My name is Lashawn Binns, I am 20 years old and at the moment I am looking to gain more experience in the TV/Film industry as well as job that will further my career in this industry. Some of my hobbies include reading, I have always loved a good fantasy book, I also enjoy writing stories or sometimes just planning out a possible book and watching good films. I used to aspire to be an actress but now I look more towards being an executive producer of director. Most importantly my goal in life is to be in a place where I love my career.
When it came to my education and career, I often found that I would struggle to ask for help because I either did not know how or didn’t think anyone would be able to help. This was a challenge I had to overcome because I realized that I would not be able to move forward otherwise which is something I wanted to be able to do. I knew there were many opportunities out there however I did not know where to look for them.
I heard about Babbasa through family, it was my mother who saw a work experience opportunity they were offering and thought it would be perfect for me.
On my placement we spent two weeks talking to people at Silverback (a company that makes Natural History Documentaries) and they showed us the different stages of creating a documentary. I learned about the financial aspect of creating a film as well as the creative side such as how a camera works, the different parts of editing, the time frame it is made in etc. The main activity given was a presentation task, where I pitched a documentary idea to everyone who I’d met on the placement at the end of the two weeks. The placement programme has given me a clear career path to take whereas before I was unsure where in the industry I wanted to be, now I know what I am aiming for and how to get there.
I feel more hopeful when I think about my future and less unclear about what I am doing. In 6 months I see myself working as a runner in a film/tv industry with more professional experience on my CV and in five years I want to have possibly written a screenplay or be assistant director of a TV series. If I could give my younger self some advice I would say “don’t be afraid to ask for help, someone will always know what to do even if you don’t”.