You Make the BBC

On 1^st March, several representatives working in different areas of the BBC came to the University of Birmingham to emphasise why they want and need fresh, diverse voices to be part of the organisation, and to share information about the various opportunities students and graduates can apply for.

A sneak peak of what ‘The Tea Factory’ in Digbeth will look like
(image courtesy of the BBC)

The day was split into two sections, with the morning focusing on apprenticeships and paid schemes for new entrants into the industry. It also featured an interview with Stuart Thomas, the Head of BBC Midlands, who spoke about the exciting developments taking place in the region and the new Tea Factory building that the BBC teams currently based in the Mailbox will move into in 2026. Students were encouraged to ask questions openly, sharing their thoughts about what the BBC is and taking the opportunity to hear first-hand about how they can stand out in an application and interview.

Ellen Bate, a student on the MA in Film & Television, provides this round up of the morning:

“The presentation started with the very energetic and charismatic Summaya, a senior journalist, radio presenter, and podcaster at the BBC. She handled the minor UoB technical hiccoughs brilliantly and made sure to engage with the crowd, starting with a Q&A. Because of her quick thinking, we as an audience were able to hear questions from others and the BBC employees’ responses. Summaya’s bubbly attitude made for a very welcoming introduction to the morning.

The BBC’s outreach manager for early careers, Allison, then took the stage. Allison began to talk us through the different opportunities which the BBC offer and how to apply for them. These included apprenticeships which can run from anywhere between 18 months to 4 years. The main take-away which Allison continued to repeat throughout was to be yourself. It was very reassuring to know that the BBC want individuals, no matter who they identify as; their sexuality, their race, their religion etc. The PowerPoint slides, which were emailed to those in attendance, were a really useful accompaniment to Allison’s talk as it very clearly showed where to go on the website to read about and apply to the different opportunities. In addition, they outlined the four main areas that the BBC focus on in their apprenticeships. These are production, design and engineering, journalism, and business.

“Don’t rule yourself out; rule yourself in”

Following this, we heard from Jaye who is a project manager for BBC Radio 1, 1Xtra, and Asian Network. Jaye focused on the opportunities within the music side of the industry. Several music schemes are held across the UK in an attempt to move the focus away from London. Again, the presentation was really useful at showing the step-by-step approach to learning about and applying to the different schemes available within BBC radio.

We then moved on to interview techniques. For me, this was the most important aspect of the talk. The top tips included doing your research before going into an interview, having a good CV full of work with local places that shows transferable skills, and to make the most of careers fairs and talks that crop up throughout our time at university. They also gave us the anagram:

• S – situation: set the scene and provide context.
• T – task: a task you were faced with and what responsibilities you had.
• A – action: what action did you take?
• R – result: conclusions and what you achieved.

Overall, the talk was a really good tool in learning more about the industry and what the BBC offer to those looking to get into the organisation.”

During the afternoon session, employees from the BBC’s RISE development scheme, which is for people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds, shared stories about how their journeys at the BBC began. They also gave attendees an overview of what their different roles entail, from production management for unscripted TV, to working in HR and being the people behind what we see on the iPlayer home screen each week.

Many of the speakers emphasised how their entry to the BBC had been almost accidental, and how having an academic background or work experience in a completely different area had been beneficial. The transferable skills gained from jobs in hospitality or retail lend themselves strongly to the organisation and communication that are so integral to managing a production, for example; while having the initiative to start a blog or start to tell stories about issues that matter personally demonstrates journalistic passion.

FTV Students and Alumni join the Commonwealth Games production teams

Birmingham said farewell to the Commonwealth Games last week, after eleven days that saw the city buzzing with positivity. For staff in the Department of Film & Creative Writing, our enjoyment of these sun-soaked events didn’t stop at spectatorship, as each day brought a new social media post where we delighted in seeing both current students and alumni sharing their experiences as members of production teams, working to bring the sports action to TV screens around the world.

Five of our current MA Film & Television students received training as part of Sunset + Vine’s Host Broadcast Training Initiative, going on to work across events including the athletics. The initiative aimed to provide a unique development opportunity for local talent and it’s clear that this was a resounding success. Meanwhile, at least six alumni from various cohorts took on roles with companies including Progress Productions and DRPG, ranging from Production Coordinator and Floor Manager to Camera Assistant. We even welcomed a few familiar faces back to campus to work on the hockey and squash!

Here are a few of their personal highlights:

Ashleigh Archer (2021) – Assistant Camera Operator, Squash at University of Birmingham. 

