How do I get a job? Aah the million dollar question. If I had a pound etc etc... There is no simple answer to this I am afraid. The media industry is a tough business and getting that foot in the door is only achieved by sheer hard work and persistence. This does however need to be supported by some decent training, experience, a passion for the industry, knowledge of the business etc etc. You absolutely cannot expect to walk straight out of school or college into a job. Unless you are incredibly lucky or are related to Rupert Murdoch (in which case why are you reading this???) you will have to go through the apparently full time job of letter writing, job applications, phone calls, researching companies, networking etc. I’ve got a degree will I get a job? Probably, but not necessarily in the media industry. With more graduates coming onto the job market each year than jobs in the whole industry apparently, it is inevitable that some people just won't get that break and will have to rethink their career. In 1997 there were just over 1,200 media studies graduates, in 2000 just over 2,000, in 2005 there may well be over 7,000. In 2002 the combined number of graduates on all arts, creative arts and humanities courses (English, history, modern languages, design inc film/TV and drama) was 27,825 (an overall fall from 2000 but an increase specfically in media graduates - source: Prospects.ac.uk.) Of the media studies graduates who responded to the survey just over 72% were in full time employment 6 months after graduation, however only 11.5% were working in jobs that fell into the category of media, literary, design and (bizarrely) sports professionals (a drop from 17.1% in 2000.) The media industry is basically already swamped with too many very experienced people chasing the same jobs in a far from stable job market. Until the experienced personnel retire or give up the industry entirely, competition for all media related work is going to increase. However don't despair, if you really have that desire to work in film/TV and you really work at finding a job it will pay off in the end. Don't sit back and expect the work to come to you, this simply won't happen. You have to get off your bum and try every (legal) method of finding work.
Do I need a degree in media studies? Absolutely not. There are mixed feelings about media related degrees in the industry and a lot of the feedback is far from positive. A degree is not a prerequisite to employment (it can help though) and the subject on the whole is not that important. Experience, talent and skills etc etc are what employers are looking for and they really don't care if you have a degree in physics, geography or brewing technology. That is not to say that degree subjects don't have a bearing on some jobs, they do for example in some areas of research and of course areas such as engineering. Even the BBC say as much on their website (see What subjects are most useful?) A recent straw poll on current jobs to degree subject indicated that only one of the participants had actually taken a media course and most had taken subjects that had absolutely no relevance to their chosen field of work. A few real people examples of subjects studied and current job titles:
Do I need a degree? No, although a lot of companies prefer this level of education however, what ultimately matters is aptitude, talent, skills and experience. There are plenty of examples of people working in the industry who got their foot in the door straight after school and worked their way up the ladder without a degree and without the huge burden of debt that goes with it. Do I need to go to film school? No, but depending on the postgraduate course, the institution's facilities and lecturing/lecturers you can receive some excellent training using top spec equipment. Even with a PgD/MA after your name there are still no guarantees that you won't have to start at the bottom of the ladder. From personal testimonies however a large number of people I have spoken to did manage to avoid the post of runner and start for example as second, second edit assistant. However, this is a very expensive way of getting training e.g. £4,700 to take a 3 semester MA production course. If you do intend to go to a film school do your research and try to find out who went where afterwards, also find out about the facilities available to you e.g. broadcast standard and the lecturers background. There is a feeling that 'those that can't, teach', it might be true in some cases but equally your head of documentary might be taking a break from filming undercover in war zones because he's now got children to worry about. Do I need to do training? Some may disagree but I would say absolutely yes, particularly in the technical grades. It can be formal or informal, but these days unless you are lucky enough to get a full time job where they will train you from scratch, you will be expected to know your job, the equipment, contacts, protocol etc. Mentors these days are few and far between and traineeships/internships scarce. The cost of training courses varies significantly depending on the level, subject area and ultimately equipment involved. If you are taking part in a live gallery PA course the costs will be significantly higher than a production co-ordinator course, simply due to the amount of equipment, personnel and facilities required in that training. Potentially a case of you get what pay for or rather you pay for what you get. For a comprehensive list of short courses available in the UK visit the British Film Institute (BFI) website, a co-publication with Skillset. Skillset pays up to 60% of fees on some