Does anyone work in media?

anksta

anksta

anksta

Soldato
Joined
19 Jan 2005
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I'm not talking about websites making little flash cartoons or anything like that, I mean like production companies making tv shows or films or anything like that.

I'm back from China now and I need a job but I want to do something I want to do and not just work in an office I hate for the rest of my life. I want to write scripts and things in the future and I know that I have to pay my dues, if anyone works for any place like this I'd be willing to go in and make coffee for free, I just want to do somethng that actually matters to me.

Anyone know?
 
yeah I've already applied for a few off there, just thought there might be a few industry insiders or something on here that knew of anything going. I'm in Manchester.
 
I work for a visual effects company in London, working on film.

What sort of stuff are you looking to get into?
 
Ideally in the long run I'd like to be a writer writing for TV and film. I think dramatic comedies would be where I'd love to have a stab but I know that I'll have to start at the very very bottom which is why I said I'd work for free and do anything.

I've read and whatnot that a runner is the best place to start but I've not really found anything like that in Manchester anyway, there are a couple of internships and scholarships I've applied for but given I've no experience other than writing stuff that never really goes anywhere I dont reckon I've got much of a chance with those.

Any advice?
 
I don't really know much about that aspect of the industry (writing etc). Our runners all want to work with computer graphics and get a decent amount of opertunity / training as far as i'm aware.

However being a runner totally sucks, and unless you have the drive to work toward the job you want, you can get stuck in that role.

If your serious about the TV/film industry then London is the only place to be to be honest.
 
Try and get yourself a placement at the BBC. They normally only do them for about a week but it's the best way to get your foot in the door. I managed to get myself on a training course at BBC Scotland which was good because it helped me get all the right contacts in the comedy department. I sent a script off to one of the script editors by doing that.

With the media industry you just need to get your foot in the door and keep asking questions to get in.
 
I had a look at the BBC but they had nothing advertised, I'm going past it on Oxford Road today, do you think I should just go in or what? I've never been a fan of doing that to be honest, its never got me anywhere with anything and it doesn't look like the sort of place you can just walk in. I was going to write them letters and CVs and post them.

What did you do to get that placement?
 
anksta said:
I had a look at the BBC but they had nothing advertised, I'm going past it on Oxford Road today, do you think I should just go in or what?
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I wouldn't bother popping in, with the BBC. If they have a position available it'll be advertised on their website, and the only way you'll get it is by going through their process (it's a long one) -- on their site.

I don't really know how writers get started but for any kind of production role you will have to be a runner somewhere. It's not that it's the 'best' way -- it's pretty much the only way. Like I say, I don't know how you'd get into writing but I'd assume that the best thing for you to do is to find every single production company you can, write to them and ask for work experience or a runner's job. They'll be getting applications every day so just send them and forget about them. Don't get hung up, just send them and keep sending them. If you get some experience, once you've made tea for a few companies you'll stand a better chance of getting a full time position as a runner or maybe a PA if you're very lucky. Then I'd assume that any writing you'll do would be in your own time, outside of work.

If you like Manchester and can find a job there then I'd stay there. Doing anything for the BBC would be definitely a god place to start. You'll be earning £13-15k as a runner even in London (unless you're at the BBC), so I'd make it easier on yourself and stay where it's comparatively cheaper to live. Paying London rent on 13k is not for the faint-hearted. Then just bear in mind that you will probably have to move down to London for any future jobs.

I work for a small corporate production company in London. I'd offer you work experience but I wouldn't recommend coming and working for us :p

If you have any other questions just ask. Oh, http://www.kftv.com is a good site to get contact details for companies.
 
alright cheers scam, good advice. A few places said oh go in and present yourself but I reckon thats balls cos for one you're probably not supposed to go in unannounced and two the person behind the desk is probably an aspiring something or other anyway and doesn't want to help anyone out before helping themselves, I found that a lot with readers anyway.

Just out of curiosity what does your company produce? Do you not have a Manchester branch no?
 
anksta said:
I had a look at the BBC but they had nothing advertised, I'm going past it on Oxford Road today, do you think I should just go in or what? I've never been a fan of doing that to be honest, its never got me anywhere with anything and it doesn't look like the sort of place you can just walk in. I was going to write them letters and CVs and post them.

