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Study your passion, shape your future: Valerie

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Valerie: Passionate storyteller, Guillermo del Toro fan and international student

In the 2021 summer term, we spoke to Valerie - a then first year BA (Hons) Film & Television Production international student - about her interests, her time at Greenwich and her plans for the future.

I have always been drawn to stories

Interested in a wide range of creative activities - drama, music, photography and dressmaking - it is Valerie’s passion for stories and their ability to captivate, and unite, which is behind her choice of direction. Citing Mexican director Guillermo del Toro as a big influence, Valerie is drawn to the way in which film can be applied to the art of telling stories, past and present.

The University’s Greenwich Campus - not least as it’s been the backdrop to numbers of well-known films - and its location was an undeniable draw for Valerie when choosing where to study. With her studies underway, she’s enjoying her course and considers it has given her “a well-rounded knowledge of film, both as an artform and as an industry.” For her, an aspiring writer, one particular module ‘Storytelling for Moving Image’ really stands out - “we learned about narrative theories, but we were also encouraged to use everything from snippets from conversations to inanimate objects as prompts for stories.”

What does the future look like?

When we spoke to her, Valerie had “been able to find a part-time job as an editor for a YouTube channel, even though prior to starting university my editing skills were very limited.”  While interested in all aspects of filmmaking and wanting to try her hand at cinematography and editing, her main passion nonetheless still lies in writing and directing.

With her heart set on working around the globe after graduating, she wants to “use the medium of film to tell kind stories that provide escapism...while at the same time provoke thoughts and teach compassion.” Giving voice, by harnessing the power of storytelling in film, to underrepresented groups, such as immigrants, is something she sees as key to her future.

We can’t wait to see how the next chapter in Valerie’s story will unfold...!!

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