courses - the list of courses this funding applies to is published on their site every three months. The Skills for Media site has a current list of areas where there are skills shortages - an interesting area to note recently has been new entrants lacking basic production skills. This basically means there are a huge number of people out there trying to get work as production secretaries/production assistants etc who lack the basic skills and knowledge associated with the roles. On that basis an investment in a short production course may give you a push in the right direction. Know your own job, those of the people below you and those directly above you inside out. Are there trainee schemes available? FT2 (Film & Television Freelance Training) offer respected, but very competitive, industry training for new entrants in technical grades, craft apprenticeships, researcher training and production development. Take note of some of the comments on the FT2 feedback page (available sometime after the latest closing date) as these application pointers can equally be applied elsewhere. Skillset offer training schemes to new entrants as well as established freelancers and have good career advice in booklets and on their website. FT2 are one of fourteen Skillset approved training offering NVQ courses for film and TV, other centres include NFTS and the BBC. The BBC, ITV franchises offer graduate traineeships. Competition for places is again tough, as are the entry requirements, but the training is impressive and undoubtedly will move your career along. The traineeships are generally advertised in the press and on the company websites. Are there work experience schemes available? Many production companies will give a short period of unpaid work experience. MAKE THE MOST OF IT. This is your chance to prove yourself. If you make the right impression you may get more work - probably paid next time. So don't sit on your bum in a corner sulking because for some strange reason you, with no experience, aren't allowed to operate a camera on a live studio programme (yes, this actually happened recently). You can actually learn a great deal from shadowing the professionals and it can be a real eye opener as to just how hard and fast the work is. It's not glitz and glamour and being asked to make the tea, photocopy scripts, feed the presenter's nicotine habit, being shouted at for getting in the way etc are just a few of the experiences you may encounter as a complete novice. Most of the major broadcasters have work experience/recruitment information on their websites and in the case of the BBC very comprehensive information on when to apply, the type of people they are looking for etc. Production companies occasionally advertise for work experience personnel in the Shooting People Digest, on Production Base and Mandy's website, also on their own websites. However, most do not need to advertise as they are inundated with postal requests, so join the queue and send in an impressive cover letter and CV. There are no rules regarding work experience e.g. no particular time to approach most companies, the offer of work is very much down to luck I'm afraid. A point to note, PACT have advised their members not to take anyone on on a work experience for longer than 4 weeks. Anything longer than that is seen as cheap labour. In additional to the odd couple of weeks work experience some companies offer internships, they are usually for longer periods and often paid. As far as I know there is no single place where information on internships can be found (in the US there are sites dedicated to internships), I have however seen the occasional ad in the Media Guardian. Do I need experience? Ultimately yes. At the start of your career this may seem like a 'Catch 22' situation, but it will be what employers look for over qualifications or anything else. If you can demonstrate hands on experience in a professional environment (even periods of work experience, an extra pair of hands or running for free) you will be one step ahead. It is something to highlight on your CV. Should I work for free? This depends, firstly only work for free if you want to. Secondly on the right project it can prove a valuable source of knowledge, experience and contacts. What is the right project? One with a budget, one that's insured, one with experienced crew, one that uses broadcast/professional equipment, one that takes health and safety seriously etc. Don't just do a project for the sake of it, if the crew are inexperienced and/or the equipment is substandard (non-broadcast/old) you'll gain nothing except some bad habits and end up leaving it off your CV anyway. You should always receive payment for expenses and be fed and watered (more than a glass of tap water and the odd sarnie), even if working for free. Professional productions will always pay expenses and maybe a small allowance (per diem.) Should I work on deferred payment projects? Again it depends on the project but on the whole probably not. Bear in mind it is extremely unlikely you'll ever receive your deferred fee - if the project was that good the producers would be able to raise the money to pay everybody properly. Some deferred projects in recent years have become synonymous with poor production values and often are an excuse for the director/producer to get his/her film made on the cheap, not have to raise as much money and take advantage of free talent while promising a share of the profits should the project be successful. It doesn't happen - that's why accountants are employed. Watch out for ads that say 'producer required, no experience necessary'. It might sound like the ideal