From Man Vs. Bee to the BFI: my first year in Film & TV

A guest post from 2021 alumna Izzy Hill, who reflects on a very busy 12 months since completing the MA.

While studying for the MA, I managed to nab my first production job as a location marshall for upcoming drama film Living. Two 12-hour night shifts in the centre of Guildford – what a way to start off in Film/TV!

Then, after many more applications and many many copies of my CV being sent over email, I was elated to secure a full-time production role on Rowan Atkinson’s Netflix comedy Man Vs. Bee – I worked as a COVID Marshall on that production for five weeks, joining the crew halfway through principal photography and staying until wrap in August (while also completing all my uni assignments and my dissertation!). This was where I learned the most about the industry – it was hugely insightful, rewarding, and a joy to work on. Can attest that Rowan is very lovely and it was amazing to watch him work! Though, if you’ve seen the show, you’ll know that I occasionally saw more of him than I was expecting…

After graduating, I managed to secure a few more runner roles here and there; a few days on a shoot for a factual show for Full Fat TV, and then an additional runner role for another Netflix show which took me up to Christmas. The latter was probably one of the most excruciating jobs I’ve ever had – see the image below:

Need I say more?

Production is no joke – the long days and fast-paced environments combine to make your workdays stressful, exhausting, and overwhelming. I decided to take some time out from working, and I started applying for more admin-based roles that were still within the Film/TV industries, but would allow for a healthier work-life balance and less physical (and emotional) drainage!

That leads me to where I am now – I work in digital and distribution marketing for the British Film Institute, an organisation I was a member of for years and have always loved and admired. I help with social media, email outreach, event coverage, and getting films out to exhibitors. I’ve worked some amazing events, the biggest one so far being the BFI & Radio Times TV Festival, where I was able to help interview the stars and provide social media content for our followers. The BFI is a wonderful company to work for, and I am excited to log in and work every day! I still have my busy days and the occasional moments of stress, but my lovely team, and the free cinema tickets and film posters, will always cushion the blow!

I am also writing some passion projects on the side of my job and hope to be creating more of my own stuff in the future, whether it’s film/tv articles, short films, or even a novel! Watch this space…

Izzy Hill

FTV students receive BAFTA training in sustainable production

In what has been a difficult year across the creative industries, focus has often, unsurprisingly, shifted from the urgency of the climate crisis to the preservation of careers. Nonetheless, the pandemic has highlighted the vast scale of change that needs to happen in order to avoid continued global warming, and the screen industries are an important arena for innovation in sustainability – not only in terms of how productions are made, but also with regard to narratives around climate science and positive environmental action. Albert is the authority on environmental sustainability for the film and TV industries in the UK, and we are delighted to announce our first cohort of ‘Albert grads’ from the University of Birmingham this summer, who have received certificates from BAFTA.

The MA Film & Television: Research & Production team (Dr Richard Langley, Jemma Penny and Nina Jones) have all undertaken training with BAFTA’s Albert education staff to enable them to teach an ‘Applied Skills for a Sustainable Media Industry’ module to students. This was co-delivered over four sessions during the UoBE Festival week and took place over Zoom due to the third lockdown. The sessions covered the science of climate change, sustainable production, planet placement and use of the carbon footprint calculator tool, which forms one part of the assessment that students must complete to be awarded their certificates.

While teaching Albert can be an emotional rollercoaster, moving from the bleak realities of what is happening across the world towards positive solutions, it has been inspiring to see how our MA students have responded to the training. Each of them has written a personal commitment to sustainability, noting how small actions in their daily lives can start to affect change and how they hope to promote this in their future careers; and there were numerous innovative ‘editorial solutions’ submitted, that suggest how a film or TV show could incorporate positive messaging about climate science into their formats. From James Bond driving an electric car and defeating a villain responsible for mass deforestation, to conversations about reusable water bottles and shopping locally in Desperate Housewives, we were hugely impressed by their creativity.

