Category Archives: Alumni matters

Posts of interest to graduates and students – alumni stories, jobs, internships and general interest.

Aleysha Minns, Class of 2013 | Career Update: Working in Film

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Aleysha-minns_Update2015_04-06 18.24.49I have just finished working as a Production Trainee on the feature film ID2: Shadwell Army (2016), which was shot entirely in Hull. After a few years of hard work, gaining a place on Channel 4’s 4Crew and becoming a Skillset Film Trainee, both came together to provide contacts as well as funding to help me gain my first feature film role in the relatively small but amazing production team.  The film is a sequel to ID, released in 1995, and had two incredible Producers, Sally Hibbin (Ken Loach’s producer) and Patrick Cassavetti [Brazil (1985), Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998)] who both felt very strongly about providing film training for local people. I spent 7 weeks helping to create our fictional Shadwell and learnt so much about working in Production as well as how feature film works.

Aleysha-Minns-with Linus RoacheThe cast was also incredible, with the likes of Simon Rivers, Linus Roache (pictured with me), Neil Pearson and Lee Ross, I learnt a lot from watching and speaking to them on set/in the office as well as helping them out with anything they needed. Being a trainee in a smaller team means that you get to know every person in every department and receive much broader training. Continue reading →

Steph Marshall, Graduand | Trainee Executive, Papillon PR

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It is only one week on from my final hand-in of three amazing years of Film and Television at the University of Lincoln School of Film & Media, and Monday was my first day of my first graduate job, which is strangely not in film or television. Although I still love the media industry, somewhere during my first year I started to develop an interest in PR and marketing, so rather than panic about being on the wrong degree course (which admittedly, I did for a while), I began to put into place the experience and the skills that would lead me into that industry. I am a Trainee Accounts Executive at Papillon PR.

Last year I was among the first batch of students to take part in the LSFM mentoring scheme, which was an invaluable experience and one that I would urge all LSFM students to undertake if they can. The mentor I was paired with was Jez Ashberry, director of Shooting Star PR in Lincoln, and we had regular correspondence offering industry advice and alike, which then led into a two-week work experience placement at the company.

What really got me the job at Papillon was not my degree subject, or even my grade classification (which I don’t even get for another 6 weeks!), it was my CV. Continue reading →

Paid Mobile App Developer Internship | Blueprint: Film

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Mikaela-Smith_Twitter_2014Grad Mikaela Smith is a 2014 graduate from the Lincoln School of Film & Media and works at Blueprint: Film with alumni also from this School – David Brook (Class of 2003, Media Production) and Chris Searson (Class of 2009, CLM/Photography). Mikaela got in touch about a paid Blueprint Film Internship Opportunity 2015 for an experienced programmer to develop a mobile app for iOS and possibly Android.

I am currently a Film Production & Admin intern at Blueprint: Film (it has been doing many workshops with the Media Production students over the last couple of weeks!) and I actually got my job through the University of Lincoln Careers & Employability website.  NOW we’ve got a fantastic opportunity to develop some apps with a great client, and are looking for a paid intern to assist on the projects. It’s a great opportunity for someone that is confident in App development and programming to do a 6 month, full time internship that pays above the minimum wage. The start date is flexible, but we’re looking for candidates to start between July & September 2015. CLICK HERE about the brief for the role, which has all the details and contacts to apply for this internship!  Continue reading →

James Jackson, Class of 2014 | Producer Quandary Productions

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After graduating from Media Production in 2014 I immediately worked as a Runner for eight months in London at various Reality TV post-production companies. I had aspirations to become an Editor by working my way up the ladder. I did a lot of shadowing with Edit Assistants, Editors and Producers in the very little spare time I had. Imagining looking back in five years and not being proud of the path I took or the work I had created, I decided that I wanted to work on films I could call art and be proud of. The long shifts at awkward times make it difficult to have a social life outside of work and it was even harder to be creative. On a personal level that made me lose a lot of spirit.

Before I graduated I worked as a Production Assistant for Quandary Productions on their feature film Time and Place (2014). This film was released during my time in London. What Quandary did with their inspirations, technique and limited budget was amazing and it got me thinking that I didn’t need to work my way up anywhere to create films I am proud of. Continue reading →

Richard Haywood, Class of 2006 | Freelance TV Cameraman

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Richard-Haywood_2006GradHello Lincolnites!  Richard here, class of 2006! Now freelance television cameraman. I studied media production focusing on TV and Radio. The first thing you realise when entering the industry is that ultimately at job interviews no one really cares. As harsh as this sounds the focus is on actual experience and often the only way to do this is starting at the bottom.

