EIT student Caitlin Pincock enjoyed studying the NZ Certificate in Communication Media [Level 4] last year and is glad she has continued on to the NZ Diploma in Screen Production [Level 5] this year.

Caitlin Pincock began studying at EIT with the intention of becoming a makeup artist, but a switch to EIT’s IDEAschool is seeing her thrive in the Diploma of Screen Production and now she hopes to find a career in the screen industry.

Caitlin, 18, who is from Hastings, left school early to enrol in EIT’s  level 2 NZ Certificate in Foundation Skills (Hair and Beauty) , which she finished in 2020.

“I found the foundation skills programme really enjoyable because I knew I wanted to be in the screen industry anyway, but I just thought it would be as a makeup artist on set. I slowly started to realise I wanted to do something different, but it was really fun studying that and I learned a lot.”

She says she decided to change when she started doing makeup for other people and realised it was not for her. She decided to enrol in the NZ Certificate in Arts and Design [Level 3] at IDEAschool but was forced to withdraw for personal reasons.

She returned to EIT last year and enrolled in the NZ Certificate in Communication Media [Level 4], which she thoroughly enjoyed because of the variety of the subjects covered.

“It had a bit of everything in it from screen to music and a bit of social media as well. The communications media programme  helped me realise what I wanted to do because I was uncertain if I wanted to do screen or not, but that fuelled my passion for it.”

Her decision to move on to the NZ Diploma in Screen Production [Level 5] this year has been vindicated as she knows she is in the right place.

“I am learning pretty much all aspects of screen production. I love learning and using the cameras, and actually being on a crew with my classmates. I also enjoy the role of director and writing my own scripts as well as learning how to edit my videos and everything.”

Caitlin is happy to take any opportunities going forward and recently had an opportunity to be an extra in a video promoting Te Pūkenga being filmed by Indelible Creative Studio on EIT’s Hawke Bay Campus.

“I wasn’t working with any of the equipment or anything, but I was still there helping and watching. It was a cool learning experience being on a set.”

Caitlin is also keen to continue her studying and is most likely to carry on with the programme until she qualifies with a Bachelor of Creative Practice.

Cherie Freeman, EIT’s Acting Head of IDEAschool, says: “Caitlin is certainly passionate about screen production and the future career opportunities that studying this discipline can bring.”

“We all want to be working in a role that we find interesting and enjoyable.  Looks like Caitlin has found an industry that really excites her.  EIT look forward to Caitlin’s future endeavours and we are proud to be part of her journey.”