College helps Carol Smillie launch underwear range

IT’S not every day that a well-known television presenter enlists the help of students to promote their product – especially when it’s a new range of women’s underwear.

However, staff and students at Edinburgh College have been doing exactly that after ­helping Carol Smillie create a short promotional video to launch DiaryDoll, a range of underwear specifically designed to help women during periods.

DiaryDoll is the brainchild of Smillie and Annabel Croft, former British ladies tennis number one, who developed the product after sharing
stories of their own coming of age.

The video, which will be aired on YouTube, pokes some light-hearted fun at the product and the “dreaded time of the month”. Although the idea was dreamed up by Smillie, students at the college have helped bring it to life.

Based around the idea of men having periods, the video is set in a football changing room as the youngest team member struggles to cope with the symptoms of his period.

However, the boss has no time for their “man problems”.

Smillie first met with the students two weeks ago after striking up a friendship with her theatrical co-star Julie Coombe, whose husband John MacNeill is an acting lecturer at Edinburgh College.

Filming for the advert took place at football pitches on Edinburgh’s Marine Drive.

She said: “When looking at ways of promoting DiaryDoll, I never imagined that we would be able to get so much out of working with students as we have working with Edinburgh College.

“It’s been a fantastic process from start to finish and we are delighted with the quality and the professionalism of everyone involved – I, for one, have been blown away with the talent and creativity displayed. The staff and students have totally taken this project on board and it has been great to see the initial ideas develop into something usable, funny and ultimately very, very professional, and I know everyone involved is looking forward to seeing the finished product.”

The two-minute clip goes out next month. Students studying acting and theatre performance, creative industries and make-up artistry were all involved in the process.

Smillie added: “Hopefully the students have been able to get a lot out of this as well. Being able to work on a real live film set and experience the process from the very beginning to the very end is an excellent addition to their CVs.”

As a thank-you to the students, Smillie will visit the Granton Campus on Friday for a question-and-answer session.

Second-year HND make-up artistry student, Isla Henry, 19, from Leith said: “This kind of experience not only builds confidence and adds to our CVs, but as students it gives us a real insight into the industry and what is expected of us as
professionals.”

MacNeill said working with Smillie had been “a fantastic opportunity” for the students.

“Our affiliation with Carol has given them the chance to gain vital practical experience within real parameters, helping them understand the real time processes involved in TV and film production,” he said.

“Not only that, it has been a perfect opportunity to showcase the talent and the resources that Edinburgh College has to offer when it comes to video production.”