Media Parents

Posts categorised as: Events

media parents CV tips

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Our next event, on October 17th, is a CV event, kindly hosted by ITV’s Shiver, in which freelancers discuss their CVs with employers, partly for advice and partly to network. Scroll down this blog to find out who is coming and read their CV tips, we’re also delighted to be joined by Raw TV in addition to those named below. There will be employers who are keen to network and employers who are looking to hire – hiring particularly factual Edit Producers and SPs, production roles and factual development people. Scripted employers looking to meet 1st ADs, Coordinators and Line Producers, people who want to cross over from factual and people who are interested in Scripted Development, with or without experience. Sound good?

Channel 4's Deborah Lane Winter at a Media Parents CV Event "If you've had a career break, avoid the suggestion that that's a problem in your cover letter or CV - it might not be a problem."

Jenny Spader, Fremantle CV tip : watch TV!

If you do nothing else between now and Wednesday, choose your top person to meet and watch their output so you can demonstrate an interest. Read how returner Jaime Caruana prepared for her meeting here.

Meet Fremantle Talent Coordinator Jenny Spader

media parents CV tip : focus on the top 1/3 of  the 1st page

we all read CVs digitally these days. if you don’t have anything relevant to the job or company your interested in at the top of your CV the employer may not bother to scroll down. Front load your CV like pretitles.

Amy Walker (right) at a Media Parents CV event in Bristol

ros malthouse, shiver CV tip: don’t rely on your cover letter

I don’t usually send on cover letters to execs or SPs, just your CV with a couple of lines, so make sure that any information you want to get across is on your CV – don’t put all the relevant info in your covering letter.

Shiver's Ros Malthouse

Sue Kenderdine, TwoFour cv tip: check your email address

ensure your email address is your name, i.e. not sexygirl@gmail.com  rather, firstnamesurname@gmail.com. If you have changed your name with marriage, be consistent so people can find you.

Vanessa Colosi, Talent Manager TwoFour

TwoFour's Sue Kenderdine (centre) meets Media Parents talent at our BBC CV Event

Media Parents cv tip : Include your name, contacts and job title at the top

Signpost.  Also save the document as your name, job title, CV (and maybe the date). Send it in an email titled with your name and job title for max discoverability.

Noelle Barnett, BBC Scripted CV tip : tailor your CV

CVs lead with skillset and most relevant experience to the role you are going for. If you’re looking to move into a new area of work, then note the transferrable skills/experiences that you have that will help you establish yourself. You might have come a long way, but kill your darlings – it demonstrates that you can select relevant detail which is important in any TV job.

BBC Drama's Noelle Barnett (left) at Media Parents recent Job Share Event

Keri atkins, kindle entertainment CV tip : use your CV to network

Including the names of managers / commissioners you have worked to (or talent you have worked with) enables your CV to start networking for you before you get into the room.

Keri Atkins at Media Parents Job Share event at Tiger Aspect

Jacquie Glanville, BBC Drama CV Tip : keep it to 2 pages

Keeping details brief, concise and informative helps when passing your details on to hiring managers. Your CV should read like a good menu!

Emily Gale, Fremantle : Make sure your interests are interesting!

On a CV a no no for me is when I read the person’s’ ‘Interests’ are  :Eating, Reading, Travelling…  Come on… those are universal interests!  What makes you unique? What do you bring to the party? I love meeting people who have rich and diverse interests and who I can learn from. The best meetings I have are the ones where I frantically scribble down all the recommendations the freelancer has given me. Isn’t that after all why we work in this industry because we are always learning something new?

Fremantle's Emily Gale is unable to attend the event but Fremantle Talent Coordinator Jenny Spader will be there to meet freelancers

Emily Freshwater, Outline Productions CV tip : spell check

It’s not rocket science, mistakes can lose you a job and can stay on your CV for years. Get a friend to proofread or ask Media Parents for a CV M.O.T.

Outline Productions' part time Production Exec Emily Freshwater at our April CV event

Emma Astaire, Shiver TV CV tip : keep the file size small

Some CVs are stored in inboxes and deleted if they are too large. Keep your formatting by saving as a PDF.

Shiver TV's Emma Astaire

Emily Knight, RDF West – is unable to attend due to train disruption at Paddington today – sorry! Feel free to email us with a CV to pass on to Emily.

RDF West's Emily Knight is keen to hear from freelancers who will work out of Bristol and Cardiff.

To attend this event see the watercooler at www.mediaparents.co.uk. Can’t make it? Email us for CV advice via our contact button.

Our next event is a CV Clinic on October 17th. Click image to join Media Parents www.mediaparents.co.uk for great jobs, training and events.

October 10, 2018 @ 9:01 am Posted in Events, News 1 Comment

a researcher’s guide to Edinburgh TV festival : Melissa Bishop

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Edinburgh does…Question Time, hosted by the amazing Kirsty Wark. After all these years shouting at the TV from my sofa, I was there, mic in hand and selected to ask the first question, kicking off the whole debate writes Melissa Bishop. As Kirsty says my name and peers at me over her famous reading glasses, all eyes turn in my direction, cameras recording for posterity. I am now very nervous. But I am up in Edinburgh as the Warner Bros returner on the Media Parents Back to Work Scheme.

Question Time Presenter Kirsty Wark with Returning AP / Researcher Melissa Newbury

“As a recent report in Broadcast magazine has shown that the number of women directors in TV have actually fallen in recent years, what do the panel suggest to address this problem?”  Job done, my voice was not too wobbly and I had taken a first little step out of my comfort zone. That’s what I was here for after all.

On the way to the airport at 5.30am on the first day of the Edinburgh TV festival, I’d had 20 minutes to gather my thoughts. This was in fact my first Edinburgh TV Festival – brilliant. I had always meant to go but life gets in the way and somehow I’d never made it. The event is completely jam-packed, there are so many interesting, talented people to meet, I didn’t want to be doing it at anything less than 100% match fitness, so I’d prepared well. However, I was really nervous. Imposter syndrome strikes again.

