As we came out of a quiet February, which included me promising to finish all those jolly DIY jobs I’d been so looking forward to doing (!) a different major concern hit, writes Peter Chipping. So major it shut down all the DIY and builders’ merchant stores, leaving the promise of me completing those DIY jobs to later.

As a father my immediate concern was the safety of my grown-up children, one of whom had just started working at a care home and caught “something” there. Without testing being offered we couldn’t confirm the exact nature – but insisted on self-isolating her anyway. Meanwhile, the missus and I volunteered with the GoodSam / NHS volunteers app. (June update: Both children are well and the care home worker beavering away. COVID testing was undertaken 2 months later, but nothing on anti-bodies – so we can’t be sure what happened.)

Peter Chipping remote working on a script

While waiting for the app to ring, I went back to the drawing board. Literally, and started writing. It felt good to be doing “something” TV related. It felt like work too.
One such job I’d always promised myself to do was to rewrite a medical thriller movie.

Easy-peasy, right? All I ever needed was the time – but it kept getting put off. It sat in a bottom drawer knocking on the handle wanting to be let out. The time was right and off I went. Slowly. Very slowly. How do these established writers write a movie in two weeks? Sometime later, 101 pages finally rolled out of Final Draft and has now winged its way to my script editor.

Then to a different genre. This time working in two teams, interconnected with some zoom-connected producers.  The first project was fleshing out an idea for a presenter led biography / travelogue. We had the presenter in the form of a well loved actor and hewed an angle for him. We had even shot a sizzle pre lockdown – so I just needed to edit it down.

This followed with a specialist factual entertainment idea that could be shot under the emerging post COVID guidelines. We found some experts and zoom-interviewed them. Creating glossy e-brochures followed, along with budgets and have presented to broadcasters. Of course these ideas are super-ground breaking, returnable and, of course, cost efficient!

Leading with a valuable Media Parents online CV event, I’ve also enjoyed a plethora of online zoom master classes, training courses and commissioner meetings. However, the pandemic suddenly took to a turn for the worse and my world imploded: The DIY shops re-opened and the paint brushes returned. Sigh.

Tasks completed, all I need is a commission for one of the three above please. Or the promised and evaporated TV contract coming back into play. That, and of course a barber. Then I’ll be able to remove the hat.

Peter Chipping mainly directs scripted television, read his previous blog here.

The drama he wrote and directed for Nazi Megastructures has just aired on C4, catch it here.

https://www.mediaparents.co.uk/freelancers/15880/peter-chipping

Join us for Media Parents events, jobs and training at www.mediaparents.co.uk

What is In The Edit – The Film & TV Making-of Podcast? Writes freelance Media Parents Editor Rahim Mastafa. Rahim is Cardiff-based and has award-winning credits in factual, daytime and docs, including Channel 4′s Travel Man, read more here.

Offline Editor Rahim Mastafa https://www.mediaparents.co.uk/freelancers/6815/rahim-mastafa

In the Edit is a weekly interview-based podcast where I speak to other working film & TV professionals. We talk about their careers, how they got started in the industry, some of their favourite projects and get inspiration for those who are working or want to work in film or TV.

Hear more about the making of Sherlock amongst many other shows on the podcast

Some of the guests I have so far interviewed from the world of drama are Dream Horse & Happy Valley Director Euros Lyn, Sherlock & Dracula Production Designer Arwel Jones, Broadchurch & Doctor Who Costume Designer Ray Holman, Peaky Blinders & Tolkien Special Effects Supervisor Danny Hargreaves, Luther & Black Mirror DOP Stephan Pehrsson, DNEGTVthe VFX company behind shows such as Chernobyl, Star Trek: Picard, Locke & Key and Sex Education & His Dark Materials stunt coordinator Crispin Layfield.

Travelman Series Director Nicola Silk talks to Rahim for In the Edit

Factual guests I’ve interviewed are Barry Hecker, Series Producer of Sam & Shauna’s Big Cookout and The One Show, Graciela Watson, Senior Edit Producer of Find It, Fix It, Flog It, Bargain Hunt & Location, Location, Location Producer Director Nick Denning, Code Blue & Manhunt documentary director Iwan Robert, The Wedding Guru director Paul Symonds and more.

Sherlock & Dracula Production Designer Arwel Jones

The idea is to get as broad a range of working professionals as possible and for them to tell their story. I’m always on the lookout for more guests to join me on the podcast, so don’t be surprised if you get a message from me soon!

You can hear the podcast on these platforms:
https://intheedit.podbean.com/
https://open.spotify.com/show/7hQuOHlPlIvJqC92RM7ZJa
https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/in-the-edit-the-film-tv-making-of-podcast/id1508561910

And you can book Rahim here: https://www.mediaparents.co.uk/freelancers/6815/rahim-mastafa

Join us for Media Parents events, jobs and training at www.mediaparents.co.uk

Want to actively do something to support diversity in TV? Adeel Amini from The TV Mindset has shared three calls to action that anyone can implement in TV teams, writes Media Parents Director Amy Walker.

