Writer, Director, Composer, Actor, Artist... overall just a creative person!
Ever since I can remember, I have been a creative child. I remember I used to run around my back garden, playing with imaginary friends - all with their own flaws, quirks and histories. I would act out a variety of plots with perpetually-changing genres — be it the death of a friend, an awkward situation or the search for a monster. And as I grew, my friends grew with me — each of them going through their own individual character arcs that affected the stories I told with them. I was an only child, as I’m sure you may have assumed by now. And if I was not reading a book to beguile the tedious hours of Monday, I was crafting my own tales; building my own worlds; writing my own adventures.
Screenwriting has been my aspiration before I could even spell ‘aspiration’. I got straight A’s in English Literature and Language at School, I enrolled in Creative Writing, Philosophy and English Literacy courses at College; and so Screenwriting seemed like the natural progression. This is why I was able to finish my Secondary and College education so quickly. I knew exactly where I wanted to be in life and I worked as hard as I could to get there. And now here I am. I started university at 16 years old, and have finally now graduated with a degree in Screenwriting And Producing BA (Hons).
You can see more details about my education and achievements in the section below. As for hobbies, creativity is my hobby. I wish that were me self-promoting but it isn’t. I really do this for fun. Do I need a life? No! Who needs a life when I get to spend a great deal of my days off writing screenplays about people with lives way cooler than mine will ever be. Another skill of mine is musical composition using programs such as ‘Logic Pro’. In terms of genre, my music can range from pop and rock music all the way to orchestral and emotional background music that I sometimes am inspired to make by screenplays I write. I can also draw well, and have created several animation projects completely on my own.
Overall, I am an enthusiastic, reliable, driven and approachable person. I have excellent communication skills both written and verbal and can easily follow instructions. I am able to work on own initiative or as part of a team and can deal with leadership duties competently. These are all abilities I have accumulated throughout my education and in my personal life. I am now looking for the next opportunity to use and enhance the skills I have developed during these times in a professional context.
“I hugely enjoyed talking to CJ about writing in general and his own writing in particular. CJ has a highly developed interest in all forms of creative writing and is also quite clearly working on an impressive range of projects. He’s quick, eager to learn and insightful in his approach.”
“CJ is a bright and able student who is a pleasure to have in class. I have taught him on two units as part of his foundation year (Introduction to Music Video Production and Screenwriting and Producing). On both of these units CJ received outstanding grades and I have no doubt that he will be awarded a first upon completion of the course.
I know that one of CJ’s main passions is screenwriting. I have had numerous conversations with him about his own work and work that he has studied either for class, or external viewing he has been doing. I get a real sense that he is beginning to develop both as a gifted writer and a solid academic student.
In class CJ is both studious and hard working. He is always engaged with lectures or the tasks that are set in class and is able to join in with group discussions with articulate points of interest or interesting questions. Frequently I have to remind myself that he is one of the younger members of the group as he is often able to showcase a maturity that is beyond his years. ”
“From the outset CJ was an exemplar student. He never missed a lesson and was always punctual. He contributed to all lessons, questioning, enthusiastic, seriously dedicated to getting the most out of the class. He was always comfortable (and often the first) to pitch and present. He took criticism well and was relentless in trying to improve his work.
His approachable and committed manner, resulted in many students seeking him out for advice. He had tight deadlines of his own but always took time to help contribute critical and intelligent feedback. He was always polite, respectful to colleagues and myself, a pleasant sociable member of the class who helped create a positive learning environment.
He never missed a deadline. His creative work was always excellent. He pushed himself to create a complete filmic work. The script, shot construction, direction and performances were in a different league from his contemporaries; a complete advertising idea, one that would not be out of place in a professional context. Out of my 28 students, he was comfortably at the top of the list.
CJ made use of all the equipment and facilities that Regents provided. He was involved in many extra-curricular activities. He ran a drama group and participated in fundraising and charitable events for the Young Rotarians.
CJ is passionate about a career in film and TV. He loves film art, lives and breathes it. He is initially interested in screenwriting (for which he has natural talents) but I feel he could go on to direct and produce if he so wished. CJ has not only made the most of his time at Regents academically but has produced creative work that has done the university proud.”
Portfolio
See some examples of my work…
Writing
Film
Music
Achievements
Early Education
I took my GCSEs two years early, and due to achieving great grades, decided to leave secondary school straight after to start the next level of my education. As a result, I started university aged 16. This was my first accomplishment as a student.
