How to be Purple Cow April 2016
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This document provides information about careers in the film industry and how to stand out. It discusses in-demand roles like production managers, assistants, and technical jobs. New technologies like drones, VR, and 3D printing are impacting filmmaking. The film industry value chain is outlined. Various departments like costume, lighting, and VFX are described. Developing skills through courses and building a portfolio are recommended to get noticed. Soft skills and qualifications that employers value are highlighted. Resources for learning and connecting to opportunities in the industry are provided.
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How to be Purple Cow April 2016
- 1. How to be a Purple Cow in the Film Industry – careers in the film industry Yen Yau Talent Development Manager Into Film
- 3. What’s with the Purple Cow?
- 5. Size of the industry
- 6. Creative Industries Strategy 2014
- 7. Skills needed by the film industry • In-demand roles • Production Manager • 1st, 2nd & 3rd ADs • Costume Supervisors • Steadicam • DITs • Digital asset management • Studio management • Script supervisors • 3D Rigging • Priority skills • Make-up in HD • Wig application • Period hair • Prosthetics • Sound recording • Editing 3D • Pre-visualisation
- 8. Where are the Opportunities? . • Management, leadership and business skills • A key gap for the future is new and digital technology and particularly managing the change from traditional to digital media. • In production digital camera skills and awareness are lacking • For exhibition and distribution employers a key focus is exploiting opportunities such as online and digital sales, marketing and distribution and dealing with threats eg. file sharing. • In production there is an on-going need for training is in health and safety.
- 9. What we associate with feature films
- 10. What we probably don’t imagine
- 11. Examples of technology impacting on film-making • Cloud and collaborative workflows • Drone cameras • Jaunt VR/Go Pros • 3D printing Source of image: CosProp http://www.cosprop.com/
- 12. Film Value Chain
- 13. Connecting to the Curriculum • Production accountants to make sure films come in on budget (maths) • Production designers (art, design, architecture) to define and create every visual aspect of a film • Producers (law, business studies, maths) to develop projects, find the finance and pull the different players together • Script supervisors (English) to ensure that there is continuity in the script • Riggers and carpenters (construction) to build sets • DIT or digital imaging technicians (ICT, computer science, physics/STEM), to back up the camera and sound files, checking for technical errors • Compositors (STEM, art, computer science), to put together all the various layers of computer generated images in visual effects
- 14. Craft and Technical departments
- 15. Costume & Hair/Make Up DepartmentsLighting/Camera & Grips Departments
- 16. Different Roles • Line Producer • Script Supervisor • DoP • Data Wrangler • Stereographer • Film Distributor • Compositor • Location Manager • Colour Grader • Prop Maker • Film Sales Agent • Editor • Sound Recordist • Publicist • Art Director • VFX Supervisor • Film Programmer • DIT • ADR Recordist • Scenic Plasterer
- 17. Routes In Historically, entry into VFX was informal, usually through the runner route. However, the industry is changing and most entrants now study a course offered by a private vocational training provider or a university.
- 18. Merida – it’s all in the hair!
- 19. Creating the hair and a wet dress
- 20. VFX Film Resources •The Core Skills of VFX http://www.skillset.org/animation/qualifications/article_8377_1.asp •Breakdown showreels http://www.artofvfx.com/?p=6591 http://www.moving-picture.com/showreels/vfx-breakdowns/ •Individual Career Profiles and Case studies http://www.dneg.com/career_profiles/
- 21. Developing a Portfolio • The Foundry NUKE – The award-winning tool for visual effects and the industry’s standard software (http://www.thefoundry.co.uk/products/nuke/non-commercial/) • Autodesk Maya – 3D computer animation, modeling, visual effects and rendering software tool (http://www.autodesk.com/education/home) • Fusion Tools for compositing, keying, painting, animation, stereoscopic 3D and more, all in a single application. Currently only available for windows (https://www.blackmagicdesign.com/products/fusion) • Sculptris If you're new to the world of digital sculpting, Sculptris is the ideal ground on which to get started (http://pixologic.com/sculptris/)
- 22. Getting noticed Who are you? What are your skills? What are you passionate about? What’s your BRAND? Are you resilient?
- 23. Six Key Soft Skill Clusters Crawford et al: Comparative Analysis of Soft Skills, Michigan State University, Aug 2011.
- 24. Six Key Soft Skill Clusters
- 25. What Employers Want Personal attributes •A positive attitude: a ‘can do’ approach, good work ethic and willingness to learn •Good personal presentation •Honesty and integrity •Reliability •Timekeeping and personal organisation •Team working, collaboration and co-operation •Flexibility •Commercial awareness and customer focus Skills •Communication – oral and written •Numeracy •Computer literacy/IT skills.
- 26. What skills do you need? • Has a film related degree • First aid certificate • Can speak foreign languages • Has made a short film • Has a driving license • Has a university degree
- 27. Ranked in order according to employers 1. Has a driving license 2. Has a university degree 3. Has made a short film 4. Can speak foreign languages 5. Has a film related degree 6. First aid certificate
- 28. Useful Websites • BAFTA Guru • Double Negative • Escape Studios • Shooting People • Screen International • The CG Society • College of Production
- 30. • BBC Academy • BFI Film Academy Network (NFTS Craft Residential) • FDA • Creative Choices /CCS • UK Film Export • Creative Access • Working Title • Creative England
- 31. • The Network • 4 Talent • BBC Writers Room • Broadcast • Televisual • So You Want to Work in TV • The TV Collective • The Sky Academy Television
- 32. Action Plan
- 33. Share the Plan
- 34. Final Thoughts 1. Be resilient 2. Be bold 3. Do a Skills audit 4. Always double check grammar & spelling!! 5. Research, Research & Research!! 6. Don’t be a MEDIA WANNABE! 7. Be prepared for opportunities – 90 second pitch 8. Work out how to convey your passion
Editor's Notes
- Remember - Transferable skills – though talking of film also relevant for commercials, television, music videos, corporate films. Lots of different jobs in the
- PRIZE – book
- Facebook is the most popular place for employers to post new vacancies On average, UK employers receive 60 applications for each job. Only 46% of those applicants meet the job requirements Just under half of all film and television employers think that new entrants should work for free When asked ‘What makes a perfect CV?’ 67% of employers used the words “short” or “concise Mon, August 18, 2014 by Stephen Follows http://stephenfollows.com/how-to-get-hired-in-the-film-and-tv-industries/ 1,235 international film professionals and the other with thecallsheet.co.uk’s audience of UK television and film employers.
