Leeds School of Arts

LGBT+ History Month: Behind the Scenes of the critically acclaimed TV show “It’s a Sin”

Whilst studying for her BA (Hons) Filmmaking course Daisy Mai Smith worked on the production team for Channel 4’s most popular ever drama.

Rainbow Flag

I became involved with the production of “It’s a Sin” after contacting Ben Sweets from Film Buddy, a company that works closely with the university’s employability team. With support from my tutors in the Northern Film School (NFS) I emailed my CV and cover letter across to him. Quite quickly I received a call and was offered a position working as an Art Department Assistant, with a specific focus on graphics for the production “The Boys” which then became “It’s a Sin”.

Being part of the production team gave me some great experience of working on a professional set and I had the opportunity to interact with experts in the industry who were very generous in passing on knowledge and tips of the trade. On a personal level it was also really exciting to work on a show whose creator Russell T Davies’ work I have always admired.

I will admit that at first, I was quite daunted by working on such a big production and it took me a little while to find my feet and build the confidence required to utilise the opportunity to the fullest. However, I went on to pick up a wide range of skills during the five days I was there, from Photoshop tricks to the best methods of research. I also did a lot of independent learning which has set me up to be in an ideal place for future employment. I am really happy with how this placement went, it was informative and provided me with a creative outlet, Film Buddy were all friendly and the entire week was a great use of my time. I thank NFS for providing the connections and support needed to get this work placement and the opportunity it gave me for personal and professional growth. This on-the-job experience represented my experience of studying at NFS in general, providing a combination of both practical and theoretical skills in order to succeed within industry.

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