BA (Hons) in Screenwriting and Producing
Throughout my university career, I consistently achieved firsts for my submissions and worked conscientiously. Despite initial concerns regarding my age, I ultimately won the respect and recognition of my peers through determination and perseverance by graduating at 20 years old with a Bachelors Degree in Screenwriting and Producing with Honors. By far, my greatest achievement!
Work Experience
I went to the BBC Studio in Wales for a week’s work experience and sat in on the production of a radio play by Rob Gittins called ‘Operation Julie’. I helped out with script redactions and I also helped to direct the actor’s, offering my input whenever prompted to do so. I also helped with the foley recording and audio engineering of the production. I often go to view recordings of Radio 4 shows at the BBC London. I’ve met many great people during these shows, and established many contacts. I was a member of the young Rotarians where I helped organise fundraising and social events for charity and I also helped run several drama groups over the weekends where I got to try my hand at directing theatre plays which is in many ways more challenging than directing film.
Dean’s List, Scholarship for Academic Excellence and the Student Council
During my first year, I was placed on the Dean’s list for outstanding achievement every semester and was awarded a full scholarship for Academic Excellence which I received each year of my course after this. I was voted to be a member of the student council and representative for the Screenwriting course. As a council member, I had to organize and plan events as well as run meetings and manage administration for the course’s council projects. Many of our events involved scouting industry professionals and convincing them to attend as judges or guest speakers which took a lot of persuasive skill. We also were in charge of planning and putting on performances and entertainment such as Regent’s Got Talent which was basically a live show that we carefully planned and executed - helping me become adept at live television broadcasting and scripting.
Study Abroad
I participated in a 3 month study abroad period in California in my second year at university where I learned a lot about Adobe editing softwares in a Video/Multimedia course. We were tasked to create two animation projects - one blended with live action footage. It was my first time ever attempting animation with Adobe but I am proud of how it turned out and can now say that I am very familiar with the software and am capable of calling myself an animator. The experience also helped me with my animation writing since I learned how important it is to write with visuals in mind.
Filming Experience
I have been working on short films for many years now, all of which are self-funded and produced for the web. My most recent film “Reality Check!” was the most challenging. I was very ambitious with this project, working with a lead child actor, an animal actor, shooting on location outside of London, filming mostly exterior day scenes in December, and having animation involved in post-production. Basically everything they tell you not to do on a student film! While they were all challenging, thanks to intense planning and dedication on set, I managed to overcome these hurdles and I consider the film a success.
After all, the film had a full cast and crew of industry professionals. My 1st AD had previously worked on “Last Christmas” starring Emilia Clarke. And my lead actor was “Bastian Fuentes”, an up and coming child actor who has been in commercials and TV Shows. Despite being the only amateur in the crew, I was in charge of the creative team and learned what it takes to be a good director/producer since I had a lot of experienced eyes on me. My crew’s feedback at the end of the experience allowed me to feel proud in my skill at directing and leading professionals.
Robert McKee Award For Best Film
My short film ‘Reality Check!’ received Regent University’s first ever Robert McKee award for Best Film. About my film, Robert McKee said that “student films have a tendency to value style over substance, or utilize cliché plots and genres. This film was the only one I watched that attempted to tell a narrative with heart, and was ambitious with it’s genre and style.”
https://www.regents.ac.uk/news/graduating-film-students-showcase-final-year-projects
Best Screenplay Award
In my final year, I won Best Screenplay at the Regents University Oscars for my aforementioned movie ‘Reality Check!’ which was voted for by guest judges made up of industry writers who attended as guest speakers. I attended the screening where an audience reacted to my film with laughter, tears and “aww”s all at the right moments.
Diploma in Japanese Language
During my final year, I also became very proficient in Japanese. After graduation, I spent 3 months studying at Nanzan University in Japan and graduated with a Diploma in Japanese Language. I have always been interested in collaborating with artists and writers in Japan since their media has always had a big influence on me and my work - and although I am not quite fluent yet, I plan to continue studying until | can achieve my dreams of working on a Japanese story.
Charity and Volunteer Work
I have participated in many creative or charitable activities outside of the syllabus throughout the years. I volunteered with fundraising for Gravesend Rotary Club and despite the long hours without rest, I remained enthusiastic. I also offered my time at the Riverside Community Resource Trust for which I had to be approachable and develop my communication skills.
Contact
For all CORRESPONDENCE PLEASE EMAIL ME ON CJ@CALISTUSJDM.COM OR FILL OUT THE FORM BELOW AND I’LL GET BACK TO YOU AS SOON AS POSSIBLE:
