Laura Stevens: BA Hons Media Production with Video Production

Laura Stevens

BA Hons Media Production with Video Production, 2003

“I am a freelance researcher working mainly for Granada Television.”

After Laura finished her degree she got some work experience with London News Network on the London Tonight programme. Then in October 2003 she became a runner at the London Studios, looking after the editors and running for studio shows such as Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway, the Lenny Henry Show, and ITV Sport, Disco Mania.

From June 2004 Laura was a runner/junior researcher for 60 Minute Makeover on ITV. Laura had to use her charm to get free furniture and accessories for the show, as well as manage the budget and help with the painting on makeover day - so featured on the show numerous times!

Laura then worked as a researcher for ‘Trolley Dollies’ – a programme on Living TV and even got an all expenses trip to film for a week in Tobago! She said: “We followed the crew while they worked on the plane and once we got to the destination followed what they got up to.” Laura had to sort out filming locations and develop storylines.

In January 2005 Laura was Logger for Paparazzi Secrets on ITV and in March 2005 freelanced for Ricochet production company. Laura has then worked as researcher for Naked Celebrity – Royal Wedding Special on Channel 5 which was a show analysing the body language of royal weddings to tie in with Charles and Camilla’s wedding.

She searched through 80 years of archive material to find footage to use in the programme and helped out with the shoot on the day of the wedding.

Laura has just started working on the third series of 60 Minute Makeover as a researcher. At the moment she is searching through thousands of applications for the show to pick out 30 people who will get makeovers

Laura chose the University of Luton because of its reputation as one of the best universities for Media Studies. She said: “My course gave me various skills which employers look for such as filming with the Sony PD150, Final Cut Pro editing programme and good research skills.”

“I made some great friends during my time at Luton and I still keep in touch with them. We had a great time at the Student Union and lots of fun filming for our course!”

Laura hopes to gain more experience in TV. She said: “It’s hard, but exciting being freelance as you never know what you will be doing next and you are sometimes out of work for a couple of weeks.

It is all about who you know and making as many contacts as possible. It can be quite glamorous but it is hard work with long hours and sometimes it can be very stressful.

But when you see your name in the credits on a programme you have worked on it makes it all worthwhile.”

Interview took place in 2005.