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By Emily Power Hello, my name is Emily Power. I am a 23 year old MA student from Ireland, studying Film and Screen Media here in UCC. As a child, I would go to the cinema or rent a DVD from Xtravision. I was always so fascinated by the different stories people told through the medium of film and I knew that as I got older that I too wanted to tell stories through film. As I finished secondary school, I leaned more towards the editing side of film and undertook a BA in Multimedia in the Cork Institute of Technology. Multimedia was extremely hands on with a broad range of modules such as UX/UI design, photography, film, web design and sound production. While towards the end of my degree, I hoped to narrow in more on film, the broadness of this course allowed me to understand my strengths and weaknesses as well as giving me an understanding of multiply areas with media production. I was also very lucky to avail of the Erasmus program which allowed me to study film in a Darmstadt, Germany. In this college, I was able to study modules that would not have been possible in Ireland such as documentary filmmaking, practical effects and Super 8 film. As I finished my BA, I knew that I wanted to continue studying film and with the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, it gave me the push to apply to UCC for the MA in Film and Screen Media. So far in this MA, I have been able to study topics and area's of film that are truly fascinating as well as being able to expand on my own filmmaking style with the chance to undertake a creative practice thesis. Throughout my college experience, I began working as a freelance editor and director. This gave me the best of both worlds where I could work both from home and out on sets. I found my style of filmmaking has also changed throughout college and now going into the professional working world. In my early college years, I focused mainly on either experimental style films or short documentaries. My documentary, 'Keeper of the Lights', ran in the Cork Indie festival and Story! Documentary Film Festival. Seeing my work on screen with people watching was firstly so terrifying but absolutely exhilarating and it really spurred me on to continue working. I continued working freelance, directing music videos for local bands with the music video, 'Gilbert's Dead', winning Best Music Video in the First Cut! Youth Film Festival as well as being selected for festivals such as Cork Indie Art(ist) section, RAMIFF, HER International Film Festival and LockedIn Copenhagen Underground Festival. In 2019, I was selected to be a member of the Cork International Film Festival Youth Jury, this was such an interesting experience as I was able to see films that I myself would never have probably chosen to see but I am so glad I was able to get the opportunity to see some wonderful films. This experience led me to become a submission reviewer for the Cork Film Festival in 2020 and I was able to view hundreds of great short films. I would highly recommend film students to partake in something like this as you are able to see what is being made by other filmmakers from all around the world. After I finished my bachelors degree, I was able to find work as a production assistant with Stori Creative, an Irish production company. I continued working them in the area of set design and now I currently work as a producer with the company. Getting real on set experience has been such a great learning curve and has given me great insight to see how professional sets work and the preproduction process. If I was to give any film student advice, it is all about making connections. Talk to people in the industry, go to festivals and see what's being selected and try to focus on work that will advance your portfolio and make you stand out. With Covid-19, it can be very difficult to make connections but most film festivals now run online networking sessions which I have found extremely beneficial and would highly recommend. Links to mentioned work: https://youtu.be/3ZLnKvFJKX0 https://youtu.be/dfumXvqe3xY
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