Media Parents

Posts categorised as: Freelancer Profiles

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

how to Job share in Edit by Emma Sayce and Nikki Ryan

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Media Parents Back to Work Scheme Winner 2017, Edit Producer Emma Sayce, made it her goal to break back in to flexible work via the scheme (which is currently open for applications, apply here.). Emma has just finished a 12-week stint job sharing as an Edit Producer on Maverick’s BAFTA winning CBBC show Operation Ouch! She and job share partner Nikki Ryan write here about their experience of job sharing in the edit.

Operation Ouch!'s job sharing Van Tulleken brothers

Six months ago, neither of us had really thought about job sharing, but having done it, we’re keen to repeat the experience. We’ve found it to be a productive and enjoyable way of working.

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

Operation Ouch! is a 12 x 28’ science/medical series for kids, presented by identical twin doctors Chris and Xand Van Tulleken. Nikki worked as an Edit Producer on the series a few years ago, and when the Head of Production, Maria French, contacted her about coming back for the 7th series Nikki (very nervously) asked for part time hours. On such a busy edit this wasn’t viable, and the idea of sharing the role came up. Maria sounded out the Series Producer and Exec, and both were happy to give it a go. Maverick advertised the position through Media Parents and found me to pair with Nikki.

Maverick had chosen us on our individual merits … but it was down to us to make the partnership work, and we had never met! After our first conversation it was clear we were on the same page – both committed to the job, and to making the process of sharing it work.

Tamara Durnford, right, Maverick TV's Talent Manager who crewed for the jobshare at Media Parents recent job share event

Nikki worked 3 days a week, Emma 2. In the main, looked after our own VTs from start to finish, but this didn’t mean we worked independently. Being across 3 edits, on a fast turnaround show, meant lots of planning and we did this together – mapping out what each edit would be cutting and when, and lining up work for each other so we could hit the ground running on our respective days. We made it our business to be across everything our job share partner was doing, so that we could answer questions about it, and the production team could treat us, essentially, as one person.

All this meant we had to be in close communication. We had detailed handover phone chats on Wednesday and Friday evenings, spoke to each other during the day whenever we needed to, and had a joint email account which we kept an eye on during our days off. We did find ourselves putting in a bit of time ‘out of hours’, but this didn’t feel onerous. We could fit it around family commitments, and we also enjoyed it! How often, as a freelancer, do you get a detailed insight into how someone else does your job, and the opportunity to compare approaches and share best working practices?

None of our editors had worked with a job share duo before but they were extremely supportive, as was everyone on the production.  We definitely felt able to work as effectively as we would have done as individuals. The job of an EP is, after all, a creative one, and it’s easier to be creative in the edit when you’re not tired, not stressed because of what may/may not be going on at home, and generally feeling happy with your work/life balance. You also get time out of the edit to come up with the odd funnier line / fresher idea / solution to something that is proving tricky. In this way, we felt we offered good value to our employer – 2 brains for the price of 1!

Channel 4's Jon Snow photobombs the Media Parents Back to Work Team at Edinburgh TV Fest 2018 - Emma Sayce far left.

One big lesson, from our experience, is that job sharing really is a team game. There’s no room for competition or egos – your partner’s success is your success. You need to pair up with someone you trust, communicate easily with and who has a similar work ethic. Interestingly, we found that you don’t need the same experience, just the same attitude!

This job share has exceeded our expectations. Through Media Parents we feel lucky to have hit upon a partnership that works, and we’re keen to test it out on different kinds of show. We’re aware, for example, that on something like a single narrative doc, we’d be collaborating on a much more creative level. We’ve spoken to other job sharers who’ve made that work!

We’d encourage anyone interested to try and get a job share going. You can post here to find a job share, or on the Media Parents watercooler. Hopefully this will become progressively easier to do, but for now it seems that if a production company knows one of you, they’re more likely to give it a shot. We hope this way of working will allow those of us who need to give time to our lives outside telly (for whatever reason), to also have long and fulfilling careers within it.

Emma is now working for Endemol Shine, her Media Parents Back to Work Scheme sponsoring company, and will be available in November. Nikki Ryan is currently on mat leave – congratulations ~Nikki!

Nikki Ryan, Edit Producer Job Share

https://www.mediaparents.co.uk/freelancers/13729/emma-sayce

https://www.mediaparents.co.uk/freelancers/2587/nikki-ryan

Read more about Media Parents Back to Work Scheme here : https://blog.mediaparents.co.uk/2018/07/media-parents-back-to-work-scheme-opens-2/

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

July 18, 2018 @ 5:01 pm Posted in Freelancer Profiles, How To, News, TV Returners Leave a comment

5 minutes with Paula Watkins, Returning HETV Production Coordinator

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Having reluctantly left Production many years ago to bring up 2 children, it was unfinished business. I always intended to go back but a teaching career suited being a working mum and so it took until August 2017 to see if it was still possible to get back into TV, but instead of commercials, move into Drama, writes Paula Watkins.

Returning Production Coordinator Paula Watkins networking at Broadcast Commissioning Forum

In truth I thought it highly unlikely that anybody would want to employ someone who had been out of the industry for over 14 years. A lot has changed and with no up to date training or experience I questioned what I had to offer and almost gave up before I had even started. On a whim I made a phone call to a Producer I used to work with and a week later I began work experience on Silent Witness for the BBC.