The carbon footprint calculator is now imperative for the majority of productions that shoot in the UK, so familiarity with this is an excellent addition to our students’ CVs as they finish the MA this summer to embark on careers across the screen industries. In house, we have moved entirely to rechargeable batteries and upcycle as much of our kit as possible, while also integrating documentaries with environmental messages into our syllabi.

We are very proud of everything our first Albert grads have achieved, especially undertaking this training and submitting work beyond their credit-bearing modules on the MA, and are excited to deliver ‘Applied Skills for a Sustainable Media Industry’ to our future students.

Jemma Penny

Placement Coordinator, MA Film & Television

Diary of an FTV Student: Zoom Edition

Welcome to the first blog of the 2020-21 academic year, from new FTV student Emily Andreasson, who shares her reflections on a Zoom-filled Week One (and the perils of Dolly Parton!).

During the summer of 2020, with most of us at home doing copious amounts of family quizzes over Zoom and dreaming of the days we could hug our friends once more, films became a solace where we could both escape and make sense of our own realities. Flash forward a few months and I’ve completed the first week of learning about just that on the MA in FTV! From composition and cameras to research and resumes, we have covered significant ground all from the touch of a button and click of a mouse.

Before Monday madness had a chance to arrive, we were sent an email from the School saying classes this week had to suddenly change to 100% online due to some final health and safety checks. CANVAS was flooded with students as we all tried to scramble together to get to the right places, or meetings, at the right time. Luckily, we all managed to come together for our first class with Richard on Documentary Filmmaking. Before beginning the course, I was a bit nervous about everything given these circumstances we’re in. Was I good enough to be on the course? Was I ready to dive headfirst into creating films rather than just watching them? Would my broadband width be able to cope with online learning? Thankfully, Richard put all these thoughts at ease immediately. Not only did I feel I had made the right decision, but I was excited to see how many new faces were on my screen and it was comforting to think some of them must have been feeling those first-day jitters too.

Next, Jemma gave us a talk about Placements and CVs, so it was time to blow the dust off of mine and give it a cold, stern look head on. With the possibility of placements being so up in the air, it was great to have some practical advice that would be useful for both now and the future. Having looked at my CV, I delved into what Jemma coined ‘format vomit’ and so immediately knew that it needed a slight facelift – no total overhauls, Jemma assured, but some tweaks that would set me on the right path. Despite our current situation we all remain optimistic that regardless of where we are in 6 months, we have done all the work now to set ourselves up for the best possible outcome. Fingers crossed for the future.

Merry Christmas everyone!

We’ve had a great autumn term with our now not-so-new cohort. Alongside classes in research skills, development and production processes and documentary filmmaking; there’s been technical training aplenty, a day at the RTS Midlands Careers Fair, a screening at Birmingham’s Electric Cinema,  guest workshops with lots of industry professionals (including a record number of our awesome alumni) and even a sustainable production workshop.

After 11 busy weeks, we ended the term with a Secret Santa gift exchange and the annual Christmas jumper competition, which was won by Lauren and Sarah. And now term is over, what better way to mark the end of another calendar year than with the latest FTV festive music video?

Thank you to all our lovely students, alumni and industry friends, and we wish you all a very Merry Christmas. Bring on 2020!

FTV CHRISTMAS MUSIC VIDEO 2019 from Film at University of Birmingham on Vimeo.

 

How green is your heart?

To celebrate the new Green Heart of campus, this year’s One Minute Movie Competition invited submissions inspired by the question ‘how green is your heart?’. There were 12 entries from across the University, which were screened on Wednesday evening alongside a showcase of work by students in the Department of Film & Creative Writing.

After a welcome from Dr Richard Langley, the event commenced with two MA Guided Editing projects in the form of an emotive visual poem and a short documentary about how and why international students sometimes choose an English name. These were followed by Polymers, a dissertation comprised entirely of archive footage that, in keeping with our green heart theme, looks at the development and impact of plastics on our planet.

