click on the above image to hear the BBC podcast about juggling motherhood and a TV career featuring Media Parents Director Amy Walker. www.mediaparents.co.uk for great networking, talent, jobs and information. to join us please go to www.mediaparents.co.uk

Here are some thoughts gleaned from more than a year’s work on www.mediaparents.co.uk on how to be a working parent in TV.

Flexible working :

If you don’t ask – you won’t get, but what have you got to lose?  Ask for flexible work that suits you and your family – but come with a strategy.  Flexible working is often MORE attractive if an employer can’t afford a full time employee.

If you’re asking for flexible working come up with a plan, and pick your project.

Helen Veale, Outline : Be proactive about it. Come with a strategy that works for us both – tell me how you will be able to deliver what the production needs in the way that works for your family responsibilities.

Present yourself as half of a job share – you can find people to job share with, and indicate that you’d jobs share on Media Parents.

Pick your project – don’t ask for flexible work on a new series – ask for it on long running series which has a well-oiled schedule in place.

Do ask for a schedule (in advance of an interview if you can) and explain how you could manage your time.  Freelance Series Producer Suzie Marsh has successfully done this with companies she has never worked with before.

It’s possible to jobs share in creative and production roles – Media Parents Director Amy Walker has jobs shared as a PD with Media Parents PD Laura Leigh – it’s all about communication – contact us through the Media Parents network and ask us how.  It’s about communication, trust, talking about working practices, looking at footage or getting into the edit early if you can and constantly communicating.

The Heads of Production at Hat Trick job share. Laura Djanogly & Jessica Sharkey had worked together before job sharing and felt that two brains and two sets of experience were better than one.:

“It’s not my job, it’s our job”. They have only one email inbox, as they both believe they have to be “one person” to lessen impact on others.  They didn’t want anyone to have to repeat themselves, and believe things have to continue to move forwards. Handover notes are crucial and can be onerous, but serve as a good log and checklist.

Naomi Carter Head of Production at Mentorn spoke up for part time PMs and part time PDs at one of our meetings.  You can look at many of the companies who support flexible working on the Media Parents website here http://www.mediaparents.co.uk/employers/ and contact them through our network http://www.mediaparents.co.uk/network/ with your proposals for making it work for you.

Networking :

Work out who’s in your network, create an action plan, and a date by which you’ll implement it.

Get out of the house.  Media Parents often runs events where you can bring your baby!!

Network from home.  Use online networking – media parents, facebook, linked in, twitter – you can do it all from home – and it works.

Have a plan – work out who would be useful for you to know, make contact with them and keep in contact without being overpowering.

Suggest a coffee with people you have worked with to get back into the saddle.  If all the people you know at a company have moved on, seeing that company’s productions on your CV will still help you – just try them.

Applying for jobs :

Target your CV – contact companies who make programmes that are relevant to your experience.

Use a job-specific CV and covering letter.

CVs :

Sell yourself!

Don’t leave the dates off your CV, show that you’ve learnt skills in the gaps: volunteer work, local community work, book keeping, written a blog / book etc.

Keep your CV to 2 pages with the most relevant experience at the top of the first page – don’t take the credits off, name the shows, no matter how old they are.

Target the job you want :

Write to companies on media parents and present them with a solution.

If you want to job share suggest someone / a few people, include their CVs too and outline how it could work.

Ask for a schedule ahead of the interview then structure a plan as to how you could deliver if you worked part time / condensed hours etc.

DON’T GIVE UP – use the Media Parents site and events to network with people in a similar position.

Feel free to email us through the Media Parents site with questions.

We are running a session on Monday October 17th at C4 called “How Do I….Get That All Important Break?”
There will be 3 panel discussions with insiders’ tips on how toprogress up the TV career ladder. It’s for those looking to move upto: PD, SP & HOP level.
We have a few spaces left for this. Please do let me know if you haveany takers.
We are running weekly How Do I? sessions at C4 throughout October andNovember. Workshops cover negotiation skills, management/leadershipskills, pitching and presenting,    interview skills, CVworkshops….to name a few.
There are still spaces for these workshops….and people can checkthem and and apply at:

http://4talent.channel4.com/extra/hdi0

Many thanks to all of the Execs from the Endemol companies who met talent from Media Parents this evening.  Here are some photos by Rosie Bowen-Jones, more by Hannah Smiles to follow.  To network with Media Parents please go to www.mediaparents.co.uk

Tim Hincks, Chief Executive Officer of Endemol UK, welcomed everyone to the Endemol Meets Media Parents event.