- Great answers – this talk will help crystallise for some of your thoughts. Others motivate and inspire you Others find out jobs didn’t know exist that you could be interested. Up to you to take advantage of this session: Ask questions Active listening Take some notes though will make this available via twitter later You need to take responsibility for yourself how much you engage with this – you don’t know what you don’t know Hopefully I can help you – either to say yes, def want to follow through or to say, not for me which is just as important
- So what’s with Purple Cow Film industry competitive to get into What is your USP? NO MEDIA WANNABES – if you want to direct – DIRECT!!! Etc. DIGITAL FOOTPRINT Imagine you have just introduced yourself to an industry professional. HOW ARE YOU GOING TO MAKE YOURSELF MEMORABLE TO THIS PERSON? How do you differentiate yourself? HOW ARE YOU GOING TO GET THE EDGE ON THE NEXT PERSON WHO IS GOING FOR THE SAME JOB AS YOU? THINK OF EVERYONE IN THE THEATRE TODAY AS A POTENTIAL COMPETITOR Film and Television industries are very competitive markets Can’t be a wallflower It’s competitive – need to show passion, commitment, Issues of “who you know”, working for free (issue of internships), geography (critical mass in maintaining talent in a region) It’s an endurance test that many people are willing to submit to. Why is it important? Want our film (and TV) industry to be representative of the population – need fresh/new voices. Film is a business and ideas its lifeline but also the UK is world famous for its craft and tech professionals and with the advances in digital technology, there is a skills deficit; workforce also getting older. EQUAL ACCESS – talented and also ambitious/passionate young people facing often multiple barriers to entry – industry ultimately losing out – important – entrepreneurial outlook/bedroom innovators/fresh voices Serendipity – “elevator pitch”
- Content of talk: Importance of supporting the development of creative and technical skills, preparing young people with transferable 21st century skills. The UK is a world leader of film VFX (kicked of by the Harry Potter franchise), and to retain our leading edge in this sector, need to have students aware that careers dependent on strong STEM and computing science backgrounds are essential. Working in this sector involves problem solving skills, a creative vision to develop stories and ideas that capture an international audiences imagination, the iterative process of making visual effects means that sometimes things do not work but that is a not to be seen as a failure because you learn something from that process. We need to encourage more students to think about STEM subjects because many industries that we in the UK excel in depend on them. Not enough engineers undertaking R&D; UK 5th largest economy in the world yet we are 22nd in the world rankings for countries for registering patents (according to James Dyson in Observer last month) Companies like Dneg rely on individuals who can come up with technical innovation, to push at the cinematic boundaries. Need to invest in indigenous talent – Dneg current workforce, 50% non UK. Exciting time to be working (or considering working in the creative industries/film) A 2012 study by Oxford Economics estimates that the core UK film industry is a substantial industry, directly generating 43,900 full time equivalent (FTE) jobs and contributing £1.6 billion to national GDP. In employment terms, the industry is larger than fund management and the pharmaceutical manufacturing sector. Furthermore, the overall trend is very positive with employment increasing since 1995, mirroring film production levels (particularly inward investment). Creative Industries Employment (2011 –2012) The Creative Industries accounted for 1.68 million jobs in 2012, 5.6 per cent of the total number of jobs in the UK. Employment in the Creative Industries increased by 8.6 per cent between 2011 and 2012 ,a higher rate than for the UK Economy as a whole (0.7%) – DCMS 2014 report Martini media - 2006 speech, Mark Thompson urged the BBC to embrace "martini media" – making content available any time, any place, anywhere. Eg. Film not just viewed in cinemas but on several platforms – knowledge of how your creative vision can be viewed on large or small format; transmedia, new jobs (Head of Data, Head of User Experience – film turned into themepark rides), Tax credits, film studios (we have 10 in the UK) like Pinewood seeking expansion, Bottle Yard (Bristol), Scotland still seeking to build studio (recent productions (Prometheus, Skyfall, Under the Skin, Sunshine on Leith, World War Z, Outlander last year and more recently Macbeth) VFX – world reputation, kickstarted off the back of the HP franchise Remember - Transferable skills – though talking of film also relevant for commercials, television, music videos, corporate films. Lots of different jobs in the 21st century skills – not just about technology but also employers particularly in the creative industries want self starters, problem solvers, to have creative streak but also have technical know how (to be analytical). Fusion Skills the overlapping zones of Art/Creativity, STEM and Enterprise, which is the motor in our world of skills. Importance of creative industries to GDP 21st century skills – fit for, responsive, (Eric Schmidt) Convergence – digital skills, media literacy, to develop skills as creators and not just consumers of content – polymaths (not boffins vs luvvies) Lewis Carroll wrote one of the classic fairy tales, Alice in Wonderland, and was also a mathematics tutor at Oxford. the UK needed to bring art and science back together Priority as we as a country have moved away from traditional forms of work and enterprise. Transferable skills – though talking of film also relevant for commercials, television, music videos, corporate films health/medicine sector, Latest CS employment census Fusion Skills Skills Shortage: Our skills and talent base form the backbone of the UK's world class and growing creative media industries but we need to invest in on-going skills development; aging workforce
- Content of talk: Importance of supporting the development of creative and technical skills, preparing young people with transferable 21st century skills. The UK is a world leader of film VFX (kicked of by the Harry Potter franchise), and to retain our leading edge in this sector, need to have students aware that careers dependent on strong STEM and computing science backgrounds are essential. Working in this sector involves problem solving skills, a creative vision to develop stories and ideas that capture an international audiences imagination, the iterative process of making visual effects means that sometimes things do not work but that is a not to be seen as a failure because you learn something from that process. We need to encourage more students to think about STEM subjects because many industries that we in the UK excel in depend on them. Not enough engineers undertaking R&D; UK 5th largest economy in the world yet we are 22nd in the world rankings for countries for registering patents (according to James Dyson in Observer last month) Companies like Dneg rely on individuals who can come up with technical innovation, to push at the cinematic boundaries. Need to invest in indigenous talent – Dneg current workforce, 50% non UK. Exciting time to be working (or considering working in the creative industries/film) A 2012 study by Oxford Economics estimates that the core UK film industry is a substantial industry, directly generating 43,900 full time equivalent (FTE) jobs and contributing £1.6 billion to national GDP. In employment terms, the industry is larger than fund management and the pharmaceutical manufacturing sector. Furthermore, the overall trend is very positive with employment increasing since 1995, mirroring film production levels (particularly inward investment). Creative Industries Employment (2011 –2012) The Creative Industries accounted for 1.68 million jobs in 2012, 5.6 per cent of the total number of jobs in the UK. Employment in the Creative Industries increased by 8.6 per cent between 2011 and 2012 ,a higher rate than for the UK Economy as a whole (0.7%) – DCMS 2014 report Martini media - 2006 speech, Mark Thompson urged the BBC to embrace "martini