Meet the Graduates, LSFM | Tips: what are employers looking for?

Meet the Graduates! We continue our clips from LSFM’s last alumni symposium (2018-19) with our graduate panel sharing with current students a few tips of what employers are looking for when you want to get a job in the media?

Alumni advice from Class of 2006, Film Director/Producer Mike Beddoes; Class of 2007, Graphic Designer Ian Pook; and Class of 2012 working in multimedia, from scriptwriting to acting, Dani Moseley. Continue reading

Phil Krstic, Class of 2012 | TV Freelance Assistant Producer

Phil-Krstic-2012GradPhil Krstic is a First-class BA (Hons) Media Production graduate from the University of Lincoln – School of Media (LSM) in 2012 and now called LSFM – School of Film & Media. He works as a TV freelancer and gives a great insight about Filming Life on the Run: Celebrity Hunted broadcast on Channel 4.

Working in television, you find yourself filming in all sorts of different locations and scenarios. What I didn’t expect to be filming, 5 years after graduating from LSM, was celebrity fugitives on the run from real life private investigators and detectives, all in aid of ‘Stand up to Cancer’. Those not familiar, ‘Celebrity Hunted’ (Shine TV, 2017) is a celebrity twist on the prime time flagship Channel 4 show whereby fugitives have to evade capture for 4 weeks by hiding out and keeping a low profile anywhere in mainland UK. Meanwhile a team of ‘hunters’ have to hack phones, interrogate relatives and plot to hunt them down; especially difficult if you’re instantly recognised in every small town and village you try to hide out in the country.

Phil-Krstic-OnLocation

Much to the excitement of my parents, I had the honour of following eighties television legend Anneka Rice. Continue reading

Steve Smailes, Class of 2012 | Freelance Photographer

Steve Smailes PhotographyWhen you’re finishing university you often get asked “Where do you want to be in 5 years?” and let’s be honest, it’s a very difficult question. But 5 years on I’m here to say how it stacks up to what I was thinking when I graduated from the Uni of Lincoln in 2012. 

When I left I wanted to be able to set up my own photography business and be working for myself. It was a risky and in some ways optimistic thing as I was unsure how I was going to achieve this as I had limited resources in terms of money and equipment (I had a camera I’d used my student loan and money from some work experience jobs to buy) but had to keep paying rent and other expenses while building the business.

I was given a great head start by getting work with The Lincolnite which gave me a steady income and also the time to grow my business as I work for them on an on call basis and I still work with them today.  Continue reading

Luke Pickering, Class of 2012 | Q&A with JAMES online

LukePickering-AP-Grad2012Luke Pickering, BA (Hons) Audio Production in 2012, who achieved industry recognition at this year’s Pro Sound Rising Star Award is now featured online in JAMES accredited courses about graduate success.  Here’s an extract from his interview with Joint Audio Media Education Support, JAMES: 

What course did you study at Lincoln and what were the factors that made you choose that one in particular? I had looked at a few options, but for me, the (BA) Audio Production course at Lincoln offered something more than a purely technical perspective on the subject. It covers a really broad spectrum initially before allowing you to specialise in a chosen area. I had actually been studying art beforehand, so it felt like a good decision for me to build my skills up across the board. Regarding the University itself, I was more familiar with it than others, having lived here all my life, and I knew I liked the campus.

Any advice or tips you could offer those currently looking for employment? I can only speak from my own experience, and you might even decide you don’t want a ‘career’ as such! But as far as audio jobs go, keep pushing, keep putting yourself in as many situations where an opportunity might come along. It took me 4 years till that happened for me, with a bit of luck. Read more →

Gemma Lowe, Class of 2012 | Career in Communications

IGemmaLowe-2017pic’ve been following the LSFM blog and it is great to see what everyone has been up to since graduating; it seems a long time ago since I was the one wearing the gown in 2012 and it is amazing how much can happen in in five years! I have worked in a number of roles since graduation, some that were directly linked to where I am now and some that helped me get here even though I didn’t know it at the time.

