I’ve always had an interest and passion for film and TV, although, it was only in the last few years that I considered doing it for a living. I’ve studied performing arts and theatre production at college in Manchester and it was in my second year that I came to find out about Arts Emergency.
I was matched with a mentor for a year, who taught me about freelancing, the importance of networking and the creative process of filmmaking.
Angel
Later the same year I joined the BFI Film Academy. There, I learned about the different roles in the film industry and the more technical parts of it.
The more I was involved in film the more I realised how unfair it is for “outsiders”. As most people that get into film/TV do it through contacts or family members, making an outsiders’ break seemed to be a combination of resilience and luck. I did countless unpaid work experience that year, as well as the year after, mainly because of the importance of networking.
2020 was a challenging year for the arts. I took a gap year from studying film production to look for more freelance opportunities, unfortunately lockdown came and there was nothing available. In the meantime I wrote for theatre and also commissioned a few pitches. When things started to ease and we had a summer break from Covid-19, I decided to move to London to look for more opportunities. Things did not come instantly, but these last few years of application rejections taught me about patience and resilience.
Earlier this year, I saw an opportunity for a traineeship with The Crown for three Arts Emergency members. As a well-known series I was aware that the stakes were high, therefore my application needed to be outstanding. I was confident but still sceptical about it due to the expected high application numbers. Four weeks later, after my application was shortlisted and I was interviewed, I found out that I got the job! It is the biggest reward from the last few years of failing, succeeding, learning and maturing. I couldn't have done it without Arts Emergency’s support.