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So now what?

Ever since my final year of university, I was always excited for the real world, the life after university and as everyone around me would say 'its where your life will begin'. I was always excited, however 8 months on and the reality of the situation is, is this where life begins. After university your in competition for jobs with people you studied with and it all feels like a rush to suddenly make the jump from student to getting to where your meant to be in life. At 22 I feel like I should have it all figured out by now, perhaps even a boyfriend (or heck a cat would be better) but you feel like you should have your foot on the ladder, but how can you do that when everyone is vying for the same thing? I studied Film and Media and its such a hard industry to get into you begin to feel disheartened. When you see other people getting into cool jobs or doing rad things you begin to think where did I go wrong, but the answer is you didn't!

I finished university at and graduated at 21 and after the moment of coming down from the high of graduation, the momentum of the situation really dawned on me, now what? The months between finishing university and graduating aren't per say the 'real world moments' because we're allowed time to adjust to the fact we have completed a degree and people don't feel the need to ask you 'now what', because your supposed to go traveling, move home or just find yourself. I was lucky, I fell into a position in a well known company and gained a promotion but what really dawned on me was the stark and very real questions, is this it? There has to be more then life then working. I hold a well paid position and am well respected in this field, but what has been dawning on me most, is the the reality of life that between the ages of 22 -65 (probably 70 by the time I'm allowed to retire) is this it. Then I wondered will I feel like this when I am in the position I want to be as either an Editor or Producer? I have always gained fulfilment of education, I love the fact of endless possibilities knowing you can always learn something more - learning never ends. I never actually counted on the day that education came to end.

Since I was a little un, I always knew I was destined for the university life. I pictured it like an American rom com, it would be this magical experience of joining a sorority (yes I know that isn't real in the UK), find the love of my life and become ridiculously successful. Hell it was anything but glamorous, in fact it was gruelling - it made me homesick, depressed and the work pushed my academic abilities to the very breaking point, but it surpassed all expectations still. University gave me some of my favourite memories - like walking in from the club at 5am with my best friend. Staying up until 3am writing essays being stupidly tired on a sugar rush from Red Bull. Going on my first ever trip abroad to Cannes 68th international film festival and giving me my own independence. At university I made life long friends, whom I adore dearly as they gave me the strength and courage, in which I carry around like a badge of armour today.

That came to an end and now I find myself treading these murky waters and I wonder what I am doing now. I and currently training to become a freelance editor, but no one really teaches you what to expect after the game ends and I guess this is what happens. It becomes a competitive industry, a dog eat dog world. Some of us go to university for the experience, some want to build and career and some just go because we feel obliged. But at the end of the day, it is an experience in which only you can decide what you take from it! Whatever happens after, whether you work in the industry or go traveling, it doesn't matter because your not meant to follow the crowd or feel pressured into 'becoming successful' at the end of the day we all hold the same piece of paper, which ultimately states we have proved ourselves in one way or another. So its time to chill out, stop comparing yourself to other people and enjoy the next big chapter in your life, because that is what you will ultimately remember, whats to come, will be life defining moments.

Katie

Freelancing

Freelance, it's such a scary word. I've always wanted to be a freelancer, be my own boss and become successful, but for me the word is so daunting. Freelancing, in this industry is so competitive, the industry is already dog eat dog, you try to find a way to be unique but I personally find that it's us trying to be unique makes you apart of the crowd. Trying to find your unique selling point becomes hard because its a competitive industry and no matter how hard you try, the manor in which you present yourself theres always going to be 3/4 others in the same boat.



Personally, I pride myself on my personality, I am the kind of person that can talk to a chair. I am such a chummy, outgoing and laughable person that I feel this aspect of my personality helps, but there comes a point where you might be the most welcoming person but that isn't enough in this industry.

Freelancing is such a scary word, there no real direction on how you go about setting up as a sole trader. Hypothetically, you find your Unique selling point (USP) the talent in which you want to make your career, then you begin to think, ok what next? Treading the waters can be a rather daunting and such a treacherous adventure - but it might be one to try. Freelancing has appealed to me because I'd have the ability to to be my own boss. There are obvious perks to be ones own boss, such as being a hermit, setting own hours but more importantly having the time and ability to explore your talents. I am hoping over the next year I hope to become a sole trader on my name, and my brand will be Katie Victoria Saunders and I hope that I will be a freelance editor, but its getting my firs big break, my first customer and establishing a custom. So what happens next, I guess I find an accountant, I create a business bank account and I continue to work my ass off!

Don't be afraid of the unknown because I guess thats my big adventure.

Writing

Writing

Social Media

Social Media - More to follow

Editing

Editing is a truly beautiful, unconventional and under appreciated art form. It's something that is taken for granted in today's society. Editing for me is where the magic happens. Not many people appreciate that the Dove advert you just watched or the Lynx advert that was mocked took hours from the pre-production to the post production. It's astounding how much effort goes into a 30 second promotional material and yet sometimes we don't glance up from our screen to appreciate that, I myself am guilty too.

Over the past few years I have come to love the skill, maybe it is because it facilitates me to be a hermit and work in my own conditions but watching the hard, painstaking clips come together is what really excites me.  My passion started way back in 2013 working on a local film festival (heres the previous blog entry I made: http://www.katievictoriasaunders.co.uk/2015/07/grtravel.html) in which after I started to build upon this through creating a promotional video for my local sixth form college.

Eventually I got to University, started to work on some group projects one included an identity video, however as time went on I secured a placement at a media company in which I realised that editing is a group effort because it takes one person to do a rough cut and another to to the final polish and over time my love has grown.

You can see for yourself some of the earlier works that paved the way for my passion and as time continues I hope my repertoire of work catalogues continues to grow.
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