"I was worried that being out of TV work, as a full-time carer, would been seen as a personal weakness somehow" Melissa Newbury needn't have worried https://www.mediaparents.co.uk/freelancers/14397/melissa-bishop

In addition, somewhere in the back of my head I was worried that being out of TV work, as a full-time carer, would been seen as a personal weakness somehow. When I got talking to people, I realised how any people have been in the same situation, or have experienced something similar and are totally understanding. It really isn’t just me.

The MacTaggart Lecture this year was beautifully written and passionately delivered by Michaela Coel, in front of a packed house. A fascinating personal insight into the industry through the eyes of a “misfit” (her words) – culminating in a moving call to arms for all in the industry to address this problem, to get our house in order – “fix this house”.  Her words resonated deeply and the message regarding lack of diversity permeated the rest of the festival.

It’s a great place to make connections, including Expectation Factual Head of Talent Anna Bonnadio, and Anouk Berendsen, Head of Talent at All3Media who kindly agreed to meet with us returners. One thing she said that struck me was “Be honest and open… just ask for what you want, what you need as a parent/carer in TV.”  If we all did this, things would have to change.

Returner Melissa Bishop with Expectation Factual's Anna Bonnadio

The first Media Parents session with Amy Walker flipped a switch in my head. Amy asked us in turn to introduce ourselves, in three clear sentences, name, what we are and what we want to do.…easy, but I couldn’t. I hadn’t thought through how to communicate really basic information about myself to others. So when I was asked to speak, I could only reply ‘but, what am I?’ Basic yes, but very easy to overlook. I realised that in my previous attempts to introduce myself to people whilst networking (not something that comes naturally to me and makes me feel a bit icky – to be perfectly honest), I’d either take so long thinking up my opening lines that they’d left by the time I was ready, or gone up to them and ended up rambling, trying to explain my entire life history to my poor victim. Not a very memorable encounter, or memorable for all the wrong reasons.

So: “Hello I’m Melissa Bishop…I’m a factual Researcher/AP, returning to documentary. Pleased to meet you.”

Try thinking of it as a conversation, Amy advised, when we’re discussing how uncomfortable the power dynamic of networking can make me feel. They are not ‘the boss’ and you are not asking for a job. You’re two peers, exchanging information and ideas. They might actually like talking to you. As someone who has been out of this world for a few years, my confidence has taken a bit of a battering.  I’ve found that it often takes just small mental adjustments to counteract this and feel ok about introducing myself back to the working world. Just this one session on it’s own was a total confidence boost.

As inspiring as anything I have mentioned so far, was meeting the other returners. All extremely talented and really lovely human beings. Michaela Coel’s MacTaggart Lecture enforced the idea that there is room for all of us in TV.  Here’s hoping that message will be taken away from here and acted upon.  I’ll be doing my little bit by asking for what I need as a carer in TV.

https://www.mediaparents.co.uk/freelancers/14397/melissa-bishop

Our next event is a CV clinic on October 17th at Shiver, please see our site emails for details. Click image to join Media Parents www.mediaparents.co.uk for great jobs, training and events.

October 9, 2018 @ 8:23 am Posted in Events, Freelancer Profiles, TV Returners Leave a comment

Media Parents Back to Work Drinks Gallery

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Huge thanks to the lovely team at West Digital for sponsoring and hosting our Media Parents Back to Work Drinks at their facility in West London. We were made really welcome in Shepherd’s Bush by Joint MDs Peter Zacaroli and Darren Cock, and by General Manager Paul Wilkes and the FOH team. We celebrated our Back to Work Team and were joined by more returners, Back to Work Scheme sponsors and freelancers for the last summer drinks in a leafy urban garden. Our next event will be at Shiver on October 17th, see www.mediaparents.co.uk for details.

West Digital's General Manager Paul Wilkes (left) and MD Peter Zacaroli with some of the Media Parents Back to Work team

Maverick TV's PM & Head of Talent Tamara Durnford, met freelancers and represented Back to Work Sponsors All3Media

Endemol's Back to Work Scheme mentor Melissa Clay Peters met returners

West Digital MD & Lead Editor Peter Zacaroli was all smiles

Cheers to all the returners who made it - quite a few people's first night out!

Thanks to Warner Bros' Jo Norris for coming along

West Digital MD Darren Cock meets freelancers with Exec Producer Matt Holden

Making Waves HOP Mags Scholes meets Screen Skills / Creative Skillset HETV Drama Returner Fred Archer celebrating his placement at Tiger Aspect

Thanks to Media Parents' Joanna Gretton for all her hard work!

Celebrating returner Jo Larmer's first day back at work on Comic Relief, and Hannah Williams' new flexible job at Merman

CTVC's Neil Barnes was on hand to cheer on the returners

Thanks for making it a great evening.

Our next event is a CV clinic on October 17th at Shiver, please see our site emails for details. Click image to join Media Parents www.mediaparents.co.uk for great jobs, training and events.

September 27, 2018 @ 2:14 pm Posted in Events, News, TV Returners Leave a comment

A scripted PM’s guide to Edinburgh TV Festival : Hannah Williams

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Two days prior to Edinburgh I walked into Tesco with my sleeping 3 year old draped, like a dead weight, over my shoulder, writes returning Scripted PM Hannah Williams. With my other hand I pushed a trolley containing my 10 month old (who thought it was hilarious to make her panda dive dramatically from the trolley every 10 seconds). My 5 year old headed up our procession ensconced in a fantasy game. A lady walked past, smiled at me and said, “Wow! That’s a full time job you have there!”

PM Hannah Williams who is being mentored by Merman on the Media Parents Back to Work Scheme, with her daughter Polly on their way to Edinburgh TV Festival

And, yes, it is a full time job (although I have never really thought of it that way). So, you can imagine that I entered the Media Parents Back to Work Scheme with a degree of trepidation, considering I am about to attempt another job on top of my “full time job”.

