Film alumna Angelica Bizzotto shares stories about working on feature films and meeting stars on the red carpet

What made you decide to pursue a degree in Film at Westminster?

I wanted to study Film because through the life experiences I had I got more and more passionate about this medium, and I was determined to study abroad to have a better and professional understanding of it. I chose Westminster because London was, and still is, one of the best cities to study filmmaking thanks to the presence of a strong industry. 

Nonetheless, I managed to contact a variety of people that did short courses there and they all suggested Westminster for my Film studies because of the course coverage, the fantastic lecturers, and the high-tech equipment that I was able to use for my passion projects.

Westminster offered so much, I would choose it again for being very international and inclusive, for the Careers and Employability Team and for many other initiatives the University has to offer.

What was it like being the Vice President of the Westminster Film Society, and how did it shape your career later on? 

Being selected as Vice President and Treasurer of the Westminster Film Society has been a great honour. It is not only well known in the UK but also recognised internationally. Being part of an excellent team of international cinephiles and aiming to deliver an interesting monthly World Cinema programme has been at the core of our mandate. I learned how film programming works and I enforced other skills such as team management, communication, strategic thinking, planning and problem solving.

Unfortunately, we had to stop running our programme and the projections because of the pandemic. Taking the situation as an opportunity to use the time to do something, I organised the Westminster Film Festival 2020, probably one of the few film festivals that still occurred during the pandemic. Afterwards, participating films have been running on major film festivals all around the world.

What did your Westminster experience give you which is helping you build your career?

Without my studies at Westminster, the connections I made and the opportunities I received, I wouldn’t be where I am today. During the three years, I committed to use 100% of the resources, equipment and facilities that were provided. Moreover, the people I met and the friendships I made are invaluable.

How did you find your way to the industry after graduation? Do you have any advice for our new graduates?

In the last few months before graduating, I was constantly thinking of following a traditional career in the camera department, stepping up role by role. But, deep inside, I really wanted to use my creativity straight away, so I decided to work as a Behind-the-Scenes Videographer for a creative agency. Luckily, as a BTS Videographer I got to use both my technical and creative skills for storytelling and for the creation of visual and social content.

Advice number one: never wait for things to happen. I managed to get a very good portfolio because I started to look around for opportunities from day one of university, and because of my portfolio I managed to sign my BTS contract well before graduation. 

Advice number two: make the most out of your years at university. Make that passion project you always wanted to shoot, get creative and experiment with new techniques, make stuff just for the pleasure of creating and develop your skills while having fun. Create mindful connections not only within your course but even with people from other courses and outside the university. Networking is key as you never know where the next big opportunity will come from.

Advice number three: have fun! Yes, I did work a lot during university, but I also partied in moderation. These years are invaluable not only to find a job but specially to grow as a young human being and to create friendships that will last forever.

What was your first job as a BTS Videographer?

The same summer I graduated I got to film my very first BTS videos in Italy, capturing clips and stills for a sci-fi short film called ‘From Beyond’, directed by Luca Ferrara.

We filmed for five days between Brescia and Palazzolo sull’Olio, eating delicious Italian food every day and drinking gallons of water because of the hot weather. One of my favourite memories from this job, in addition to the amazing people I had the pleasure to work with, is all the crazy locations we shot at, from the hidden tunnels of an ancient castle to the undergrounds of Brescia, an old roman city. To get to the undergrounds, the crew had to pass through a manhole. But I got to film my favourite scene surrounded by water wearing fishing boots in the city’s ancient waterworks. As you can see from the photo it looked like we were in the swamps, but production told us the water was uncontaminated, I hope. 

What major projects have you worked on so far, and which one did you enjoy the most?

During my years at university, I had the opportunity to get paid for commissioned work between London and Italy. I created content for the BBC, the G20, Mind UK, the Institute of Contemporary Arts and the Royal Society of Technology.

Fast forward a few months after graduation and I am a BTS Videographer at Accelerated Intelligence, a social media agency working with some of the World’s biggest film and TV franchises. From Disney, Star Wars and Marvel to James Bond, Netflix to Sky’s Gangs of London, I had an amazing experience filming and editing behind-the-scenes footage for mini trailers, social assets and featurettes.

I believe the job I’ve enjoyed the most, and bear with me because it’s hard to choose, has been filming the opening night of ABBA Voyage. I got to meet ABBA and film them on the red carpet along with many other VIPs such as Kylie, Keira Knightley, Kate Moss and the Royal Family of Sweden. It’s been such a rush of emotions and adrenaline between filming the red carpet and the afterparty event, something I will remember forever.

What are your future career goals?

This year I’ve been working mainly on TV series, but soon, I aim to film BTS in feature films and commercials too. I’m also planning to explore the fashion and luxury industry and to cover more events. 

With time, my camera gear, and the right clients, I hope to travel all over the world. But, right now, my next big step is going freelance, so wish me luck guys!

Learn more about Film and Television courses at the University of Westminster.