media" – making content available any time, any place, anywhere. Eg. Film not just viewed in cinemas but on several platforms – knowledge of how your creative vision can be viewed on large or small format; transmedia, new jobs (Head of Data, Head of User Experience – film turned into themepark rides), Tax credits, film studios (we have 10 in the UK) like Pinewood seeking expansion, Bottle Yard (Bristol), Scotland still seeking to build studio (recent productions (Prometheus, Skyfall, Under the Skin, Sunshine on Leith, World War Z, Outlander last year and more recently Macbeth) VFX – world reputation, kickstarted off the back of the HP franchise Remember - Transferable skills – though talking of film also relevant for commercials, television, music videos, corporate films. Lots of different jobs in the 21st century skills – not just about technology but also employers particularly in the creative industries want self starters, problem solvers, to have creative streak but also have technical know how (to be analytical). Fusion Skills the overlapping zones of Art/Creativity, STEM and Enterprise, which is the motor in our world of skills. Importance of creative industries to GDP 21st century skills – fit for, responsive, (Eric Schmidt) Convergence – digital skills, media literacy, to develop skills as creators and not just consumers of content – polymaths (not boffins vs luvvies) Lewis Carroll wrote one of the classic fairy tales, Alice in Wonderland, and was also a mathematics tutor at Oxford. the UK needed to bring art and science back together Priority as we as a country have moved away from traditional forms of work and enterprise. Transferable skills – though talking of film also relevant for commercials, television, music videos, corporate films health/medicine sector, Latest CS employment census Fusion Skills Skills Shortage: Our skills and talent base form the backbone of the UK's world class and growing creative media industries but we need to invest in on-going skills development; aging workforce
- Content of talk: Importance of supporting the development of creative and technical skills, preparing young people with transferable 21st century skills. The UK is a world leader of film VFX (kicked of by the Harry Potter franchise), and to retain our leading edge in this sector, need to have students aware that careers dependent on strong STEM and computing science backgrounds are essential. Working in this sector involves problem solving skills, a creative vision to develop stories and ideas that capture an international audiences imagination, the iterative process of making visual effects means that sometimes things do not work but that is a not to be seen as a failure because you learn something from that process. We need to encourage more students to think about STEM subjects because many industries that we in the UK excel in depend on them. Not enough engineers undertaking R&D; UK 5th largest economy in the world yet we are 22nd in the world rankings for countries for registering patents (according to James Dyson in Observer last month) Companies like Dneg rely on individuals who can come up with technical innovation, to push at the cinematic boundaries. Need to invest in indigenous talent – Dneg current workforce, 50% non UK. Exciting time to be working (or considering working in the creative industries/film) A 2012 study by Oxford Economics estimates that the core UK film industry is a substantial industry, directly generating 43,900 full time equivalent (FTE) jobs and contributing £1.6 billion to national GDP. In employment terms, the industry is larger than fund management and the pharmaceutical manufacturing sector. Furthermore, the overall trend is very positive with employment increasing since 1995, mirroring film production levels (particularly inward investment). Creative Industries Employment (2011 –2012) The Creative Industries accounted for 1.68 million jobs in 2012, 5.6 per cent of the total number of jobs in the UK. Employment in the Creative Industries increased by 8.6 per cent between 2011 and 2012 ,a higher rate than for the UK Economy as a whole (0.7%) – DCMS 2014 report Martini media - 2006 speech, Mark Thompson urged the BBC to embrace "martini media" – making content available any time, any place, anywhere. Eg. Film not just viewed in cinemas but on several platforms – knowledge of how your creative vision can be viewed on large or small format; transmedia, new jobs (Head of Data, Head of User Experience – film turned into themepark rides), Tax credits, film studios (we have 10 in the UK) like Pinewood seeking expansion, Bottle Yard (Bristol), Scotland still seeking to build studio (recent productions (Prometheus, Skyfall, Under the Skin, Sunshine on Leith, World War Z, Outlander last year and more recently Macbeth) VFX – world reputation, kickstarted off the back of the HP franchise Remember - Transferable skills – though talking of film also relevant for commercials, television, music videos, corporate films. Lots of different jobs in the 21st century skills – not just about technology but also employers particularly in the creative industries want self starters, problem solvers, to have creative streak but also have technical know how (to be analytical). Fusion Skills the overlapping zones of Art/Creativity, STEM and Enterprise, which is the motor in our world of skills. Importance of creative industries to GDP 21st century skills – fit for, responsive, (Eric Schmidt) Convergence – digital skills, media literacy, to develop skills as creators and not just consumers of content – polymaths (not boffins vs luvvies) Lewis Carroll wrote one of the classic fairy tales, Alice in Wonderland, and was also a mathematics tutor at Oxford. the UK needed to bring art and science back together Priority as we as a country have moved away from traditional forms of work and enterprise. Transferable skills – though talking of film also relevant for commercials, television, music videos, corporate films health/medicine sector, Latest CS employment census Fusion Skills Skills Shortage: Our skills and talent base form the backbone of the UK's world class and growing creative media industries but we need to invest in on-going skills development; aging workforce
- Creative Skillset Employment Census of the Creative industries 2012 Freelancers represent 10% of film distribution. They are employed in legal, servicing, business management and distribution, sales and marketing. As previously explained, the Census does not include freelancers in film production given that the snapshot methodology of recording employment Film on one day does not provide a reliable estimate of the total workforce involved in filmmaking as production levels fluctuate over time. No freelancers were recorded in cinema exhibition.
- Creative Skillset Employment Census of the Creative industries 2012 Freelancers represent 10% of film distribution. They are employed in legal, servicing, business management and distribution, sales and marketing. As previously explained, the Census does not include freelancers in film production given that the snapshot methodology of recording employment Film on one day does not provide a reliable estimate of the total workforce involved in filmmaking as production levels fluctuate over time. No freelancers were recorded in cinema exhibition.
- There is a wide range of specialist, high-end creative and technical skills employed in the film industry. The existing craft, technical and production skills long associated with the film industry remain in demand. However, as the business model and technologies underlying the film industry become more complex, individuals will also need to develop a more sophisticated understanding of how the different sectors and functions of the industry inter-relate and of the impact of new technologies.
- There is a wide range of specialist, high-end creative and technical skills employed in the film industry. The existing craft, technical and production skills long associated with the film industry remain in demand. However, as the business model and technologies underlying the film industry become more complex, individuals will also need to develop a more sophisticated understanding of how the different sectors and functions of the industry inter-relate and of the impact of new technologies.
