Prof Practice - Applying for Jobs #2

Following up on my previous post about applying for part time jobs, my job hunt continues. Since the previous post a few weeks ago there hasn't been any news regarding any of the jobs I applied for. It's annoying and time consuming, but that is part of the process. This is not the first time I have been through this and it probably won't be the last, so I'm taking it on the chin and moving on to look for more chances of employment. I'm still currently employed at SAFC under the company of Elior, however as the end of the season approaches at the beginning of May, Sunderland could well be down into League One. And with that comes widespread job losses, and as I discussed at length, I could lose my job. The application process for the MA Film Theory and Practice course at Newcastle University is going ahead and I am making significant process into that. For that reason I'm still looking for steady part time employment to run alongside the degree. 

I went on another job hunt, this time I went outside of 'indeed' and began looking at various other sites such as 'totaljobs' and 'reed'. Both of which offer a very similar if not identical service to indeed - however during my research I have noticed indeed offers on both quality and quantity in job advertisements. I came across a job ad on totaljobs for a customer assistant position at a Lidl store in Sunderland. The stereotype gets flung around often - 'they graduated and went on to work in a supermarket'. However in this case, I know that Lidl along with Aldi are both fantastic places to work. And if a place offers me money and personal development it's all I can ask for in a job. 

I began the application process for Lidl which was quite a lengthy one. I had to create an account through Lidl just for the application process. This was quite a sophistocated scheme as it allows you to save or change your information as you go, and it allows you to attach your CV and cover letter via PDF. In my time searching for jobs one of the standout things you have to grasp or master is the ability to write cover letters, and furthermore the ability to adapt the cover letter your writing to suit the application. Some jobs would evidently require me to elaborate more on my academic skills and qualifications, whilst others it would benefit me to talk solely about my work life and skills from employment. In the context of this application I wrote a lot about my current and past employment and what I have learned from that with brief mention to my study at degree level. 

Below is my cover letter which I wrote specifically for Lidl. I wrote this adhering to the useful document on how to write a cover letter which Lidl have on their website. 

"I am applying for this position as Customer Assistant at Lidl as I see myself as a strong candidate for the job with all of the necessary skills. I found out about the position on the Lidl website whilst researching the career opportunities that the company offers. 

I am enthusiastic about this position as I believe that Lidl can offer me a platform for personal growth. I aim to challenge myself in all aspects of my life, and working at a place which pushes me to reach my potential is an exciting prospect. Lidl promotes the values which I aim to integrate into my every day life, as an employee and as a member of society.

I am an innovative forward thinker, who is highly motivated, open-minded, and willing and able to adapt to new workplace situations. I have exceptional interpersonal skills honed by my years of experience working in a fast-paced environment, and can build a rapport with customers which is essential to any business. 

I have five years of experience working in hospitality. My job has given me an extensive understanding of customer satisfaction, and how to provide consistent and excellent service. My job has also allowed me to work at numerous venues across the UK; Murrayfield stadium, Durham County Cricket Club, Northern Pride, the Stadium of Light.  

I am currently in the application process to study a part-time Masters Degree in Film Theory & Practice at Newcastle University. I would be aiming to work at Lidl alongside my degree. I am extremely flexible and willing to work as many hours as I possibly can outside of my hours of study. I am available for an interview any time of any day throughout the week. I am willing and able to start the job as soon as required.  

Kind regards, 

Bradley Sampson"

After writing my cover letter and providing all the necessary information in the application process I was then forwarded to another section of the application. This was not something I have ever experienced before but Lidl require you to complete a 25 minute timed interactive test. This test goes over mathematics, ethics and essentially common sense. These questions are multiple choice and present themselves through an interactive inbox in which you play a Lidl employee receiving emails from other Lidl employees wanting your advice. It's really quite clever but strange at the same time. It's more and likely an effective way to condense applicants based on test score to find their compatibility with the company. So if you do bad on the test, chances are you won't even be considered. I like to think I did good because I'm decent at mathematics and from my years of experience in my job I was equipped to answer the questions regarding customers. The sections where I felt like I didn't do so well were in regards to supermarket deliveries etc. I have no experience of this and I don't know the workflow so I seemed to struggle. However even if you don't feel confident it could come down to chance. With that type of system you could manage to get most of the answers right just from chance alone. Even if I don't get the job, that experience will still benefit me if it ever comes to doing something like this again. I'd like to think that the entire application process that I am going through for jobs is demonstrating my willingness and ability to adapt to new situations and to push myself outside of my comfort zone. 

