In this recent graduate feature, Kuba Junek discusses his time on the Editorial and Advertising Photography course and what he is working on currently.
17th December 2019
When did you graduate?
2017
Why did you decide to come onto the Editorial and Advertising Photography course?
I wanted to do a course related to visual arts. Coming from the Czech Republic, I also wanted to study abroad to broaden my perspective. Since English was the only language I was fluent in except Czech, the UK was my number one option.
Were you able to draw on the transferable skills learnt on the course after you left and started working?
Definitely, especially the skills I gained at the Professional Practice and Professional Photographer modules helped to go to job interviews and other business meetings with confidence. The modules focused on moving image prepared me for a possible career in film making and I found those to be extremely helpful as well.
Has the course prepared you for working within the creative industries?
Absolutely, the lecturers provided me with their knowledge based on professional experience. I was able to receive regular feedback on my work and it was up to me how I implemented it.
What have you been working on since you left University?
Since 2017, I have been working for the Czech Television (equivalent of the BBC) in Prague, the Czech Republic. I work in a production team which is a bit ironic since production was the only area I was not interested at all during my time at the university. But I do creative work outside of my job and I can definitely see the advantage of working in production since it has forced me to think much more practically and see creative projects from completely different perspective. That being said, I still desire to do my own photography and video projects. I am currently working on few ideas and I hope to do more personal work next year.
I think I most enjoyed working on two documentary films which both feature Czech opera singers – Adam Plachetka and Pavel Černoch – who perform at famous opera houses abroad, such as New York Metropolitan Opera, The Royal Opera House in London etc. My role was to secure filming at these institutions as I was negotiating on behalf of the Czech Television. Thanks to my knowledge of English, I was able to directly participate in filming in New York, London, Hamburg and Salzburg. Together with my production responsibilities, I also worked as a sound engineer in case of the New York filming since it was a low-budget filming with only two people travelling there – myself and the director. I even filmed a small part of the film which was very personal for one of the singers because it took place in a hospital immediately after his second daughter was born.
One film had a premiere during the Golden Prague music festival this September and the other one is still being filmed and should go on air in 2020.
Would you recommend the Editorial and Advertising Photography course and if so why?
I definitely would. The lecturers were great professionals and gave 100% honest feedback on the delivered work. The course was not only about photography but about many other transferable skills, moving image and social media management being some of them.