‘Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed my experience working at the Commonwealth Games. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and I’m glad I decided to stay in Birmingham post-graduation otherwise this opportunity wouldn’t have arisen. I have learnt so much over the last couple of weeks working with such a great team. I was offered constant support and encouragement and taught many skills I will be able to take forward. I believe that this was a step in the right direction for me and my career goals; so hopefully this is just the beginning! I am forever grateful.’

Lucy Clark (2021) – Support Services Manager, Coventry Stadium and Arena

‘I work full time as a Production Coordinator on the Rugby Sevens Series for Sunset+Vine, who were the host broadcasters of the event. During the Games, my role was the Support Services Manager for Coventry Stadium and Arena, which was essentially the Production Coordinator role but on multiple sports at the same venue (sorting transport, accommodation, catering, crew welfare etc). The sports I worked on were the Rugby Sevens, and also the Judo and the Wrestling. Being able to work on sports like these, that I may well never work on again (or at least for another two to four years) was a really cool experience and it was good to learn about the different set-ups for the venue but also the broadcast itself. It was a challenging (and knackering) role, as we had to prepare for the Judo and Wrestling whilst the Sevens events were happening, but it was so rewarding to work on a large-scale event in an area of the UK I just love!’

Danny Roberts (2021) – Floor Manager, Hockey at University of Birmingham

‘Coming back to UOB to work as a floor manager on the hockey was a very special experience. I feel very proud to have developed a new skillset and made some incredible connections – all while spending each day looking up at Old Joe!’

Millie Brooks (current student) – Clipper, multiple events

‘During the Games I worked as a clipper, which involved clipping out the important footage and moments to then be used in later edits, on social media, sent to specific countries for requests, etc. I worked on almost all of the sports as it would change each day. My experience was extremely positive as I gained a greater love for sport and have fallen in love with live television production. If I had the opportunity to do something like this again, I would jump at the chance. Even though it was a daunting task at first, it quickly became a routine and was great to be surrounded by the action and by hundreds of people in so many different roles.’

Lanna Cowles (current student) – Floor Manager, Hockey at University of Birmingham

‘I could not have asked for a more rewarding opportunity, particularly as I was on the field of play and right by all the action of my favourite sport! Not only did I floor manage my own hockey matches but I was able to experience all aspects of the broadcast, from camera operating to producing. And what better place to have it than on the grounds of UoB!’

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

Behind the scenes at the Christmas Lectures

As someone who was born and raised outside the UK, there are certain British things I’ve simply never experienced: bonfire night, vinegar on chips and queueing for bus stops are only a few examples. So when I was one of the two FTV students invited to film behind the scenes at this year’s Royal Institution Christmas Lectures in London, I didn’t know what to expect.

Of course I was very excited, because any project like this is an opportunity to practice the filming and networking skills necessary in our field. But when I told my partner, who is British as well as a chemist, he informed me that the Christmas Lectures are actually a big deal. They were first presented by Michael Faraday in 1825, and have been shown on television since 1936. Through accessible language and examples from everyday life, the Christmas Lectures aim to translate scientific concepts for a young and general audience. In 2018, the lectures were all about evolution and the question of how humankind became what it is today.

After some phone and email contact with the team at the RI, it was decided we would film during two rehearsal days. This meant a three-hour train journey and a brisk walk through the crowded streets of rush hour London while carrying kit, which as fresh FTVers, we’re not quite used to yet. Luckily we received a very warm welcome at the RI. As the video we’re making will mostly be for internal use, we could film anywhere we wanted, which is quite a privilege as normally only a small section of the building is open to the public. The crew were very friendly and even within their busy schedules, many were happy to have a quick chat on camera. One of them was the director, a media professional with over 40 years of experience, which as aspiring media freelancers was very useful to us. Minutes before we left on the second day, we also got a chance to interview this year’s presenter, Professor Alice Roberts, who also works at the University of Birmingham. We talked about the importance of a friendly relationship between media such as television and the sciences, and she explained to us how the Christmas Lectures make complex science accessible for the general audience: not by dumbing down, but by breaking difficult concepts down to their building blocks.

From our position close to the action, we experienced up close what goes into the production of a large-scale television event such as this. Much of it seemed like organised chaos at the time, from practising demos with imaginary volunteers to making script amendments in the final days before filming. However, the positive attitudes of the teams both in front of and behind the camera never wavered, and the final product as it aired on TV in the days after Christmas seemed effortless. Having now seen both the ‘before’ and ‘after’ of the Christmas Lectures, our video will try to show how it all fell into place, and that with enthusiasm, determination and commitment to the science, almost anything is possible – including bringing a live cow into a lecture theatre in the middle of London.

Marlijn Hegge

 

Credit: Paul Wilkinson Photography

Do we all have to move to London if we want to start working in the TV industry?