The second half of the evening comprised two more Guided Editing projects – comedy film The Guests and the more abstract My Platonic Odyssey – and an undergraduate video essay about the juxtaposition of veganism and masculinity in the media. Finally, the One Minute Movie entries were screened and the winning entries announced.

Five judges, including academics from the Department and industry professionals, had independently reviewed all entries. The winners were:

• 1st place: Synchronicity (Ruby Hartley, BA Sociology)
• 2nd place: The Duel (Rory Applin, BA English and Film)
• 3rd place: How Green Is Your Heart? (Jun Zhang, MA Film and Television)

There was an impressive range of responses to the theme, and many that emphasised what was a tangible thread throughout the evening of the need for more sustainable lifestyles and the urgency to protect our environment. All the entries can be watched on the Department of Film & Creative Writing Vimeo channel.

A big thank you to everyone who entered the competition, our panel of judges, and to all who attended the event.

Jemma Penny, Placement Coordinator

Jun Zhang, Ruby Hartley, Dr Richard Langley and Rory Applin

A day in the life of a runner

As someone who came onto this MA having barely any experience in the film and television industry, when a friend offered the opportunity to be a runner for a music video with Gas and Electric it was impossible to turn down, but extremely nerve wracking at the same time. I couldn’t wait to experience a professional production.

The day before the shoot we were emailed a call sheet (a real, proper call sheet) where we could see the various locations we would be filming, the plan for the day and contacts for everyone involved. The overall day took 12 hours and was scheduled in so much detail. Myself and another FTV student, Talla, were awake and on location by 6.30am. We had the warmest welcome and were introduced to the team with as many bacon rolls and drinks of coffee as we liked. At 7am on the dot, the advanced schedule began, and we started by being in charge of the distribution and set up of the radio mics. These walkie talkies were essential during the shoot as they enabled the contact between many of the production team. Talla and I were numbers 4 and 5, also included were the 1st assistant director, the production assistant and the producer, who was sat at the unit base looking after the equipment throughout the day.

While everyone was setting up, me and Talla were introduced to the new talented artist – a young local performer from Birmingham. She chatted away to us while having her make up done by an artist, also a local student, so we all had a lot to talk about. Then Talla proceeded to the first location and I remained at the base. Talla was initially responsible for the playback of the music via a speaker she was holding so the artist could be filmed lip-syncing to it – I also took responsibility for this later on in the day. I was then asked to meet the team with a neon yellow jacket at the next location to help stop the disruption of filming as people and cars were often coming into the shot – I do have to say I enjoyed having this power! I then began to watch the effortless filming of the crew and saw how a music video could be filmed.

I was summoned after a while to have the responsible task of returning the SD card full of footage to the unit base, to transfer it onto a computer and bring it back empty to be used again – this is when the term ‘runner’ really came into account, as I could be seen running through the busy streets of Digbeth back and forth a few times. Talla carried on with the playback duty and some members of the public wanted to join the filming. The talent and director both agreed, and I was therefore sent to grab some release forms to obtain their consent for being filmed.

Lunch time came and by then we had already been on site for 7 hours, so the chilli and rice provided for us at the unit base pub was (as you can imagine) a great success. After filming in multiple locations, I watched the team be challenged by someone from the council asking for a permit. This was handled so calmly, and the production assistant sorted it out so it did not affect the team shooting all the action. After 12 long hours of filming, Talla and I put away all the radio equipment and loaded it into the van to be taken back to London. From our position as runners, we experienced up close what goes into the production of a small-team location music video. All of the scheduled organised chaos at the time did not stop the positive and kind nature of the production team, who continued to ask how we were and whether we were okay as first timers on the job. In conclusion, I would 100% be a runner again, even if that does mean running around Birmingham in -1 degrees!

Lydia James

Breakfast brings in the crowds

The summer term is upon us, bringing long hours in the edit suite, ongoing placements and the occasional ray of sunshine. As the current FTV cohort embarks upon this next phase of the MA, we wanted to take a moment to congratulate them on a fantastic achievement: an immersive screening of 80s classic movie The Breakfast Club, held in mid-March, which had the highest attendance ever for any FTV event. 