What my course did however give me was a through understanding of how various departments negotiate the ‘Creative Process’ as well as how to hold one’s self and studio etiquette. Continue reading →

Headspace 2015 Industry Event | Lincoln School of Film & Media

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Today’s HEADSPACE was LSFM’s on-campus industry event organised by Senior Lecturer Zara Healy. Our Visiting Professor Trevor Dann opened the day. He introduced industry guests, who were primarily our alumni and BBC Radio Lincolnshire’s Managing Editor Charlie Partridge. This was a fantastic opportunity for our students to gain an insight into the range of employment after graduation. Work can be in many forms as our graduates shared why they started their own media businesses; how to leap from local radio into local telly as well as network TV; and doing forms of digital media to pursue their passions.  Here are some moments captured at Headspace 2015 – networking and socialising.

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Many thanks to our creative alumni:  Continue reading →

Lecturer Jobs in Lincolnshire | LSFM and Boston College

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LSFM_Wordpress-LOGOWould you like to join the teaching team at the University of Lincoln School of Film & Media? Then apply online by 13th May for  Lecturer – Media Production (Design and Photographic Practice) Part Time | Lecturer – Media Production (Digital Media) | Lecturer – Media Production (Film and TV) x 2 | Lecturer – Media, Film & Cultural Studies x 2 | Lecturer – Photography and Moving Image Practice. LSFM look forward to hearing from applicants who’ll have the ‘opportunity to join a forward-looking team that is committed to providing a high quality student experience, and to help shape the skills and talents of the creative media practitioners of the future. You will contribute to the innovative scholarly, research, professional practice and pedagogical work of the School.’

BostonCollege-logoBoston College has a couple of our MA graduates on its teaching team, class of 2013 Matt Dean and class of 2014 Rachel Heir. The College is recruiting for tutors in media and photography. The closing date for both positions is 12th May 2015.  Continue reading →

Chloe Ward, Class of 2014 | Producer, Standby Productions

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Chloe-Ward_GradIt is 10 months since I started my role as producer at Standby Productions, and it’s strange to think that it’s been almost exactly a year since I handed in my last project for my Media Production degree.  A lot has changed in the past 10 months.  I feel like I’ve found my feet now at Standby with still tonnes to learn, as each day can bring a new challenge.  I’ve already had the chance to experience really cool projects, we worked with a two time Oscar winner who was also responsible for building the sound desk’s used on Titanic and Avatar and whose clients have ranged from Michael Jackson to Daft Punk. We have also just won the contract to create a film for a big offshore project (which we’re not allowed to say too much about yet) so there are exciting times ahead.  Today (5th May) is Standby’s fifth birthday in business, which was started by this School’s former student Simon Owen, and the whole crew were interviewed to find out what we were doing five years ago. Here was my recollection for our 05.05.2015 countdown to Standby’s fifth year:

It has been just over a year since my very first job interview for my role at Standby Productions.   Continue reading →

Philip Rollett, Class of 2014 | Audio Production Engineer

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Recent graduate Philip Rollett will be on-campus for LSFM’s HEADSPACE event on 6th May with other working audio & radio alumni to share their own industry advice with students. Philip opted for self-employment to start his new business.

PhilipRollett_2014_AP-GradAbout a month ago I was ready to give up on running my own audio company, it seemed like an impossible, thankless, task. I was constantly thinking if I was going to be able to earn a living from a degree that I’d dedicated so much time and money to. You find that you are no longer just an audio engineer, you’re a social media marketer, website developer and a phone salesman.  I set my company up Start! Audio in July last year, with the help of my part time employer Howard Young (Engine 7 Post Production), this was around two months after finishing my degree in Audio Production.  This is original sound design for Sky Ride Video Ride.

Howard took me on part time after I spent a few days with him in his studio. Continue reading →

Steve Smailes, Class of 2012 | Photo Exhibition 28 April – 5 May

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Our 2012 alumnus Steve Smailes is a freelance professional photographer, who works at the Lincolnite, and in 2014 won Relentless Here To Be Heard (competition for gig photos). As the winner, his photographic work will be exhibited in London THIS week. Steve said: Here are some of the images that will be in the Relentless Exhibition. It runs from 28th April to the 5th May at the Relentless Store at No.5 Denmark Street, London and features works from various events over the last two or three years. A majority of these images were taken in or around Lincoln.

Continue reading →