Prof Practice - Film Poster #2

This post is a follow up on my previous post regarding the film poster for my Final Major Project; Echoes of Silence. In the past post I discussed how I was having a hands off approach in the production of the poster. Much like directing, its more of an interesting process to allow a concept to emerge through another individual, and by communicating fulfilling a vision. In essence that is the role of the director, and any chance to further my communication skills in a creative way I will take. In the previous post there was a lot of emphasis on 'minimalist' posters which had a sort of cartoonish look. I set the brief for a few people to see what they would come back with. This was an interesting exercise in seeing how much people understood minimalist design and what it should stand for. As Echoes of Silence is quite a complex film thematically, it became apparent that choosing one subject or one prop to summarise the film visually was going to be quite difficult. Despite this we managed to fulfil my brief of creating a poster combining the beach shoot with the scene involving the bonfire. This is what someone made based on my concept; 

In the same post I made brief reference to using real life subjects as part of my own poster, which I was then going to double expose and bring in some naturalistic elements as part of the second exposure. To do this I was going to need professionally taken photographs to put through photoshop. Luckily we have a photography course right next door to us along with an infinity cove in their studio. I asked one of the photography students if they would help me with this and they agreed to do it on Thursday morning. Unfortunately our actor was unavailable so we had to reschedule the shoot until after Easter. 

Prof Practice - Business Cards

As part of the professional practice module and as part of my external work with clients, I was required to design and own business cards. I had two approaches to this. I needed a business card which was going to represent me as an individual. This way I can market myself as a freelance filmmaker/director whilst networking etc. I wanted to design a business card that had the right balance of professionalism and artistic flair. My secondary approach to business cards was due to my involvement with GMTD and with my current business partners outside of academic study. At a recent meeting we discussed GMTD business cards which we could use to promote the business and secure clients. 

Firstly, I began designing my own personal business card through vistaprint, one of the worlds leading suppliers of promotional and marketing materials. As I previously stated, I wanted my business card to combine professionalism with a hint of style. I wanted a minimalist design, no logos or graphics, just well spaced out and easy to read text. To pull this minimalist design off I was going to need an effective colour scheme. 

One of my personal favourite colour schemes is blue and gold. I think it has a stylish and sleek look, whilst also managing to be professional and objective to the untrained eye. I took a great deal of influence from the cover of 'The Catcher in the Rye', as shown below. 

As well as creating a business card based around the aforementioned themes and qualities, I designed a second business card that was less bold in colour contrast. I also included a background image instead of a solid colour. The main difference between the two is that the first is a more informal card, which would work after introducing myself and handing over to the person. The second is more simple and enigmatic. I hoped that the image would want you to know more - and at that point you're drawn into the website at the bottom. This could be a make or break point as they see my website as good enough or not, by that time the business card is irrelevant. On neither of the business cards did I opt to include information on the back. This is because I don't have enough information to give as of yet, e.g. office addresses. 

Another reason the cards are different is because I want to have a discussion with people close to me and who know me about whether I should sell myself as a director/production manager or writer/director. I also need to have the same conversation about the cards visually and the layout. Other peoples opinions are going to heavily impact the process of creating a business card, simply because that is the aim of one in itself, to impress another person. I will return to my designs once I have a better idea about both of these things. 

Now we move onto the business cards for GMTD, which is now GMTL. I learned in a recent business meeting that Get Me the Designer was becoming part of a mother company named Get Me the Limelight. The shift in momentum is so that GMTD doesn't become a one trick pony, and that the mother company can establish creative services for other things not just fashion designers. E.g. Get Me the Music (could be a possibility, but just an idea). I said very early in my involvement with GMTD (now GMTL) that we would need two things to sell our services; a website and business cards. Without these things I don't think you're taken very seriously. We're currently waiting for the cards to be finalised but we do have the graphic designs which were sent over from our graphics designer. Now it is up to the powers that be to decide on one of these. 