- Content of talk: Importance of supporting the development of creative and technical skills, preparing young people with transferable 21st century skills. The UK is a world leader of film VFX (kicked of by the Harry Potter franchise), and to retain our leading edge in this sector, need to have students aware that careers dependent on strong STEM and computing science backgrounds are essential. Working in this sector involves problem solving skills, a creative vision to develop stories and ideas that capture an international audiences imagination, the iterative process of making visual effects means that sometimes things do not work but that is a not to be seen as a failure because you learn something from that process. We need to encourage more students to think about STEM subjects because many industries that we in the UK excel in depend on them. Not enough engineers undertaking R&D; UK 5th largest economy in the world yet we are 22nd in the world rankings for countries for registering patents (according to James Dyson in Observer last month) Companies like Dneg rely on individuals who can come up with technical innovation, to push at the cinematic boundaries. Need to invest in indigenous talent – Dneg current workforce, 50% non UK. Exciting time to be working (or considering working in the creative industries/film) A 2012 study by Oxford Economics estimates that the core UK film industry is a substantial industry, directly generating 43,900 full time equivalent (FTE) jobs and contributing £1.6 billion to national GDP. In employment terms, the industry is larger than fund management and the pharmaceutical manufacturing sector. Furthermore, the overall trend is very positive with employment increasing since 1995, mirroring film production levels (particularly inward investment). Creative Industries Employment (2011 –2012) The Creative Industries accounted for 1.68 million jobs in 2012, 5.6 per cent of the total number of jobs in the UK. Employment in the Creative Industries increased by 8.6 per cent between 2011 and 2012 ,a higher rate than for the UK Economy as a whole (0.7%) – DCMS 2014 report Martini media - 2006 speech, Mark Thompson urged the BBC to embrace "martini media" – making content available any time, any place, anywhere. Eg. Film not just viewed in cinemas but on several platforms – knowledge of how your creative vision can be viewed on large or small format; transmedia, new jobs (Head of Data, Head of User Experience – film turned into themepark rides), Tax credits, film studios (we have 10 in the UK) like Pinewood seeking expansion, Bottle Yard (Bristol), Scotland still seeking to build studio (recent productions (Prometheus, Skyfall, Under the Skin, Sunshine on Leith, World War Z, Outlander last year and more recently Macbeth) VFX – world reputation, kickstarted off the back of the HP franchise Remember - Transferable skills – though talking of film also relevant for commercials, television, music videos, corporate films. Lots of different jobs in the 21st century skills – not just about technology but also employers particularly in the creative industries want self starters, problem solvers, to have creative streak but also have technical know how (to be analytical). Fusion Skills the overlapping zones of Art/Creativity, STEM and Enterprise, which is the motor in our world of skills. Importance of creative industries to GDP 21st century skills – fit for, responsive, (Eric Schmidt) Convergence – digital skills, media literacy, to develop skills as creators and not just consumers of content – polymaths (not boffins vs luvvies) Lewis Carroll wrote one of the classic fairy tales, Alice in Wonderland, and was also a mathematics tutor at Oxford. the UK needed to bring art and science back together Priority as we as a country have moved away from traditional forms of work and enterprise. Transferable skills – though talking of film also relevant for commercials, television, music videos, corporate films health/medicine sector, Latest CS employment census Fusion Skills Skills Shortage: Our skills and talent base form the backbone of the UK's world class and growing creative media industries but we need to invest in on-going skills development; aging workforce
- Content of talk: Importance of supporting the development of creative and technical skills, preparing young people with transferable 21st century skills. The UK is a world leader of film VFX (kicked of by the Harry Potter franchise), and to retain our leading edge in this sector, need to have students aware that careers dependent on strong STEM and computing science backgrounds are essential. Working in this sector involves problem solving skills, a creative vision to develop stories and ideas that capture an international audiences imagination, the iterative process of making visual effects means that sometimes things do not work but that is a not to be seen as a failure because you learn something from that process. We need to encourage more students to think about STEM subjects because many industries that we in the UK excel in depend on them. Not enough engineers undertaking R&D; UK 5th largest economy in the world yet we are 22nd in the world rankings for countries for registering patents (according to James Dyson in Observer last month) Companies like Dneg rely on individuals who can come up with technical innovation, to push at the cinematic boundaries. Need to invest in indigenous talent – Dneg current workforce, 50% non UK. Exciting time to be working (or considering working in the creative industries/film) A 2012 study by Oxford Economics estimates that the core UK film industry is a substantial industry, directly generating 43,900 full time equivalent (FTE) jobs and contributing £1.6 billion to national GDP. In employment terms, the industry is larger than fund management and the pharmaceutical manufacturing sector. Furthermore, the overall trend is very positive with employment increasing since 1995, mirroring film production levels (particularly inward investment). Creative Industries Employment (2011 –2012) The Creative Industries accounted for 1.68 million jobs in 2012, 5.6 per cent of the total number of jobs in the UK. Employment in the Creative Industries increased by 8.6 per cent between 2011 and 2012 ,a higher rate than for the UK Economy as a whole (0.7%) – DCMS 2014 report Martini media - 2006 speech, Mark Thompson urged the BBC to embrace "martini media" – making content available any time, any place, anywhere. Eg. Film not just viewed in cinemas but on several platforms – knowledge of how your creative vision can be viewed on large or small format; transmedia, new jobs (Head of Data, Head of User Experience – film turned into themepark rides), Tax credits, film studios (we have 10 in the UK) like Pinewood seeking expansion, Bottle Yard (Bristol), Scotland still seeking to build studio (recent productions (Prometheus, Skyfall, Under the Skin, Sunshine on Leith, World War Z, Outlander last year and more recently Macbeth) VFX – world reputation, kickstarted off the back of the HP franchise Remember - Transferable skills – though talking of film also relevant for commercials, television, music videos, corporate films. Lots of different jobs in the 21st century skills – not just about technology but also employers particularly in the creative industries want self starters, problem solvers, to have creative streak but also have technical know how (to be analytical). Fusion Skills the overlapping zones of Art/Creativity, STEM and Enterprise, which is the motor in our world of skills. Importance of creative industries to GDP 21st century skills – fit for, responsive, (Eric Schmidt) Convergence – digital skills, media literacy, to develop skills as creators and not just consumers of content – polymaths (not boffins vs luvvies) Lewis Carroll wrote one of the classic fairy tales, Alice in Wonderland, and was also a mathematics tutor at Oxford. the UK needed to bring art and science back together Priority as we as a country have moved away from traditional forms of work and enterprise. Transferable skills – though talking of film also relevant for commercials, television, music videos, corporate films health/medicine sector, Latest CS employment census Fusion Skills Skills Shortage: Our skills and talent base form the backbone of the UK's world class and growing creative media industries but we need to invest in on-going skills development; aging workforce