Global Head of HR for Endemol, Bella Lambourne who is in the Media Parents NETWORK, and Amy Walker, Media Parents Director, look on at Tim Hincks' unfeasibly long legs.

Execs from Endemol met 50 Media Parents members

Annette Clarke, Executive Producer, Remarkable, meets Media Parents talent.

Jo McGrath, Head of Factual and Features for Tiger Aspect supports www.mediaparents.co.uk

Susan King, Head of Production for Remarkable, is in the NETWORK at www.mediaparents.co.uk

PM Sarah Holt represented Endemol's development department, meeting Media Parents shooters and development people

Head of Production for Initial, Sandra Smith, is in the Media Parents NETWORK section at www.mediaparents.co.uk

Ulla Streib, Director of Operations for Darlow Smithson met Media Parents talentExecutive Producer for Darlow Smithson Productions, Nick Metcalfe networked with talent from www.mediaparents.co.uk

To network with Media Parents please see http://www.mediaparents.co.uk

Chloe Samwell-Smith, Production Talent Manager for Endemol is in the Media Parents NETWORK

Media Parents would like to thank everyone who attended this event and made it a great success

www.mediaparents.co.uk for great networking, talent, jobs and information. to join us please go to www.mediaparents.co.uk

Tim Hincks, Endemol's Chief Creative Officer will be at the Endemol Meets Media Parents event on October 11th

On Tuesday 11th October, Endemol, Darlow Smithson, Remarkable, Initial etc will open their doors to Media Parents talent.  Here are some of the Execs and Talent Managers from Endemol who will be attending:

Tim Hincks: Chief Executive Officer

Tim Hincks is Chief Executive officer of Endemol UK. Endemol UK is one of the largest independent production companies in Britain and annually produces over 2,000 hours of output. It incorporates a number of production brands including – Remarkable Television, Intial and Zeppotron.Credits include BBC One’s new hit series Total Wipeout, popular factual entertainment series Supersize vs Superskinny (Channel 4); Gok’s Fashion Fix (Channel 4); Coleen’s Real Women (ITV2); and The Sex Education Show (Channel 4) horror series Dead Set (E4, Channel 4); hit game shows Deal Or No Deal (Channel 4); Golden Balls (ITV1) and 1 vs100 (BBC One); reality blockbuster Big Brother (Channel 4; E4); and comedy series  8 Out of 10 Cats (Channel 4); Would I Lie to You? (BBC One); and Charlie Brooker’s Screenwipe (BBC Four; BBC Two)

Tim began his television career in 1990 when he divided his time between producing BBC Two’s Food and Drink programme for Bazal (now a part of Remarkable Television) and working on current affairs programmes such as Newsnight and BBC Westminster.Tim became Creative Director of Endemol UK in 2002 and stepped up to become Chief Creative Officer in January 2005. He was appointed Chief Executive Officer in January 2008.Tim sits on the Endemol International board; He is also the Executive Chair of Media Guardian Edinburgh International Television Festival.

Bella Lambourne is Global Head of Human Resources at Endemol, and can be found in the NETWORK section of www.mediaparents.co.uk

Bella Lambourne: Global Head of Human Resources

Bella Lambourne originally joined Endemol UK in 1993 and took responsibility as group Head of Human Resources in 1997. Bella was promoted to Human Resources Director for Endemol UK in 2002 and working with the Director of Operations also oversees the administrative functions of the group.In addition to her UK role, Bella was promoted to Global Head of Human Resources at Endemol Group in March 2011.Bella is a member of PACT Council, chair of the PACT Diversity Committee and she also sits on the Industrial Relations Committee.

