Like most editors, Matt Meech started out as a runner, working at a post-production house in Soho where he spent his spare time learning how to use editing software Avid.
Matt put together a showreel which impressed his bosses enough for them to give him a job as an assistant editor.
Building a career in sound, Tony believes, is the same as it was when he began over 40 years ago. “[You] need to do the work at the coal face,” he believes, and work your way up from Sound Assistant to Sound Supervisor.
It’s not a completely closed shop however, says Sarah Liversedge, Managing Director of independent music publisher BDI. “There’s lots of different [routes to] how someone approaches somebody like me.”
The Downton Abbey producer will train emerging writers in a series of in-depth sessions, working on their ideas in a collaborative environment.
“We are always seeking to expand our horizons in terms of the best writing talent, and take our responsibility to nurture talent very seriously," said Carnival Films' Executive Chairman, Gareth Neame. "Collective is a great way of doing just that and we’re delighted to be working with some of the most exciting, emerging creative voices coming out of the UK today.”
When I learnt of the Royal Television Society (RTS) bursaries in 2015, I knew I had to apply. Any organisation actively committed to the diversification and inclusion of underrepresented groups within the British media will always hold a place in my heart. Plus, being part of the RTS is a great opportunity to network with media industry leaders - an opportunity that I was very unlikely to stumble across as a young black woman, from a low-income family.
I recently spent a week in the commissioning department at UKTV. I arrived at the reception and gave my name, braced for the understandable response that I should leave immediately due to my lack of relevance and the fact that everyone here was very busy getting on with their jobs. But no, I was welcomed in.
As I walked through the turnstile, I expected alarms to ring out - “Unauthorised entry! You do not belong here! And also sort your hair out; seriously, what’s going on there?” but once again I passed through without an eyebrow raised.
I received the RTS Television Production bursary in 2015, so I’m approaching the end of my course at the University of Westminster.
Across my three years, I can’t overstate how much help and support the RTS bursary scheme and my RTS mentor have given me, with plentiful guidance and advice on my career path.
Whether you land your first job with one of our broadcasters, or with an independent company, remember that television production should reward not just those who own the assets but every single person who contributes to the production, from the runner upwards.
“It’s a growth industry – there should be lots of jobs to go around,” argued Louise Hastings, VFX producer at Milk Visual Effects, whose credits include BBC One’s Doctor Who and ITV historical drama Victoria.
“Netflix and Amazon are creating more and more content with bigger and bigger budgets – we can’t keep up with the amount of work we’re asked to bid for at the moment,” she continued.
“TV is going to keep Soho very busy. We’re also getting a lot of the American films [shooting] at [Warner Bros, Studios] Leavesden, like Fantastic Beasts.”
The RIFA awards recognise the best short films, of up to 30 minutes in length, which will be judged by a panel of experts from academia and the film industry. The the winners will receive a trophy and £2,000 in prize money for future filmmaking projects.
This year's panel includes Richard Davidson-Houston, Head of All 4, Channel 4 Television and Matthew Reisz from Times Higher Education.
