Lauren
Hammond

Why did you choose to study at NTU?

I remember walking around Clifton campus and even though the weather was terrible, I absolutely loved it. I knew then that it felt like home and that I would be happy at NTU.

I attended some Film talks as well as English and the lecturers just had me captivated. I knew I wanted to be a student at NTU as when I went home, I researched the modules that I would actually end up doing.

Even though the campus isn't in the city centre, the buses are so regular and affordable – especially with the bus pass, it made it easier than ever to get to and from the city.

When you attend open days you just get a feel for the place, and visiting Clifton Campus, I knew this would be my new home.

What did you learn – both inside and outside of lectures?

I think as a whole, you learn a lot about life and yourself when you go to university. It’s no plain sailing, and inevitably there will be difficult times. You learn so much in lectures, but I don’t think anything can prepare you for the life experience that university gives you.

the day when I arrived there were so many people at the uni to help unload your cars and bring things up to your rooms and help get you settled. It caused you not to panic and worry because your mind would be so busy organising everything. Once my room was sorted and I found a cupboard space in the kitchen and a shelf in the fridge & freezer, I went for a meal at the Students Union with my parents and I just cried.

My parents are my absolute rock and have always supported me and I was scared for them to leave. When the time eventually came, I was too busy to notice my feelings as I was meeting the new people in my flat which would become my new friends.

My first and main learning point at uni as a whole, is that everyone really is in the same boat. Regardless of their background, everyone will be going through massive life experiences and it can be so hard. So don’t hide your feelings and feel embarrassed about the way you feel. Embrace it as you never know who could be feeling the same. This then led for me to have such a close friendship with my flat mate from our first morning together feeling overwhelmed and anxious for our university journey to start. I always look back and smile as I will always remember my first ever day at Uni.

What does your current day involve?

There is no typical day as a Production Secretary on Emmerdale! We work on a week 1 and week 2 basis. So, Week 1 is our ‘Prep Week’ & Week 2 is our ‘Publish Week’. Week 1 entails printing scripts for cast members, paying expenses, raising & receipting POs, diary management & booking hotels & travel. Week 2 is when we have to publish the callsheets, so I will print the callsheets off after they have been published, print any script amendments for the cast and input the expenses from the callsheets onto the system.

When I cover the Production Coordinator role, I create the actual callsheet, and also have to book in the additional equipment and ensure that each unit receives all equipment booked on the shoot. I get to go out and see the filming as well which is always a bonus!

Each day is different at Emmerdale. We sometimes have high profile guests, which you will get to see soon. I have to sort out all their travel and hotels and be their point of call if they have any issues. So sometimes you’re working until late at night and even the weekends – but I wouldn’t have it any other way.

What attracted you to this field of work?

I have always wanted to work in Production from when I was at school. I went to a grammar school that was mainly focused on science & maths and not really on the humanities based subjects. But the irony is now when I come back to my hometown and bump into the people that said these words to me, I tell them what I’m doing now and they seem in awe and jealous of it. So, I would say the more I got told not to do it and that it wasn’t a career attracted me to the field more and more.

When I was in my second year at uni I had the opportunity to do some work experience and I contacted local production companies, one being Wellington Films. I pestered Rachel Robey so much that she remembered me and passed my details onto one of her Producers. I then worked on a BFI funded short film called The Tunnel. From this, I got to work with other Producers.

What challenges have you faced?

I think during uni the challenges I faced was having to have a job whilst studying. I would then get put forward to be a Production Assistant or Runner on some shows but as I had a job and I had shifts I would have to turn them down … I needed the regular income to be able to financially survive at uni. It all paid off though in the end.

All my family during Covid worked in the NHS medically, so I applied to work in HR Recruitment to help onboard more and more staff to help with all the outbreaks that were happening at the time.

I am aware that I am still young but it felt like it was taking forever for me to be given an opportunity. I realised though that I needed my job in the NHS as that is how it helped me to get my job in ITV on Emmerdale. It helped me show them that I can work under pressure, have a load of admin experience as well as dealing with confidential and sensitive information. If I hadn’t had my job at the NHS then I don’t believe that I would have even got the interview for the job I am in now.

What have been the highlights and biggest challenges of your career so far?

The highlights of my career so far are that it does not feel like a job. I get to go to work and I don’t clock watch until I can go home. Everyone is one big family, all there to help and support each other. I have been lucky enough to help and work behind the scenes of organising the awards you get to see on TV, some of the parties that Emmerdale has and ITV throws for us. Most of all creating friendships with people that will last forever.

What are your plans for the future?

For my career I would love to be a Script Supervisor in the next couple of years and work closely with the director and the scripts team. That would be my next goal in my career. My long term goal is to become a Producer as I have mentioned previously that I have worked alongside some incredibly strong women that I am in awe of and I hope to be able to be as good as one day.

My boyfriend has now moved to Leeds and we now live together, so I always like to plan out my goals for each year. Next year I would just like to keep working hard and be able to save for a deposit to buy a house together. I think putting goals too close together makes it unachievable and when I don’t achieve what I set out to then I really struggle with it. So, knowing I am working towards my long term goals makes it easier for me to focus. No path is straight, they will always have different trails along the way to follow but they will all lead eventually to the same destination.

If you had a time machine, what would you go back and tell yourself at uni?

I would 100% tell myself to not worry what other people think – easier said than done though! I was always scared of speaking my opinions in seminars, so sometimes I would be quiet and worst of times I wouldn’t go as depending on who the tutor was, I knew that I could be picked on to speak.

Not everyone has it all figured out and you’re not expected to either. The ones that seem the most organised with their workload and life probably struggle as much as you do, they just don’t show it openly. So don’t judge a book by its cover.

Finally, is there anything else you would like to share?

Embrace the university experience. Everyone used to tell me this as it goes by so quickly, they’re not joking it really does fly by. Make the decisions in the moment and trust yourself. Don’t look and dwell on something that you did, focus on how you can change that or improve it for the future. If you worked hard on something and don’t get a grade you were expecting then don’t beat yourself up – instead, go and find the person who marked it so they can explain where you can improve for next time.

Go out and create memories, university is about the experience as well as the education. I’m not saying go out every single night but go out and join a society and meet new people. I met my boyfriend, Ethan on a night out that I wasn’t going to attend but my flatmate made me and we have been together ever since 2018. You never know what is round the corner, so don’t worry about the past and focus on the here and now.

Lauren Hammond on LinkedIn