Student View: What To Look For In a Media Course

University degrees in the media sector have become a topic of ridicule amongst many in recent years mainly due to the multitude of courses available to undergraduate students. With tuition fees rising and the diversity of courses on offer showing no signs of subsiding, are undergraduates making the right decision when choosing their courses and if so, are universities justifying an expense which averaged £26,000 amongst 2012 graduates?

Choosing the right course is a difficult decision for any undergraduate and whilst there is a wealth of guidance available from organisations looking to help students make the right decision, often key question go unasked during the application process which have far reaching effects on the graduate market.

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The Importance Of Networking

he Importance Of Networking

Whether you are a recent graduate looking for your first runner position, or a broadcasting veteran looking for a way back into the industry, don’t underestimate the importance of networking in a job hunt. Creating a network of professional contacts can help you to find unadvertised jobs, build your professional skills to make yourself more employable and help you get your career on the right track.

No one works in isolation so knowing people who work within the industry is the key to both your professional success and your job search success. Networking is the perfect way to meet the professionals in TV land, who can offer you new perspectives and assistance in seeking that all important new gig.

Attend conferences, discussion groups, workshops and trade shows, and make an effort to meet and exchange contact information with industry folk there – you can find out very quickly who the key people are to seek out.

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PB Live Careers Forum

Our 2nd Live Careers forum attracted a whole range of queries. Thanks to everyone that joined in – here are the responses so far!

The Panel

Paul Crompton

Paul is an experienced factual producer with 20 years’ work in TV. Executive Producer and Co-owner of Barge Pole Productions, Paul’s specialties are popular factual television, observational documentaries, formats, legals, scriptwriting, dramatic reconstruction, pitching and development.

Nicky Searle

Nicky is Talent Executive at NBCUniversal International Television Production, looking after companies as diverse as Carnival Films, Monkey Kingdom and Chocolate Media. Prior to that she managed talent for Optomen Television. She has been in the industry for nearly twenty years working her way up from her first TV role as an unpaid intern at MTV Networks.

Paul Merrick

Paul is an experienced Producer/Director with over 12 years specialising in observational documentaries and factual entertainment, including extensive self-shooting. Creative and highly motivated, he’s dedicated to making great television across all genres and passionate about storytelling.

Joe Mahoney

Joe is Managing Director of ProductionBase. Prior to joining PB, Joe spent a number of years at BBC Worldwide as a senior commissioning editor, before moving on to Channel 4 to become their Head of Commercial Development.

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The Lot of the Stay-at-Home Editor

The Lot of the Stay-at-Home Editor

More and more editors are working from home, but is this a good thing for the Editor, the Producer, the Director or the film? Freelance Editor and ProductionBase member, Guy Ducker, takes a look.

As I write, I’ve just had my first day’s work outside my flat in about four months (thank you to the good people of I-Motus). It’s not that I’ve been idle during these months: I’ve just had an unusually long run of jobs where I’ve been cutting from home on my trusty iMac. I’d joined the ranks of the stay-at-home editors (emendator domesticus). This phenomenon is comparatively recent. It’s been theoretically possible for some time: we’ve been able to run Final Cut Pro from a consumer Mac for many years and Avid Media Composer (my preferred weapon) released an affordable ‘software only’ version in 2006. But what has made the real difference is the sudden dominance over the last two or three years of cameras that record straight to hard drive. No longer do editors need hefty tape decks and expensive interfaces to get the pictures in and out of their editing machines. If you have a system set up at home, you hardly need to lift yourself from your chair. The material comes to you on a drive, and the finished cut can be returned on the same drive or via an FTP site. If you like, you can even avoid meeting the producer and director – uploading cuts direct to Vimeo or similar sites, so they can watch them without leaving their homes. Filmmakers might never need to leave the house again.

But is this a good thing?

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PB Live Careers Forum

PB Live Careers Forum

Our Live Careers forum attracted a whole range of queries. Thanks to everyone that joined in – here are the responses so far!

The Panel

Richard Nash

Richard has over 20 years experience in documentaries & factual entertainment for UK and international broadcasters. Career highlights include The Secret Millionaire, Come Dine With Me, World’s Strictest Parents, River Cottage, Jamie’s Great Britain and Fabulous Baker Brothers.

