I am interested in gaining more knowledge and experience of film production. I have always dreamt of being a film critic someday and to be a reliable source, I feel I have to experience the film production life first. As of now, I have experience in making short films, music videos, documentaries, Multiple camera production for TV shows and events, YouTube videos and now Advertising.
What was the opportunity you were involved with?
I was given the chance to work at Tanami Production, Edinburgh. A production company specializing in advertising.
What did your role entail?
My role was as an Intern. Due to me being interested in Directing, Producing and Production Design, my supervisors had me shadowing people who mostly work in the Pre-Production process.
What key skills did your placement teach you?
The skill I learnt from my placement is the researching and organising of pre-production documents. This is all new information for me as I’ve never handled this kind of paperwork before. The format they use for the documents are very organised and easy to understand as well.
Highlights of your time on placement?
A highlight for me was being able to give my creative input despite being just an intern. The Tanami Team valued and respected my insights as I am part of the younger generation. Not only that, but they also included me in their AdGreen Sustainability Training which is a training that most people in the advertising industry need to go through in the UK. My supervisor told me that this will be handy for me to include on my CV for future work applications.
What challenges did you face?
The main challenge is not being able to experience the placement in person due to the Lockdown restrictions. I felt like it would be a better experience if I were able to get hands-on and join in for shoots and even be in the office. Seeing work done virtually was interesting and insightful but it would be a totally different experience if I were physically there.
How did your studies at Edinburgh Napier University prepare you for this placement?
My studies in Napier helped me with making my CV stand out to the company during the early stages of the application. The module, Work Related Learning, gave me insights about the people working in the industry which makes me mentally prepared. Fortunately for me, most people from the Tanami Team were very friendly and helpful.
Has your placement affected your future career plans? If so, in what way?
Yes. Due to my experience at Tanami, I learnt how patient the group of people are as they are constantly dealing with clients. Although not all of them are as demanding but I don’t think I’m capable of coping with the stress. Nevertheless, I feel like someday I’ll come round to it again. But as for now, I would love to focus more on films.
Even most of the Tanami team members are doing this as their fulltime job while still having a side job doing freelancing for film as it’s their passion as well. I look up to them for this and hope that I’ll grow to be just like them someday.
Would you recommend doing a placement to others? If so, why?
Yes. It is a great experience for me as it’s my first time in the industry in Edinburgh. I felt like the placement helped me a lot with my first step into the industry and the people from the companies are very eager to help us students which makes it a fun yet insightful process.
What advice would you give to anyone considering doing a placement at university?
Go for it! As the Tanami Team advised me, absorb every process as much as you can as if you’re a sponge. Always be kind and helpful as that’ll create a healthy relationship with your colleagues. Also, a reminder to always be honest. Don’t be too shy to ask questions and to let them know if you’ve done something wrong. The team will always be there to help teach you as much as they can.