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Meet the Alumni: Chiara Fulgoni (MA Cinematography)

By Niki Khoroushi

03 December 2021

Born and raised in West London, Chiara Fulgoni was always aware of MetFilm School before she came to study at the London campus. Having graduated in 2019, Chiara is currently a Craft Skills Tutor at the School, having started working as a Teaching Assistant just after graduating.

Although Chiara teaches across a variety of courses, including short courses as well as technically assisting on the MA courses, she predominantly teaches on the BA ScreenSpace courses.

We caught up with Chiara to find out how things are going and what she’s been up to, two years after graduating…

You studied a Music and Sound BA; how did you come to pursue a career in the screen industries?

I actually wasn’t always interested in filmmaking and started off as more of a big music fan when I was young, which is when I studied a Music and Sound BA at the University of Brighton. But I had always been very into soundtrack music from a young age and I also had photography as a side hobby which I enjoyed very much. Then due to my love of general ‘nerd culture’ I ended up attending Comic conventions and making close friends with creative cosplayers, photographers and video makers.

From then on, I developed my skills with a camera, and combining that with my long-term love of KPop and the creative music videos the industry produces, it was a natural transition. I think people assume that everyone who goes to film school wants to be the next Scorsese but actually, I mostly love doing short-form content like shorts film and music videos!

What made you choose the MA Cinematography at MetFilm School London?

I am pretty local to Ealing so I was already aware of Ealing Studios and MetFilm School. I visited the campus for an Open Day and after speaking to the tutors and a couple of students who were studying there at the time, I felt like it was the perfect place to develop and learn more skills. I had already been making short videos for online platforms in a previous job but felt that I wasn’t able to develop my skills to the level that I wanted and studying at MetFilm School would enable me not only to learn, but meet more filmmakers like myself.

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What was the highlight of the course?

The course was great and very intensive. I always say that I have never learned so much in such a short amount of time! After just one year, I came out with film and industry knowledge that I never even knew existed before. My tutor was so supportive and I felt like I was learning something new every day. Being able to use high-quality industry professional kit and picking up skills like learning how to build and Alexa, I know are unique experiences that I would not have been able to access anywhere else. Add that to all the friends and filmmaking contacts I made throughout the year and I think those would be my biggest highlights.

You are currently a tutor on the ScreenSpace courses; what do you most enjoy about what you do now?

I applied for a Teaching Assistant position early on after graduation, to help support me while I was working on unpaid shoots and building my industry contacts. I was assigned to help on the ScreenSpace BA courses with technical and lighting duties as the students were shooting projects and assisting other tutors in their classes. After covid, I was asked to cover a few tutor absences and took to teaching so easily (having two teacher parents probably helped!).

I mostly enjoy working with the students and seeing their confidence build as they go through the course. Seeing more shy students come out of their shell or watching their work improve week by week, is such a good feeling. I’m glad I can be a part of that all while coming up with fun and new ways to help them develop their skills.

What do you think is unique about the BA Content, Media & Film Production course?

I think the course is a fantastic way for students to learn a wide range of filmmaking and video production. The students not only learn to create with a number of different areas covering things like: mobile phone filmmaking, documentary cameras, directing actors, production planning and shooting on a set (to name a few); but they also get to pitch to, and receive feedback from, industry professionals and companies who are leading their fields. There is also a wide range of students with a huge selection of interests and goals, so everyone is able to find someone who they can work with and be a valuable contact in the future.

What other projects are you currently involved with?

I was recently a gaffer for the short film Twelve about an eating disorder recovery, starring Leslie Ash, Ali Bastian and Duncan James. I was also able to bring on a ScreenSpace graduate, Katie, to assist me on set! I have also worked with my director and screenwriter friend Bruna as a photographer for her line of original filmmaking clothing at The Munchkin Boutique. We are also both in the process of working on a short film called Perfidia with ThreeTwo Productions which we will be shooting next year.

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Chiara Fulgoni completed MetFilm School London’s MA Cinematography in 2019. 

From Autumn 2022, MA Cinematography will be one of three postgraduate courses offered at our new campus in Leeds. Find out more!