My Mum and 10 month old (Polly) came with me to Edinburgh and deposited me at the EICC on Wednesday morning. It was a little reminiscent of my first day of school (with the exception of the baby!). I have freelanced in the industry on and off for 5 years but, on the whole, I haven’t worked consistently. I was definitely nervous but inordinately excited. It felt like the right time to dabble my toe back in the glistening water of TV once more.

And I needn’t have been nervous. The overriding feeling I came away with was one of empowerment and a reignited spark for production. I could write hundreds of words about the seminars I watched and the people I met. But the feeling of empowerment really was the most overwhelming part.

Hannah Williams, left, with fellow Back to Work Scheme winner Katie Walmsley, Anna Richardson and Sue Perkins at Edinburgh TV Festival. "The feeling of empowerment really was the most overwhelming part."

I adore my children more than anything in the world. On the other hand I used to find TV making so exhilarating that I would often be in the office until the early hours, so devoted was I to the cause. And therein lies the crux. As much as I adore my children there still exists that person inside me who adores the career it took so long to build. It was Edinburgh that proved to me that it is possible to balance the two. There are many other Mums who do it brilliantly and many more supportive industry professionals who can help me to make it happen part time or via job share.

On Day Two I attended the seminar entitled ‘Legendary Women of TV Reveal All’. With a stellar line up of Olivia Lichtenstein, Arlene Phillips, Paula Wilcox, Selina Scott, Dorothy Byrne and the brilliant Dotty (A.Dot) hosting, we heard about how they climbed (sometimes grappled) their way up the career ladder. Olivia Lichtenstein described how she returned to work with a 5 month old and was immediately expected to visit Japan for a work project. Arlene Phillips moved us all to tears with a story of overcoming her lack of self worth and two generations of women thanked each other for changing the industry by their different contributions to the cause. They talked about the difference between once “clinging on and being grateful for being there at all” and, more recently, owning a place in the industry regardless of gender and presence of children.

I decided there and then that I wouldn’t make excuses for having children. A lovely talk with Media Parents Director Amy Walker reassured me that I have a lot to offer the industry. I should be selling my 16 years worth of experience rather than apologising for a slight absence. I think this is something that all my fellow mentees realised too. And quite rightly.

Returning PM Hannah Williams with Merman Producer Clelia Mountford

One of the most memorable moments at Edinburgh was a meeting with co founder of Merman, Clelia Mountford. Aside from the fact she is generally utterly lovely and extremely talented, she assured me that she once felt as I did after returning to work after her second child. We had a great chat and after a big hug she left. And I knew then that I was back and it would all be ok. If she could do it, so could I!

So I would like to thank Amy Walker, and Merman for sponsoring me in the scheme, and giving me the chance to regain my confidence, which had fallen along the wayside somewhere with discarded nappies and sleep deprivation. Between Media Parents, my new mentee friends and Merman I have a great support network should I need it. But, more importantly, I also now have my old determination and self-confidence back. So next time someone in Tesco tells me I have a full time job I shall hopefully be able to reply, “yes, and I work part time in TV too!”

Since writing this I have started my mentoring from Merman’s Head of Production Rebecca Parkinson, and have been hired by Merman. I will be joining them as Post Production Supervisor, which will comprise of three days a week work spread over five days, working mainly at home. Not only will I be working for one of the most exciting (and genuinely lovely) production companies around but the role fits perfectly around my children. I am enormously excited about starting a new chapter.

Join the Media Parents Back to Work winners for drinks in September

Meet Hannah at our Media Parents Back to Work Drinks on Sept 26th. Click image to join Media Parents www.mediaparents.co.uk for great jobs, training and events.

September 25, 2018 @ 11:47 am Posted in Events, Freelancer Profiles, TV Returners Comments Off

A Production Executive’s Guide to Edinburgh TV Festival : Katie Walmsley

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Excitement and nerves merged into one as I arrived at the Edinburgh TV Festival writes returning Production Executive Katie Walmsley.  And after an inspirational networking workshop with Media Parents, it was time to leap back into the world of TV.

"She's back!" Returning Production Executive Katie Walmsley with Presenter Sue Perkins at Edinburgh TV Festival

The first seminar that pulled me in was  ‘How to make a Green Production’ with Producer Rosa Brough and Trevor Vegera Lopez, Production Executive from Keo Films.   It was great to learn about the Albert Certification @WeAreALBERT, an online points scoring scheme which rewards productions for implementing sustainable production techniques.  A growing number of productions have gone through this scheme, including Downton Abbey, Coronation Street and Poldark. Great to learn that there are viable ways the industry can be part of the solution.

After a fun hour with Roy Walker and some of the cast of Love island for ‘Edinburgh Does…. Catchphrase’, it was off to the A+E Networks opening night drinks at the National Museum of Scotland.  It felt rather daunting walking into a packed venue full of incredible talent, however it was easy to bump into people I already knew since my Production Executive days in Glasgow and I immediately felt at home.  It was lovely to see Alan Clements and Kirsty Wark.  I also reconnected with Paul Sheehan, Commercial Director, STV and Pauline Law, Head of Multi-Platform Production, BBC Scotland.

MacTaggart Drinks at Edinburgh TV Festival

Day Two, and, determined to make the most of the festival programme,  I darted to the ‘The Leaders Debate’ where Kirsty Wark certainly held some of the panel to account over the Commissioning processes.  The difference between how the Indies and Commissioners view elements of the process was vast. From a production exec’s point of view there were some eye-opening revelations. For example 95% of commissioners said they had never asked an indie to start spending on a production without a green light, compared to 66% of indies that said they had.

