This unit introduces students to career opportunities and professional practices in the creative media industry. Students will research job roles, complete assignments to develop skills like time management and teamwork, and create a five year career plan. They will evaluate their progress throughout the year and identify areas for further improvement.
Creative Media Careers Guide and Practitioner Profiles
1. Unit 3: Introduction to
Professional Practice
Job Roles and
Working in the Creative Media Production Industry
2. Introduction to
Professional Practice
• Unit 3 is designed to introduce the variety of roles,
responsibilities, employment and progression opportunities
available in this sector, Media Production.
• As such you will be investigating your own options, methods of
work and planning for the future.
• Assessment in this unit is from set assignments and the
cumulative production journal at the end of the year.
• It is therefore important that you not only track the process of
how you have worked in each project, but also how you have
developed over the year
3. Assessment criteria/Task List
1. Understand progression
opportunities within the
creative media sector.
1.1 Locate, access and use
information to support
own development.
- Illustrated sector guide
- Practitioner research file
- Five Year Plan
2. Understand the skills
needed to pursue a career
in the creative media
sector.
2.1 Critically evaluate a range
of working practices and
methods.
- Music Video Process Log
- End of Year Review
2.2 Apply knowledge of
working practices to
support own
development.
- Music Video Process Log
- End of Year Review
3. Be able to carry out roles
and responsibilities
consistent with
professional practice.
3.1 Organise self and work
to meet deadlines and
targets.
- End of Year 1 review
3.2 Demonstrate
consideration and
professionalism in working
with others.
- End of Year 1 review
4. Task 1: Illustrated Sector Guide [1.1]
Research a sector of the industry that you are interested in working in [e.g. film
production, TV, radio, graphic design, etc]. Use the information you find to produce an
illustrated guide to that sector. Include facts about employment, skills needed,
workforce information, etc.
Task 2: Practitioner Research File [1.1]
Within your chosen sector identify someone who is a notable practitioner and produce
a fact file about them. Research their journey to where they are now; look at
education, experience, skillset and look for insightful quotes about them and by them
to build a picture of who they are and how they work.
Task 3: Five Year Plan [1.1]
Produce a plan taking into account where you are now, what you will need to do next
and how to go about that in the next 5 years. Outline educational requirements
[college, University, courses, etc], experience you will need/would like to gain and
personal development that will be necessary to you in your future plans.
5. Task 4: Music Video Process Log [2.1, 2.2]
Complete the Music Video Process Log to evidence how you worked technically during
the Music Video production phase. Screenshot and explain how you managed to get
your production finalised.
Task 5: End of Year Review [2.1, 2.2, 3.1, 3.2]
Produce an end of year review looking at how you have worked across the year,
considering each stage of production, which productions have worked/not worked,
how you have managed your time, what skills you have developed, how you have
worked with others and how you organised your time, resources and equipment
throughout the year. You should then produce an action plan for Year 2 selecting 5 key
areas you wish to focus on to develop further.
7. Task 1: Illustrated Sector Guide [1.1]
Research a sector of the industry that you are interested in working in [e.g.
film production, TV, radio, graphic design, etc]. Use the information you find to
produce an illustrated guide to that sector. Include facts about employment,
skills needed, workforce information, etc.
8.
9. What we want from you is research in to the part of the media industry that you are
most interested in. That could be films, magazines, video games, television,
journalism… whatever you are interested in.
Find out about that industry. What jobs roles are available? What skills do people
need to work in that industry? What level of education is needed? How diverse, or
not, is the industry?
We want some good facts and figures that you can take and then use in your
illustrated guide.
Write down the information that you find, and keep a record of where you found it.
It’s best to get lots of research, and then pick the most useful information from that.
10. When making your illustrated guide, think carefully about all the elements
involved.
A good guide will have:
• Concise information
• Consistent image style
• Clear, consistent typography
• A coherent colour scheme
All of these elements need to work together to create your guide.
11. Information that I have found:
Photographer.
Showing Different Aspects Of How We See The World
There are many different types of photographers, each having their own perfect vision of
an ideal photo.
Landscape Photography,
Travel Photography,
Food Photography,
Macro Photography,
Nature Photography,
And Event Photography are just a few of many.
https://www.adorama.com/alc/17-types-of-photography-which-niche-is-right-for-you/
14. Task 2: Practitioner Research File [1.1]
Within your chosen sector identify someone who is a notable practitioner and produce
a fact file about them. Research their journey to where they are now; look at
education, experience, skillset and look for insightful quotes about them and by them
to build a picture of who they are and how they work.
15. What we want from you is research a specific person that works in the part of the industry
you made your illustrated guide for. Focus on those involved in the production of media,
rather than people who just appear in it.
Find out as much as you can about them, to help you produce your fact file.
We want to know what their education was like, what experience they have and what skills
they have. Find quotes about them. Read about them. Get a good picture of who they are
and how they got to where they are.
Write down the information that you find, and keep a record of where you found it. It’s best
to get lots of research, and then pick the most useful information from that.
16. When making a fact file, think carefully about all the elements involved.
A good fact file will have:
• Concise and relevant information
• Quotes about the practitioner
• Information on their work and achievements
• Background on how they got in to the industry
• What insight you have taken from this that can help you in your
development?
This information can be presented with graphics, typography and a colour
scheme.
