Central St Martins, University of the Arts, London - Introduction to Curating (short course)
September 2004 - June 2007
School of Fine Art, University of Leeds - BA (Hons) Cultural Studies2:1
Dissertation - “Il faut souffrir pour être belle” – A Look at the Discourse Behind Body Sculpture in the (Post)Modern Era.
September 1994 – June 2004
Old Palace School of John Whitgift, Croydon
Earned a 1/3 scholarship to this private school, and participated in 9 extra-curricular activities in my final year: Young Enterprise, Publicity Officer, School Council Officer, Yearbook Committee, Head of Sound & Lighting for 'Oliver!', After School Club supervisor, Mentor, Reading group member, and Film Club organiser.
A-levels:French (A), Religious Studies (A), and English literature (B)
AS levels: Classical Civilisation (A)
GCSEs: Double Science (A* A*), French (A*), Geography (A*), Maths (A), English (A), English Literature (A), Latin (A), ICT (A), Russian (B)
Career history
January 2008-present
Broadcast Editor, Cision
lResponsibilities:
- To liaise with TV stations, corporations, and colleagues in other countries to source and deliver broadcast clippings to urgent deadlines.
- To quality check TV and Radio logs, and manage the raw and edited broadcast archive.
- To source and edit broadcast video and audio to custom specifications. This has included monitoring and editing Wimbledon for Ralph Lauren, The Ashes tournament and Formula One races for Red Bull, and transatlantic Susan Boyle coverage for Sony BMG.
·Skills needed:
- Excellent organisational, critical, and timekeeping skills
- Initiative and a meticulous attention to detail
- Comfort and flexibility with state of the art technological equipment and software such as Adobe CS4
Achievements/improvements made: I devised an efficient filing system for archiving edited content, so that all data could be found through a centralised coding system that could be accessed from anywhere in the company's network.I troubleshot several start-up issues, and established a compromise with the sales team to maximise lead potential while maintaining the highest possible quality of service.Competence in archiving and research, along with a keen eye for quality are essential to this role.
January 2009-November 2009
Producer, This One Is On Us (voluntary)
lResponsibilities:
- To oversee all production processes for not for profit multidisc DVDs based on the work of Nine Inch Nails and ensure that all work meets the standards of the mission statement set forward by the organisation.
- To co-ordinate a 30-strong global team of video editors, audio mixers, colour correctors, and designers
- To implement quality checking procedures across the project.
- To monitor feedback from the fan community via social media in order to improve the quality of the final output, and maintain the integrity of the project.
- To source material for bonus content and recruit people from the wider community for one-off tasks
lSkills needed:
- Awareness of audiovisual formats and how codecs can affect cross-platform quality and compatibility
- The ability to solve problems proactively and maintain team spirits
- An understanding of differences in international and intercultural idioms
To date, the project has received attention from USA Today, Bob Lefetz and Pitchfork TV, and holds the support of both the band and its fanbase.
July 2007- October 2008
Freelance Writer
Experienced Freelance Copywriter and Journalist with a flair for a variety of literary tones. Speciality subjects include art theory, music, retrospective fashion, and cultural criticism.I have written regular features for The Carnaby Magazine, Luvmuzik.com, The Croydon Advertiser and Flying Solo, reviewed cities, restaurants, and live music, and written copy for a variety of websites (ranging from an adult store to an online travel agent) with a focus on SEO marketing and/or on-site sales generation.
July 2007 - September 2007
Community and Visualisation intern, mydeco.com
lResponsibilities:
- To research and create content for the interior design website mydeco.com, with a view to establishing the tone and image of the company by launch.
- To source, edit, and process images for marketing and 3D visualisation purposes, with use of Photoshop
- To liaise with design experts and institutions in order to create a portfolio of affiliates for the company
- To implement a viral marketing campaign through research of design and psychological criteria
lSkills needed:
- A good grasp of language and semiotic signification
- An eye for aesthetics and understanding of its link to personal identity and expression
- A knowledge of web2.0 cultures and practices, including social networking experience
Achievements/improvements made: As an avid internet user, I was able to provide first-hand criticism from the target audience's point of view, and therefore render certain viral projects more effective.Creativity and a grasp of signification produced effective copy in a variety of voices.I gained first-hand experience of working for a company with a view to launch, and some valuable hands-on creative experience through ghost writing, product selection and image manipulation.Multi-tasking and journalism skills were put into full force, as were an innate sense of design and passion for focused research.
August 2006 - July 2007 (Holiday Work)
Medical Secretary, Bromley NHS Trust
lResponsibilities:
- To oversee diaries for up to four doctors at a time
- To manage patient inquiries, correspondence, and test results, often dealing with sensitive information
- To audiotype clinic notes and independently process any effective requirements.
lSkills needed:
- Excellent secretarial and administration skills.
- Competency in multitasking and prioritising tasks.
- The ability to work under pressure and communicate with people across the NHS
Achievements/Improvements made: I increased the speed at which correspondence was being sent to GP offices, and revised the advanced surgery list so that those with urgent cases could be seen as possible.As I had very little knowledge of the medical field, I was thrown into an almost alien environment, but within a few hours I had grasped much of the necessary terminology and protocol of the departments in which I was working.
Volunteer Roles include:
Group Leader – Verity PCOS (December 2008-present)
Events Organiser - Echoingthesound.org community (April 2005-present)
Exhibitions Assistant - AA Galleries (November 2007)
Gallery Assistant and Teaching Steward - Somerset House (Summer 2006)
DJ – Leeds Rock Society (September 2005-December 2006)
Retail Assistant – Texti, France (Spring 2003)
Language Skills: Fluent in English, French, and Creole, with GCSE standard Russian. Some basic Italian.
IT Skills: Technologically-savvy, with a typing speed of 60 wpm, Intermediate Excel, and working knowledge of most office and communications programs for Mac and PC (particularly Microsoft Office and Open Office programs), and several Adobe CS4 products.I have an understanding of HTML, having successfully written websites entirely by hand for a Web Design and Technology short course at the University of Leeds.
