Aleysha Minns, Class of 2013 | Pinewood Studios & BAFTA Crew

AleyshaMinns_2016As September has come and gone again, seeing my 3rd LSFM media mentee with her graduation photos, it just reminds me of how long ago 2013 feels. The past 3 years have been a bit of a rollercoaster, with the past 12 months being some of the most difficult but incredible of my career so far. 

The last half of 2015 was tough, finding work was a nightmare and I was ready to give up on the whole thing. That was until February of this year, when I got to live out my childhood dream of working at Pinewood Studios on my first big budget film, taking the leap from Production to the Locations/Studio department as a trainee. Confidentiality surrounding these types of films mean I can’t say anything about it until release, but I spent up until August there and has been the lift that I needed. Since then I’ve been working on commercials and have been accepted into BAFTA Crew 2016, which is a huge honour and made it on to the list on my 2nd attempt. To top off the year, Beautiful Devils (2015) premièred at Cannes Film Festival to a great reception and my first ever film credit on ID2:Shadwell Army (2016) recently came out in cinemas and DVD. Continue reading

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

Ellen Jackson, Class of 2011 | Wedding Industry Experts Award

Our alumna Ellen Jackson pulled in the public vote to win Most Popular Cinematographer/ Videographer at the Wedding Industry Experts 2016 Awards. She’s one of our Industry Mentors and reflects on her career with this update:

With more than five years’ experience in the videography business things have really started to progress for me and my business. I have had some brilliant opportunities and been able to work with some really amazing people, locally and nationally. The corporate side of my business is thriving; with work under my belt for all different types of businesses and events.  In 2013 I launched the wedding side of things, and since then it’s all gone mad! So mad that this year I won the award for the most Popular Cinematographer in the UK, and second popular in the world!


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LSFM Student Opportunity | Industry Mentoring 2016-17

It’s time for our undergraduates to REGISTER for LSFM Mentoring – to start in the new academic year 2016-2017.  This School-Industry initiative is a fab opportunity for TWENTY selected students to be mentored by a professional who volunteer their time from the world of work.  The call-out is for Lincoln School of Film & Media 2nd and 1st year students from animation, audio production, film & TV, media production and photography to apply NOW! Just download this form: LSFM_STUDENT-REGISTRATION-FORM_2016-2017

Mentoring_Oct2014Remember there are ONLY 20 student places for the new academic year. So please return your form by 12-noon on Tuesday 22nd March to Louise Lawlor via email. If selected as a student-mentee you must be available to attend the 1-hour induction on-campus. It will be on Wednesday afternoon from 4pm to 5pm and it is likely to be either Week 5 or Week 6 in Semester A (2016-2017).  Continue reading

Rosie Turner, Class of 2015 | Work-life since leaving Lincoln

RosieTurner_2015GradSince leaving Lincoln and heading down to London, these past few months have been unbelievably busy! At the moment I have just taken on a contract as an Assistant Producer with Social Life, a social media agency based in London, founded by Ex Radio 1 social leads. Our clients include MTV UK, X Factor, First Dates, CBBC and Red Bull Media to name a few. My role involves a bit of everything as we are a start-up business! My average week will consist of meetings with clients, developing social media strategies, video editing, photography, planning the filming of gigs with our music clients, organising schedules for the press launches of TV shows and booking locations for events!

I progressed to the role after finishing my trainee scheme at Channel 4 as a freelance Social Networker alongside my degree. Continue reading

LSFM Mentoring: industry & student | Deadline 09.10.2015

LSFM Mentoring is back. This fabulous opportunity between industry professionals and our students will be running this new academic year 2015-16. This initiative is thanks to media and its related workers volunteering to be mentors – some of them are our alumni. Now it is time for the School’s 3rd and 2nd year undergraduates from animation, audio production, film & TV, media production and photography to apply.  Download this document and register: LSFM_STUDENT REGISTRATION FORM_2015-16

Mentoring_Oct2014There are ONLY 20 student-mentee places. Deadline to return your registration form is Friday 9th October 2015 by email to Louise Lawlor. If selected, you must be available for the one-hour induction on Wednesday 4th November 4pm to 5pm at the Enterprise Building, as well as 11th November at 11.30am for a chance to chat with your media mentor on a one-to-one basis. 

This year’s mentors work across a range of genres, e.g. audio production, video effects, digital media, screenwriting, graphic design, radio, indie film, television, 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.

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Mentoring | LSFM and Industry

LSFM Mentoring is a unique way to link industry with selected undergraduates. Thanks to volunteer mentors from the world of work who make time to support our final year or level 2 students in an academic year.  Each mentor brings their unique experience of the job market to help our students, during their course, as they plan goals and pursue passions for a career. In the past our mentors and mentees have explored everything from work opportunities to discussing dissertations. Pairs are in contact at least 6 times across semesters, so may be around 6-12 hours during the academic year. Contact time is flexible and pairs choose how to meet: face-to-face, talking on the phone, having a web chat or using other online platforms.

Mentors are offered an induction to mentoring, written guidelines and thereafter the student-mentee liaises with their mentor. If you’re interested in being a mentor, read the introduction to mentoring and download the form to register your interest anytime: LSFM Mentoring_Introduction  |  LSFM_MENTOR_Registration-Form

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Steph Marshall, Graduand | Trainee Executive, Papillon PR

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

LSFM Student Opps: International Mentoring & Filmmaking Project

International Buddy Scheme 1Senior Lecturer Marcella Forster initiated our School’s International Buddy Scheme (picked by the University of Lincoln Student Engagement Innovation Fund 2014) and currently she is recruiting for another batch of LSFM Student Mentors (to start in September 2015).  Marcella said: First and second years from all programmes in LSFM (international students are particularly welcome) can apply. The aim is to provide peer support to our international students during their first year in LSFM. You will be trained in mentoring and cross-cultural awareness. This qualifies for the Lincoln Award. Email mforster@lincoln.ac.uk for details and an application form. Applications MUST be returned to me by 23rd March. 

LookingChina2014_Luke-Winter_Zhong ShanPark2If you are interested in making films in CHINA this July, here is a great student opportunity to apply for – it is called Looking China 2015.  

Deadline 17 April 2015 | Email your application form to rosmith@lincoln.ac.uk | More info from either Sarah Barrow or Brian Winston Continue reading