Toral Dixit

Toral is an experienced PD self-shooting on DSR / EX3 / XF305. Career highlights include: BBC (Last Man Standing, Tribal Wives, Skin Deep, Desperate Midwives), C4 (Dispatches), Discovery (Hard Labour), ITV (The Making of a Royal Wedding), C5 (Motorway Madness), National Geographic (The Return of the Clouded Leopards) and Living (Rehab).

Royston Mayoh

Roy is a Director/Producer specialising in entertainment, chalking up many successes over a 48 year career as a writer and innovator of original formats for BBC, ITV, C4, BskyB and FIVE. He directed Catchphrase and has also worked as a college lecturer. Royston has a wealth of knowledge and can offer excellent advice to new entrants.

Joe Mahoney

Joe is Managing Director of ProductionBase. Prior to joining PB, Joe spent a number of years at BBC Worldwide as a senior commissioning editor, before moving on to Channel 4 to become their Head of Commercial Development.

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How To Write an Effective Covering Letter

How To Write an Effective Covering Letter

It’s essential that you write and attach a good covering letter when you send your CV to someone. It’s the first thing someone will read and you need to get it right. Get it wrong and people won’t even open your CV. Without a good covering letter and CV you’re not going to be asked in for a chat.

I’ve seen hundreds of covering letters in my job as a freelance talent manager recruiting for different production roles and also as a series producer. Far too many are badly written, repetitive and too long and can be dramatically improved. Some are just blank – which is poor and a missed opportunity.

When I am coaching I always spend time with my clients helping them to create a well written covering letter. I give them a template – which is specific to them and their skills and experience which they can adapt each time they write to a different company. And this is key – you need to change your letter each time you write to a company to match your skills and experience to their brand and what they are looking for.

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A New Year, How About a New CV?

A New Year, How About a New CV?

Is your CV sending potential employers the desired message? What’s your sales pitch? It’s the New Year so how about a new CV to match? Elsa Sharp, author of How to Get A Job in Television is on-hand to remind you of all the do’s and don’ts of CV engineering.

A New Year is usually a time for new resolutions and optimism but 2011 is going to be a tough year as the cuts bite with increased competition for jobs. It’s now even more essential to market yourself, your skills and experience as effectively as possible so your CV will be read, stand out and get you an interview.

I am constantly amazed at how so many people fail to present their CV properly – by over writing, cluttering the layout and sometimes omitting key information. As a former TV series producer and now talent manager I’ve seen hundreds of CVs. Far too many are difficult to read, badly written and poorly laid out – even at senior level.

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Working For Charities

Working for Charities

With the state of the industry being what it is, many of you may be looking for a little something to give your CV a kick, or just a productive way to spend some free time. So why not try something that gives you both of these, as well as some good karma.

The Media Trust offer media professionals the chance to utilise their skills for good. Not only will this look fantastic on your CV, but it will also give something back. Roles range from mentoring young people, to sharing your experiences at live talks.

Have a look at the Media Trust website for more information, and to sign up!

Mastering Your Next Career Move

Mastering Your Next Career Move

Will a Post Grad Qualification Help You Steer a Path Through a Tough Job Market?

I’ve contributed recently to a couple of articles on the subject of whether obtaining a post grad qualification will give you an edge over your contemporaries in television. I can understand why this has raised itself again, with the fairly bruising market conditions still being felt in the industry at the moment, many freelancers are finding themselves thinking about going back to study as a way to kick-starting their career.

Before I rattle on, it might be worth taking a deep breath to absorb the sobering air of current stats: there are now over 15,000 people studying at post gradate or higher education level for a media related subject, with nearly 3,000 courses available to choose from – that’s a lot of people and an overwhelming choice. You can breathe out again.

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How To Survive The TV Maelstrom

How To Survive The TV Maelstrom

Have you ever had experience of working in a hostile environment? With the picture this book paints of the industry, apparently anyone who works in TV can add this to their CV! This is my take on Elsa Sharp’s new book, “How to Get a Job in Television: Build Your Career from Runner to Series Producer.

“It’s a very selfish industry and it’s very ruthless. It doesn’t suffer fools gladly or tolerate weakness. If someone’s not able to do their job properly it’s so incestuous that it gets around the industry really quickly. It’s a very superficial industry. If you have a hit, everyone wants to know you, if not…..” (C4 Executive).

Does this sound right to you? My fellow Talent Manager and experienced senior producer, Elsa Sharp, has just published How To Get A Job In Television: Build Your Career From Runner To Series Producer. It’s a detailed 278-page guide to opportunities and pitfalls that gives a realistic picture of the industry today, warts and all.

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