‘The Michael Palin in North Korea’ Master Class was a powerful workshop, as was the insightful ‘Legendary Women in Television Reveal All’ Debate. Olivia Lichtenstein quoted Nora Ephron when asked what she’d tell her younger self – ‘be the heroine of your life, not the victim’ and my favourite advice from Dorothy Byrne, Head of News and Current affairs at C4 ‘Be pushy and ambitious and marry a builder’.

Katie is sponsored by All3Media on the Media Parents Back to Work Scheme. Katie (left) pictured with All3Media Head of Talent Anouk Berendsen in a leafy glade somewhere near Edinburgh TV Festival

ALL3Media Talent Manager ‘Anouk Berendsen’ & I escaped the busy crowds and had an invaluable chat with huge amounts of encouragement for my return to TV.  Anouk’s top tip was ‘Be confident in the experience you have and never apologise for taking a career break or for being a mum’.   I felt excited for the future and reassured that I could return to the job I love and still strike the work/life balance and be there for my children.

The final session ‘A Very English Scandal Master class’ hosted by Sue Perkins including the very charismatic Hugh Grant was fun and informative and reaffirmed how important team dynamics are to the success of a production, both on & off the screen.

We wrapped with a fantastic CV workshop with Amy Walker, ensuring my CV really showcased my skills and abilities.  The festival went in a blur and I’ve left with reaffirmed confidence, new contacts and some great meetings lined up about my future.  I’m excited to meet my mentor Roz Pound, Head of Production at Objective Media Group next month.  It was fascinating to see how the industry has evolved but it also felt like I’d never been away.  Media Parents & All3Media have given me an amazing platform to return to television and I can’t wait to see what the future holds.

https://www.mediaparents.co.uk/freelancers/15643/katie-walmsley

Media Parents Back to Work Scheme Winners 2018. To read more about their journeys follow this blog

Click image to join Media Parents www.mediaparents.co.uk for great jobs, training and events.

September 6, 2018 @ 10:47 am Posted in Events, TV Returners Leave a comment

How to get the most out of Edinburgh TV Festival, Nicola Kingscote SP

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Ahead of this year’s Media Parents Back to Work Scheme winners being chosen to attend Edinburgh TV Festival, Nicola Kingscote, one of last year’s Media Parents Back to Work Scheme Winners look back at last year’s festival and how to get the most out of it.

Sugar Films' Pat Younge with Nicola Kingscote at Edinburgh TV Festival 2017

As I crawled out of bed at 4am to catch the flight from Bristol to Edinburgh for the TV Festival I reflected on the fact that (weirdly) during my 18 years with the BBC as a director and Series Producer, I had never made it to the event. The day job always took priority. My recent decision to volunteer for redundancy had given me the clear headspace to find the Media Parents Back to Work scheme, and I was thrilled to be sponsored by TwoFour in Cardiff to attend. When I arrived at the EICC the speed meeting sessions were underway, enabling any festival delegate to book a face-to-face slot with a variety of talent managers from broadcasters and indies. It was great to meet with Zoe Rushton from BBC Cardiff, Fintan Maguire, an Exec Producer from Spun Gold (now at Rumpus Media), and with Pat Younge, MD of Sugar Films. All were generous with their advice and time. Pat was very keen for me to add a showreel to my CV, to really emphasise some of the well known series that I have worked on to potential employers.

Media Parents Back to Work Winners 2017 : Scripted Director Kate Cheeseman, SP Nicola Kingscote, PD Josie Besbrode & Edit Producer Emma Sayce

The first panel discussion I attended was “Tantrums and Tabloids – how to survive a production crisis”. In the old days, after transmission, we just worried about the overnight figures. This cleverly dramatised debate revealed what could happen if a contributor is hounded and humiliated on social media. Thought-provoking in terms of our duty of care to contributors, and how we as programme makers need to brief and fully prepare them honestly for what “can” happen if they are targeted on social media. For a BBC lifer, hearing from other channel heads was also fascinating. Ben Frow from Channel 5 (affectionately referred to by his team as Chairman Frow) submitted himself to a filmed “In Therapy” session which he shared with us, so that we would better understand him and what he wants for the channel. (Click here to watch Ben Frow speak at Edinburgh). His unapologetic honesty was so refreshing. In this and other sessions I got a great sense of the varied cultures at other channels and I felt very excited about the future as a freelancer. The Jewel in the festival’s crown however, was Jon Snow’s moving McTaggart Lecture.

Channel 4's Jon Snow photobombs the Media Parents Back to Work Team at Edinburgh TV Fest 2018. Nicola Kingscote second from right

The following day emotions ran high again on a panel discussion  called “I’m A Producer, Get These Celebrities Out of Here” hosted by the TV presenter Anna Richardson, which focused on the difficulties that can occur between the production and onscreen talent. Anna herself recalled agreeing to take a fertility test for a TV series when she was in her early thirties, and the utter shock and devastation she felt when the results revealed that she was infertile. As I flew back to Bristol armed with a notebook full of useful ideas and contacts, I realised that the most memorable and impressive festival moments for me were those when someone bravely risked making themselves vulnerable in front of their peers. Food for thought for anyone returning to work, because every single time, the risk was rewarded with supportive applause. The Scheme really helped my confidence in two ways. I was a parent with 18 years of TV experience who had taken a year out, but had also left the security of the BBC behind at the same time, to become a freelancer. I was moving into a new world and the back to work scheme really helped me with that transition. It demystified the freelance world for me in a way that has been hugely beneficial. The three other women on the scheme have also become great friends and we continue to support each other and remain in contact, often with tips on how to streamline our work lives to have more quality time with our family or just to have a general moan about things! It’s great to have that network with people who are not direct competition with each other, but who totally get what it is like to parent in the TV world.

Nicola Kingscote, Media Parents Back to Work Winner 2017

Click here to view Nicola Kingscote’s profile.

Media Parents Back to Work Scheme 2018 is underway, see our blog for details. Join Media Parents www.mediaparents.co.uk for great jobs, training and events.

