Oliver – known to most classmates simply as Ollie – joined South Bank Colleges with a clear ambition: to build a career in the television industry. Now studying the Level 4 Higher National Certificate in Creative Media Production (Film), he’s already preparing for his next step along the LSBU Group pathway.
For Ollie, the transition from Level 3 to Level 4 has opened up an entirely new way of thinking about film. His earlier studies were almost entirely practical, but the higher-level course has introduced him to the deeper language of cinema: film theory, film history, and the analytical frameworks that shape how stories are told.
“I didn’t realise how much the theory side would broaden my horizons,” he explained. “Learning about things like film movements, psychoanalytic and feminist theory, and how cinema developed has really helped me generate more ideas. It’s made planning projects a lot easier.”
Ollie’s long-term goal is to work in television, ideally at a major broadcaster such as the BBC or ITV. He explored employment straight after Level 3 but struggled to find opportunities that would help him build the career he wanted. That experience convinced him to continue his education and take advantage of the progression route available through South Bank Colleges.
The Higher National Certificate allows students like Ollie to progress directly into the second year (Level 5) of a relevant degree at London South Bank University. The pathway provides a clear, supported route into higher education, and Ollie has already visited the LSBU campus to see what awaits him.
“They’ve got so many studios and so much equipment,” he said. “There’s plenty to experiment with here at SBC, but the university level gives you even more. It was great to meet some of the lecturers too – they explained how all the specialist areas work together, from writing to cinematography to editing.”
Cinematography is where Ollie’s passion sits. He discovered it during Level 3, refined it further at Level 4, and now sees it as the craft he wants to develop professionally.
“I love being on set and getting hands-on with the camera work. That’s where I feel most at home,” he said.
Ollie also credits his teachers at South Bank Colleges for helping him grow in confidence. “The teachers here are amazing. If you’re stuck, they sit with you and break things down until it clicks. That’s helped me a lot.”
Like many students with a love of genre filmmaking, Ollie dreams of one day working on large-scale productions – and his favourite is Doctor Who. A lifelong fan, he devours the behind-the-scenes features as eagerly as the episodes themselves.
“I’m fascinated by how they combine green screen, practical effects, and digital work. It looks like a really fun environment to work in,” he said.
For now, he’s focused on completing his Level 4 year and preparing to progress into Level 5 at LSBU, a move he sees as the strongest step towards his future career.
“It just makes sense,” he explained. “I want to keep the momentum going.”
Interested in following a similar path?
South Bank Colleges offers the Level 4 Higher National Certificate in Creative Media Production, with progression routes into Year 2 at London South Bank University. Find out more at:
https://www.southbankcolleges.ac.uk/courses/creative-arts-and-media/level-4-higher-national-certificate-in-creative-media-production
