Hello!

To conclude my experience in London, I wanted to take a trip back to how I received the opportunity to have my study abroad semester. I was incredibly lucky to have received a scholarship in order for me to experience studying, living, and learning in London. Not only has my filmmaking experience been fulfilled and utilized to grow my technical skills, but on a personal level, I have grown in terms of my approach to problem solving and independent living. My experience in London has gone beyond my expectations, both academically and personally. I have learned how to navigate a large city on my own, while growing within the film community here. My mission in London was to learn as much as I could, soaking in the wide variety of cultures present in London. I feel I have found a great deal of success with that!

My personal growth revolves around my approach to experiencing as much as I could in a short period of time. With the UK being so centrally located to the rest of Europe and North Africa, I had the opportunity to explore the many different regions of the world. Most of my cultural experiences before had been located in Central and South America, so, by having the opportunity to expand my horizons further, I am incredibly grateful.

Academically, I have grown in terms of my commitment to being a lifelong learner. I have always believed the greatest teacher in life is life itself. By observing and seeking out opportunities at museums, art shows, and community events, I felt I had increased my academic approach to learning. In the classroom, I strove for excellence, committing myself to cultivating films which showcased my learnings. 

Professionally, I felt my goals became more clear, specifically in terms of where I want to work out of college. With a new gained confidence in my filmmaking abilities, I feel prepared to enter the film industry, where I can make a big difference in the film landscape. 

From my program, one of the courses focused heavily on the film industry of England, highlighting how, at the end of the day, the film industry is just a big, all-consuming business. We approached these topics by delving into the process of a film or television series’ journey, starting with the initial pitch and ending with the final marketing. Across this process of learning these aspects of the film journey, I realized my personal enjoyment of the pre-production phase of selecting films to be produced, and further, how they are going to be created. We did mock trials of these processes, allowing me to select a script, scout the location, cast, and crew, while handling the finances of such. For my remaining time at Pitt Business, I will incorporate my learnings in comparison to the filmmaking process. For my business capstone, I will relate all of my film and business knowledge around the topic of film production. 

Thank you again to my donor for this experience, I am forever grateful!