July 31, 2018 @ 10:27 am Posted in Events, Freelancer Profiles, How To, TV Returners Leave a comment

media parents 2018 summer drinks & back to work scheme

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We’re really delighted to be announcing the 2018 Media Parents Back to Work Scheme sponsors at our summer party this week, where talented freelancers will be joined by  Channel5, MTV, ITV, Sister Pictures, Merman, The Garden, Raw TV, 360 Production, Barcroft Productions, Warner Bros, Tiger Aspect, Fosse Films, Outline Productions, Wadell Media, Boulder Creek International, Seefood and more.

Clearcut MD Rowan Bray and guests at Media Parents Summer Party 2017. Good times!

Clearcut Pictures are sponsoring the Media Parents Summer Party for the second year running – huge thanks to Rowan Bray and her team for supporting us again. We’ll be enjoying Clearcut’s hospitality in a leafy garden on Wednesday July 4th. http://www.clearcut.cc/

We’d also like to thank the Schedule32 team and Cornish Insurance for sponsoring the event too.

Media Parents Summer Party 2017 - join us in a Bloomsbury garden!

“We take away the time-consuming job of finding and booking accommodation for TV crews.”

Schedule 32 was founded in 2005 by Jo Clement. After organising many location shoots over 15 years in the industry, Jo saw a clear need for a TV-friendly hotel agency – a 24/7 operation, that’s always keeping the budget in mind, while offering a reliable personal service so that clients don’t have to rely on online bookings. http://www.schedule32.co.uk/

Thank you to everyone who joined us last year, we look forward to seeing you this year!

Cornish Insurance has built up an enviable reputation over 28 years providing unparalleled service to TV clients. Steve McNally, Rob Smith and the team are able to understand any risk presented, with experience and market insight. Cornish take great pride in dealing with clients, from individuals to Blue Chip Companies, with a personal touch. No other Broker or Insurer will be able to offer Cornish’s niche market products. By listening to customers’ needs Cornish have created products designed specifically for you and your business. To discuss your insurance needs please contact http://cornishinsurance.co.uk/

Please sign up to the guestlist via our watercooler at www.mediaparents.co.uk to join us on July 4th!

If you would like an application form for our 2018 Back to Work Scheme, please click here Media Parents Back to Work Scheme Form 2018

Meet Team Media Parents at our summer party - Amy Walker (left) and Joanna Gretton look forward to meeting you.

Join Media Parents www.mediaparents.co.uk for great jobs, training and events. Media Parents Back to Work Scheme 2018 is opening soon.

June 30, 2018 @ 5:46 pm Posted in Events, TV Returners, TV Training Comments Off

Media Parents on Sea Event June 2018

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Media Parents has been helping the Hastings bid to become a smaller Channel 4 hub and now we’re hosting an update on the bid on Monday June 4th, on Hastings’ iconic RIBA award winning pier.

Oh you do like to be beside the seaside, do you? Join us on Monday 4th June on Hastings Pier for Media Parents on Sea update on the Channel 4 hub bid

Do join us if you would work locally to Hastings, or if you just fancy a trip to the seaside. The event is free and open to everyone and Hastings Borough Council will update on the Channel 4 hub bid progress, plus good news for local filmmakers. And a lovely bar.

Media Parents on Sea event drinks will now take place in the PAVILION Bar, pictured, from 6pm on June 4th

Tickets are free and open to members and non members, parents or not. Please add your name to the guestlist here : https://mediaparentsonseaevent.eventbrite.co.uk

Who’s Coming so far…

polly gifford, Cultural Regeneration Manager

Hastings Borough Council

Polly Gifford is a senior cultural manager with a wide range of experience across the arts and public sectors.  She was Head of Education and Learning at the De La Warr Pavilion in Bexhill, East Sussex, and Director of Bridport Arts Centre in Dorset.  She is currently Cultural Regeneration Manager at Hastings Borough Council leading on how arts and heritage can most effectively contribute to the ongoing regeneration of the town.  She is also Interim Executive Director of renowned theatre company Complicité.

Jess Steele, OBE Community Activist

Friends of Hastings Pier

http://site.jerichoroad.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/Jess-Steele-CV-2015.pdf Jess will update us on the pier’s fundraising efforts. If you haven’t already, please support the pier here : https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/fohp2018. We have 26 days left to raise 80K to keep the pier in community ownership. Every bit helps.

Amy Walker & Joanna Gretton
Media Parents

Amy Walker (left) and Joanna Gretton at Media Parents Summer Party 2017. Our 2018 Summer Party is on July 4th so save the date!ss

Media Parents Director Amy Walker is a factual series and exec producer who has most recently worked as Head of Talent for Raw TV, for Twenty Twenty at Warner Bros, and for The Garden Productions. Joanna Gretton is a Factual PD who has worked extensively for ITV, Granada and the BBC, and acts as Client Liaison Producer for Media Parents. The whole Media Parents team works as a jobshare, sharing an inbox to support experienced freelance TV talent across the industry. As well as an excellent jobsite, Media Parents runs monthly events and training, including the Media Parents Back to Work Schemes which have reintroduced many experienced freelancers to the TV talent pool.

