ve loved sourcing locations and props that properly reflect the characters. I feel that this role has allowed me to develop my organisation skills but has also taught me to be flexible with it too.”

You can find out more about House 27 on the YouTube channel, Twitter and Instagram.