Finding her Frame: How DkIT graduate Lauren Corlett discovered her future in film
For DkIT student Lauren Corlett, studying film was never on the agenda. However, after extensive research in to potential career paths, she soon realised that it was the perfect fit. She has seen huge success in her 4 years at DkIT, with a short film “Echo”, which she both wrote and directed achieving multiple accolades, including “Best Drama Short Film” at the Royal Television Society Student Awards.
“Looking back now, it’s a little obvious that I was made for the film industry”,
says Lauren. The 22-year-old from Greystones in Co. Wicklow wasn’t sure what career path she should follow; she just knew it needed to be hands-on and that an office environment was not for her.
“I don’t think I have enough hands with enough fingers to lay out the number of careers I was considering,”
Lauren laughed. From working for law enforcement, to studying history, like many school leavers, Lauren just couldn’t decide what the right path for her was.
After months of researching potential areas of study, she finally had her lightbulb moment. Film had always been a passion, and growing up in Greystones, she was constantly surrounded by productions and film sets—watching with fascination as crews rolled into town to start filming. As she sifted through countless course descriptions, one finally stood out: the Film and Television Production programme at DkIT.
“I spent a long time scouring different courses to find the right fit,” she says. “When I came across Film and Television Production at DkIT, it felt like a no-brainer.”
Compared to some of the other courses Lauren had explored, DkIT had “a little bit of everything covering several elements of the industry.” This seemed like the ideal pathway to get a taster of a variety of roles within the sphere of film making without having to specialise straight away. The practicalities of the course and state-of-the-art facilities such as the edit suites and TV studio were another draw towards the Institute. Looking back on her chosen course, Lauren says there was “no average day” and with film projects always on the go, she was constantly kept on her toes.
After exploring various roles within the industry, Lauren soon discovered that filmmaking was where her true passion and talent lay. Her potential as a budding filmmaker and scriptwriter had been evident from a young age, and it quickly became clear that this was a career path where she could truly thrive.
“I used to make short films when I was a kid, on an old family camcorder. I taught myself how to edit and was constantly writing stories and scripts to film next, she reflected “It’s incredible to be going from a self-taught 7-year-old filmmaker using Microsoft Movie Maker to now having access and knowledge using industry standard software over a decade later.”
Her talent in both of these roles became increasingly evident during her time in DkIT. The short film Echo, which Lauren both wrote and directed was named as “Best Drama Short Film” at the Royal Television Society Student Awards. Echo was further recognised during DkIT’s Annual Film Showcase, where it won “The Samson Films Best Short Film Award,” which is presented each year to the best short film made on the year-long Film Project module in 3rd year of the Film and TV Course. Lauren’s Dissertation was also an award winner at DkIT’s annual Undergraduate Research Symposium.
From feeling uncertain about her future to becoming a multi-award-winning filmmaker and director, Lauren has valuable advice for anyone struggling to identify the right career path:
“Accept that trial and error is a part of the game and once you take a step back and analyse what makes you you, it’ll be easier to spot what field is the right fit. If I didn’t take the leap to study Film, I would never have found my passion.”
For those considering a career in the creative industries—especially film—Lauren encourages exploring the wide range of opportunities the sector offers:
“There are so many facets of film that you may slot into without realising and there’s so much happening behind the scenes to even get to the point of lights, camera, action. If you’ve got the patience and mind for it, film and television will suit you wonderfully.”
What’s next for Lauren? After trying out nearly every role on set, she sees her future behind the camera, drawn to the power and precision of visual storytelling- “The camera is the link between a director, screenplay, edit, and sound, there’s a reason they call it movie magic,” she says. She hasn’t ruled out an Assistant Director Role either and quite likes the idea of being the “glue on set”. With a strong foundation from her time at DkIT, Lauren is ready to take her next steps in the industry.