opportunity for you, the person with little/no experience, however it is usually too good to be true and there are usually strings attached. The main string being that you are expected to work for nothing and into the bargain find the money necessary for the writer/director to make their project. You will of course be told you will get a deferred fee and/or a percentage of the monies you raise but do you, the novice with few/no contacts in the world of film financing, really want to devote yourself to such a project. Ultimately think about what you want to get out of the project in terms of commercial and professional experience and are you going to get it on this one? What are the best projects to work on? The obvious answer here would be 'a paid project' Not necessarily so. I've worked on some absolute turkeys where (bizarrely) everyone got paid, but ultimately gained nothing in terms of experience, knowledge or contacts. On the other hand I've worked for free on a brilliant project which, in the long run, gained me plenty of paid work. Postgraduate film school projects for example are often a good starting point as they will be insured, the equipment is likely to be to broadcast standard, there will be a budget and in theory the key personnel should know what they are doing. Ultimately the decision is of course yours just make sure you go in with your eyes wide open. If you ever feel put upon, are hungry, out of pocket (never pay for anything except travel and this should be reimbursed on the day), promises are broken, contracts not received etc etc GET OUT. You might be told it's unprofessional of you to quit - so what, aren't the people who are abusing your good will? Trust your own intuition. But I want to make my own films Fine, everyone does. First find out how many British movies were made in the last 10 years. How many folded during production. Find out how many were released. How many were released and disappeared without trace within a week. How many went straight to video. How many have made any money. How many production companies were formed and went to the wall within a year. Be realistic, the chances of success are very slim. Personal projects are fine for experience/a showreel but without a lot of experience behind you and all those involved, some serious financial backing etc you are unlikely to make that perfect film, get a distribution deal and make any money out of it. Even fully funded projects where the writer/director/producer etc have lived and breathed their film project for years, have never seen the light of day - that is soul destroying. There's ambition and there's realism. I only want to work on film projects Join the club, many people do. Unfortunately in the real world it isn't always possible, TV has an equal amount of kudos and latterly, new media, interactive, web, multi-media projects. The lucky few will get to work in film for life, the majority are more realistic and see all areas of production as worthy careers and many now regularly work across all mediums. Some companies have strange ideas and still like to pigeonhole i.e. if you haven't worked on a particular programme genre on a particular format already then you can't do it now. Wrong, it might apply to certain technical roles of course but with more and more people working across genre and across format there is growing proof that diversity and moving with the times works. In the very near future commissioned programming will have to be submitted with and supported by an interactive format. It may still be in it's infancy but with the success of interactive Big Brother, Walking With Beasts, Great Britons etc it is an area of growth. So as a new entrant try not to pigeonhole yourself. Should I apply for a job I haven't done before? Only if you have relevant skills and experience. Ambition is a worthy trait but don't overstep the mark by applying for a paid director post if you have only ever been paid as a runner. Not only are you wasting your own time but more importantly that of a potential employer. If an ad says the company requires a vision mixer with 5 year's live experience using a certain set-up that is actually what they want, not applications from people who've had a play with the equipment, nor do they want to hear from composers, runners, extras etc. An ad placed on a website not so long ago requesting CVs from studio freelancers in various stated roles was followed by over 200 emails - not a single application fitted the criteria of a year's studio experience. There were however plenty of CVs from actors, composers, runners, agencies etc. Should I lie about credits/experience to get a job? Under no circumstances!!! You will get found out and this is a very small industry. More often than not the producer or production manager will know someone who worked on a particular project, so it's easy to check and they generally do. A case in point: during recent crewing I was looking through some CVs, two caught my eye. One person had credited himself with a position I had held and the other, claimed to be a focus puller on a feature when in fact he was the 2nd unit camera trainee who had been sacked on day 2. Needless to say neither will be employed by me, the producers, production managers or camera/lighting department of either project. Word spreads. You have been warned! An article in the Guardian's Office Hours (May 13 2002 - not on their website unfortunately) empathised the importance of being truthful. Submitting a CV to an employer containing false information (however innocuous it may be) is legally an instantly dismissible offence. Under Section 16 of The Theft Act 1968 it makes