Bachelor of Film alumna Jessi Salonen has enjoyed being part of many exciting projects since graduating from SAE, some of which include being involved with the production of content for the Melbourne F1 and the Australian Open Tennis.

What inspired you to enter into the career you’re in?
Being exposed to beautiful imagery, whether this was through photography or film, I immediately thought ‘wow, I want to make that!’. This combined with the business side of my personality that loves to manage and coordinate projects, making my progression to media producer very natural.

What are your fondest memories of your time at SAE?
I will never forget the lecturers who believed in my abilities, it really helped me as a young aspiring student to get me to where I wanted to be.

Are you able to shed some light on how studying at SAE lead you to where you are now?
Studying at SAE certainly gave me a leg up when I began in the industry. To this day, situations arise where I am called upon to do things in my work that may stray from my usual duties, I am equipped to deal with these situations because of what I learned at SAE. Being taught a variety of elements, from video right through to audio, has opened doors for me to expand myself to more than just one role. The ability to extend yourself is essential when you are starting out in the industry because you won’t be hired for what you want to do, but for what you can do.

What are your career highlights?
My career highlights to this day are working at the Melbourne F1 Grand Prix and the Australian Tennis Open. The action, the excitement and the sheer volume of production that goes into these events is immense, and it is incredible to be a part of!

What projects are you working on at the moment?
I am currently working for Local Peoples, a multidisciplinary creative agency based in Melbourne, producing for an exciting range of clients, including Nike. I also freelance for Network 10 on shows like The Project, and most recently the Thursday Night Sport Show.

What advice would you give to students aspiring to become successful in their field?
Network, network and network! Get yourself out there in the industry, get to know people, and just be lovely. You don’t have to know everything at the start, as long as you try your best. Most importantly, be a nice person to work with, at some point your good will return.