University of Lincoln Graduates & Chris Packham | BBC TWO series

MeAndMyDog_UoLalumni_5April2017_fromDanBowringFOUR University of Lincoln alumni – 3 of them our media graduates – have been worked on the BBC Two TV programme, Me and My Dog: The Ultimate Contest, which is a 4 part series that begins on-air this evening (5th April) at 8pm.

The show’s presenter Chris Packham – University of Lincoln’s Visiting Professor – will be joined by the programme’s Dog Trainer and Behaviourist Sian Ryan [MSc in Clinical Animal Behaviour]. The behind the camera team working on the show included Daniel Bowring [BSc (Hons) Media Technology, 2009] pictured far left, who has sent the graduate group photo; our industry mentor Jonathan Sidwell [BA (Hons) Media Production, 2007] was 1st AD; and former LSFM student-mentee Bryony Hooper [BA (Hons) Media Production, 2015] was in the Production Team. Continue reading

Ashley Turner, Class of 2013 | BBC TWO Floor Runner ‘Wolf Hall’

Congrats to all Lincoln School of Media third year graduating students who will be Class of 2014! The School hope you’ll keep us posted on your job-hunting, experiences, tips and advice, like last year’s alumnus Ashley Turner.

Super setting, a day to remember

I graduated from the University of Lincoln last year as part of the first group of students to take the Film & Television course. Just before I left Lincoln, I was accepted onto the BBC’s Production Talent Pool, which I took to be a guarantee of a kickstart as a TV runner. I moved to Bristol, where I began to pick up occasional runner jobs, working on the odd day here and there on programmes like Flog It, The One Show, Rip Off Britain and others. However, the desired long contract proved elusive. Thanks to uploading my CV to a number of websites, I worked as a runner on the open auditions for the upcoming Star Wars films, which was a very exciting opportunity, and things began to build up from there. Eventually I semi-moved to London, working on The One Show as a studio runner, as well as on a BBC Three comedy pilot, a BBC Two panel show and the recent Our Gay Wedding: The Musical.

BBCTWOHaving built up this solid range of runner experience, I was asked to come in to interview for a long-term runner job on a high profile BBC Two drama, and succeeded! So since April, I have been a Floor Runner on the BBC’s adaptation of Dame Hilary Mantel’s best-selling period drama Wolf Hall, which I’m thrilled to be a part of.  

My main piece of advice to fellow graduates of Lincoln School of Media who’re looking to get into TV? Never work for free. Continue reading