On this MA, we aim to give students as broad a skillset as possible to allow them to move into a range of different roles and industries, with a key focus – naturally – on film and television (in the broadest sense of both terms). It’s a question we get asked time and time again: aren’t all the TV jobs in London? In this guest blog, recent student Heather Burrell talks about the early stages of her job hunt, how some of the bigger talent databases do indeed emphasise a London bias, and how there are some positive moves being made towards bringing more TV production to the regions.

The London Bubble

Since finishing my MA last month, I have started looking for work in the TV industry, and found that an overwhelming majority of the jobs featured on a key talent database are in London (see map I created below). As a whole, UK media in general is heavily concentrated into the small bubble of the capital. Whilst London only represents 13% of the population, all our national English-language newspapers have their bases there and, as of 2015, around two-thirds of all television producers are centred there. This ultimately means London is massively dominating the rest of the UK’s media, whilst also generating a risk that regional talent could be hugely underwritten. As someone who hasn’t been able to consider applying for jobs in London, due to the cost of living there, my chances of getting a job in the TV industry have felt drastically limited.

From my own personal experience, in order to begin a career in television, a plethora of experience in the industry is imperative. In most cases, this will start off as unpaid work experience placements or internships; which I luckily managed to participate in as a built-in part of the MA. However, without that, I simply would not have been able to afford to commit to such long periods of unpaid work and, ultimately, my path into the industry would have been heavily restricted. Many people who I have met whilst working in the television industry managed to gain experience at the beginning of their career through personal ties to people already in the industry. Hence, it seems a route into the industry is easier for those who are well-connected and those who can afford to live in London or take on more unpaid work.

What about the regions?

Having said that, I also know that regional cities, such as Birmingham, Manchester, Bristol and beyond, do offer opportunities and experiences in the film and television industry. In fact, two out of my three placements were in Birmingham and the majority of placements offered on the MA are in the West Midlands. So, it is important to note that, whilst there are recognised biases in the industry, work is certainly not completely restricted to London!

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

Don’t take a job, make a job

On Friday 9^th June, we welcomed James Cronin and Joe Partridge from Project Birmingham to campus to talk to our MA students about freelancing in the creative industries.  The interactive workshop covered James and Joe’s own career journeys to date and was designed to help students identify their objectives and aspirations in relation to personal skillsets, with a key focus on film, media and creating opportunities in the city of Birmingham.

Project Birmingham was founded by James in 2015. It aims to bring together the creative community in Birmingham and generate a buzz around the city’s culture and talented individuals. In addition to Project Birmingham, both he and Joe have ‘day jobs’ and additional interests they pursue outside of their careers. As they noted at the start of the workshop ‘it’s not about what you do, but why you do it’, which is an important question for anyone to consider as they prepare to leave university and commence working life.

Key themes of the session were the importance of having passion and pride in your work and recognising personal strengths and weaknesses – after all, if you’re an aspiring freelancer then the drive to succeed should ideally be rooted in a genuine love for what you want to do. Students were encouraged to think about the skills they might need to put a plan for their future goals into action: while some of us have no qualms about picking up a camera and setting up shoots, for example, others are far more comfortable dealing with business admin and social media. Going solo is a great aspiration, but having an awareness of where our individual limitations lie is just as important as exercising our strengths effectively. As James advised, ‘think about what you can do better than anyone else in the world’ and then research where (or for whom) you can add that value.

‘Focussing on strengths and weaknesses and setting a goal was a really useful exercise’ (James Cresswell)

Many people assume that pursuing a career in film and TV necessitates moving to London, but James and Joe reinforced the fact that Birmingham is also an excellent city in which to forge a creative career. As the broad film and media sectors continue to collide, being in a smaller pool where the pace is a touch slower can be beneficial to recent graduates. Nobody is pretending that it’s not still a competitive industry, but there are strong networks to tap into in Birmingham and dozens of stories waiting to be told through various art forms. Hopefully this session motivated our FTV students to go out and tell them!

‘I really enjoyed the interactive elements of the session, which made it stand out from other talks’ (Malcolm Remedios)

With myth busting and practical advice about tax and self-employment also being covered, the workshop was a fantastic opportunity for our MA cohort to think about what their next steps might be after September. As part-time student Jessica Brown commented, ‘It was cool to hear their stories and to be presented with the option of moving between different roles as we start our careers. ’ Both Joe and James demonstrated that a career doesn’t need be limited to one area or indeed one role as this chapter of education ends. As they rightly said, advice is useful, but ultimately it’s up to us to make jobs, and not just take jobs.

Jemma Saunders, Placement Coordinator

This workshop was kindly supported by the Curriculum Enhancement Fund.