Full Guestlist is updated on our watercooler at www.mediaparents.co.uk, here is the list as of 31st May – there are still places please join us :

Alice Trueman Writer/Director/Editor Freelance

Amy Kolb Writer/producer Freelance

Amy Walker Director Media Parents

Aristotelis Maragkos filmmaker aristotelismaragkos.com

Beth King Communications Manager Locate East Sussex

Callum Mair Producer Natural History Museum

Cath Pick Film Tutor and Archive Producer Brighton Film School

Catherine Donaldson Teaching Fellow in Film practice University of Sussex

Christina Lowry AP/PD Ex BBC

Colette Rouhier Media Service Provider Colette Rouhier

Dan Matthews Producer Hastings Pier Events

Dave Carr Creative Director/Copywriter Nomad Creative

Dave Thomas Writer / Director / Cameraman / Editor Mrs&MrThomas

David Bryant Producer Bryant Brothers Productions Ltd

David Jackson Writer/Director Nox Films

Dirk Nel Director/cinematographer Simba films ltd

Ed Bishop Producer / Director Scissorhands

Emily Booth Script writer voice over presenter AMC networks

Emily Thomas Archive Producer Freelance

Emily Wood Genre Assistant Channel 4

Graeme White Creative Director Alfol ltd

Hannah Collisson Journalist & Communications Specialist Freelance

Helen Dey Graphic designer Ex BBC, Sky

Helen Jacey Writer Producer Shedunnit Productions

Isabella Campi Freelance graphic designer Freelance

James Chang Spokesperson Friends of Hastings Pier

James Clarke Photographer Freelance

James Sadlier Producer/Director Lorraine, ITV

Jane Bruce Art Director Jane Bruce

Jason Ellis Designer/Art Director Decode

Jason Stevens Owner Simply Garden

Jen Smyth Casting Producer Flock London

Jenny Plummer Project worker Housing

Jess Steele Community Activist Friends of Hastings Pier

Joanna Gretton Client Liaison Producer Media Parents

Joe Kaufman Director Red Kite Films

Julia Andrews Clifford Artist

Keira Freeman Film maker Self employed

Kelly Mikulla MD Sussex Film Office

Kevin Vanbergen Music Producer / Mixer / Engineer Freelance

Laura Clarke Director The Eggtooth Project

Leigh Harrison Post Production Coordinator None

Lynne Boon Production Designer Lynneboon.com

Matt Holden Executive Producer Factual TV

Matthew Wheeler Shooting Producer Director Chalkman

Melanie Anning Journalist/ researcher/producer Prize LTD

Mick Watson Graphic & Motion Designer Studio. Smart Giant

Molly Midlane Producer/Director Blind Pew Media

Nell Garfath-Cox Writer Mrs&MrThomas

Nicola Pharoah Picture Editor Freelance

Nina Somers Production Manager Olobob Tops Ltd

Oliver Smyth Creative Director Flock London

P Gammon Architect Pga

Petal Felix PD None

Polly Gifford Cultural Regeneration Manager Hastings Borough Council

rebecca child Art Director Freelance

Rebecca Marshall director Electric Palace Cinema

Richard Buxton Storyboard artist freelance

Robin Hayter Actor/Director/Producer Perfect Pitch Prods

Robin Johnson Presenter / Set Builder / Project Manager Johnson Bespoke

Rowland Jobson Director Seefood

Rukhsana Mosam Creative Director Ten66 Television

Sally Greig Director The Eggtooth Project

Sarah Wilson Brand Manager Roots and All

Sedat Aral Documentary Maker Sedat Aral

Sharon Dean Director Respect Music

Simon Booth Filmmaker & Photographer Simon Booth Photography

Sophie Goldstone Footage/Picture Researcher Freelance

Stella Wilson Broadcast Compliance freelancing at Channel 4 Television

Steve Couch TV & film editor / post production F/L ex channel 4

Steve Wynne CEO Strawberry Blond TV

Sue Dawson Director Hastings media

Suzan Aral Designer ARAL ETC

Tilly Creed Marketing Media Parents

Tom Chown Founder & Creative Director Digitom

Tony Fox Director Clockhouse Productions

Will Freeman Freelance Video Game Journalist, Event Curator Freelance

Tickets are free and open to members and non members, parents or not. Please add your name to the guestlist here : https://mediaparentsonseaevent.eventbrite.co.uk

Join Media Parents for training, events and great jobs - www.mediaparents.co.uk

May 21, 2018 @ 4:01 pm Posted in Events Comments Off

How to Job Share in TV by Media Parents

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Huge thanks to everyone who supported our TV Job Share Event this week and made it a resounding success. We were particularly delighted to be joined by so many Production Executives who were thinking of ways to build job share into their schedules. Thanks to Hat Trick’s Joint Directors of Production Jessica Sharkey and Laura Djanogly who shared tips from their own job share, and have been supporting us since our first job share event in 2010 – read on…

"We wanted communication to be seamless" Hat Trick's Joint Directors of Production Laura Djanogly and Jessica Sharkey with Media Parents Director Amy Walker

“We wanted communication to be seamless” Hat Trick’s Joint Directors of Production Jessica Sharkey and Laura Djanogly commented at Media Parents’ TV Job Share event. “We wanted someone to be able to start a conversation with one of us on a Monday and pick it up with the other on a Thursday without having to repeat themselves”. Having a joint email inbox has helped with this, and it’s a trick that job sharing Edit Producers Emma Sayce and Nikki Ryan haven’t missed on Operation Ouch at Maverick TV.

Tamara Durnford, right, Maverick TV's Talent Manager with PD Colette Hooper

Maverick TV’s PM and Talent Manager Tamara Durnford job shares part of her role with Maverick’s Head of Production Maria French. When it came to finding a match for Edit Producer Nikki Ryan, Maverick took the process seriously and asked Media Parents to help. Media Parents PD and Back to Work Scheme 2017 winner Emma Sayce got the job. The pair had not met before they started working together but the match is going well nonetheless. Emma has even been given some work from home scripting on some of the days that she isn’t in the office at Maverick.

Cat Fox, Tiger Aspect's Head of Productions is open to job shares. Cat (left) is pictured with returning Line Producer Clair Carney from Channel 4's Bake Off

Tiger Aspect is a company which is open to job shares, although nobody is yet job sharing. Head of Production Cat Fox was in the crowd to pick up ideas. All companies at the event agreed that joint approaches are welcome, and using the Media Parents website, freelancers can find others to job share with and mark the pairings on their profiles. We also encourage freelancers to apply as job shares for our jobs – present a solution that includes the flexibility you need, rather than just asking for help. Where possible get a schedule before the interview so you can talk in practical terms about the feasibility of flexibility.

