What were your reasons for choosing SRC?

I completed the HND in Creative Media Production after being told about the course whilst working as a youth worker. I had undertaken a media course at secondary school but didn’t realise I could pursue a career in media after GCSEs. When I left school, I had visions of following in my dad’s footsteps and being an architect or a computer programmer, but I didn’t like maths enough to go down these routes.

Once I found out about the course being offered at the Banbridge campus, it was the perfect option for me. With the HND, you are getting the same education offered at university, plus it’s far cheaper! The HND is also a very practical hands-on course. You learn from people who are working in the media industry, and learning from their experiences, such as working to exceed client expectations and pricing jobs.

Have you gained any skills and knowledge from the College?

I got to work with a range of equipment which helped me learn about their limitations. The training I received from SRC was outstanding as it made me more knowledgeable and attuned to industry equipment and where it can be used, or not used. Students who undertake the HND are streets ahead of their university counterparts, as you are doing the work and not only learning theory. To this day, I still utilise my training and learnings from the College within my career.

What’s your thoughts on the media equipment at the College now?

The current equipment in the College is fantastic. The Banbridge campus is an incredible space as it is equipped with the green room, sound booths and control rooms. The possibilities are endless for media students now. Students are now only limited by their own creativity. The equipment in College is of industry specification, and even higher than what some professionals may have.

What work placements did you undertake as part of the course?

At the start of the HND I was undertaking a placement with BNL Productions Ltd. Five months later I was offered a job as a junior editor, and I have loved the work so much that I have stayed with the business and become a senior editor. The placement and subsequent job were great; projects I worked on could double up as my assignments.

I enjoy working in the media industry – it’s different every day. Whilst you are technically performing the same job every day, you work on entirely different projects each day which keeps things interesting.

Did you have any obstacles to overcome?

With the HND you are balancing different subjects at the same time, so you need to be aware of deadlines, be able to switch between subjects quickly (for example: animation, contextual studies) and keep up with the work. As I was working 2 days a week and in College the remainder, I had to be on the ball with time management skills.

I also have dyslexia which means written work is difficult for me. My marks in assignments would drop due to grammar issues. The tutors were great and worked with me giving me more one-to-one help than what I would have got at university. If an assignment did not specify written work, the tutors would encourage me to create a video blog. We would work out the spoken word count and record assignments – this was great as I could still meet course requirements without being stressed out over written work. I would not have gotten where I am now without the tutors pushing and encouraging me.

How would you sum up your time at SRC?

The College is a great environment to learn in. It’s initially hard transitioning from secondary school as there’s not the same structured environment, being in class five days a week. However, you are encouraged to investigate possibilities and come up with working options to pitfalls.

Can you describe your role?

Presently I am the senior video editor at BNL productions. A large part of my role involves keeping up to date with editing best practices, changes and training new staff as they join, and the day to day running of the film department. I also look after most of the editing and undertake some project consultations, but also work with a junior video editor reviewing video productions. This involves a focus on quality control and ensuring the client receives the best service. If I worked in a larger business, I would be more involved in the project management side, however I personally prefer the creative side and focus on editing videos.

What do you enjoy about your current role?

Definitely editing videos, I enjoy interacting with people as I get involved within the planning process. I find it’s better to have a two-hour phone call with a client on a filming project bashing out ideas and tweaking videos rather than corresponding by emails. Communication gets lost in emails due to misinterpretation. As I have many years of experience working in industry, the editing and planning process does come to me a lot easier – but that’s the experience talking.

I still find it weird turning on the TV and seeing something I have produced – but it’s nice and rewarding seeing my work out there and helping other businesses. My work has been featured in a Cannes documentary, cinema trailers and award ceremonies.

I also enjoy keeping ties with the College’s programmes and seeing the work students are producing. I get opportunities to help students with their projects and provide constructive feedback from an industry viewpoint.

What advice would you give current media production students?

• Learn to accept feedback and don’t be overly precious of your work. Get everyone in your class, home and social network to look at your work. You need a second pair of eyes to spot issues as you can’t spot your own mistakes and be prepared for everything to be pulled apart. With the HND and industry, you will be in a room with a diverse mix of personalities. Work with each other as you will gain so much from other perspectives.
• Focus on planning. You can save so much time by planning effectively. Get scripts/storyboards in place before you start editing.
• Realistically you will make money in short films/adverts, promos and highlight videos. Take what you’ve learnt and condense it. You will have to pick through four hours of footage to create short videos, so listen to audio in double/triple time to develop selective hearing and note where the good quotes are, and keep verbal clips on video, for example “cut that part”.
• Lastly, remember what the event/promotion is for. Look for the deeper meanings and round off videos with the key message. Promotional videos are all about getting the message across in a short space of time.