Personal Statement

I am very interested in films and how they are made, my ambition is to be involved in the
creative industries. Ideally, I would love to work as a researcher for films and television
programmes. This is because I enjoy research and I like the idea of doing it in a professional
capacity. I would like to study your course to increase my knowledge and experience about
the subject and improve upon the skills I already have. I am looking forward to learning
more about film language as I think it is interesting how aspects of films, such as camera
angles, can be used to communicate different ideas to the audience. Extending my
knowledge of how the industry is set up and the creative processes which are included in
producing a film is something else which I find fascinating and keen to deepen my
understanding. I am also looking forward to creating my own short films on the course and
collaborating with other students to create a great project. Furthermore, I am excited to
learn more about video editing. I am studying this as part of the college course I am
currently on and enjoy it very much.
I am currently studying the CAVA Access to Media course at Bournemouth and Poole
College. This involves photography, which I am finding very interesting as I have never
studied this subject before. I am learning about different settings of a camera, such as
aperture and shutter speed and how these can change how a photograph looks. I am also
learning how to proficiently use Lightroom as part of this topic, alongside using Photoshop,
which I am looking forward to learning more about. Video production is also a major part of
the course. I am studying a range of different aspects regarding cinematography, editing and
sound and how these elements combine to make meaning for the audience. One aspect I
have recently covered is the use of shot types as an important aspect of film language. I am
building up my experience and knowledge of using a video camera because of this, including
a recent assignment regarding accurately replicating different shot types and angles.
Alongside this, I am using different camera support systems such as a tripod and a jib,
together with video editing on Premiere Pro and Foley sound editing, all of which is adding
an extra dimension to my filmmaking knowledge. The pre-production side of the process is
also including scriptwriting and storyboard creation. This work is being carried out both
individually and in teams, so I am becoming skilled in independent time management and
building effective group-orientated communication skills.
Elsewhere on the course I am gaining experience in academic writing, such as analysis,
research, evaluation and report writing. When analysing work, I am appreciating the
importance of being thorough, as well as incorporating my own ideas. In doing research I am
learning how to cite sources and the importance of this. I am also learning how to properly
evaluate my work and how to be detailed and concise with this, allowing me to effectively
reflect on my work.
In my spare time I enjoy watching films, analysing them and reading and writing reviews on
Letterboxd. I used to work as a general assistant and a healthcare assistant in a nursing
home. It was at times a very challenging job; however, I believe I learned a lot from it,
particularly patience. I believe that patience is an important quality to have when working
on creating films as it can be a very long process.
In conclusion, I believe I would be an asset to the course. I am confident in my ability to
schedule effectively and meet deadlines. I am a hardworking individual and will fully commit
myself to the course. I believe I will be able to use the skills I have learned on the Access to
Media course and apply them to your degree course. Given the opportunity I believe I can
succeed and achieve highly throughout the three years of your course.