Echoes of Silence - Shoot 5 - Scene 6

On Monday the 26th and Tuesday the 27th, directly a week after we shot scene 4 we shot scene 6. In between those scenes is a smaller scene involving a flashback, and a small scene where Julian is on a train - evidently commuting to work which we know from a previously established scene. We shot this scene around the same time we shot the scene the week before due to the light coming into the sound stages where our set was via the skylights. The difference between this scene and the scene we shot last week is that in this scene we begin to see the complexity of Julian and Emily's relationship. We begin so see Emily ask very human questions by following an existential train of thought. On a technical level this is a very similar setup to last week as well. We can go for the bulk of it all on the Monday and on Tuesday we can pick up where we left off and improve on what we did wrong the day before. 

Much like the scene we shot the week before, we commenced shooting as of 6:00PM through to 8:30PM. Throughout the day on the Monday I worked with the production designer on replacing some of the walls and repositioning some elements of the set, generally ensuring I was prepared for the shoot come 6 o'clock. This took around 3-4 hours and in that time I went back over my storyboards and script to make sure I was as prepared as possible. Having two hours to shoot a chunk of a scene requires you to meticulously prepared and by means I have to cover all of the macro/micro elements of the scene. This is where the importance of communication comes in even prior to the day of the shoot. I make sure that every member of the crew knows what they are doing, and I discuss the script with the members of the cast involved so that they know what we're trying to achieve and how we're going to do that. 

During shoots I'm attempting to apply my understanding of directing actors, which I researched heavily in the pre-production process of Echoes of Silence. I feel like I am making great progress in doing this on a few levels. I have developed a great working relationship with our main actor. We had a lengthy chat about the film before we started shooting after I invited him for a coffee. Thinking about that retrospectively, it was one of if not the best decisions I have made so far on the film. It allowed him to get excited and passionate about the project and it allowed us to set out goals and expectations before we even began shooting. I am always looking for ways to push the main actor to get the most out of him, and as I previously stated my research is helping me with that. One of the things I did on yesterdays shoot was provide the actor with many ways to perform a line or part of the scene. These were wildly different ways which contrasted with one another, but gave the actor freedom to go outside of generic line readings or attitudes. By pushing the performance from one extreme to the other, you have a lot of options to work with. 

Graham Saxon as Julian on set of Echoes of Silence.

Judging by the footage we got, we have shot around 80% of what is needed for scene 6 and scene 4 the week before. We still have pick up shots that we need, and of course we need to have the ADR and foley sessions to add the sound in post. Aside from the glaring sound issue, everything else has went according to plan over the past few weeks. Around a third of the film is now shot before we go away for the easter break. This puts us in a fantastic position even as we hope to shoot some additional scenes over the easter break. There are a few days during that break that we are scheduled in to edit and do other tasks such as record sound. When we come back from easter we will fully resume where we were at and push on to the half way mark before May comes around. Planning right ahead here, but there are some festival deadlines I'd like to meet in late April/early May. To meet these I will have to sacrifice elements of the film to create a rough cut which can be entered on its own merit. Due to where we're at currently I'd say this is definitely possible. 

Graham Saxon as Julian on set of Echoes of Silence.

Prof Practice - GMTD Portfolio #4

This is an update regarding the progress I have made with GMTD, the soon-to-be business I have been involved with behind the scenes for the past month. This week allowed me to take a different approach to the one I have been taking. I have been able to take the reigns as Creative Director, and in doing so I have been working on conceptual work for the upcoming GMTD advertisement. When we first started this a month or so ago, this was my primary involvement with GMTD. I was there to be a director of the moving image sector of the company once it goes live. To help lift the company off the ground I was to create an eye catching advertisement that would help sell their services whilst communicating the core values of the company. 

What followed was a step-up from the level of director to a managerial/communications type role, which requires me to look to business plans and structures which will benefit us as a production company. This is where my meetings with Pat Chapman come into play, as I look to gain an understanding of the official processes of employment/self employment, and charging for our services. For a few weeks I went down these avenues and for the time being neglected by duties as a creative director. 

Over the past week as I have just touched upon, I was allowed to get my creative juices flowing. I enjoy writing concepts the same way I enjoy writing scripts, as they're very condensed stories within their own right. At the same time, short concepts for advertisement require a different mindset. If a story is to be nuanced for advertisement purposes, it has to be so very quickly. Advertisements give a film crew a very small amount of time to sell a product, which is why the attention to detail in the concept-writing process was so important. To set things in motion I started a 'concepts database' document, where I would write each concept out in the form of a synopsis and ten step outline. I would also back the concept up with a visual mood board, so that it wasn't all writing. 