- Content of talk: Importance of supporting the development of creative and technical skills, preparing young people with transferable 21st century skills. The UK is a world leader of film VFX (kicked of by the Harry Potter franchise), and to retain our leading edge in this sector, need to have students aware that careers dependent on strong STEM and computing science backgrounds are essential. Working in this sector involves problem solving skills, a creative vision to develop stories and ideas that capture an international audiences imagination, the iterative process of making visual effects means that sometimes things do not work but that is a not to be seen as a failure because you learn something from that process. We need to encourage more students to think about STEM subjects because many industries that we in the UK excel in depend on them. Not enough engineers undertaking R&D; UK 5th largest economy in the world yet we are 22nd in the world rankings for countries for registering patents (according to James Dyson in Observer last month) Companies like Dneg rely on individuals who can come up with technical innovation, to push at the cinematic boundaries. Need to invest in indigenous talent – Dneg current workforce, 50% non UK. Exciting time to be working (or considering working in the creative industries/film) A 2012 study by Oxford Economics estimates that the core UK film industry is a substantial industry, directly generating 43,900 full time equivalent (FTE) jobs and contributing £1.6 billion to national GDP. In employment terms, the industry is larger than fund management and the pharmaceutical manufacturing sector. Furthermore, the overall trend is very positive with employment increasing since 1995, mirroring film production levels (particularly inward investment). Creative Industries Employment (2011 –2012) The Creative Industries accounted for 1.68 million jobs in 2012, 5.6 per cent of the total number of jobs in the UK. Employment in the Creative Industries increased by 8.6 per cent between 2011 and 2012 ,a higher rate than for the UK Economy as a whole (0.7%) – DCMS 2014 report Martini media - 2006 speech, Mark Thompson urged the BBC to embrace "martini media" – making content available any time, any place, anywhere. Eg. Film not just viewed in cinemas but on several platforms – knowledge of how your creative vision can be viewed on large or small format; transmedia, new jobs (Head of Data, Head of User Experience – film turned into themepark rides), Tax credits, film studios (we have 10 in the UK) like Pinewood seeking expansion, Bottle Yard (Bristol), Scotland still seeking to build studio (recent productions (Prometheus, Skyfall, Under the Skin, Sunshine on Leith, World War Z, Outlander last year and more recently Macbeth) VFX – world reputation, kickstarted off the back of the HP franchise Remember - Transferable skills – though talking of film also relevant for commercials, television, music videos, corporate films. Lots of different jobs in the 21st century skills – not just about technology but also employers particularly in the creative industries want self starters, problem solvers, to have creative streak but also have technical know how (to be analytical). Fusion Skills the overlapping zones of Art/Creativity, STEM and Enterprise, which is the motor in our world of skills. Importance of creative industries to GDP 21st century skills – fit for, responsive, (Eric Schmidt) Convergence – digital skills, media literacy, to develop skills as creators and not just consumers of content – polymaths (not boffins vs luvvies) Lewis Carroll wrote one of the classic fairy tales, Alice in Wonderland, and was also a mathematics tutor at Oxford. the UK needed to bring art and science back together Priority as we as a country have moved away from traditional forms of work and enterprise. Transferable skills – though talking of film also relevant for commercials, television, music videos, corporate films health/medicine sector, Latest CS employment census Fusion Skills Skills Shortage: Our skills and talent base form the backbone of the UK's world class and growing creative media industries but we need to invest in on-going skills development; aging workforce
- Exercise More in depth discussion – after watching the films, to explore different things that need to be done. Game - have 5 bags/boxes with bits of paper/card, etc.: Different types of weather Selection of characters - prince, pirate, spaceman, alien, giant mouse, nurse, etc. Different settings/locations – castle, seaside, in a caravan, sweet shop, submarine, etc. Setting a task – going to buy a pair of shoes, deciding what to cook for dinner, going on holiday, etc. Selection of props – cushion, tennis racket, a plant, wooden spoon, etc. Split class into groups, get someone different each time to pick one bit of paper from each bag/box. This will form the outline of a film. Have to imagine what they need to do to get film off the ground (assigning roles, tasks)
- Or to look at getting in via subjects Stage 1: Researching the idea, finding money and team members to make your film Stage 2: Got the money and an idea – you’ve got the green light! Next, preparations Stage 3: The actual shooting of the film Stage 4: Post-production – what you do once you’ve shot the film Stage 5: Getting it seen in the cinema Point out, as some will know, US and UK have different systems Studio films/independently made films Films go through 5 common stages Say it is one of the most competitive and popular job markets to crack. For teachers: Research and Development, including Writing, Pitching, Finding Finance Pre-Production: Production is definitely on and preparations are made Production or Shoot: Filming Post-Production or Post: Editing of sound, vision and visual effects Distribution and Exhibition, which may be the crucial part of the process -marketing the film; getting it shown and watched
- A key gap for the future is new and digital technology and particularly managing the change from traditional to digital media. In production digital camera skills and awareness are lacking For exhibition and distribution employers a key focus is exploiting opportunities such as online and digital sales, marketing and distribution and dealing with threats eg. file sharing. .
- Be proactive do research. Be prepared to start at bottom To find out about the different jobs and what they really entail – do the research. Look online for case studies, look up industry people you find inspiring – look at their career pathway, network, go to festivals, events = be proactive It is important to be clear what job/role you are interested in and whether it is in film or television. Are you flexible? In this day and age with many aspects of the industries overlapping or converging, it maybe that you move between the 2 (post production or screenwriting for instance), What area of the are you most interested in? TV, Film, advertising, Video, Interactive Media? For example, if you are interested in television are you interested in production, presenting, research, technical support? Watch content, make stuff, read widely – be proactive Bear in mind that media is moving towards a cross platform approach, allowing content to be created and accessed in many different ways, e.g. a computer game could be made into a film, or a TV show could be made online etc. So while it’s important to know an area you want to target, it’s worth researching other areas and considering how they could fit together and being flexible about working in a variety of ways. QUESTION transmedia (or cross media) – who know what this term means? Power to the Pixel, SDF BAFTA survey last year – 2000 young people 16-24 questioned: The skills, roles, Work experience, information deficit: • Young people are not necessarily aware of industry skills requirements Careers advice on film, television or games is hard to find Accessing careers advice can be difficult
- The handbook has been produced following a sustained dialogue between Creative Skillset, the industry and educators. It is a clear presentation of the VFX industry's voice on new entrant skills, setting out what skills the industry needs to remain world beating The Core Skills of VFX Handbook has one simple but ambitious aim: to improve the new entrant skills available for the UK's VFX industry The Core Skills of VFX is a comprehensive, modular guide to best practice in VFX education and training that draws on the knowledge and advice of more than 60 of the UK's top VFX professionals from many of the UKs leading companies. The handbook, which will be provided free to all universities and colleges across the UK, has been designed to give course tutors in-depth guidance on the skills that the next generation of VFX talent will need to keep our industry at the leading edge. The modular nature of the handbook will allow institutions to embed specific elements into their current courses, or use it in entirety to create brand new, industry-focused degree courses. It also contains a section for students, The VFX Core Skills Student Primer, with a guide to the core skills the industry needs - from technical elements to softer, often overlooked skills such as teamwork and meeting the client brief. Art of VFX – Capt America Milk – Dr Who, Sherlock MPC – Lone Ranger, WWZ, Percy Jackson, Dark Shadows NUKE Personal Learning Edition – do not worry about the watermark Maya 30 free trial Houdini – apprentice edition
- There were more than 1,500 hand-placed corkscrews and flyaway wisps of hair with depth and texture audiences had never seen before. It took six Pixar research engineers and artists more than three years to bring the ground breaking strands to life onscreen. The team spent two months working on the scene where Merida removes her hood and you see the full volume of her hair.