Kindle Entertainment Production Executive Keri Atkins was in the crowd to find out how to make job shares work at Kindle

There were several existing job shares in the crowd at the Media Parents TV Job Share Event, including PDs Alicky Sussman and Milla Harrison. Milla and Alicky have job shared as PDs, Development Producers and Edit Producers and have written about it here:

https://blog.mediaparents.co.uk/2017/02/5-minutes-with-pd-alicky-sussman-on-jobsharing/

Alicky Sussman (right centre) and Milla Harrison have job shared as PDs, Edit Producers and Development Producers - so far!

Milla and Alicky’s job shares were supported by the BBC, and docs Senior Producer Jenny Williams also spoke from the floor about her current BBC job share.

Producer Jenny Williams speaking about her job share, next to Raw TV's Sophie Milligan

Jenny Williams was approached for her BBC role and made it clear that she could only work part time. At which point her BBC Exec suggested a job share, and this is currently in its first month and working well. The pair did not know each other before the job share was set up, but they did meet in advance. All job shares emphasise the importance of communication, and Media Parents Director Amy Walker has written about a creative job share with someone she had worked with previously, here :

https://blog.mediaparents.co.uk/2018/05/amy-walker-on-job-sharing-as-a-pd/

All3Media's Head of Talent Anouk Berendsen (right) also welcomes approaches from job shares

All3Media’s Anouk Berendsen also welcomes approaches from job shares. Her advice was to be clear about flexibility needs from early on “If an Exec wants to work with you then we can make it work for you, we can be creative about the way we staff projects, I’ve just placed someone on a 4 day a week contract, and I work flexibly – the company is run by a woman and we are really good about providing what people need to make their lives work too.”

Exec Producer Matt Holden also spoke about the flexibility that Shine TV offer to freelancers, enabling work life balance and a happy workforce. Shine MD Tanya Shaw has been mentoring returning PD Emma Sayce as part of Media Parents Back to Work Scheme and Emma will be working at Shine once her Maverick contract finishes.

Exec Producer Matt Holden in the crowd at Media Parents TV Job Share Event

BBC Drama’s Talent Manager Noelle Bartlett and Production Executive Jacquie Glanville were at the event meeting freelancers and making it clear that flexibility is supported at the BBC. Jacquie is also mentoring Returning Drama Coordinator Paula Watkins on the Media Parents HETV Drama Return to Work Programme funded by the HETV Drama levy managed by Creative Skillset.

BBC Drama's Noelle Bartlett (left) and Jacquie Glanville were keen to meet Media Parents freelancers

Job sharing Talent Managers at Twenty Twenty TV have recently employed their first Edit Producer job share on First Dates and are looking forward to that paving the way for more. A great tip from the event is to use the Media Parents network to help you find job share partners, then to write for the blog about the qualities your job share brings, and the flexible work you want, as Post PMs Sarah Bell and Monica Rubio have here : https://blog.mediaparents.co.uk/2018/03/5-minutes-with-job-share-post-production-managers/

Jay from Jamie Oliver Productions (left) talked to freelancers including PM job share Sarah Bell and Monica Rubio

Media Parents Back to Work winner 2017 PD / Edit Producer Josie Besbrode has been working part time in edit recently, and has joined forces with job sharing Edit Producer Emma Sayce to write this informative blog packed with tips on job share, so please do read and share :

https://blog.mediaparents.co.uk/2018/05/5-minutes-with-pds-emma-sayce-and-josie-besbrode-on-job-sharing/

Flexible working PD Josie Besbrode (centre) has researched job sharing for Media Parents blog

Huge thanks to everyone who came and made some GREAT MATCHES in the crowd! Please keep letting us know about your job share progress and highlight companies who are supportive so we can keep the momentum going. Thank you so much for this feedback on twitter @mediaparents too, it keeps us all going!!

Senior Producer Jayne Hibbitt Smith from Kalooki Productions is looking for a PD at the moment so why not apply as a job share? See our jobs page at https://www.mediaparents.co.uk/jobs/

Our next event is on June 4th and our Media Parents Summer Party is on July 4th this year so SAVE THE DATE!

Join Media Parents for training, events and great jobs - www.mediaparents.co.uk

May 18, 2018 @ 2:44 pm Posted in Events, How To, TV Training Comments Off

media parents job share event may 16 guestlist

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Curious about job share in TV? Think creative jobshares can’t work? Think again. Join us on May 16th for an evening at Hat Trick, hearing from supportive companies (see guestlist below), existing job shares and meeting potential job share partners in the crowd. If you’d like to attend please send a CV to the address on this link when you sign up to the guestlist : https://mediaparentstvjobshareevent.eventbrite.co.uk

who’s coming?

Jacquie Glanville

Production Executive, BBC Drama

Three Girls' Production Consultant Jacquie Glanville will be joining us at Media Parents TV Job Share Event

Jacquie Glanville is mentoring returning Drama Production Coordinator Paula Watkins as part of Media Parents HETV Drama Return to Work Programme. Both will be attending our TV Job Share event, read more about Jacquie’s credits here.

Jessica Sharkey & Jessica Djanogly
Joint Directors of Production, Hat Trick

Jessica Sharkey with Hat Trick's Joint Director of Production Laura Djanogly at a 2010 Media Parents Job Share Event

Jessica Sharkey and Laura Djanogly oversee the whole range of programme output from the Hat Trick Group from initial development and budget negotiations, through production to delivery. Jessica and Laura will share job share tips at the event.

Laura joined Hat Trick as Head of Production in 2001 before joining forces with Jessica in 2004. Prior to this she was Programme Finance Manager at Channel 4 looking after Arts, Sport and Entertainment, a role which followed 14 years in the freelance production world working in Comedy, Entertainment and Documentary.

