Student Spotlight | Lauren Wetherall

Meet Lauren, a second year Film and television student at LCC. 🎥

Lauren is originally from a small town located in the South of England, so moving to London was a big change in terms of location and surroundings, as well as the business and diversity.

She wanted to move to London because of the opportunities and networking, which would allow her to grow as a filmmaker.



What are you studying and what made you come to UAL?

I am studying BA in Film and Television at LCC and am about to start my second year.

The course involves practical and theoretical aspects which covers all creative areas and therefore has given me an insight and knowledge within the Film industry. The course is so collaborative and involves a lot of teamwork so being surrounded by others who want to also pursue a specific role further within the industry really drives me in terms of my own future and career path.

I chose UAL because of the location which could open more networking opportunities and possibilities. The film community in London is huge, with connections such as the BFI or other institutions close by.

The course appealed to me because of the variety of areas it covered as well as the different sectors in the industry. Our most recent project was a live factual TV studio-based show, which sparked lots of creative opportunities for people who wanted to try out new things or different job roles.

I have met so many different people on my course who have different experiences and skills, so UAL is a great hub for creatives. It's also really cool to be part of a community that’s so passionate about the same thing, where we can share experiences and help learn new skills in different areas.



Why did you choose to study Film and Television?

I chose to study Film as I consider myself a creative person, and I enjoy being able to tell stories or create meaning. Being able to express yourself and portray things visually is a powerful form of storytelling.

I have been passionate about film since A levels, where I studied Media: Video Production, and then went on to take a year out to explore this passion further.

During this gap year, I did some band photography, as well as being hired to create content for a local event. I did my own work while working full-time at the Sixth Form college I previously attended as a Media Studies Student Mentor.

I wanted to continue to study Film at University, as I wanted to be surrounded by other creative people with the same passion for filmmaking, in order to share ideas, inspire and bounce off each other. It’s exciting to be a part of a community that’s constantly pushing the boundaries of what’s possible on screen.



What particular area are you interested in?

I’ve always had an interest in editing and post-production, where you can see the film or moving image slowly come together. I enjoy playing around with effects and manipulating the videos, such as through masking text or colour grading.

I took a lot of inspiration from one of my lecturers, as he taught me a lot of new techniques and inspired me to take a different approach when editing a short film together.

I am also interested in set and costume design, where my first job role at Uni was Art Director. I designed the visual aspects of the film, including bringing props on the day and setting everything out for the shoot.

Towards the end of my first year, I became really fascinated with sound production and foley, in which my job role included managing the sound and creating the music for our Factual TV show. I would like to pursue all of these areas further and gain more experience within the sectors of the industry.



Who inspires you?

I really enjoy being part of a creative environment and being surrounded by other filmmakers as everyone has their own unique perspective and approach. I love that filmmakers can use their own experiences or influences to shed light on a subject or narrative that people can interpret and almost see the world differently.

I take a lot of inspiration from directors who create films which leave an impact on you or an emotional response from you after you’ve watched the film. This experience makes watching a film more enjoyable and inspires me to want to create films which do the same.



What piece of work are you most proud of?

I am most proud of the factual documentary which I produced earlier in the year, alongside a group of others from my course.

I took on the responsibilities of being the Producer, which was the biggest role I’ve taken on so far. It was an intense turnaround and despite a few challenges, was a great piece of work.

The acting, voiceover and shots all came together so well in the edit and turned out much better than we originally thought. I also learnt new skills in planning, coordination, and management, developing ways in which I can work better in the future.

Overall, I really enjoyed producing this documentary, through pre-production to the final edit.



If you want to follow Lauren or check more of her work, make sure to follow her Instagram @laurenwfilm.

Do you have a story to tell, or are you working on a project that you'd like to share? Our Student Spotlight series is just the place for you! For more information, DM us (@UAL_HallsLife) on Instagram. We'd love to hear from you!