Anna joined the London Screen Academy Film&Screen Saturday Club in 2022 after seeing a local sixth form promote the opportunity on Instagram. Anna is now studying for their A-levels and hopes to attend university to study History. Anna says the Club was a great way to explore their love of film, but it also helped them build their writing skills – skills they’re excited to carry forward into their History studies.
Attending the Club…
Anna joined the Club to try something they’d never done before, for free. They had a strong interest in watching film but found it difficult to find experience or opportunities in the field.
“I thought it would be a great, unique opportunity just to try out, but also meet other people who had similar interests. I learned a lot of practical stuff which I’d never had the chance to do such as, how to use a camera, recording sound, things like that.”
Learning life skills…
Through numerous activities, Anna learned to trust their ideas and began to have confidence in knowing when to share thoughts, when to listen to others, and to aim high to achieve things that didn’t seem possible.
“I learned that if an idea doesn’t align with the group it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t put another idea forward or work on another solution. On filming days you run out of time and have to think on your feet, it was really good to learn about resilience, not just thinking it isn’t going to work, but to keep going, push forward, find solutions and complete the project. Being told that we would be making a film in our groups by the end of the Club seemed daunting, but I learned to break things down and see that I could do it. Just because something seems unachievable at the beginning doesn’t mean that you can’t strive for big things that you want to achieve.”
Building confidence…
The experience benefited Anna’s school work, particularly in English, where they learned how to write creatively and incorporate their own style. Anna also developed skills in collaboration and logistical planning which helped them become the editor of their school newsletter.
“I was really enjoying writing at the Club and then I went on a trip and had such a profound experience that I wanted to use my writing skills to share it with my school. I started writing pieces on my own, then realised it would be better with other people’s voices. That’s something I learned at the Club because we had to plan an entire film and work collectively, so I used that experience to convince others to work together and write. I definitely gained the confidence from the Saturday Club to be able to put myself forward to do something big like that.”
Learning about new careers…
For Anna, learning about behind-the-scenes roles and apprenticeships they hadn’t previously known was especially valuable. The experience broadened their perspective and introduced them to new opportunities in the industry.
“When people think about films they think of directors, writers and actors. I think it’s just really nice to find out about things which I hadn’t heard of before that weren’t at the front, like the people working behind the scenes. It’s just really interesting to understand how films are constructed.”
London Screen Academy Film&Screen Saturday Club, 2021 – 2022
Interview conducted and edited by Suprina Thapa