Spotlight on Mahnaz Carroll - Future Technician

Hey Mahnaz, can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your experience working within the creative sector?

My name is Mahnaz Carroll, and I am a Pakistani American currently living in London, but this is not where my journey began... From the time I was 8 I have been involved in Theatre. On stage at first, then I learned about the world behind the scenes, and I fell in love with it. I discovered this work at a time when I needed routine and a place to belong. It was post 9/11 America and my name alone made me a target to bullying. So, I immersed myself into this world of make believe and soaked up all the knowledge I could. It was in this environment of being at Florida’s Children’s Theatre that I spent countless hours captivated by the magic of live theatre. It was during this time that my fascination for the intricacies of technical theatre grew and evolved.

So next I strived to get into New World School of the Arts in Miami, Florida, a prestigious high school that beckoned with the promise of specialized theatre education. And yes, my high school laid the foundation that was to come. The doors of opportunity opened when I secured a spot at The Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts. I left my family and friends in the United States to pursue my acting dreams in the United Kingdom. But it was only after I came to London, and I truly thought about what makes me happiest and this is when my narrative takes an exciting turn.

How did you come across Future Formed?

I had been searching for a course in Technical Theatre for a long time. I was finding it difficult to find a course that was reasonable in price and easy to get to in London. As I was searching on google, I came across Future Formed.

What was your experience like on the Future Technicians course?

My experience was amazing. It was lovely to be in a room with a group of people that were there to learn sharing creativity from so many different angles. Jodie our teacher did an amazing job at getting us loads of information within the week without it becoming overwhelming. The big thing that really drew me to this course was the fact that it was free! The work placement incentive was, and still is, a big win as well. It can be difficult in the creative sector to get your foot in the door and Future Formed does exactly that.

Would you recommend the course for those looking to join?

Absolutely! I have told many people about this course and that they should apply. People that are interested in this type of work and people that may just want to learn something new and change the direction of their career path.

How has working with Future Formed impacted your career in the creative field?

Future Formed has hugely impacted my career. Before doing this course, I was working in hospitality but had just graduated from drama school but was struggling to find a way into the industry. While I was at Future Formed, I was given the Barbican Centre as my work placement, and I am very happy to say that I am now working at the Barbican Theatre as a lighting technician! I am excited to see where my career goes next.