Since the University’s Arts & Science Festival began in 2013, we have always run a screening, which in recent years has also incorporated the One Minute Movie Competition. This year, instead of showcasing former student work, we handed the reigns to the FTVers to design and deliver their own event, based on the festival theme of Stop/Start and supported by the ever fabulous Flatpack. Zoe Turner took the lead, and in January plans began to bring The Breakfast Club – and breakfast – to campus. [image credit – Greg Milner Photography]

Over the next two months, a team of FTV students worked together to cast actors, design posters, organise rehearsals and run a social media campaign – all alongside their ongoing placements and coursework. We knew the event was proving popular on the festival booking system, but it was still quite astounding when over 100 people arrived on the evening of 14th March. Who knew 40 croissants, 50 mini boxes of cereal and an array of fruit and muffins could vanish so quickly?

With breakfast served, the evening continued with the Stop/Start One Minute Movie Competition entries. Prizes were awarded, with first place going to ‘The Third Law‘, by Lorhren-Rose Joseph and Denyce Blackman. On to the main event, and the audience sipped tea and coffee as five undergraduate students took their seats for detention and acted out iconic scenes as the brain, the athlete, the basket case, the princess and the criminal. It was fantastic seeing the characters come to life in the lecture theatre as their 1980s counterparts appeared on the big screen, and wonderful to share the experience with so many film-loving students and members of the community.

A huge congratulations to Zoe and the FTV team for creating such a memorable evening, and thank you to Flatpack for all their support. Bring on 2019!

Sincerely yours…

Jemma Penny, Placement Coordinator

 

An Afternoon with Tony Garnett

On Wednesday 31^st January, we welcomed legendary producer Tony Garnett to campus. An honorary graduate of the University, Tony was born in Birmingham in the 1930s and made his name working on films such as Kes and Cathy Come Home, with later work including This Life and Beautiful Thing. FTV student Sofía Podetti reflects on his talk and how it has made her consider her own ambitions for a life behind the lens.

“The most important thing I can tell you today is there is no formula to making a film”. This was the opening line to what would soon be one of the most interesting talks I have ever attended. The guest speaker was Tony Garnett, one of Britain’s most distinguished film and television producers – and a truly interesting person to listen to. To say this is probably a hyperbole since Mr Garnett worked in the industry for over 50 years, retiring a decade ago.

Dr Richard Langley introducing Tony Garnett

Overall, everything he said was fascinating to the small audience that was present last Wednesday. But probably the thing that impacted on me the most was the following phrase: “film is a social activity.” The fact is that the people who make films and television shows have always had a responsibility to society, since the product of their work is consumed by the masses as some sort of truth of the world we live in. Chilean scholar Valerio Fuenzalida argues that one of television’s core functions is the educational one because the audience tends to connect with the different characters and situations and take them as part of their social education. Unfortunately though, I don’t think this belief is shared by everyone in the industry; in my opinion, some are more centred in the economic aspect of the job rather than the social one. This results in products that sell very well but show no real values, which is a shame, really.

Realizing this has made me think about the kind of professional I want to be upon entering this incredibly competitive world: do I want to make money at any cost, or would I rather struggle a little bit more and produce inspiring shows and films? I would undoubtedly go for the second option, for I find it much more rewarding in the long term. I would love to produce content that raises awareness of different topics, empowering my viewers and helping them out through my films; I believe this is what the industry should really be about.

I know I am not alone in this. In the past years I have noticed a change of paradigm in the cinematographic industry, especially regarding the portrayal of women and children. This is just the beginning of a road that will bring sensible, valuable representations of society to our screens. I hope that ten years from now, when I have a family of my own, this will be a reality rather than a dream. Tony Garnett is one of the people who started this change; I hope that I can be a part of it too.

