Graduate Grace Mclntosh who has starred in the 4 O’Clock Club and more recently Channel 4’s The Dog Academy as an on screen receptionist. Talks about her experience studying BA (Hons) Media and Performance at the University of Salford, and her inspiring career aspirations.
WHAT HAS BEEN THE HIGHLIGHT OF YOUR COURSE?
By far the people! I have made friends for life and have thoroughly enjoyed working alongside like-minded, creative and talented people to learn from and bring the best out of each other. Along with all the good times and laughs, we have built successful working relationships which I hope will go beyond our time at Salford.
WHAT IMPACT HAS IT HAD ON YOU AS A STUDENT AND CREATIVE?
As a student the course has had a beneficial impact on my academic skills, specifically research. I have become a more meticulous researcher, as skills that I have had to use for several modules across my course, and now look to different sources of information and not just Google. As a creative the course has had a beneficial impact on my understanding of different genres within film, TV and Radio. From studio magazine shows to documentaries, from radio dramas to radio commercials, learning about different forms of media has had a beneficial impact on my knowledge of different aspects of the industry.
WHAT HAS BEEN THE MOST SURPRISING THING YOU’VE LEARNT?
That working off-screen is just as rewarding as working on screen. When I started the course, my background and skillset was predominantly in front of the camera, however what has surprised me as the courses progressed is that I found myself gravitating more towards off-screen roles and I have found them equally as enjoyable.
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO NOW THAT YOU HAVE GRADUATED?
The end goal is to hopefully become a producer one day. I am currently working as a production runner, so the TV freelancer life has already begun. I hope to continue to learn and apply all the skills I have developed at Salford through working in the industry.
WHAT IS SOMETHING THAT YOU HAVE LEARNT FROM THE COURSE THAT YOU WILL CARRY WITH YOU IN YOUR FUTURE CAREER/JOBS?
The importance of collaboration. The media industry is a team sport, it thrives on teamwork, collaboration and communication. And these skills have given me the opportunity to develop and appreciate the importance of working in a team brings more thoughts, more ideas and more creativity to a project, you are also able to learn new things from those you are working with. I will always value the importance of collaboration, sharing ideas and asking questions to learn from others as I move forward in my career.
WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO SOMEONE THINKING ABOUT DOING THIS COURSE?
If like me, you love media, be it TV, Film or Radio, but you are not sure whether you want to be in front of the camera/microphone or behind it (or both!) then this is the course for you. The course is multifaceted in the sense that you can explore both on-screen and off-screen roles across different mediums and in so many ways, like acting for example has versatile modules such as Screen drama, Radio, Comedy sitcom and even Shakespeare.
Find out more about studying BA (Hons) Media and Performance
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