- There were more than 1,500 hand-placed corkscrews and flyaway wisps of hair with depth and texture audiences had never seen before. It took six Pixar research engineers and artists more than three years to bring the ground breaking strands to life onscreen. The team spent two months working on the scene where Merida removes her hood and you see the full volume of her hair.
- The handbook has been produced following a sustained dialogue between Creative Skillset, the industry and educators. It is a clear presentation of the VFX industry's voice on new entrant skills, setting out what skills the industry needs to remain world beating The Core Skills of VFX Handbook has one simple but ambitious aim: to improve the new entrant skills available for the UK's VFX industry The Core Skills of VFX is a comprehensive, modular guide to best practice in VFX education and training that draws on the knowledge and advice of more than 60 of the UK's top VFX professionals from many of the UKs leading companies. The handbook, which will be provided free to all universities and colleges across the UK, has been designed to give course tutors in-depth guidance on the skills that the next generation of VFX talent will need to keep our industry at the leading edge. The modular nature of the handbook will allow institutions to embed specific elements into their current courses, or use it in entirety to create brand new, industry-focused degree courses. It also contains a section for students, The VFX Core Skills Student Primer, with a guide to the core skills the industry needs - from technical elements to softer, often overlooked skills such as teamwork and meeting the client brief. Art of VFX – Capt America Milk – Dr Who, Sherlock MPC – Lone Ranger, WWZ, Percy Jackson, Dark Shadows NUKE Personal Learning Edition – do not worry about the watermark Maya 30 free trial Houdini – apprentice edition
- The handbook has been produced following a sustained dialogue between Creative Skillset, the industry and educators. It is a clear presentation of the VFX industry's voice on new entrant skills, setting out what skills the industry needs to remain world beating The Core Skills of VFX Handbook has one simple but ambitious aim: to improve the new entrant skills available for the UK's VFX industry The Core Skills of VFX is a comprehensive, modular guide to best practice in VFX education and training that draws on the knowledge and advice of more than 60 of the UK's top VFX professionals from many of the UKs leading companies. The handbook, which will be provided free to all universities and colleges across the UK, has been designed to give course tutors in-depth guidance on the skills that the next generation of VFX talent will need to keep our industry at the leading edge. The modular nature of the handbook will allow institutions to embed specific elements into their current courses, or use it in entirety to create brand new, industry-focused degree courses. It also contains a section for students, The VFX Core Skills Student Primer, with a guide to the core skills the industry needs - from technical elements to softer, often overlooked skills such as teamwork and meeting the client brief. Art of VFX – Capt America Milk – Dr Who, Sherlock MPC – Lone Ranger, WWZ, Percy Jackson, Dark Shadows NUKE Personal Learning Edition – do not worry about the watermark Maya 30 free trial Houdini – apprentice edition
- The handbook has been produced following a sustained dialogue between Creative Skillset, the industry and educators. It is a clear presentation of the VFX industry's voice on new entrant skills, setting out what skills the industry needs to remain world beating The Core Skills of VFX Handbook has one simple but ambitious aim: to improve the new entrant skills available for the UK's VFX industry The Core Skills of VFX is a comprehensive, modular guide to best practice in VFX education and training that draws on the knowledge and advice of more than 60 of the UK's top VFX professionals from many of the UKs leading companies. The handbook, which will be provided free to all universities and colleges across the UK, has been designed to give course tutors in-depth guidance on the skills that the next generation of VFX talent will need to keep our industry at the leading edge. The modular nature of the handbook will allow institutions to embed specific elements into their current courses, or use it in entirety to create brand new, industry-focused degree courses. It also contains a section for students, The VFX Core Skills Student Primer, with a guide to the core skills the industry needs - from technical elements to softer, often overlooked skills such as teamwork and meeting the client brief. Art of VFX – Capt America Milk – Dr Who, Sherlock MPC – Lone Ranger, WWZ, Percy Jackson, Dark Shadows NUKE Personal Learning Edition – do not worry about the watermark Maya 30 free trial Houdini – apprentice edition
- Elevator Pitch/Being prepared/inquistiveness First impressions The 'Mehrabian formula' (7%/38%/55%) was established in situations where there was incongruence between words and expression. (Verbal Liking + Vocal Liking + Facial Liking ) That is, where the words did not match the facial expression: specifically in Mehrabian's research people tended to believe the expression they saw, not the words spoken. Networking Easy GOAL YOU CAN SET – networking example – not to be like a rabbit caught in headlights of a car – overwhelmed by sight of sea of strange, unfamiliar faces, like here today. SAY TO YOURSELF GIVE YOURSELF TARGET COLLECT 2 BUSINESS CARDS – ACHIEVE THAT THEN ANYTHING ELSE IS A BONUS, RELIEVES PRESSURE Skills Audit (hard and soft skills) Persuade me – what was the last film you saw? What genres are you interested in? 4Talent Film/Grierson film In your job hunt, it helps to think of yourself as a sales representative. You’re selling the most important thing in the world – yourself! To be your own salesperson, you need three things: PRODUCT KNOWLEDGE You need to know everything there is to know about the product. You will do a skills audit, as well as your achievements, your experience/career. Building up list of your what/who you are, suggest that every time you achieve something noteworthy or is a milestone, make sure you record it on what can be a database. PROMOTIONAL LITERATURE A sales representative has leaflets and brochures about his/her product, to send or give to prospective customers. In this case, the promotional literature is your CV. Make sure you don’t make any grammatical or spelling mistakes; format the doc imaginatively, be eye catching. Do your research, certain principles apply in what employers expect a CV should include/look like. Use your database so that each CV can be tailored to opportunities – make it relevant for what you are applying to. For example – if you are self shooting director, and you are going for a camera job, leave out director credits, and emphasise kit you have worked with, illustrate the lights you are familiar with, name productions, etc. Do not include content that will detract from main message you want to convey CONFIDENCE IN THE REPORT You can’t sell anything well if you don’t believe in it. You have to have confidence in yourself, your skills, who you are, etc. One of the strategies you can adopt to achieve this it to set goals. Self awareness Self confidence Resilience Persistence and Perseverance transition from student to professional; employability skills - work patterns for creative industries (freelance), mobile, portfolio career, new roles yet to be realised - internet of things; multi platforms, how we consume/create content
- Introduction to each other: have you said hello/introduced yourself to the person next to you? Firm handshake, look at each other, smile! Not so hard, and you’ve done something which should be second nature, forming positive initial impression! networking opportunity, everyone is in the same boat – creating a connection This may fill some of you with horror but it’s not that hard. Some people feel paralysed by the thought of networking, introducing yourself to a stranger but to working in film which relies on word of mouth, networking is a necessary soft skill you are going to have to develop. Skills Audit Work in pairs or small groups – try to pair/find groups with variety of roles Describe skills you think that role needs Emotional intelligence Common sense
- Skills Audit Work in pairs or small groups – try to pair/find groups with variety of roles Describe skills you think that role needs Crawford et al: Comparative Analysis of Soft Skills , Michigan State University, August 2011.