Colette Foster, MD, Remarkable

Colette Foster joined Endemol UK in 2007 to executive produce Channel 4’s hit factual entertainment series Supersize vs Superskinny (Channel 4).  She went on to oversee production on the company’s immensely popular run of features series including Gok’s Fashion Fix (Channel 4);  The Sex Education Show (Channel 4) and Extreme Male Beauty (Channel 4).As Joint Managing Director of Remarkable Television, Colette continues to executive produce series as well as developing and overseeing many other factual programmes.

Prior to joining Endemol UK, Colette was behind some of the UK’s most popular and groundbreaking feature programmes including 10 Years Younger, Embarrassing Illnesses and How to Look Good Naked.

Colette started her career at BBC Birmingham, working on flagship programmes for BBC One and BBC Two including The Clothes Show, Tracks, (which launched the career of Ray Mears), The Chelsea Flower Show and Gardener’s World.

Julian Ware is the joint Creative Director for DSP working closely with top broadcasting commissioners in the UK, US and around the world. Credits include The Falling Man, Rome Wasn’t Built in Day, The Beckoning Silence; Blitz: London’s Firestorm.

Julian joined DSP in 2004 as Head of Special Projects and was appointed as Creative Director in 2011. Previously he was Director of Programmes at ITN Factual.

Ben Bowie, Joint Creative Director at Darlow Smithson productions will be meeting Media Parents talent on Tuesday

Ben Bowie, Joint Creative Director, Darlow Smithson Productions

Ben Bowie is the joint Creative Director for DSP working closely with top broadcasting commissioners in the UK, US and around the world. Credits include Into the Universe with Stephen Hawking; Seconds From Disaster; I Shouldn’t Be Alive.

Ben joined DSP in 2001 as a producer becoming Executive Producer in 2005. He was appointed as Creative Director in 2011.

Ulla Streib, Director of Operations at Darlow Smithson Productions will be meeting Media Parents talent on October 11th

ulla streib, director of operations, darlow smithson productions

Ulla Streib manages DSP’s output. Her expertise is in achieving maximum onscreen value and efficient delivery. Ulla joined DSP in 1997 as part of the production team. She became Head of Production in 1998 and Head of Operations in 2002 and was made Director of Operations in 2011. Prior to DSP, Ulla was Staff Production Manager in charge of TV Production at Uden Associates.

Jo McGrath is Head of Factual and Features at Tiger Aspect

Jo McGrath, Head of Factual and Features, Tiger Aspect

Prior to her move to Tiger Aspect, McGrath was Head of Daytime and Features at Channel 4, where she was responsible for commissioning a number of enduring Channel 4 classic brands including, A Place In The Sun and 10 Years Younger. Since her arrival at Tiger Aspect in 2004 McGrath has created a number of hit formats including, three series of Diet Doctors for FIVE (accompanied by two books) and the popular Cook Yourself Thin for Channel 4 which also became a best selling book and one of the Channel’s most successful on-line brands. A second Cook Yourself Thin book was published in January 2009. The Cook Yourself Thin format has also recently been acquired by Lifetime in the US and 20 episodes are currently in production with a TX scheduled for spring 2009.

McGrath’s remit is to focus on winning returning formatted series with domestic and international appeal.

Chloe Samwell-Smith is the Production Talent Manager at Endemol. She is in the Media Parents NETWORK and will be meeting Media Parents talent on Tuesday.

Nyree Clarke is the HR Manager for Endemol UK, Tigress and Darlow Smithson. Nyree is in the NETWORK section of www.mediaparents.co.uk

Also joining us on Tuesday are Nick Mather, Head of Entertainment for Endemol, Nick Metcalfe, Executive Producer from Darlow Smithson, Jo Kay, Production Exec for Comedy, Kitty Walshe, Series Producer for Fact Ent and Features at Endemol, Maria Keaveney, Tiger Aspect’s HR Manager, Nicky Hughes, Head of Research and Development for Endemol, Cat Lynch and PM Sarah Holt, from Endemol Development, Tom Blakeson, LE and Entertainment, JohnPaul Chapple, Consultant Producer at Endemol, Catherine Welton, Executive Producer for Specialist Factual at Endemol, and Annette Clarke, Executive Producer, Remarkable.