Sofía Podetti

Term One: A Story by Nina Jones

As we re-open the edit suite doors for 2018, our technician Nina tells us the story of her first Autumn term at the University, and how it was working with the new cohort of FTV students… 

It started like any other day.  I tackled the morning rush hour and secured my parking spot.  As I sprinted up the four flights of stairs (this is a lie, I took the lift) to the edit suite I contemplated what this term would bring.  The next Spielberg?  Fincher? Hitchcock? Would I be spoiled with technical wizards? As I flung the double doors open and keyed in the code I felt hopeful this term would be filled with excitement, merriment, creative genius and movie magic!

I have not been disappointed (well not too disappointed).  Aside from the litter, tardiness, noise and missing batteries everything has run pretty smoothly…

Lou managed to cover the whole of the fourth floor with glitter, Christos had butter fingers,  Frida gave us all diabetes, Zoe made an unplugged hard drive seem like the end of the world, Cheryl was ‘stupid’ (or maybe she’s just kidding us to hide her editing prowess), Claire managed to exist about 20 minutes behind the rest of the universe, Sofia enchanted us with her colourful language, Jenny made putting up a tripod in record time look like a matter of life or death, Jack was LOUD, Sam lost all his hair, Hermione got beautifully lit selfies, Black Market Beth managed to run her own DVD business on the side, our wonderful international students joined in with our terrible British banter and discovered the joy of Christmas crackers, Rayna gave birth to a whole other human and still made classes, Techy Tash impressed with her audio skills, Lorhren started off looking terrified but showed us her creativity producing an amazing visualisation film with Hatty (starring Christos as Salvador Dali – nice wink), I finally worked out who was Heather and who was Helena after 11 weeks, Shereen’s fashion sense put us all to shame (seriously though, how did you get so cool?) and we all survived the terrible Scandinavian sweet challenge.

(Note from Jemma: barely survived – everyone is getting Marmite in the spring term)

To the others I haven’t mentioned, thank you for being so wonderful! It really was an amazing first 11 weeks teaching you the ins and outs of filmmaking.  You have all blossomed into confident and capable filmmakers.  I am so proud of you all and can’t wait to see what the rest of the year has in store.

Nina Jones, Film Technician

Staff and Students celebrating the festive season with our annual Christmas Jumper Competition

 

‘Flat-packed’ myself for a film festival!

On Wednesday 1st November, we were glad to attend a workshop held by Amy
Smart, the Assemble Project Manager of Flatpack Film Festival. A fresh and
deep insight of operational issues and practical experiences was given to the
new cohort of FTV students.

Cannes, Berlin, Venice and London are the heart of where film festivals live, but apart from those renowned ones, hundreds and thousands of film festivals emerge at every corner of the world, including Birmingham’s Flatpack Film Festival. Have you ever considered building your own film night? I admitted I did. Thanks to Amy for giving me a chance to have a glimpse of holding a film festival, helping me shift my mindset from a participant into an organizer.

When you are going to hold a film festival, what factors are needed to take into consideration? Amy answered this question in the morning by sharing her experience. We digested lots of advice including different parts of curation, whether a license is
necessary, how to choose the best venues, how to deal with technical issues, some thoughts about PR and promotion etc.

What made the biggest impression on me was the selection of the venue. Basically when I think about choosing a venue, some places where they are already prepared for screenings are my first thought, namely, cinemas. However, within the brainstorming at this workshop, Amy challenged us about how to choose a venue which could be more attractive to the audience. For example, cafes, church halls, and warehouses are lovely places for screenings if they are accessible to audiences. Besides, keep turning over the event of the day in mind because details are the key of success: if something unexpected happens but no preparations have been made, the only 1% possibility could become 100% disaster. As Amy presented, no matter how amazing your film festival is, if the toilets are awful on the day, that will be the only thing the audiences remember!

After enjoying shorts that have appeared in previous Flatpack film festivals, we were divided in groups, discussing a project which could contribute to the Flatpack Festival in 2018. I really enjoyed coming up with new ideas, and what could be more exciting is the possibility of incubating our thoughts into a real project!

Just cannot wait to contribute to the film festival!

Cheryl Li