A BUDDING filmmaker from Milford Haven has finished third in a national competition to discover the broadcast journalists of the future.

Eighteen-year-old Rosalyn Wild made it to the final of Breaking Into News – an annual initiative by ITV News and the Media Trust to give young people with a passion for news a taste of life in the industry.

The youngest candidate in the competition, Rosalyn had to create a short news item about an issue important to her.

As a volunteer with poverty-relief charity Pembrokeshire Action To Combat Hardship (PATCH) Rosalyn decided to document how government cuts have made life much harder for young people.

Rosalyn said she thought recent media coverage of the recession had been very biased, and she felt a lot of responsibility to deal with the subject sensitively.

Her short film bagged her third place in the competition, and Rosalyn said lots of people have praised her efforts, including PATCH co-ordinator Tracy Olin.

“It was something I really wanted to talk about and is really close to my heart, so it’s nice to have presented it well,” said Rosalyn.

Describing the experience as challenging but very useful, Rosalyn said it taught her a lot about how the media works.

“It’s helped me decide I want to stay behind the camera, because I enjoy the technical side of things and you have a lot more control.”

The competition has also helped boost her self-confidence, and Rosalyn is now keener than ever to embark on a career in journalism.

And she would recommend the experience to other young people wanting a taste of the industry.

“If you want to go into the media I would definitely encourage other people to have a go. Everyone was really nice, helpful and encouraging.

“The most important thing I learnt is that you have to tell a story, even in a report lasting just a few minutes.

“It’s also made me more willing to go up and talk to people – and get in their way if I need to.”