From Lecture Halls to Lightsabers: Michelle Crees' Cinematic Pivot

Life during 2020 was bumpy for all of us. Imagine having to complete your final year of A-levels. Meet Michelle, Class of 2020, who was in her final year for A-level Maths, Further Maths, Physics, Product Design, Psychology and EPQ. After managing to achieve A*’s for all of them, Michelle went on to the University of Cambridge to study engineering. Sometimes life takes you in a totally different direction and this is very true for Michelle who made the brave decision to swap career paths and join forces with a whole different industry all together. Read on to learn all about Michelle’s personal account of those changes.  

"It’s surreal how little and how much has changed since leaving LEH. Without that experience of Product Design I’m unsure I would’ve been able to do what I do today. I went from lockdown uncertainty to diving headfirst into one of the fastest-moving, most unpredictable industries imaginable - film. Originally drawn to Engineering for its mix of Physics and Design, I quickly realised theory-heavy lectures weren’t for me. I wanted to build, create, and design. Cue a spontaneous decision to be an extra on The Witcher, and suddenly, I was standing beside Henry Cavill, watching the magic unfold. That day shattered my perception of the film industry as inaccessible. It felt like home. 

Since then, I’ve shifted everything toward screen storytelling. Writing about film, directing a play at Cambridge, shooting two festival-recognised shorts, and even titling my master’s dissertation: ‘Evaluation of Sustainability in Film Production’. 

Post-graduation, I landed a spot on the Disney Crew Academy at Pinewood Studios. We got hands-on experience with every part of filmmaking; lighting, stunts, camera, design, finance. We got to have a chance on all facets of film! Behind every NDA-cloaked set was a world more creative and collaborative than I’d imagined.  

Though I started thinking I’d go into production, the programme reignited my love for design-world-building without limits. That passion led to my first role in Costume Props Design at Lucasfilm on a top-secret project (so secret I can’t even tell my family!). From fittings to fabrication, I’m getting to try it all. 

LEH was the foundation - supportive, creative, and fearless. As the only Product Design A-Level student, I gained professional design skills that are more relevant to my career now than my Engineering degree was!  

  An Executive Producer at Marvel once said he’s never worked a day in his life. Now I can see why he said that, if you love film, don’t wait for permission - go looking for the door. It might be wide open and don’t forget to look for fellow alumnae they could be waiting to help you along the way!” 

We can’t wait to see what project Michelle works on next!