Staffs Graduate working on BBC Drama

A former Film Production Technology student has been working alongside Judi Dench and Michael Gambon in a hit BBC drama, watched by nearly eight million people.

Sam Smithard, who graduated from Staffs Uni last year, landed a job as a camera assistant on ‘Cranford’, a five-part period drama broadcast on Sunday evenings on BBC One.

Sam’s job involves being responsible for the maintenance and care of the cameras.

He assists the camera operator by preparing the equipment, marking lenses, moving monitors and connecting up video playback equipment.

Sam said: “My course helped me with the technology and video side of things and I have learnt a lot on the job.”

‘Cranford’, based on three Elizabeth Gaskell novels, is set in an 1840s small Cheshire town, on the cusp of change.

Viewers follow the small absurdities and major tragedies in the lives of the people of Cranford during one extraordinary year.

Sam has also worked on a feature-length film for TV, ‘Ballet Shoes’, a Granada production for BBC One about three orphans, set in the 1930s.

The programme, starring Victoria Wood and Harry Potter’s Emma Watson, is set to be broadcast later this year.

He has also helped to produce TV adverts for Playstation, BBC idents and music videos, most recently for Shayne Ward’s latest single, ‘Breathless’.

Sam is currently working on a seven-week drama for BBC Four.

Cranford is broadcast at 9pm, every Sunday, on BBC One.