- The Confedaration of British Industry (CBI): www.cbi.com , The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD): www.cipd.co.uk , the Institute of Directors (IoD): www.iod.com, The UK Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES): www.ukces.org.uk Kent University/careers: www.kent.ac.uk/careers Being a problem solver, analytical; Fusion Skills The UK Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES)[1] gives the simplest and most accessible definition of employability in terms of skills: 'the skills almost everyone needs to do almost any job'. This is a great definition as far as it goes, although employability is not just about skills, it’s also about capabilities or competencies: aptitude, attitude and behaviour. Identify what qualifies you for the role It isn't only paid experience that counts. Voluntary or community involvement, work placements, coursework, personal projects and extracurricular activities can all be highlighted to show your suitability. Think from the employer's perspective – decide on the most interesting factors, where you have used relevant skills, and then make these prominent on your CV. Make yourself irresistible to an employer – not just a list of traits – BACK UP WITH EXAMPLES One of the hardest things to do convincingly on a CV is to convey desirable personality traits. Just writing that you are enthusiastic or motivated without giving supporting details isn't enough. Instead, demonstrate through examples. Starting something from scratch and overcoming hurdles can show resourcefulness and determination Holding down a job to help family finances or pay your way through college can reveal humility and a strong work ethic: "Consistent work record: held variety of part-time roles since the age of 16 to contribute to educational costs." Learning about a role or sector through online communities, upskilling through tutorials or conducting your own projects all show enthusiasm – it could fit into the education, training or skills section of your CV. HUMAN BINGO
- The most important factors employers weigh up when recruiting school and college leavers are their attitudes to work (78%), their general aptitudes (57%) and literacy and numeracy (50%). These rank well ahead of academic results alone (37%) Having the right attitudes and aptitudes is by far the most important consideration when businesses are recruiting graduates – nearly nine in ten employers (88%) value these above other factors such as degree subject (67%) and degree class (48%) Being a problem solver, analytical; Fusion Skills The UK Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES)[1] gives the simplest and most accessible definition of employability in terms of skills: 'the skills almost everyone needs to do almost any job'. This is a great definition as far as it goes, although employability is not just about skills, it’s also about capabilities or competencies: aptitude, attitude and behaviour. A survey carried out on behalf of the Institute of Directors (IoD) in October 2007 questioned 500 directors to gain their views on the skills and qualities they particularly valued in graduate employees. The top ten skills and qualities IoD members rated as being most important for recent graduates to possess noted. When asked to rate employability skills compared to the specific occupational, technical or academic knowledge and skills associated with their degree, 65% of graduate employers placed more importance on employability skills (Source: Institute of Directors skills briefing: December 2007). Identify what qualifies you for the role It isn't only paid experience that counts. Voluntary or community involvement, work placements, coursework, personal projects and extracurricular activities can all be highlighted to show your suitability. Think from the employer's perspective – decide on the most interesting factors, where you have used relevant skills, and then make these prominent on your CV. Make yourself irresistible to an employer – not just a list of traits – BACK UP WITH EXAMPLES One of the hardest things to do convincingly on a CV is to convey desirable personality traits. Just writing that you are enthusiastic or motivated without giving supporting details isn't enough. Instead, demonstrate through examples. Starting something from scratch and overcoming hurdles can show resourcefulness and determination Holding down a job to help family finances or pay your way through college can reveal humility and a strong work ethic: "Consistent work record: held variety of part-time roles since the age of 16 to contribute to educational costs." Learning about a role or sector through online communities, upskilling through tutorials or conducting your own projects all show enthusiasm – it could fit into the education, training or skills section of your CV. HUMAN BINGO
- The most important factors employers weigh up when recruiting school and college leavers are their attitudes to work (78%), their general aptitudes (57%) and literacy and numeracy (50%). These rank well ahead of academic results alone (37%) Having the right attitudes and aptitudes is by far the most important consideration when businesses are recruiting graduates – nearly nine in ten employers (88%) value these above other factors such as degree subject (67%) and degree class (48%) Being a problem solver, analytical; Fusion Skills The UK Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES)[1] gives the simplest and most accessible definition of employability in terms of skills: 'the skills almost everyone needs to do almost any job'. This is a great definition as far as it goes, although employability is not just about skills, it’s also about capabilities or competencies: aptitude, attitude and behaviour. A survey carried out on behalf of the Institute of Directors (IoD) in October 2007 questioned 500 directors to gain their views on the skills and qualities they particularly valued in graduate employees. The top ten skills and qualities IoD members rated as being most important for recent graduates to possess noted. When asked to rate employability skills compared to the specific occupational, technical or academic knowledge and skills associated with their degree, 65% of graduate employers placed more importance on employability skills (Source: Institute of Directors skills briefing: December 2007). Identify what qualifies you for the role It isn't only paid experience that counts. Voluntary or community involvement, work placements, coursework, personal projects and extracurricular activities can all be highlighted to show your suitability. Think from the employer's perspective – decide on the most interesting factors, where you have used relevant skills, and then make these prominent on your CV. Make yourself irresistible to an employer – not just a list of traits – BACK UP WITH EXAMPLES One of the hardest things to do convincingly on a CV is to convey desirable personality traits. Just writing that you are enthusiastic or motivated without giving supporting details isn't enough. Instead, demonstrate through examples. Starting something from scratch and overcoming hurdles can show resourcefulness and determination Holding down a job to help family finances or pay your way through college can reveal humility and a strong work ethic: "Consistent work record: held variety of part-time roles since the age of 16 to contribute to educational costs." Learning about a role or sector through online communities, upskilling through tutorials or conducting your own projects all show enthusiasm – it could fit into the education, training or skills section of your CV. HUMAN BINGO
- The College of Production provides practical advice on all aspects of working in television, radio and online broadcast. This website is for everyone who wants to get into, get better and go further in their broadcast career.
