Hello

Before studying film, I had a big love for movies and every weekend I would go to the cinema to watch both the good and the bad to get a better understanding of what makes a great film. I found a website called Letterboxd where I started logging all the films I watched. By the age of 16, I had already logged over a thousand films. 

 

As a result of developing this passion for film, I decided to take a media study course in sixth form college where I learned the basics of film making. I learned how to use a Sony camera and edit a rough cut in Adobe Premiere Pro. I developed my knowledge of film theory which was critical in helping me understand how stories are constructed and what sets masterpieces apart from other films. 

 

I gained a Distinction in my BTEC in Digital Media Production Distinction at college and wanted to continue my education at university. I joined a TV and Film Production course at Bath Spa for what became one of the hardest years of my life. I was living away from home for the first time and the Covid pandemic made it impossible to socialise with anyone or attend lessons in person. Everything was online. It was very lonely and isolating. I decided to leave and start afresh somewhere new after the pandemic.  

 

I started a new course at Chichester University the following year where I studied for a BSc in Digital Film Technologies to get more hands-on with equipment.   The first year was hard for me after the bad experience at Bath Spa and it took a while to adjust.  After finding a good group of friends and supportive lecturers I started really enjoying my work and studies. I wanted to learn as much as possible and in the second year I took extra lessons to learn how to use the new kit. I learned many different camera mounts such as Steadicam, Jib, Slider and Dolly and learned how to use cameras such as the Sony FS7, Sony FX6 and Arri Alexa.  

 

During the second year, I developed a particular interest in camera and editing so I took the roles of DoP and editor on student films whenever possible.  I learned about the role of a DoP and what they do in every stage of production. I did lots of research into the rules of filmmaking and how to construct different shots to make a scene.   I also had to gain self-confidence and create a voice for myself on set so that people listened and understood the shots I was trying to create. I edited many projects on Adobe Premiere Pro at home learning from videos and teaching myself all about the software. Later that year I found a passion for colour grading on Davinci Resolve and decided I wanted to master this software. I started colour grading many projects and helped students on other courses to edit their work. This gave me plenty of practice as well as more content to add to my portfolio.  

 

In my third year I was finally ready to switch from Premiere Pro to Davinci Resolve. With the help of my tutor, I learned how to create a master timeline, edit the sound and colour grade to a high standard using this software. I learned about the different exports needed for TV, Internet and Cinema and I created lots of DCPs (digital cinema packages) to show my final projects in local cinemas. This helped me become a Davinci Resolve colour-grade certified user. 

 

I hope to leave university with a first-class degree and to use the skills learned over the last five years to take the next step on my journey to becoming a professional filmmaker.