19. What are you currently doing to pursue a career in your chosen field?
I would like to be a photographer. Mainly travel, landscape, and nature photography. I love animals, and
traveling around the world, and taking lot’s of pictures.
I take lot’s of photos all of the time. When getting ready to take a photo I would:
Set up the shot,
Adjust the setting and brightness etc,
Be patient and wait for the right moment,
And then take the photo at the perfect time.
I am thinking about buying a quality camera for taking amazing photos. Although I recently got a new phone,
iPhone 11, and I love it. The camera is so great in it. I have non-stop been taking photos with it.
I am doing a course at college which is based on Creative Media. In the course it involves operating cameras,
and photography. Which is a part in the course that I am really interested in.
I am going to be continuing onto the second year.
I have an Instagram account where I post photos that I have taken on my travels.
Next, I could take professional photographs for people and start earning money this way. This will look good
when applying for University or a job.
20. What do you plan to do next in the pursuit of your chosen field?
I am leaning more to going to University, but I don’t know what I am going to decide.
I think that I will go ahead with photography.
I think that I am going to be based around Media.
I may deicde that I want to be a graphics designer, a game creator, a software developer, a video/photo editor.
21. Select at least three potential University courses that would help you further your career aims. You should state
what the course is, which university it is run by, the entry requirements and why you think it would help you.
York St John's University – Photography MFA Postgraduate Course
https://www.yorksj.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/arts-humanities--performance/photography-mfa/
University of Leeds – Supervisor: Dr Tom Jackson.
https://ahc.leeds.ac.uk/staff/307/dr-tom-jackson
University of Huddersfield – Photography MA Postgraduate Course.
https://courses.hud.ac.uk/2022-23/full-time/postgraduate/photography-ma
Doncaster University Centre – courses for digital graohics.
https://www.don.ac.uk/subject-area/creative-arts-and-digital-industries/
Look At Hull University
Sheffield Hallam University – Photography MA Courses 1 or 2 years
https://www.shu.ac.uk/coursespage=0&perPage=5&query=Photography&yearOfEntry=2022%2F23&coursetype[
0]=7d244b45e39b4ca2bd0356632ae26bc8
22. What type of work experience do you think you would need to help you in your
future career? How might you be able to find work experience placements? If you
could pick anywhere to do work experience, where would it be and why?
With any job you would need to have work experience in at least one job. I am interested in
photography so I may need to work freelance for people who would like me to take specific
photo for them. This would look good for me when appliying for University and a job. It would
show that I have put myself out there to do some extra work. To reach someone, who might
need your photography skills, you could look online and more reliable – on social media.
Instagram is the perfect app for this as you can promote yourself in the description area of your
account. You could set up a pjotography account on Instagram, like I have, to boost the chance
of getting a place in a University. If I were to pick somewhere to work experience it would
probably be at a large shop that is well known, or a shop that specialises in photographic
equiptment, media, or electronics because it is associated with the field that you are going to be
working in. This could show that you are really interested in the job sector and other sectors
that are similar. This could be good because it would show that you have a wider range of
interests. You should also try to work at as many places as you can, so that it shows that you are
a busy person putting yourself out there in the community and/or areas around.
23. What specific skills do you need to develop? There should be a mix of industry specific skills and also
personal development points. When you identify these, come up with suggestions as to how you might
make those improvements.
I need to gain more knowledge on fine arts and important information on famous artists/photographers.
Key skills for Photographers include:
• Creativity
• Technical Photography Skills
• Patience and Concentration
• Attention to Detail
• Strong Networking Skills
• Team Working Skills
I think that I have Creativity Skills, Patience and Concentration Skills, and Attention to Detail Skills.
I would say that I need to work on/learn more about Technical Photography Skills, Strong Networking Skills,
and Team Working Skills.
I feel like my Networking Skills are getting better as I am posting photographs that I have taken on
Instagram weekly.
I feel like my Team Working Skills are getting better as well because I am becoming a more talkative person
now that I am at college. I am more confident and that is helpful because I am talking to new people and
working on the bond with each person.
24. In 5 years time I will…
In 5 years time I will have left University a year ago. I may be a freelance photographer, working for
a photography company, or doing something in the same sector/area as photography – media.
I will have gone to a University not too far away from home, yet not too close. I want the university to be better
known as then it will look better on my CV.
I will probably still be living with my parents, but not for too much longer. I would most likely be living at the
university. And in the years later I can see myself living in a small apartment, either by myself or with a friend or
two that I have met along the way. Or I may be in a relationship …
26. Task 4: Music Video Process Log [2.1, 2.2]
Complete the Music Video Process Log to evidence how you worked technically
during the Music Video production phase. Screenshot and explain how you managed
to get your production finalised.
There is a specific pro forma that you will use for this as part of your music video
production. Ensure that is completed with your Music Video project, to complete this
task.
28. Task 5: End of Year Review [2.1, 2.2, 3.1, 3.2]
Produce an end of year review looking at how you have worked across the year,
considering each stage of production, which productions have worked/not worked,
how you have managed your time, what skills you have developed, how you have
worked with others and how you organised your time, resources and equipment
throughout the year. You should then produce an action plan for Year 2 selecting 5
key areas you wish to focus on to develop further.
Complete the following slides to review your year. You can add images if you want to.
You can get screenshots from any part of your previous projects to support your work
on this.