What did you do to get that placement?
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I applied for a course called Step Up. They'll probably start advertising for that around August time.

Getting a placement isn't something that will be advertised. You need to email them in order to get the details you need to actually get in. The process isn't as long as it used to be. The best thing to do, is look here: https://jobs.bbc.co.uk/fe/tpl_bbc03...earchgrade=0&formsubmit4.x=36&formsubmit4.y=5

Because I spent 3 months working at the BBC I managed to get a whole bunch of contacts but unfortunately they're only for BBC Scotland. What I will say is this though: being a runner is all well and good but it can also be very dangerous as it can lead into a position which is nothing like what you wanted, despite the wage packet.

Another thing is also that writers don't actually get employed by the BBC, they work freelance and are paid by the job.
 
yeah I appreciate the freelance aspect of being a runner or whatever but you must make at lesat some contacts though innit, just someone that might give your script or whatever a read over or pass it on to someone else.

Right now I imagine that anythign I write just ends up in an inbox somewhere before a quick glance over the opening paragraph and then in the bin,
 
anksta said:
alright cheers scam, good advice. A few places said oh go in and present yourself but I reckon thats balls cos for one you're probably not supposed to go in unannounced and two the person behind the desk is probably an aspiring something or other anyway and doesn't want to help anyone out before helping themselves, I found that a lot with readers anyway.

Just out of curiosity what does your company produce? Do you not have a Manchester branch no?
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Definitely drop in CVs to companies, that's not such a bad thing. I always thought it's harder for somebody to ignore a printed CV on their desk than it is an email with your CV attached. You have to be a bit 'bolshy' to get noticed, so don't worry about that. I just meant it's not worth popping into the BBC, because they have a very rigid system for advertising and filling their positions.

My company produce corporate videos, I won't say much more than that. We do the occasional commercial as well and other random bits and pieces. There's only 7 of us, so no we don't have an office in Manchester :p
 
anksta said:
yeah I appreciate the freelance aspect of being a runner or whatever but you must make at lesat some contacts though innit, just someone that might give your script or whatever a read over or pass it on to someone else.

Right now I imagine that anythign I write just ends up in an inbox somewhere before a quick glance over the opening paragraph and then in the bin,
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You'd be surprised. Most script editors will give every script they get the once over. They never know where the next great idea is going to come from, so it's in their best interests to at least read most if not all of what they get cause they could be chucking out the next big show.
 
Abraham said:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/jobs/vip/ is the BBC's current runner intake scheme
if you want to go straight at writing then there are options open to you
http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/ is a good place to start looking

there is a lot of production stuff going in Manchester if you're prepared to take some risks in getting there
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wow cheers I didn't know about that runners scheme, I spend a lot of time on the writer's room and submit stuff for there occasionally, that news shock Newsjack started again last night, I've submitted stuff for there before but I always found out about it the week before the last episode so I only had like 2 days to submit anything, given it has to be "current" as well it was pretty difficult and I didn't get accepted. Now I have 6 weeks to submit stuff every week so I'm going for it.

I'll be applying definitely for that runner's programme. I've applied to loads of other places, this guy on this other forum I go on runs a production company and he said he might be able to sort us out with something but I've not heard from him in a couple of days. I'm also starting on Hospital Radio in a couple of weeks but thats just voluntary so we'll see what happens there.
 
that runner intake scheme is closed now, finished at the end of March, I was still in China then damn. I missed another well good scheme at channel 4 because I was away.
 
anksta said:
wow cheers I didn't know about that runners scheme, I spend a lot of time on the writer's room and submit stuff for there occasionally, that news shock Newsjack started again last night, I've submitted stuff for there before but I always found out about it the week before the last episode so I only had like 2 days to submit anything, given it has to be "current" as well it was pretty difficult and I didn't get accepted. Now I have 6 weeks to submit stuff every week so I'm going for it.

I'll be applying definitely for that runner's programme. I've applied to loads of other places, this guy on this other forum I go on runs a production company and he said he might be able to sort us out with something but I've not heard from him in a couple of days. I'm also starting on Hospital Radio in a couple of weeks but thats just voluntary so we'll see what happens there.
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What hospital radio? Northern Air?
 
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