Charlotte John

Charlotte John: Freelance TV Sound Engineer

I applied for the Alchemea brochure after seeing an advert in the NME. I was shocked when I found out how expensive the course was, so I put the brochure to the back of my wardrobe and tried to forget about it. A year later a friend mentioned to me that he was interested in doing a sound engineering course, so I dug out the brochure for him. He got really excited and immediately visited Alchemea and signed up. I was so jealous. I realised that it was what I desperately wanted to do, so I left my job, moved to Islington, informed my friends that I would be ‘persona non grata’ for the next year and started the course.

I immersed myself 100%, attending lectures and using every possible minute of practical time that was assigned to me (plus any time I could beg, steal or borrow….there was usually a good chance that I could arrrive in the middle of the night to find sessions unused or students asleep halfway through them.) I hardly came up for air. I lived, breathed and ate Alchemea and loved every moment. I could not recommend the course more highly. The tutors were very knowledgable and experienced and there was always someone on hand to help out during practical sessions.

My time at Alchemea gave me the confidence to go and and work in the industry. I worked in a recording studio in Farringdon for 18 months before I applied for and got a traineeship in TV sound. When I look back now, I can honestly say that Alchemea was the best decision I’ve ever made.

Recent Credits Include:

• Strictly Come Dancing Series 1-4
• Friday Night with Jonathan Ross Series 1-18,
• Children In Need 2003-2008,
• Blue Peter,
• Match of the Day,
• Ready Steady Cook,
• Question Time,
• Crimewatch,
• The Weakest Link,
• Sports Personality of the Year,
• Parkinson
• Question of Sport,
• Just the Two of Us,
• So Graham Norton,
• Comic Relief,
• This Morning,
• The Frank Skinner Show,