Class of 2012, Michael Hankinson | Camera Operator

Posted on July 7, 2014 by RW

Hi LSM! It’s been almost 2 years since I last posted on the alumni network and since then a lot has happened. My ambition all the way through university had been to work as a DOP (Director of Photography). After leaving I quickly realised that it wasn’t going to be easy to just walk into a job like this. When I graduated in 2012 with a BA (Hons) Media Production degree I worked for free and for expenses on multiple low budget features, shorts, event videos, etc. to try and get my foot in the door and more importantly learn, both while at university and after leaving. I took a part time job at Asda (it’s not fun paying bills) and on my days off applied for jobs. I got to work on some exciting projects as a camera assistant and camera operator through this while learning from some great people in the industry including a DOP who had previously worked on a BAFTA winning film, however the pay was little or none in most cases.

I was then successful in an interview and started as a junior camera operator at a production company in Essex called iSite TV (I was quite surprised to meet two other LSM alumni among the staff). So I left my job at Asda and moved down to Essex. The company creates online advertising and product videos for some of the biggest companies and retailers in the world including; Panasonic, Sennheiser, Currys/PC World, Beko, LG, VTech, the list goes on and on. I’ve worked at iSite for a year now and the time has flown. Continue reading →

1000+ days later… Rachel Hagreen on life after LSM & University

Posted on June 26, 2014 by Rachel Hagreen

Well, that’s it. Somehow three years (or roughly 1018 days) have just passed and University has officially finished with me. The past year has been the best of my life so far, and that is purely down to genuinely loving the course (even the dissertation) and meeting a cracking set of friends following the University trip to Latvia back in October.

As much as I don’t want to leave University life, I now feel completely ready to move on to whatever’s next. I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to work on a lot of extra projects (paid and unpaid) during my three years in Lincoln and those are the things that have really given me the confidence that I have now. Whether you’re going into your first or second year, or even final year I can’t express enough how important it is to get that extra bit of experience. The course is fantastic, don’t get me wrong, but there’s going to be a couple of hundred people graduate with the same degree as you in ONE year from that ONE course in Lincoln alone. It’s no secret that jobs are hard to come by in this industry but if you do something extra on the side that will set you apart from those hundreds of other people in the same position as you, it’ll really make a difference when you leave. Continue reading →

Attention LSM Students! MEDIA BOOT CAMP 27th-30th MAY 2014

Posted on May 20, 2014 by RW

Employability events and workshops just for LSM students & recent graduates. Media Boot Camp is organised by the University of Lincoln Careers and Employability team. The week will have industry guests … filmed interview critiques … creative thinking exercises … advice about networking … self-employment training … MORE DETAILS HERE & BOOK YOUR PLACE NOW!

Meet the Graduates 2014 | How to Prepare for Work Post-Uni?

Posted on May 14, 2014 by RW

Here’s the final clip in our Q&A series Meet the Graduates 2014: What’s the best preparation for the world (of work) after studying at the Lincoln School of Media? Graduates Steve Bernard (Class of 2013), Holly Smith (class of 2010), Philip Stevens (Class of 2010), Zoe Easey (Class of 2007), Adam Verity (Class of 2002) and Stuart Lutes (Class of 2001) on the Graduate Question Time panel gave their answers with many alumni in the audience sharing their experiences, too.

New Media Lincs had LSM’s creative student crew to capture the event, which was Year 2 Rory McCarney, Year 3 Kirsty Gibson and Kamil Rewers. Rory also produced all the clips at Meet the Graduates 2014: value of work experience | where are alumni now? | media mentoring |

Alumni Weekend | 13-15 June 2014 | University of Lincoln | Free for all graduates, family and their friends. See more details here.

Meet the Graduates 2014 | What’s the Value of Work Experience?

Posted on May 13, 2014 by RW

What’s the Value of Work Experience? This is the next clip in the Q&A series from Meet the Graduates 2014. The networking event between our students and graduates was part of Lincoln School of Media’s 20th anniversary at the University of Lincoln. Thanks to all alumni, students and staff who came to MtG 2014.

Alumni Stuart Lutes (Class of 2001), Adam Verity (Class of 2002), Zoe Easey (Class of 2007), Phil Stevens (Class of 2010), Holly Smith (class of 2010) and Stephen Bernard (Class of 2013) were on ‘Graduate Question Time’. LSM’s student crew, via New Media Lincs, Year 2 Rory McCarney, Year 3 Kirsty Gibson and Kamil Rewers captured the popular Networking & Graduate Question Time. In this piece, our former students share their experiences about where’s best to be based in the country for opportunities and the value in doing work experience.

See the MtG 2014 clip ‘Where Are Alumni Now?’ on a previous post.