Below is an example of the concept in writing and a mood board for it; 

On Wednesday I received a call from one of our business partners and founders of GMTD, who was extremely pleased with my progress and what I had provided. I was also hit with a significant request which involved doing something I have never done - nor feel qualified to do, but I decided not to turn it down. The request was to interview someone to become part of our production team. Fortunately the member of GMTD whom I was speaking to is a recruitment consultant by day, so they were able to give me an interview structure. Aside from that I believe that my interpersonal skills are strong enough to conduct an interview, and I also feel that I can accurately define someones level of skill and work-ethic. I said yes to the opportunity, seeing it as just that. It may be something I excel in and at the very least it gives me the experience of interviewing and it also allows me to see an interview from the side of the employer - for future interviews I will inevitably attend to become an employee. 

Today we had another official meeting, our first in over a week. We had all been working toward the tasks we had been set and had each made progress in our areas. The meetings we have in person are to bring everything together and to outline the steps we will all take over the next week until the next meeting. During this weeks meeting I got to meet another potential member of the crew, who has been brought on board after another member left the project a week or so ago. I got to informally interview/question the individual to get a greater picture of their skills and what they can bring to the table. 

Another main point of the meeting was that the offices for GMTD will be ready at the start of April. I have been invited to view the offices on Wednesday or Thursday next week to make sure that they are a suitable size and location. The offices will be used as a temporary hub for us to work out of and invite clients, actors and crew to until we get our permanent offices in Hartlepool as part of the graduate office scheme in July/August when they become available. Another point from the meeting was that business cards will soon be available to use once we have a graphic design logo. The plan is to use the business cards at networking events - which I will be attending in Newcastle on the 29th as part of a filmmakers hub event at Newcastle Film Festival. These kinds of events are a great opportunity for me to spread the word about GMTD and gather potential clients. 

The final point which I wanted to end on regarding the meeting today was that we have been directed toward a 2 day intensive business course in Newcastle. There are a few available dates for this - 2 days in April, May and June. Unfortunately we have just missed the March one. This will be extremely useful and is free to attend. It gives us a contextual awareness of business as we aim to venture forward into the industry. My position as creative director means I have very little to do with the business side of things, however I am eager to learn more about the subject anyway as a form of self development. This can also be used as a great CV builder and shows my willingness to adapt to business structures. 

Below are some screenshots from the Eventbrite page showing the event dates and what will be covered over the two days; 

Echoes of Silence - Shoot 4 - Scene 4

On Monday 19th and Tuesday the 20th we shot a significant chunk of the fourth scene in Echoes of Silence. We shot the scene over two days between 6:00PM through until 8:30PM. Unfortunately this was as much time as we could get to shoot the scene due to the complications to do with our set. In short there are skylights above our set that let in a lot of light, therefore we are required to shoot when it comes in dark. This is going to be an issue next week when the clocks go forward as we will have less time to shoot again - however that is a bridge we will cross when we get to it. 

Myself and the production designer attached to the project had been preparing the set for weeks prior to the shoot date on Monday the 19th. When it came to Monday the set was ready to go and we were ready to begin shooting. The crew and actors arrived on set for 6:00PM. Another issue that has turned into a blessing was the fact that we cannot record sound in the space where our set is. This means that we will have to ADR the lines that we recorded on the day. The positive is that due to our time restrictions, the lack of sound or importance placed on it reduced our shoot time dramatically. I estimated that it would have took double as long to shoot if we were relying on crisp useable sound within the takes. It's a lot less of a problem for us to put the sound in after a few ADR and foley sessions. 

Graham Saxon as Julian, in 'Echoes of Silence'. 

When we started shooting I knew exactly what I wanted. I had spent a lot of time studying my storyboards and shot lists like I usually do to ensure I was prepared on set. The first shot we did is the first shot in the actual scene, a track in shot along a corridor into a room revealing the character and his surroundings. We shot this on the day using a pedestal/portable tripod which didn't work as well as we anticipated. I made everyone aware at the start of the shoot that there was 100% room for mistakes on this shoot. I did this because we were coming back to shoot the following day, so that we could easily correct any mistakes that were made after review. I did this for morale reasons also. Giving people the freedom to make mistakes undoubtedly gets their creative juices flowing quicker and makes them comfortable on set.