- They cover a wide range of creative industries, not exclusively film – television, radio, fashion, animation, games, visual effects, textiles, publishing,advertising and marketing communications. Great resource for young creative talent – have what they call a career navigator. http://creativeskillset.org/who_we_help/young_creative_talent (pull up onto screen if have internet, else use a screen grab – insert slide here)
- BBC Academy. We put training and development at the heart of the BBC and also work with the wider industry, equipping people with skills they need for a lifetime of employability in the ever-changing media landscape. Creative Choices: Our Creative Choices events give 13-16 year olds the chance to learn about working in music, theatre, design and cultural heritage. Our Production Days give aspiring backstage crew the chance to work at some of the country’s biggest music festivals. Our Technical Masterclasses provide bespoke training for young professionals with some of the leading practitioners within theatre and live events (is part of CCS) Creative Access Media cannot reflect society, if society is not reflected in the media Creative Access is looking for talented young people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds to fill paid internship places at many of the UK’s top media organisations. Advertising - Film - Journalism - Marketing - Music - PR - Publishing - Talent - Television - Theatre
- The Network is a FREE intensive introduction to working in the TV industry, run by the world’s leading TV festival. Get one of the 50 places on The Network and you’ll spend 4 days in Edinburgh learning practical TV making skills from top programme makers. Will you be joining The Network in 2015? Find out more information about the criteria and how to apply HERE Applications for 2015 will open in February TV Collective - a membership organisation, supporting ‘visible diverse talent’ achieve their creative endeavours within the UK creative media industry. Is a resource for providing the latest industry news, access to industry events, development, training, networking and job opportunities aimed at improving diversity
- So what are you going to do – DO YOU KNOW WHAT IT IS YOU WANT TO DO? Have to set yourself goals and get a strategy together. SWOT/SMART goals (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timely) People who set goals are more likely to succeed than people who do not (think of athletes) Also suggest share and talk about your aims/objectives – if you put it out there, more likely to happen. So often we think about something but then park it away and it doesn’t get actioned. SHARE WITH FRIENDS, PRACTISE BE BOLD. In this instance, you have to take responsibility for your actions. If you want it enough, you are going to have to make it happen through grafting, determination and resilience. Expect knock backs, get a thick skin and believe in serendipity. Right time at the right place. NO STRAIGHT FORWARD ROUTE MAP. REMEMBER THAT FIRST JOB DOES NOT DICTATE THAT THIS WILL BE THE REST OF YOUR CAREER, YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU DON’T KNOW – go to events, talk to professionals, be open. BE PREPARED FOR THE UNEXPECTED, SET YOURSELF TASK FOR 90 SEC PITCH. BE FOCUSSED IF YOU ARE A WRITER FOR INSTANCE, HAVE OTHER STORIES UP YOUR SLEEVE – DON’T BE PERCEIVED AS A ONE TRICK PONY EXERCISES 3 point action plan – in pairs (someone you don’t know) Postcard to Myself
- How to get hired in Film and TV Mon, August 18, 2014 by Stephen Follows To many, working in the film and television industry can sound a little nutty. Many job advertisements seem to read… Compliant drone needed to work long hours for low pay under unpleasant conditions. Must be willing to drop everything at short notice in return for no job security, no pension and fewer than one lunch break per day. Must own a car and don’t bother applying unless you know someone who already works here. And yet there are no shortage of new entrants. The number of media students has increased dramatically in recent years and the UK film industry is employing more people than it has in a very long time, possibly ever. The end result is that most industry professionals get asked on a regular basis “How can I get into the film/TV industry?” To answer this I performed two surveys – one with 1,235 international film professionals and the other with thecallsheet.co.uk’s audience of UK television and film employers. In summary; Facebook is the most popular place for employers to post new vacancies Having a driving licence is much more useful than a university degree On average, UK employers receive 60 applications for each job. Only 46% of those applicants meet the job requirements Just under half of all film and television employers think that new entrants should work for free When asked ‘What makes a perfect CV?’ 67% of employers used the words “short” or “concise” Where can I find a job? It would take a few blog posts to go through all the ways you could start your career in film or television so for now I will stick to the job boards. The most commonly used site for new film and TV jobs is… Facebook! I have previously analysed a year’s worth of jobs on Shooting People, which would be worth reading if you’re looking for film work. Should you work for free? This is an age-old question in both the film and television industries. The short answer is that any unpaid work that’s not for a charity and which isn’t part of a full-time educational course is illegal. The minimum wage (currently £6.31 per hour plus holiday pay) applies to all workers in the UK. The two exceptions are for freelancers (which HMRC has decided cannot apply to entry level positions) and for voluntary positions (often called ‘interns’). Internships operate within very tight guidelines and the current guidance states… Interns that are genuine volunteers, under no obligation to perform work or provide services. … However, if an organisation treats an intern as though he were a worker a contractual relationship may arise. To avoid this, a sponsor must ensure that the intern is not subject to any obligation to perform work or provide services and that regular payments are not made to the intern. Unpaid work can be useful to learn how the industry works but there is a line that we should make sure employers don’t cross. In the past, both film and television employers have been successfully prosecuted in employment tribunals for not paying staff. It’s a complicated topic and it covers more than just salary concerns. In a recent case in the US, a television intern was denied protection from sexual harassment because she was not technically a worker. I asked my survey of UK-based film and television employers if new entrants should be willing to work for free. Over half said ‘no’. How many people apply for each job? On average, UK employers received 60 applications for each job. Whilst this may sound daunting for new entrants there is some good news: employers judged 46% of those applications as inappropriate (i.e. didn’t meet the job requirements). This means, if you’re applying for a job which you are actually qualified for then you’re already in the top half of applicants. What skills do you need for UK-based work? The very fact that you’re a new entrant means that you know little about the industry. Yet there is something you can study that will help you enormously. It’s not Media Studies, Film Production or TV Theory. It’s learning to drive. Bear in mind that if you’re driving as a part of your job you should not be using your own vehicle. Your personal insurance is very unlikely to cover you for business uses so you’re effectively driving uninsured. What about working in the international film business? Unsurprisingly, if you want to work with the international film business, it will help if you speak other languages. But having a driving license is, on average, more useful than having either a Masters degree, PHD or MBA! There, I’ve just saved you £63,072 (average cost of an MBA course minus driving lessons). Working in or with non-English speaking countries makes knowing at least two languages almost essential. “Please describe the perfect CV…” I gave my UK film and television employers a chance to write about their perfect CV. The resulting collection of comments could be summed up in one word – short. 67% of all the people who chose to leave a comment used the word “short” or “concise”. The consensus seems to be a clear one-page CV without any extraneous information, tailored to the job you’re applying for. Below are all direct quotations from employers… CV Dos 1 page long Clearly laid out Concise Highlighting transferable skills, ability to lean and work hard Basic details (such as driving license, age, contact details) easy to find Clearly stating relevant experience fist, then relevant skills Have details of referees. CV Don’ts Not full of student work made to look like professional work No spelling mistakes/ grammar mistakes/ typos Leave out self-promotional waffle in the 3rd person. No white lies, which come out a lot quicker than people think Never include a ‘personal statement’ – ever No hobbies or ‘I’m a great time keeper’ rubbish No list of short films made at uni
- Exercise – all to spend 5-10 mins writing down and then sharing what they are going to do next Look at post its from beginning of session Review your CVs/application forms – what, if any changes would you make following the session? Where to go for information? Skills audit – plug those gaps Skillset NOS Brand You Presentation skills Pitching skills Elevator pitch Developing yourself Get yourself a mentor Digital Footprint Internships – your rights Expectations How to be a freelancer Social media