LSM Headspace| Great Minds Lecture with Ken Scott | 30 April 2014

Posted on April 28, 2014 by RW

Headspace is a joint LSM radio and audio networking event where students can meet industry professionals (some are our graduates) from presenters to podcasters, composers to recordists, as well as a sound artist, drama production co-ordinator and our Visiting Professor Trevor Dann. It’s an opportunity to talk to all the guests during short informal sessions, within small groups. The idea is to talk directly with all guests about any aspect of careers and make new contacts, To see if there are any spaces this Wednesday, between 11am and 3pm, you must email Louise at LSM: llawlor@lincoln.ac.uk

World-renowned record producer/engineer Ken Scott’s talk will be taking place as part of the ‘Great Minds’ Lecture Series on Wednesday 30th April 2014 at 6pm [seated at 5.45pm] in the EMMTEC lecture theatre, University of Lincoln. Principal Lecturer at LSM Bryan Rudd said: This man is a legend in the music industry and is simply too good to miss. I urge you (students and staff) to book a place as soon as possible! To be at this event you will need to reserve a place in advance with events@lincoln.ac.uk Continue reading →

Congrats to LSM’s Graduate Gemma Pass, Class of 2013

Posted on February 26, 2014 by RW

Hi, just wanted to share a few things! My name’s Gemma Pass and I graduated in 2013. When leaving university I so had just one thing in my head – getting into media production. And now after working in the media for 6 months I think it’s so important that current LSM students realise that there is so much more to the media than just production!

After leaving Lincoln I picked up a few runner day jobs and absolutely loved my time working on shows. But between that time I was miserable. It’s so hard to pick up long term contracts without some more permanent experience under my belt and worst of all I couldn’t afford to move to London without a guarantee that long term work was there to pay my rent. It was then that I came across a job as a Junior Scheduler near London. It wasn’t as glamorous as production work but hey it was a foot in the door. Now 6 months down the line I know I made the right choice. Since starting in August I have launched several TV channels, created promos for TV, designed channel logos and had complete editorial decisions on what plays out on air. Now my position with Canis Media is Channel Management and Scheduling Executive. Continue reading →

Meet LSM Graduate: TV Editor Stuart Lutes, Class of 2001

Posted on February 5, 2014 by RW

Stuart Lutes is a freelance TV Editor who’s worked on TV shows from Big Brother to Charlie Brooker’s Weekly Wipe – currently he’s editing Series 2. Stuart’s going to be joining 30 of LSM’s industry alumni at ‘Meet the Graduates’ on 12 Feb and he’ll be one of our new media mentors. Somehow he’s managed to squeeze in a story on our blog, too. Thanks Stu, see you next Wednesday – mentoring, Q&A session and networking … whoa!

In terms of employment hints and tips, I’m happy to talk to the students directly but, it generally boils down to getting a job in any profession. Display a willingness to learn, a willingness to work hard (even for free), show initiative and finally, some level of aptitude. The TV industry can be a cruel beast, with everyone working long hours and usually up against tight deadlines so, ‘dead weight’ or laziness just simply won’t be tolerated. On the flipside, if you can demonstrate an ability to listen, carry out instructions accurately and efficiently, be personable and have a tough skin, you’ll be highly valued, employable and most importantly, trusted and you’ll go very far. So, after graduating in 2001, I was lucky enough to leapfrog the nightmare of being a runner and my career as a Video Editor began down in London three months later … Continue reading →

Don’t Miss! Meet LSM Graduates from Industry on 12 Feb 2014

Posted on January 29, 2014 by RW

Yay! Our informal networking event between our students and graduates is a great opportunity. Students you’ve got the date, so turn up and don’t miss your place! Graduates you can RSVP: alumni@lincoln.ac.uk

‘Meet the Graduates’ marks 20 years of media at the LSM. Around thirty alumni will join us from the nineties to now. Graduates who’re industry professionals will share their tips & experiences on 12th Feb, EMMTEC theatre: 2pm Question & Answer session then a chance for individual chats – superb social networking!

Sarah Barrow, Head of LSM, said: “Celebrate with us in style! Currently the media and creative industries are the ‘economic powerhouse’ of the UK, according to the latest official reports. Lincoln School of Media is in the top 4 for employability (out of over 90 media courses) in the UK.

Work Experience – Is It Worth It? By LSM Student Gemma Benefer

Posted on January 16, 2014 by RW

For those looking for jobs today, it’s a harsh world. You need experience but to even get the experience you need other experience and to get that experience you need a job. Not making much sense am I? But it is an endless loop.

To get work experience, you often need to do it for free. It can kind of suck, especially when other people you know are getting paid for having a “real job”, but you have to focus on what it would hopefully do in the long run. My work experience has already paid off and it kinda links to what I said before. There was an opportunity to work on the breakfast show at BBC Radio Lincolnshire during my second year at Uni. By this point, I was already volunteering at Siren FM. I applied, not really thinking I’d get it, but during my interview I was told that I wouldn’t have even gotten an interview if I hadn’t had any other work experience. So it just goes to show that to even get experience you still need other experience to get there.

It’s tough to get experience though, I’ll admit. A lot of the experience I have done is through sheer luck. I worked at Hollyoaks for a week because one of the Director’s was a family friend (and I honestly can’t thank him enough!) from there, I got the bug. Continue reading →

Lincoln School of Film & Media Network

LSFM at the University of Lincoln (UK) celebrates 25 years of our students into graduates

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