Fraser Camp

Film Production Technology student Fraser Camp is spending his placement at Pinewood MBS Lighting, working in the repairs department.

What are you doing on your placement?

I work in the repairs department for Pinewood MBS Lighting.

Describe what your placement role is?

Occasionally incoming lighting equipment will return damaged from shoots. My role is to assess the extent of the damage, make repairs where possible and input these details into our database ready for the equipment to be transferred to our repair branch in Langley.

Why did you decide to do a placement?

I wanted to gain an insight into what my career after graduating would potentially look like. Taking a year out seemed like a sensible decision to build connections for when I graduate and to understand the difficulty of breaking into this competitive industry.

What are you hoping to gain from doing your placement?

I’m looking to build experience working in the film industry in any way I can and develop some useful connections along the way.

What was the application process like?

Luckily, I had a friend who had previously worked for the company and had the manager’s contact details. The manager put me in touch with Skala Recruitment who provided me with full time employment with MBS Lighting.

How did the university help you find your placement?

The university provided me with some useful sites online such as The Knowledge which I used to source out potential contacts when initially looking for a placement for the year.

What advantages has your placement given you?

I have access to the company’s extensive range of lighting equipment. I’ve also managed to do some low key filming at Pinewood having recently shot and edited the Pinewood Studios Christmas Party.

What placement advice do you have for future students?

Firstly, don’t give up. I rang up and applied online for countless placements from the start of June until September. The whole process of finding work in this industry is a learning process in itself. Secondly, think about how your placement will develop your learning in a particular field of study and how it will develop you as a person. My placement taught me to be patient and tenacious about my approach to work.