it an offence to lie or gain employment by lying ('obtaining a pecuniary advantage by deception' no less.) The maximum prison sentence is 5 years. The moral of the tale is don't lie about anything (even that grade D in GSCE chemistry), the chances are you will be caught out. Are there any organisations I should join? BECTU (Broadcasting Entertainment Cinematograph and Theatre Union) should be a must for everybody, especially if you are freelance. Not only are BECTU there for your protection and rights but they also offer £3 million public liability insurance (for £12 a year) to freelancers, can assist you in chasing unpaid invoices, offer advice on employment law etc etc. In 2001 BECTU made a successful claim against the British Government in Europe, it is thanks to BECTU that all freelancers/those on short term contracts are entitled to holiday pay from day one of employment (this applies throughout industry and not just the media). In addition to the many services they offer to members, including receipt of the monthly magazine Stage Screen & Radio, you will have the opportunity to meet fellow members of your branch, network, attend reduced fee courses and subscribe to the 'Early Bird' list of projects in pre-production. BECTU membership also entitles you to a 25% reduction in the membership fee to Production Base. There are a number of professional organisations that you may wish to join. Membership requirements vary from organisation to organisation but some such as the Guild of Television Cameramen accepts members at Graduate, Affiliate and Full level. The Production Managers' Association on the other hand only accepts members with at least 3 year's professional PM experience and at least 6 broadcast or equivalent credits. APA Advertising Producers Association AMPS Association of Motion Picture Sound BKSTS The British Kinematograph Sound and Television Society Equity The Actors' Union DGGB Directors Guild of Great Britain GBCT Guild of British Camera Technicians GTC Guild of Television Cameramen IBS Institute of Broadcast Sound IVCA International Visual Communciations Association NPA New Producers Alliance PACT Producer's Alliance of Cinema and Television PCAM The Society for Producers and Composers of Applied Music PG The Production Guild (of Great Britain) PMA The Production Managers' Association WGGB The Writers' Guild of Great Britain I'm a DOP/Director/Producer Are you really? We receive a lot of submissions and CVs from new entrants claiming to effectively be HODs (Heads of Department - DOP, Producer, Director, Production Designer etc.) Maybe you held these positions on college/personal projects but in the commercial world it is extremely unlikely you will be employed in a senior position straight from college with no professional experience or track record. Unless they are paid commissioned commercial projects they will basically be discounted. Just as having a business studies degree doesn't make you a CEO, a media degree doesn't make you a director/producer etc. There is absolutely nothing wrong with ambition but be realistic about what you can do in the real world. If you haven't even been employed in a paid position as a runner there is very little chance of landing a commission to direct a commercial. There are always exceptions to the rule but they really are few and far between. The Directors Guild of Great Britain has some good advice for aspiring directors. I'm a DV Operator! A what??? This conjures up an image of someone throwing a handycam around with no regard for framing, exposure or focus. If this is you, fair enough (just don't expect to get work), but if you do know a bit about cinematography, call yourself a camera assistant/junior camera operator with DV experience. Bear in mind when you market yourself that DV is still looked at by broadcasters and some of the large indies as a lesser format and will avoid using it if at all possible. Also think about why a PM/Producer would want to employ a DV only operator when they can employ an experienced camera operator who works across formats including DV. What formats are relevant? Film - 16mm, S16, 35mm. Tape - DigiBeta, BetaSP, BetaSX, HD and to a lesser extent DVCPro (primarily Panasonic) and DVCam (Sony). Forget SVHS, U-matic, VHS, MII, Hi8, Video8, Digitial8 and super/standard 8mm film - no one uses them and therefore there is little point highlighting these formats on your CV. Broadcast standard formats are what employers look for on CVs, domestic standard DV and mini-DV versions are not (primarily due to the type of cameras used rather than the actual tape.) DV as a whole is a contentious issue in the media, due mainly to the poor standard of shooting and recording for television (a prevalence to use unqualified and inexperienced personnel to do the job), and there are numerous articles on the subject to be found on the web. Adam Wilt and the DV FUD Buster offer an insight into the professional side of the formats. Job ads Bear in mind that the film and television industries are predominately freelance (particularly in technical/artistic grades) so full time jobs per se are quite rare with staff being recruited on a daily, weekly or per project basis. By and large these jobs go unadvertised as production companies tend to have their favourites or regulars. Less frequently they employ by personal recommendations, employ via agencies/diary services/industry listings (print and web) and occasionally make contact via stored CVs. That said there are a number of places where jobs are advertised. Broadcast, weekly on Friday's (Thursday's in Central London) Media Guardian, Monday's and often repeated on Saturday Web |