Despite the first shot not working as well as we had hoped, the shots we got after were excellent. We came up with some quick-fire solutions to problems such as tricking the shot by moving the subject and furniture to create more room for the camera to frame what we wanted. The following shots consisted of close-ups and mid-shots as we utilised our two unit camera system. Having two units has also been extremely effective in saving time on set whilst not sacrificing quality. 

Following the very brief and insignificant mistakes we made on Monday, I reviewed the footage and decided the course of action for the shoot the following day. I decided to substitute the pedestal for the tracking dolly. I made this decision because when watching the footage back it was clear that the struggle we had in moving the pedestal forward was noticeable on camera. There are bumps and shakes in almost every second of the shot. This really distracts what you're trying to see and ultimately hinders the storytelling. Therefore on Tuesday before the second shoot we set up the tracking dolly ready to get the shot again. 

Graham reading his lines on set. 

Overall both shoots went very well. They were well executed, organised and we got most of what we needed. Unfortunately we had to miss shots due to a missing projector that we were supposed to use in a few shots. This was out of our control so its a simple case of coming back for them shots at a later date. For me it's great to see the two unit camera system working to our advantage. We've somehow fallen into shooting the film chronologically which inevitably helps our editors. This was entirely unintentional and can only be put down to coincidence, but as we have been shooting scenes they have simply formed a continuation. I will try to keep going with this as it gives you great clarity whilst trying to tell a story, but I'm well aware that we'll have to change the order at some point. Right now we're working at a great pace with a month and a half to go. I can see us meeting the half-way mark during the Easter break. 

Applying for MA #2

As discussed in my previous post regarding the application process to the MA degree at Newcastle Uni, I met with Alyson yesterday to review my personal statement. We met with the intention of finding the strengths and weaknesses of the statement and discussing how to make effective changes. The statement I drafted up was based on brief advice from Alyson which was to structure the statement into four different paragraphs, each discussing different aspects of myself. 

When we went over the statement, we found that there were a lot of things to change or improve. Most of those changes involved repositioning text e.g. a sentence from the third paragraph could be moved to the first so that it has a greater link contextually. The feedback was mostly positive which was great news, however we were really looking in depth for weak points and at eliminating them. Alyson went into the document and found these weak points. She outlined why she felt that way about them as she went which was very helpful for future reference. When she had finished I had notes to work from within the document - which were essentially prompts that I could work from as I went. 

Below are some of the major points that required change; 

• Less reference to A-level or any academic study prior to my degree
• Expand upon the first paragraph with contextual discussion - e.g. what I studied, how I studied etc. 
• Write more about my academic interests and involvements. 
• Be more confident and direct in my approach with the goal of selling myself. 
• More discussion about my films, including the theoretical and technical decision making processes within them. 

After changing all of these things to make a second draft of my personal statement, Alyson also suggested I take up the current opportunity to contribute to a research journal. Currently at CCAD there is a scheme to include students academic work in a research journal which would be publicly displayed and distributed. The limit is 1000 words and the most viable option is to condense the writing of the 6000 word dissertation into 1000 so that it may be published in the journal. We discussed how good this will look on my statement and on my CV. It is something which enables me to say that I have written for research and academic purposes, and elevates me that bit more on paper. 

This is my second draft of my personal statement after I went away and made the changes that myself and Alyson discussed yesterday; 

I am currently studying BA (Hons) Creative Film and Moving Image Production at Cleveland College of Art and Design; I am due to graduate in July 2018. Throughout the duration of my studies I have gained experience in directing fictional narrative and advertisement. I have worked on digital and celluloid formats of moving image. I have also gained a wealth of experience in writing for academic purpose.

I feel now is the time to undertake a part-time Master’s degree in Film Theory and Practice at Newcastle University. In doing a Master’s degree I hope to further my knowledge and deepen my contextual understanding. I hope to explore theory in relation to filmmaking and to consolidate my practice as a filmmaker. This practice will be underpinned within a solid theoretical framework. I will look to establish my practice during the course of the degree, whilst also establishing myself as a theorist. I will use the Master’s degree as a platform to personalise my learning.

