P5

Personal statement for University: 

I would like to study Film and Media at university. This is because my career aim involves
becoming a film maker and learning the technical and production techniques necessary to make
it in this industry. One day, I hope to be attending Red Carpet events and viewing the films I
have taken part in creating on the big screen.
I am now in my 3rd year of Film Studies and 4th for Media Studies at college. I couldn't have
picked better subjects to study because learning about the development of our modern society
and making a contribution to that will develop my understanding and experience in the
media/film industry.
At college, in Media studies we created projects like an advertising trailer where we had to
advertise a chocolate bar. We learned marketing and sales skills and the best way to present a
product. Also I designed a magazine and created my own brand where I had to make up
interviews, catch phrases, articles and take pictures of people to pose as our band. I later
edited them ready for our magazines using computer software.
When I moved up to Long Road College I took Film Studies and in my first year we made our own
trailer for a horror film. This was an independent amateur project that I filmed and edited
myself using the college's camera and using final cut to edit. In that course we focused on
Super Hero, World Cinema and more about the film industry. I gained time management,
self-organisation and communication skills as part of this task; involving friends and family
and learning how to set up different types of shot. This expanded my knowledge of
cinematography.
I applied and got a place in the BFI Film Academy which was a fantastic experience. I learned
about different roles and got some real filming on set experience. We were given specific job
roles in the making of our film, mine was the boom operator and the VFX co-ordinator. These
roles were perfect for me as they broadened my mind on sound and how to capture sounds
properly. I also learnt about sound effects within film and how much the film perspective can
be changed just with different music and sound effects. Being the Visual Co-ordinator as well
made me feel like I had even more of a role in the making of the film as I was the only one
who had previous experience with software like Adobe After Effect and Final Cut. As I got into
the Film Academy it gave me a better chance of getting into the National Film and Television
School. I have recently applied for this and also got a place on a week long course based in
London at City and Islington College studying VFX and Animation. I am looking forward to this
as I will be able to gain even more experience of film making and focus more on Visual Effects
which is the area I am most interested in, along with animations.
Outside of college, I work as an Usher in the Vue cinema in Cambridge which allows me to see a
wide variety of films, as well as the practical side of the film industry and cinema going
audiences. I couldn't turn down an opportunity to get behind the scenes of the film industry
as I feel this gives me an insight into how the industry works. I am also aware how film
projectors work and how automatic cycles operate. I have learned the difference between
rendered 3D film clips and ordinary 2D ones. I am now able to understand film marketing
techniques in the real world, and I am able to recognise different types of consumers as well
as the sales approaches used for each one.
I am excited to improve my existing film making skills by going to University, as well as the
type of different job roles within film and media. I hope that taking my degree will help me
to go on to have a successful career in this industry in the future.