presentation about how you get noticed in the film industry, the skills shortages, opportunities and resources you can use follow up, as well as looking at skills shortages in film VFX sector
7. Major Occupational Groups
Film
Production
% Film
Distribution
% Cinema
Exhibition
%
Strategic
Management
38 Distribution,
Sales &
Marketing
47 Kiosk/Box
Office
87
Business
Management
23 Business
Management
22 Head
Office/Manag
ement
8
Production 15 Strategic
Management
17 Projection/Te
chnical
3
Creative
Development
14 Production 3 Premise
Operation
2
Art and Design 6 Creative
Development
2
Legal 4 Technical
Development
2
Servicing 2
8. 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
9. 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.
14. 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
17. 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
18. 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.
21. 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/
22. 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/)
23. Getting noticed
Who are you?
What are your skills?
What are you passionate
about?
What’s your BRAND?
Are you resilient?
24. 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
25. 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
26. Useful Websites
• BAFTA Guru
• Double Negative
• Escape Studios
• Shooting People
• Screen International
• The CG Society
• College of Production
28. • BBC Academy
• BFI Film Academy Network
(NFTS Craft Residential)
• FDA
• Creative Choices /CCS
• UK Film Export
• Creative Access
• Working Title
• Creative England
29. • The Network
• 4 Talent
• BBC Writers Room
• Broadcast
• Televisual
• So You Want to Work in
TV
• The TV Collective
• The Sky Academy
Television
32. 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
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