From my study at undergraduate level I have gained a well-rounded contextual knowledge of cinema, both foreign and English speaking. My years of study have given me an all-encompassing knowledge and appreciation of international cinema.

In clear relation to my degree and to my position of director, I am an avid cinephile. I have an intellectual involvement with many different genres of cinema, from contemporary back to the initial emergence of cinema. My particular area of interest and study has been on the cinema of East Asia. I am a huge admirer of the distinct and unique voices of filmmakers that have emerged in China, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan. In my dissertation, I looked at the cultural and socio-economic similarities that exist between the East and West, in historical context and within the context of cinema.  At the heart of my academic interests lies the willingness to explore and understand the essence of influence and inspiration throughout all forms of art. I seek to understand how influence manifests itself in the individual and also within a wider context.

I took on the role of director briefly after starting my degree. I became naturally adept at understanding the pre-production process through to post-production. I settled into the role of Director within the degree, and quickly found myself exploiting the technical and creative opportunities that presented themselves. The process of taking a concept from an idea to a finished piece of moving image has been one of the most rewarding aspects of my degree. Over the past three years I have delivered consistently whist raising the bar and pushing myself to my absolute limits. I have a lot of confidence in my abilities which often reflects on the rest of the crew within the production. As the creative spearhead of a project, I aim to ensure that I am energised and motivated and that I can work to bring the best out of people.

Over the course of my degree I have directed 7 productions, which has solidified my desire in wanting to become an established director within the Film Industry. My work is influenced by a vast array of filmmakers, including; Akira Kurosawa, Stanley Kubrick, Wong Kar-Wai, Wim Wenders, Edward Yang, Terrence Malick, Yasujrio Ozu and many more. My work displays the visual and thematic influence of my favourite filmmakers. My films also showcase fluid, tracking camera motion which immerses the audience within the lives of the characters.

My external hobbies outside of my interests formed through academia vary significantly. I have been skateboarding for many years, alongside playing football. In my everyday life, I aim to keep myself fit through running and cycling, which offers me a great deal of creative headspace. I have excellent interpersonal skills honed by years of experience working with the public. For five years I have worked part-time for Elior UK – one of the largest hospitality contractors within the UK. My employment has given me the platform to build rapport with customers, and to grow in confidence within myself.

The skills that have been nurtured working part-time outside of my academic studies have effectively transitioned into my role as a director. The role requires frequent communication between crew members, actors and even general members of the public. I am a confident communicator, both in a written and verbal sense. The role of director also requires a level of level-headedness, in which you are able to make the decisions under pressure that benefit the production as a whole, whilst simultaneously utilising the creativity of the crew around you. As a director, I have always been transparent by nature, allowing those involved with the production creative input. 

Through directing and occasionally producing either my own production or that of a client, I have gained an understanding of each of the processes a film must go through to reach completion. I understand the workload I must undertake during pre-production, production, and post-production. I can manage each of these processes in a cost and time effective manner, whilst maintaining artistic integrity. My degree has further allowed me to gain practical experience in varying fields such as; editing, sound operating (production & post) camerawork, lighting and public speaking/pitching. From both my study at A-level and degree combined, I have extensive experience in writing academically.

Upon a recent visit to a Postgraduate Open Day at Newcastle University, I was convinced that the Film Theory and Practice MA is the right option for me going forward within my chosen field. My position as a Director and my interest as a student of Film has always allowed me to form synergy between the contextual study of cinema and the practical elements of filmmaking. The open day enabled me to converse with current staff and students on the course, which gave me a greater understanding of the structure and the content of the course. The course conforms to my interests having a mixture of written and practical study, which present themselves through the optional modules.

As an aspiring director, I believe that this course will offer me a platform for growth as a creative and as a professional. In all areas of life, I aim to challenge myself, and this course will provide me with a fresh challenge and the opportunity to surpass myself.

Applying for MA

I am currently in the application process for the MA Film Theory and Practice at Newcastle University. I have been working through the application, providing details of varying categories that are required officially. I came up to the point of providing a personal statement. I have previous experience of writing a personal statement, albeit a while ago during my application to UCAS to get into University. I understand to an extent that a personal statement must be a mixture of both objective and subjective critique of self. It must provide adequate information about past and current work/experience and above all it must act as a platform to sell your services, much like a CV.

