Grace's experience

On Monday I was given a Health and Safety induction with Lisa (QUAD’s Senior Duty Manager) about what to do in case of a fire and where the fire doors and the assembly points are. I shadowed Catriona (BFI Film Academy Producer) in support of a Bronze Arts Awards session. During small breaks she informed me about the workshops the QUAD provides for young people like me wanting to get a head start in their future career and learn the talents involved in film making. This information has enlightening me to hopefully begin partaking in projects like this to get ahead of where I am to become part of a career I find most interesting. Later in the day I interviewed Catriona and researched the BFI (which is what funds the QUAD to be able to make the course), and I found out for example it is a charitable film and television organisation that promotes film making in the UK. Projects like this that the QUAD provides are amazing and a big potential for passionate students desperately wanting to pursue a career in film.

On Tuesday I worked alongside Morgan (Schools in Residence Producer) in collaboration with the Horizons Sixth form in Derby. Morgan had read about my interests in my application and gave me the job of the photographer which I was keen to do. We worked alongside digital artist John Whall, whose exhibition is visiting the QUAD in summer. He worked with the students to make his exhibition come to life by allowing them to help him with certain aspects. John gave the students some play dough that they used to make whatever they could imagine, he then scanned them and now they live in his digital art of Derby which I am excited to visit. Finally for the last 2 hours I interviewed Morgan and researched about a workshop I would like to make available in the QUAD, which I enjoyed.

On Wednesday I really enjoyed being able to visit the behind the scenes of the cinema in the projection room with one of QUAD’s Projectionists, Clive. He showed me and my supervisor Nicola (Education Curator) around the projection room and spoke to us about the digital and film projectors and how they worked, showing us the timetables set for when the films will play and informing us about the dangers of being a projectionist. I interviewed Clive more about his job’s responsibilities and his personal preferences about his job, for example if he prefers using the film or digital projector and the fact the people that know the skills to work a film projector is slowly disintegrating and in the next 30 or so years the skill will have died. I believe the QUAD should try to help it thrive by making small workshops where people could be taught the inner workings. I was luckily able to watch the screening of Inside Out 2 in a cinema almost all to myself and knowing the workings of what it takes to project It makes it feel more real. Finally, I wrote a review about my feelings and opinions about the movie for the last half hour.

On Thursday I worked alongside Senior Duty Manager Lisa by setting up for the day, checking the building for hazards in case of incidents and then working at the Box Office with Joan selling tickets, welcoming customers and replying to emails from staff and customers. To finish off the morning me and Lisa found a quiet space so I could interview her more about her job/duties at the QUAD. After lunch I had a curating task to complete with Peter Bonnell (Arts Programme Maanger / Format Director). After I had interviewed him about his experiences with being a curator and working with numerous artists including Bruce Asbesdos, who we decided to base the curating task about, I chose to do a graffiti course because it follows on to what Bruce does in some of his exhibitions so for the final half hour I reflected in my journal what I did for the curating task.

On Friday Nicola briefly showed me what the exhibition space looks like when changing exhibition’s and then I spent the rest of the day reflecting on what I had done throughout the week with the QUAD team.

I really enjoyed my experience with everyone and being able to visit the different parts of QUAD each day like the Box Office, projection room, gallery, office, Digital Studio, and Participation Space, which was where I started my week off.

This experience has changed my view on what I want to pursue, so this choice for my work experience was very effective and I really recommend that future students should choose the QUAD for work experience because of its range of departments, and the people working here are very nice so if you feel uneasy about anything they will always be there to support you and any questions asked will be answered, there is no such thing as a stupid question.

I have learnt they are more than a cinema/gallery but they also include workshops and projects that encourage lots of opportunities for people like me. These opportunities are what can help people’s confidence to grow which will start getting you involved in a film academy/course that will change your future careers for the better, helping you reach you targeted dream which all starts with help from the QUAD.