Will, right, interviewing Tayo, who performed at this year's vinspired Lake of StarsWhy did you get involved in vinspired Lake of Stars?
Having graduated from university this year, I was offered the opportunity to help film an independent documentary, based on the Lake of Stars festival and the impact the festival has within the country. Unsure of what career path I wanted to follow, this seemed like a great opportunity to try and get an idea of what I’d like to do.
What did you do?
In the UK: Prior to the festival I did a bit of work in the Lake of Stars office. Whilst logging footage from previous festivals, I also assisted the team working on the blog, as well as with some of the footage from the festivals’ pre-parties.
In Kenya & Malawi: On the way to Malawi we stopped in Kenya for a few days to film the pre-party in Nairobi. Although we ultimately missed the pre-party, my first experience of work was filming in one of Nairobi’s slums with some of the artists who played the pre-party, which proved to be a real eye-opener considering this was my first time in Africa!
Whilst in Malawi I mainly performed the duties of a runner, helping the team where needed, and keeping a log of what we were filming. However, I was also given the chance to try my hand at different aspects of the filming process. For example, during certain live acts I was given my own camera and the chance both acts and festival-goers enjoying the festival, whilst at other times given the opportunity to help understand how the sound equipment worked.
What next?
Since returning from Malawi I have still been involved in the post-production of the documentary, logging all the footage that was taken whilst in Kenya and Malawi. Editing has now begun and I have taken a minor role in that, being able to observe the process whilst the other team members work, again giving me more of an insight into the industry.
Would you recommend volunteering for other young people?
Definitely. Having left university undecided on what I wanted to do, volunteering has given me a much greater insight into what career path I’d now like to follow. I had no first-hand experience within this industry prior to volunteering, but now I have realised which areas of work I enjoyed most, and have started to make job applications from there.
If you're 16-25 and would like to volunteer, find opportunities at vinspired.com
Words by Will Davis, vinspired volunteer
