We know that the Film/TV industry is highly competitive, so how do you separate yourself from the rest? An expert panel explains how to nail an interview, how to present yourself on social media and lots more.
Panel:
Lyndsay Duthie - CEO, The Production Guild of Great Britain
Samuel Ampah - Senior Media Accountant, Aliots
Jo Bret-Day - Head Recruiter, FLB
Hosted by Tracy Forsyth - Leadership Coach
Useful resources:
Good riddance 2023, you were a lousy year for television freelancers. Will 2024 be better? The optimists are pinning their hopes on an upturn now that the Hollywood strikes have been settled. The realists are not so sure.
However, one of the most common questions asked is: where exactly do I start to look for these type of job opportunities?
There are many social media groups and pages created by industry professionals which aim to help individuals starting out in the industry gain access to entry level positions.
Some of the sites which I highly recommend joining to get you started on your job search are the following:
The RTS is offering 20 bursaries to students studying accredited Television Production and Broadcast Journalism degree courses. A further five technology bursaries, aimed at encouraging some of the most talented students to consider a career in television, are available to students studying Computing and Engineering on some of the top courses at British universities.
The BBC Academy is committed to promoting equality and diversity on our schemes and in developing a positive culture where everyone can develop to their full potentialacross the BBC. Successful applicants will be given a contract with the BBC and during this time we’ll train and develop you for a career in the media and by the end of thescheme you will have a range of skills and a sound understanding of the beginning-to-end process of programme-making.
The festival – held at the Watershed, Bristol on 1 November – gave students the opportunity to meet local indies such as RDF West, Silverback Films and Tigress Productions, as well as BBC Bristol Popular Factual, ITV News West Country and post-production houses.
In a buzzing atmosphere and to the backdrop of a DJ, students were encouraged to chat to the experts – from shooting researchers and production journalists to managing directors – and ask for advice on how to break into the industry.
Production accountants perform a crucial role in the broadcast industry, working closely with producers to manage the funding of projects. They observe a lot of the filmmaking process, with junior-level cashiers visiting sets quite often. However, production accounting is not a job that often comes to mind when people are watching their favourite films and TV shows.
Lara Sargent is the Director of production accounting company Sargent Disc. She explains how you can get involved in the numbers side of the industry.
Creative Skillset has said more needs to be done to provide a visible range of paid career paths and opportunities for new talent to enter the television industry.
The announcement comes after Creative Skillset's Workforce Survey found that over half of the TV workforce found their current position through informal networks and unpaid work periods are still common in TV.
