2007

I'm the CEO at Clearhead Media

After treating our last year project as a 'business', when we graduated we managed to get a small project as a business with the Media department for a recruitment film. We managed to then change our name from GAS Productions to Clearhead Media and from there we pushed on. In the meantime we worked at other companies, with working at independent production companies and QVC, working 12 day fortnights to allow us to reinvest all money into the company to allow it to grow. Since then we have managed to film in 20 different countries, with 1000's of different projects, for huge brands such as Sony and Cadbury. We have had offices in Luton, London and New York and put millions back into the local economy (as well as employ numerous UOB graduates).

Getting hands-on and a more relaxed feel, allowed me to really push on. The teaching was approachable and allowed me to really push myself. It also allowed room for self-development. The equipment was amazing and we put it together and had the opportunity to do so. 

The support of the UOB was incredible. Lecturers were brilliant, supportive, funny, approachable, knowledgeable and had also made it themselves which allowed for a high level of respect. We were really fortunate to have new media facilities (nothing like what the overall facility is now) and our first couple of jobs as a business came from the UOB (as well as some of the equipment that we could borrow). We were very fortunate.

Potential-making

My favourite memory was seeing a specialist bit of equipment in the media stores that hadn't been put together... we offered to put it together and they said 'well I suppose so..'. It was huge but we used it and managed to work out the best use of it. That showed how special our relationship was with the UOB and all the staff. It allowed us so much more beyond the course.

You can do anything you want to do, you've got so much time... but you need to focus quickly. Nelson Mandela said it seems impossible until it is done, set yourself 'impossible' targets and see how close you can get to achieving them.