We’ve been checking with some of our most recent Digital Video Production and Marketing BA (DVPM) graduates to see how their studies have led to a successful and fruitful career!
In this post, we hear from Class of 2024 graduate Booby Griffiths, who scored a chance to join Wavemaker’s Thrive programme on the back of his degree, and is now a Studio Creative at the agency!
What have you been up to since graduating?
“I graduated from DVPM at Salford University in Summer 2024 and was lucky enough to land a role at Wavemaker just a couple weeks later. Wavemaker are a marketing agency working with some of the biggest brands in the UK. I first found out about the company during my final year of the course. We visited the Wavemaker offices and they provided us with client briefs for our final project.
Seeing the exciting work that the company do, was what first opened my mind to the idea of working within an agency. Having familiarity and experience with the company was also huge advantage when applying for the job. As soon as I got the call offering me the role, I immediately quit my part-time retail job and after a nice month-long break, started at Wavemaker in September 2024.”
What does a typical week look like for you now?
“I work in the Studio team so my day to day mainly consists of creating social media content for clients. Our team is small, so my role involves a lot of different things. My work ranges from creative strategy, to production, to analysis and reporting. Working in this way means that I often get to see projects through from beginning to end, being involved with client communication along the way.
Working in an agency environment means that the work is always flowing in, and there’s always new things to work on. I’ve loved having the opportunity to get many different clients under my belt. Skyscanner, Vileda, Marigold, Remington, Nationwide and DWP are just some of the clients I’ve worked with so far. I really enjoy the work that I do, and I couldn’t ask for a better environment to be in. Theres a real positive, creative culture here with lots of opportunities for upskilling and growth.”
What are some of the most exciting things you’ve done in your career so far?
“Working on my first big shoot was an exciting moment for me. We hired out a house and brought in some actors for a Marigold content shoot. This was my first time on a bigger set. I was only 2 months into my role at the time, the budget was bigger, the client was present, it felt like a big deal. The shoot went well and I was able to play a huge part, I’m really proud of the work I did here.
This was the first moment for me where I felt like I belonged. Making that first step into the industry can feel intimidating, but once you get stuck in, you realise just how capable you are. This was a valuable lesson that I carry through all walks of life.”
What achievement are you most proud of since graduating?
“A huge achievement for me was creating my first piece of content that got over 1 million organic views. This was achieved for the Vileda TikTok account and came after months of experimentation, trying different things to see what works. Social media often has you at the mercy of an ever-changing algorithm, so a test and learn approach can prove useful.
I applied learnings from this piece of content and tried to replicate our success, when our next piece hit over 1 million views, it confirmed that the first time wasn’t just luck. This was a validating moment for me, proving that my knowledge and skillset had real tangible value for our clients.”
What challenges have you faced, and what have you learned from them?
“Being new to the industry means that naturally there is plenty of mistakes to be made. Missed deadlines, miscommunications, I’ve been there. Mistakes can be a good way of teaching you a lesson that you didn’t know you needed. I’ve learned so much about communication and attention to detail from small mistakes and near misses. Mistakes will happen, so being in a supportive work environment is good for everyone.”
Looking back, how did DVPM prepare you for industry?
“Live briefs were massive for me and probably my favourite part about the course. Gaining experience communicating with a client, taking time to understand their needs, interrogating a brief and delivering a solution. This is all integral learning for any aspiring marketer, and a really great talking point for a CV/interview.
Another key area of learning from my time on the course, was learning how to create and present pitch decks. This was completely new to me when I started the course but such a valuable skill to learn for this industry. Whether you work for an agency, in-house for a brand or as a freelancer, understanding how to pitch and articulate creative ideas to stakeholders/clients will set you up for success.”
What advice would you give people considering DVPM as a course?
“Make the most of the resources available to you, just pick up a camera and go. Nothing beats hands-on practice and you’ll have access to all the industry standard equipment. Take on some passion projects, try recreating shots from your favourite films, just create.
You’ll have so much to learn during your time on the course, and you can also learn so much from your peers. Soak it all up and offer your own expertise wherever you can. Look forward to meeting like-minded creatives and get collaborating! Sometimes your best work is done together, so get stuck in!
I wish I’d done these things more, and ultimately, it’s up to you to get the most out of your time at uni. In short, my advice is to throw yourself in, get creative and have a good time doing it.”
What’s next for you?
“The benefit of working in an agency is that new briefs are always coming in, and exciting projects are always on the horizon. I’m really looking forward to an upcoming project for Jet2, as well as continuing my work across Vileda and Marigold.
At this stage in my career, it’s all about being a sponge, taking everything in and jumping across different disciplines where I can. I don’t ever want to put myself in a box, so I’m grateful to be in an environment where I can try new things and grow.
On a personal level, I want to create more. I love that I get paid for my creativity, but it’s a goal of mine to work on more personal projects too. Picking up my camera more, practising my editing, I want to keep sharpening my production skills so I can continue to make things that I’m proud of.”
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