I reached out to Alyson Agar, a lecturer at CCAD who taught me during Visual Culture. Alyson is a current MA student at Sunderland. She was the ideal person for me to aim my enquiries. I emailed Alyson asking for some help when it comes to my personal statement. I didn't know how long it should be, how it should be structured, what information it should contain etc. Alyson got back to me with some useful information as shown below, which allowed me to get to work right away.

This is my first draft of my MA statement: 

My name is Bradley Sampson, I’m a graduate of Cleveland College of Art & Design where I studied BA (Hons) Creative Film and Moving Image Production. Prior to my degree, I studied A-levels at Sunderland College. My three areas of study at A-level were: Sociology, Film Studies and Media Studies. Going into my degree I was very interested in becoming a screenwriter. From my study at undergraduate level I had gained a well-rounded contextual knowledge of cinema, both foreign and English speaking. Upon having an interview at CCAD I instinctively knew that this was the institution where I would further my study. As an aspiring writer, I went into the degree writing the scripts which would go into production. I committed to plentiful research around the writing and formatting process of scriptwriting. For one module, I found myself in the position of director following a formal pitch of my own script. I took the opportunity and began to excel in the area of Directing. I became naturally adept at understanding the pre-production process through to post-production. I settled into the role of Director within my degree, and quickly found myself exploiting the technical and creative opportunities that presented themselves. Over the course of my degree I have directed 7 productions, which has solidified my desire in wanting to become an established director within the Film Industry.

My main interest and passion is filmmaking. The process of taking a concept from an idea to a finished piece of moving image is one of the most rewarding aspects of my life. The process of writing the script is a solitary one, but is followed by the often-sociable process of directing and working toward creative solutions with likeminded people. My interest mainly lies in digital filmmaking; however, I have frequently made use of celluloid film stock. I have experience shooting on 16mm film and Super 8mm, which, opposed to shooting digitally, is a leisure-based process. My external hobbies outside of my interests formed through academia vary significantly. I have been skateboarding for many years, alongside playing football. In my everyday life, I aim to keep myself fit through running and cycling, which offers me a great deal of creative headspace. In clear relation to my degree and to my position of director, I am an avid cinephile. I have an intellectual involvement with many different genres of cinema spanning across the past century, back to the dawn of moving image. My years of study at both A level undergraduate level have given me an all-encompassing knowledge and appreciation of international cinema. My particular area of interest and study has been on the cinema of East Asia. I am a huge admirer of the distinct and unique voices of filmmakers that have emerged in China, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan. In my dissertation, I looked at the cultural and socio-economic similarities that exist between the East and West, in historical context and within the context of cinema. 

I have excellent interpersonal skills honed by years of experience working with the public. For five years I have worked part-time for Elior UK – one of the largest hospitality contractors within the UK. My employment has given me the platform to build rapport with customers, and to grow in confidence within myself. The skills that have been nurtured working part-time outside of my academic studies have effectively transitioned into my role as a director. The role requires frequent communication between crew members, actors and even general members of the public. The role of director also requires a level of level-headedness, in which you are able to make the decisions that benefit the production as a whole, whilst simultaneously utilising the creativity of the crew around you. As a director, I have always been transparent by nature, allowing those involved with the production creative input.  Through directing and occasionally producing either my own production or that of a client, I have gained an understanding of each of the processes a film must go through to reach completion. I understand the workload I must undertake during pre-production, production, and post-production. I can manage each of these processes in a cost and time effective manner, whilst maintaining artistic integrity. My degree has further allowed me to gain practical experience in varying fields such as; editing, sound operating (production & post) camerawork, lighting and public speaking/pitching. From both my study at A-level and degree combined, I have extensive experience in writing academically.

Upon a recent visit to a Postgraduate Open Day at Newcastle University, I was convinced that the Film Theory and Practice MA is the right option for me going forward within my chosen field. My position as a Director and my interest as a student of Film has always allowed me to form synergy between the contextual study of cinema and the practical elements of filmmaking. The open day enabled me to converse with current staff and students on the course, which gave me a greater understanding of the structure and the content of the course. The course conforms to my interests having a mixture of written and practical study, which present themselves through the optional modules. As an aspiring director, I believe that this course will offer me a platform for growth as a creative and as a professional. In all areas of life, I aim to challenge myself, and this course will provide me with a fresh challenge and the opportunity to surpass myself.