Following the school radio project in the third year of my Media Production degree, I’ve had an interest in education. Initially, I wasn’t sure how I could combine this with my interest in media but I decided to just take any opportunities that came my way and see where I ended up! Continue reading

Luke Pickering, Class of 2012 | Rising Star Pro Sound Award

IMG_1371 CONGRATS to ‘Rising Star 2017’ Luke Pickering, BA (Hons) Audio Production in 2012, who picked up an industry award for up and coming talent: I’m over the moon to have won the Pro Sound Rising Star award. There was some amazing talent and credentials amongst the other nominees so it’s a genuine surprise to be chosen, and I’m very grateful.

ProSoundawards2017-LukePickering-2012GradHe works for Paul Epworth – award winning (Grammy, Academy, The Brits) music producer and songwriter  as Assistant Engineer in-house at The Church Studios.  Luke reflected on his Audio Production  course: There were a vast range of essential skills I would have struggled to learn elsewhere. There’s obviously the technical stuff but just as importantly you learn how to work in a group and to be part of a team – after all, people skills will be one of your most valuable assets when you’re in the industry! Read the news story from the University of Lincoln press office.

Alumni Q&A session | LSFM Creative Enterprise module

Love our graduates back on-campus to share experiences and connect with our students from our annual network event Meet the Graduates (2nd November 2016) to teaching modules. TODAY half a dozen alumni will join our final year students in the Creative Enterprise session and module co-ordinator Zara Healy said: we welcome 6 of our graduates who are all working in multimedia roles. They have all graduated within the last 5 years from LSFM – some are freelance, some are employed full-time and at least 3 have set up their own creative industry companies. The one and a half hour session will be a Question and Answer about how this module’s assessment – pitch and paperwork – has helped graduates in their own pitches, how to develop ideas and present them to help them in their roles in the Media industry.

GemmaLowe_2Gemma Lowe | Class of  2012 & LSFM Industry Mentor: I currently work as Press and Media Content Officer for the Lincoln College Group, producing multimedia and written content for a wide range of marketing purposes and managing digital communication projects and social media across Lincoln, Newark and Gainsborough Colleges.

I am also Media and PR Manager for Lincolnshire Scouts, managing and producing media and marketing output across the county. Continue reading

University of Lincoln (UK) | Happy 20th Anniversary

The University of Lincoln celebrates twenty years at Brayford Pool campus. UoL_BrayfordPoolOn 11th October 1996 Her Majesty  The Queen officially opened the University (as Lincolnshire and Humberside). Today it is ranked in the TOP 10 in the UK for teaching quality and student experience in The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2017.

The University of Lincoln has Open Days, so prospective students can explore what is on offer. Our 2012 Media Production graduate Daniel J Layton shares his experiences of his Uni days.

Hannah Wilson, Class of 2012 | Designer at Grazia Magazine

HannahWilson_2003GradI can’t quite believe that I moved to Lincoln to start my degree just over 6 years ago now, and that I’ve had a full time job in London for over three!  I studied Contemporary Lens Media, now BA (Hons) Photography, at Lincoln, and can honestly say I wouldn’t have the job I do today without my degree from the university; not only because of the skills that I learnt whilst studying, or even just having the title on my CV, but the fact that it gave me three years of uninterrupted time to build a solid portfolio that I could proudly take to interview with prospective employers. Our lecturers used to tell us to treasure the time, because rarely would we ever have as much time to invest in making work again. How right they were!  

I currently work at Grazia magazine in London. My role is on the the art desk, designing pages for the magazine and editing images to choose the best ones to send to print each week. Continue reading

Matt North, Class of 2012 | LSFM Mentor and NEW Audio Website

Audio ProductionMatt-North_new-site_Sept2015 2012 Graduate Matt North is one of the School’s inspirational industry mentors and he’ll be available again for mentoring an undergraduate in the new academic year.  Matt said he really enjoyed being part of the LSFM Mentoring scheme this year (2014/15) with Emma Wapshott.

Matt works as a Media & Production Support Technician at the University of East Anglia and is a freelance audio producer. He’s shared that it’s been almost a year in designing/editing but today I can finally unveil my new website.  I’ve worked with a web developer on a complete redesign which now has an up-to-date portfolio, credits database and showreel.

Continue reading