The TV Mindset‘s webinar on Racism in TV has been watched by nearly 5,500 people in  a week. You can view it here. Producer Amini says “I’m pleased to say that The TV Mindset is now advising many institutions on their next steps” contact him through the facebook page.

Are you hiring in your own image or comfort zone? Advice I was given early in my hiring career was, two CVs being equal, choose the candidate which brings greater diversity to your team. It grates on everyone to think that a decision is made based on the colour of a person’s skin. Equally, how are we going to improve diversity and inclusion? Networking is a great place to start. If you’re looking for places to advertise jobs to diverse candidates you can choose Media Parents and you can read more about other platforms and resources here.

If Media Parents can help you with crewing or casting, contact us here.

Thanks Adeel for your clear calls to action. For info on mental health support in TV, go here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thetvmindset/

Join us for Media Parents events, jobs and training at www.mediaparents.co.uk

“What is your company doing to to ACT and not just say #BlackLivesMatter on social media?” an African American friend asked in discussion about George Floyd. So here follows a list of companies offering TV diversity training in the UK, platforms you can search or join for greater diversity and a link to donate to BLM causes, writes Media Parents Director Amy Walker. Also take the time to click here to read and sign this BAME TV Taskforce Letter and, if you are a person of colour, join the BAME TV Task Force. Additional resources have been provided by writer Sarah Page and can be found on twitter here.

Credit Emily Rickets @ewr.portfolio

Media Parents Director Amy Walker has won diversity awards for crewing and casting, so if Media Parents can help with the diversity of your teams click here to contact us. If your company is looking for diversity training then read on.

BLM protest Cornwall credit: Chris Yacoubian

The TV Mindset‘s webinar on Racism in TV has been watched by nearly 5,500 people in  a week. You can view it here. Producer Adeel Amini says “I’m pleased to say that The TV Mindset is now advising many institutions on their next steps” contact him through the facebook page. Amini has also created some straightforward calls to action that anyone can implement at work, read more here.

BLM protest London credit: Alison Hunt

Industry training body ScreenSkills diversity training offer can be found here. Media Parents is proud to say that the Media Parents ScreenSkills Return to Work Programme out-performed ScreenSkills diversity targets, and that the Media Parents Back to Work Scheme has 35% diversity in intake over the years.

Trainer Addie Orfila is recommended for industry diversity training, as is Femi Otitoju, who delivers training on unconscious bias. You can take a Harvard unconscious bias / explicit association test by clicking here. Media Parents’ Amy Walker participated in Otitoju’s unconscious bias training thanks to BFI subsidy.

BLM protest Tunbridge Wells credit Emily Ricketts @ewr.portfolio

MAMA Youth‘s inclusion awareness workshops are experience based and tackle issues at the forefront of diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Offered exclusively to corporate and patron partners, these workshops are now open to the wider industry.  Please contact info@mamayouthproject.org.uk for more information. Mama Youth’s alumni talent pool is also a useful diverse talent resource.

BLM protest London credit: Alison Hunt

Creative Access recruits under-represented talent to the UK’s creative industries. In addition to using them to recruit, they have a diversity training offer for companies.

Click any of these hyperlinked organisation names to find out more about their offers in diversity and inclusion: IconicSteps; @PrincesTrust; @SaraPuttAssoc; @CSparkworks; @artsemergency; @Film_London; @DiVA_Creative; @FourCornersE2; @thinkbigger_org and @BAFTA offers various training opportunities and schemes. And here is PACT’s diversity website.

BLM protests London credit: Alison Hunt

Simone Pennant’s TV Collective has reported on Channel 4′s recent commitment to be an anti-racist organisation, which you can read about here. You can also follow Channel 4 News Identity strand on facebook here. The TV Collective also organises networking events and promotes job opportunities to the BAME TV community. See also @TriForceEvents; @cinesister; @BritBlacklist; @RaisingFilms; @104Films; @bbcwritersroom; https://bbcstudios.com/writersacademy; @DANC_MANC; @illuminatrixLDN; https://womenbehindthecamera.co.uk/

https://profileperformers.com/ and @ProjectNoirHub, a creative collective for people of colour working to make the creative industries more culturally diverse. Channel 4 also lists a collection of industry talent schemes here: https://careers.channel4.com/4talent/industry-talent-schemes/4stories

BLM protest Cornwall credit: Chris Yacoubian

If you would like to share any other recommended training sources for diversity and inclusion in TV please contact us. You can also click through to this BBC article which links to UK and US charities, including The Stephen Lawrence Trust, promoting equality which you can support. Be the change!

BLM protest London credit: https://www.antoniamaguire.com/

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