RTS Futures

The drive for data - why analytics should be at the heart of your business

The TV industry is facing the greatest paradox in its long history. The quality of its craft and the demand for its product have never been higher. At the same time, its future commercial viability is very uncertain.

Digital has fundamentally and irrevocably altered television’s business model. Not only are viewers watching more content than ever on digital devices, they’re doing so across a wider range of platforms and in many different ways.

Speed date the content creators

Execs from top shows that included The Apprentice, Educating Cardiff and Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway were grilled in a series of three-minute dates by a young audience eager to get in and on in telly.

“There are opportunities in documentaries – it feels like an exciting time. There are many more documentary series now compared to when I started,” said producer/director Nicola Brown, whose credits include Channel 4 shows The Secret Life of Four Year Olds and Educating Cardiff. Rig shows in particular, she added, were looking to hire.

RTS Futures – Speed Date the Content Creators

Our gurus hire people like you so it’s your chance to get their hints and tips on how to make a great impression and secure your next role.  You can also ask their advice on anything from switching genres, moving up the production ladder to how to develop your writing skills. They will also be sharing their views on the Television industry and how it feels to be making the most talked about shows on British Television.

We are delighted to announce an incredible guest list of gurus for this exclusive RTS Futures event.

RTS Futures Summer Party

This year RTS Futures are joining forces with the Guardian Edinburgh International Television Festival Talent Schemes to host a celebration and party for you with some of the biggest names in the television industry.  

This is a party like no other – an opportunity you could only dream of – a chance to meet the people behind some of the most talked about shows on British television, as we open the evening with a special Q&A session

The Future of Sports TV: Innovation and Sustainability in Broadcast Production | RTS Careers Fair

As the world moves towards greener practices, how is sports broadcasting adapting to meet sustainability goals?

This session explores IMG’s innovative approaches to reducing carbon footprints in live productions, including groundbreaking work on golf and football broadcasts. From remote production to hydrogen-powered solutions, discover how IMG is transforming the way we bring sports to life while protecting the planet.

Panel:

Bristol hosts Futures festival

A young woman in a stripy top operates a large, industry-standard video camera

Indies at the November event included Plimsoll Productions and Offspring Films, alongside ITV News West Country and post-production facilities Doghouse, Gorilla and Films at 59, which brought along camera kit for students to try out.

Sessions covered a host of topics, including directing skills with Ilaira Mallalieu (Queens, Disney+) discussing how to craft a story on location and develop narrative arcs, and film-maker Michael Jenkins talking about working with actors.

Skills for the Future of TV: VFX, Animation and Virtual Production

TV production is always evolving, with technological advancements creating new roles and opportunities to explore. Our panel of experts discuss the growing impact of Virtual Production, the overlap between traditional production and VFX, and the new careers and specialisms emerging in this exciting new sector.

Panellists: Micheal McKenna - CEO, Final Pixel

Ana Sabolic - Senior Environmental Artist, Final Pixel

Jonathan Privett - VFX Supervisor, Industrial Light & Magic

Hannah Smith - Texture Artist, Industrial Light & Magic

Talent Champions: The Path To Becoming An Agent | RTS Futures

In partnership with the world-renowned Curtis Brown agency, RTS Futures explores the fascinating world of literary and talent agencies.

Three agents from Curtis Brown – Lara Beach, Cynthia Okoye and Jess Molloy – share how to break into the industry, thrive within it, and stand out as an applicant.

Chaired by Joanna Reesby, Managing Partner for Media and Content at Elevate Talent.

How to present yourself for success

Lyndsay Duthie, CEO of the Production Guild of Great Britain, said: “You have to sell yourself. There’s no point staying at home… jobs aren’t going to come to you. You’ve got to get yourself out there.”

She admitted: “It doesn’t matter if you’re giving an Oscar-winning speech… or it’s your very first interview, it’s still nerve-racking.”

How to get a start in television

Kicking off the online event, Edi Smockum, MD of recruitment specialist ThinkBigger!, whose clients include Channel 4, said the aim of a CV was to “get a clear and positive account of what you have to offer”.

She said a CV can run to up two pages, “but never be embarrassed if you’re a new entrant – one page is absolutely fine”. It should, she said: “stress achievements and skills”; “get your key messages across quickly and strongly at the very beginning”; and “keep the presentation simple”.