A Foot in the Door

Olivia Scott finished her MA in early September 2016. Since then she’s spent 4 weeks as a location runner in Ibiza (yes, really!) and is about to commence her second paid TV role as a casting runner in London. Here’s how FTV helped her to get that foot in the door…

It seems like only yesterday that I got my acceptance onto the MA in Film and Television: Research and Production at the University of Birmingham. Doing my undergrad (History) at UoB, it felt only natural for me to stay an extra year, on this fantastic course, as I loved the uni, and the opportunities the course could provide me, so much. In all honesty, my main reason for undertaking the MA was the placement aspect of the course, as I, like many other rookies looking to get a career in television or film, didn’t know where to start. I thought that the course would provide me with the necessary skills and training which would stand me in good stead to get a job in the television industry. And I was right.

I enjoyed every aspect of the MA, from practical training with Oz, to documentary filmmaking with Richard. However, my favourite taught module was Research, Production and Commissioning with Kate Hollingsworth (who works in television). As a self-confessed TV obsessive, I loved learning about every aspect of the television industry, and Kate was an inspirational teacher. This module, as well as the placements I undertook, reinforced that I definitely wanted to pursue a career in television.

However, it was definitely the placement aspect of the course which I feel I thrived in. I was a casting runner at 7Wonder in Birmingham for two months, working on a cookery show for Channel 4. I really felt like a part of the team and I learned loads about the TV industry and casting itself. This experience led me to get the job that I am currently working in, as a casting runner for a company in London, called Nutopia. To get the chance to actually work for a television company was amazing, and I learned some invaluable skills, all thanks to the MA.

The MA also helped me get my first job in television: being a location runner on Ibiza Weekender (ITV2). To have the chance to go abroad for a month was amazing, let alone getting the chance to go to Ibiza for a month! I had to give my dissertation in 3 weeks early, and my placement essay 2 weeks early (a day before I flew out to Ibiza) but it was worth it, as working on Ibiza Weekender was an amazing experience, and I learned so much about working on location and the necessary tasks that are involved in being a location runner. It was relentless hard work, but again I feel that the experience I had on the MA really helped me to do my best at the job. It also helped that I had watched the show so knew the format!

I can’t thank Richard, Jemma and Oz enough. Doing the MA was the best decision and all aspects of it have allowed me to get my foot in the door of the television industry, an industry I hope to work in for a number of years!

Olivia Scott

Working for an Indie: Sarah’s Story

Sarah Learmonth graduated in 2014 and went straight into a job with one of the companies where she undertook part of her MA placement. In this post she shares some of her highlights from the last two years, along with some useful tips for current students!

Since finishing my MA in September 2014, I haven’t really stopped! I was offered a job at Isis Media (now rebranded as Zebra Digital) where I’d done the majority of my placement, and I was back at work before I’d handed in my dissertation! It was originally meant to be a short contract of around six weeks (on a project specific basis) but cut to two years later and I’m still here!

I’ve worked on loads of different projects, from about a million promotional videos for Birmingham City University (yes, I know I’m a traitor), to documentaries about theatre and mental health. It’s diverse, I’ll tell you that much! Zebra is a very small indie production company that expands and contracts as necessary, but that means I get to do loads of different jobs, learning and developing my skills in all areas of production. My title is ‘Production Co-ordinator’ but I really just do whatever needs to be done- from research, development, writing scripts, social media, organising shooting schedules, finding contributors and all that lovely pre-production stuff, to being on set – where I could either be on camera, sound or getting release forms signed! I also do a lot of stuff back in the edit suites, doing both off and online edits.

I really enjoy that aspect of the job, it’s more liberating than just being stuck in one position, which you might find in a larger production company. I’m not just a Researcher or a Runner or an Assistant Editor, I’m all of those things and more- so every day is different. I’ve also had the opportunity to go on three international shoots to Turkey and Germany (the shoots were in an oil refinery and a margarine plant- so glam) which I feel really lucky to have done.

Most recently the MD of Zebra set up another company, Formatzone, which is currently working on a TV pilot with Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen. On this project I was left to my own devices a bit more, for example heading up a second unit shoot when the director was out at another location. It came along at just the right time, when I had gained the confidence to spread my wings a bit more and take on a bit more responsibility. The show’s looking great, so I think I did a good job! We have lots of ideas in the pipeline, I’m currently finishing one of my screenplays and I’m considering relaunching my YouTube channel, so it’s all go!

Best piece of advice I’ve received: DON’T UNDERESTIMATE GVs. Get as many as you can. Also, if you have a slow day in the office, don’t be afraid to self–direct. Look up that interesting idea you read in the Metro on your commute, it might be your next big series!

Sarah Learmonth