Jessica joined Hat Trick as Joint Head of Production in 2004.  Prior to this she was Production Executive at Alomo Productions, a role which followed 14 years in the freelance production world working in Drama, Comedy, Children’s and Documentary

Clare Voyce
MD, Minnow Films

Clare joined Minnow as Head of Production in 2008, looking after their output : http://www.minnowfilms.co.uk/filmography/index.html.

Prior to this Clare was at Blast! Films where she production managed various documentaries and drama docs including Accused (BBC2), Boys from the Brown Stuff (BBC2) and A Very British Sex Scandal (Channel 4). Clare also production managed Blue Suede jew, Hair Wars, Million Dollar Pigeon and Beautiful Young Minds.

Lisa Cox
Director of Production, Ricochet

Lisa Cox is Director of Production for Ricochet.  As such she has supported all kinds of flexible working including job sharing Series Producers.

Lisa joined Ricochet back in 2000 and has worked across all of Ricochet’s output, and her credits include Supernanny for C4, the long running documentary series Born To Be Different, returning formats such as Cowboy Builders (Five) and Food Unwrapped (C4) as well as popular BBC daytime series like Britain’s Empty Homes,  Family Finders and Channel Patrol.

As well as supervising all of Ricochet’s production, Lisa is a key part of the management team, responsible for the company’s financial planning and oversees all operational aspects of the business. Lisa has also been a mentor several times for Media Parents Returners.

Cat Fox

Head of Production, Comedy Entertainment, Tiger Aspect

Cat Fox, Head of Production Comedy Entertainment, Tiger Aspect

https://www.tigeraspect.co.uk/career-pathways/cat-fox/

Keri Atkins
Production Executive, Kindle Entertainment

Keri has worked in the TV industry for many years. She’s been involved in a broad range of TV programming for a variety of broadcasters since she started as a Production Secretary on C5’s first ever children’s commission in the late 1990s.

Working on a variety of drama, children’s, factual entertainment, animation, live and documentaries, Keri originally arrived at Kindle Entertainment as a Production Manager on the first series of the popular BAFTA award winning series for CBBC, Dixi.

Sunshine Underhill Jackson
Senior Producer & Co-Founder, Amplify

Previously an award-winning documentary film editor (twice BAFTA nominated), coming up through the cutting rooms Sunshine worked with a great many directors, and became adept at finding their strengths and supporting their weaknesses. She has supported, amongst others, job sharing Edit Producers.

In 2013 Sunshine made the leap to editorial producing, and in 2015 was Series Editor on the first series of ‘Hunted’ for Channel 4. In March 2016, as Series Editor on ‘Eden – Paradise Lost’ for Channel 4, Sunshine took challenging rushes and created the ‘utterly extraordinary’ and ‘stand out’ second series. In 2016 she dipped briefly back in to the cutting room to cut the first episode of the multi-award winning ‘Exodus – Our Journey to Europe’, a series about the refugee crisis.

Sunshine has 2 children, and during her maternity leave authored ‘Little London’, a book about adventuring in London with kids.

Anouk Berendsen
Head of Talent, All3Media

Anouk Berendsen, centre, with Media Parents HETV Drama Returners at BAFTA

Anouk joined All3Media in June 2016.   She is the point of contact for all senior creative talent within the Group and for talent looking to join All3Media.   Anouk has a unique insight into programme-making, spanning multiple genres and multiple broadcasters. She is passionate about creating new opportunities for established creative talent.

Before moving into talent management, Anouk worked as a freelance TV producer for over 15 years across a range of genres, from popular documentaries, factual entertainment and reality TV shows to prime-time entertainment. She started her career at ITV launching the hit daytime show Loose Women. She has subsequently produced large-scale ambitious projects such as The Match (SKY1) and Only Fools On Horses (Sport Relief, BBC One) and also helped launch BBC One’s new Saturday night format Last Choir Standing.

Tamara Durnford
Talent Manager & Production Manager, Development, Maverick TV

Maverick's Tamara Durnford (right) at Media Parents CV Event in April

One half of a job share herself, Maverick’s Talent Manager Tamara is responsible for helping find off-screen talent. She oversees Maverick’s talent database and network, building and developing relationships with all levels of production and development staff from runners to series producers. She work closely with executive producers and production management to staff projects and help develop the skills of our talented staff. Alongside, Talent Managing Tamara is also the Production Manager for Maverick’s Development team; supporting them in the day to day running of the department.

Sophie Milligan
Talent Coordinator, Raw TV

Sophie Milligan (left) at Media Parents Christmas Drinks

https://www.raw.co.uk/work

Emma Sayce
Job sharing Edit Producer

Job Sharing Returner Emma Sayce (left) at Edinburgh TV Festival with her Media Parents Sponsor Endemol Shine Global HR Director Bella Lambourne

Emma Sayce won one of the Media Parents Back to Work Scheme places at Edinburgh last year. She is being mentored by Shine MD Tania Shaw, and is sponsored by Endemol Shine. Emma is currently job sharing as an Edit Producer at Maverick TV – a role she won through Media Parents – ask her about it at the event.

Milla Harrison
Job Sharing PD / Edit Producer

PD Milla Harrison (left) with job share partner Alicky Sussman

Ask Milla how it’s done at the event – read more HERE.

Amy Walker
Director, Media Parents

Media Parents' Amy Walker and Joanna Gretton (right) who job share!

Amy Walker has job shared as a Producer Director and as a Series Producer. Find out more about it at the Media Parents TV Job Share Event and here.

If you’d like to attend please send a CV to the address on this link when you sign up to the guestlist : https://mediaparentstvjobshareevent.eventbrite.co.uk

To see job types attending please scroll down this blog or click here :

https://blog.mediaparents.co.uk/2018/05/media-parents-job-share-event-may-16th/

Join Media Parents for training, events and great jobs - www.mediaparents.co.uk

May 9, 2018 @ 2:37 pm Posted in Events, TV Returners Comments Off