Silent Witness (Picture Credit : BBC)

Walking in on the first day was terrifying, what would the production team make of me and what exactly did I want from the experience?  Within a very short amount of time it felt extremely familiar and comfortable and it was easy to ask millions of questions, take notes, offer help and be honest about my desire to learn everything I could to eventually be employable again within a production team. Much of the job was the same but the particular demands of TV Drama as opposed to Commercials needed to be learnt alongside all the current practices. Overriding all of this however, was a feeling that maybe there was work out there and that I did have skills to offer but just needed a way in. Being accepted onto the Media Parents HETV Drama Return to Work Programme a few weeks after some further work experience on The Durrells for ITV, really felt that the universe had a plan for me.

Paula Watkins with Tiger Aspect's Cat Fox at Media Parents Job Share Event

The Media Parents course was so brilliantly supportive and helped me to realise that I could do this ‘returning to TV thing’ that I had originally thought too ambitious. There was much to thank Amy Walker for during that week but the day at the BAFTA Commissioning Conference was a highlight. Not only were many of the speakers inspiring but it affirmed that there is so much exciting TV being made and waiting to be made. I came away wanting to be part of it.  As it happened by the end of the same week I was! I started a four-week placement with Fudge Park Productions.  Within 3 weeks of sending off my Return to HETV application form I was starting work on a Comedy Drama.  All thanks to Media Parents.

So now I just had to do it. I arrived on the job on the last day of prep and therefore into an existing team. This made it more nervewracking as the relationships and working practices were already established. On the first day of filming I made my way to set before everyone else, found the Production Bus and set myself down early to settle the nerves. There was plenty to do but the challenge was to find how to be as supportive as possible and seek out things to do without interfering or usurping anyone else’s role. But I also needed to learn as much as I could. This was a golden opportunity and I wanted to make the most of every second.

Fudge Park's White Gold (Picture Credit : BBC)

PACT contracts came my way and that gave me something that I could take control of, keeping myself busy whilst getting to the know the team and, most importantly, them getting to know me. The long days and journey to and from various locations were gruelling, but this was outweighed by how much brilliant experience I was getting. Once the contracts were done it was about being there for anything to support and help with the daily challenges that always occur in Production. Towards the end of the placement, I was delighted to be asked to stay on until the end of the production. This was really exciting and gave me the confidence to believe that my skills were useful and that I had become part of the team.

The back to work plan is currently taking shape with the help of my mentor BBC Production Exec Jacqui Glanville, and Media Parents. I need to stay close to home until my youngest daughter finishes her A levels so I’ve been fortunate enough to work from home as a Production Coordinator for Merman thanks to Media Parents. When that contract finishes there is plenty to do: developing excel skills, Albert courses, getting to know Movie Magic, Final Draft and anything I can find close to home.

Returning Coordinators Paula Watkins (top left) and Zenna Barry with Sister Pictures Coordinator Maja Wlodarczyk at Media Parents IWD Drinks. Paula attended every networking event possible to get back in to TV.

https://www.mediaparents.co.uk/freelancers/14684/paula-watkins

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

July 2, 2018 @ 7:45 am Posted in Freelancer Profiles, TV Returners, TV Training Comments Off

5 minutes with Zenna Barry, Production Coordinator scripted

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2018 would be the year of new adventures for me and when I awoke on Jan 2nd I decided that the time was right to get back into Media Production.  I had always known that once my children were more independent I could start thinking of resuming my career back into Production Management.  However I had some nagging doubts, writes returning scripted Production Coordinator Zenna Barry.

Returning Production Coordinator Zenna Barry https://www.mediaparents.co.uk/freelancers/14984/zenna-barry

Maybe technology would have moved on too much, perhaps my age and time away from production would go against me – these are some of the worries. Regardless, I decided to put the feelers out there to see what happened.  So I exhumed my CV and reached out to ex-colleagues in the industry to meet up for coffee and discuss a plan. A good friend and my Exec at Channel m,  Vanessa Williams,  sent me a few links to job forums and the Media Parents website.  It was whilst searching through the site that I came across this blog posts https://blog.mediaparents.co.uk/2017/12/poldark-and-victoria-offer-media-parents-returners-work-placements/ which sounded perfect!
Over the last 10 years I had been blessed with my 2nd child, taken voluntary redundancy and set up a successful photography business from home which enabled me to continue to be creative and earn whilst allowing the flexibility to be there for my family.  However, I have always had a passion for Drama and Film, but without any credits on relevant productions, breaking into this area seemed a daunting task. However, as long as I could prove my commitment to the genre, Media Parents would consider me for the placement…  result!!

Returning Coordinators Zenna Barry and Mike Ogden at Dock10 Studios

With that encouragement I decided to contact Michaela Eccleston, Head of Production at Red Production to ask for advice with the Drama industry.  We met for a coffee in-between her very busy schedule and she was so generous with her suggestions, even offering some work experience at Red which I accepted with open arms. Getting something on the CV sealed my acceptance onto the MP HETV Drama Return To Work Programme, funded by the HETV Drama Levy Fund, as managed by Creative Skillset. Doors were really opening for me and I felt grateful and excited.
Our first training was held at Dock 10, Media City and would be a day of meeting the other returners and updating our covering letters and CVs.  Day two and we were preparing for the networking night ahead with role plays & mock interviews. All scary stuff if you haven’t been in that mindset for a while. We also met Head of Development for CBBC Ros Attille for lunch, who gave us lots of great tips & encouraged us that the industry needs more Production Coordinators & Managers – very welcomed news.

Zenna Barry with Ros Atille and Mike Ogden at MediaCityUK

Feeling like Alan Sugar’s next apprentice I arrived with the team at Warner Brothers to put all our preparations into practice.  Networking went really well and I felt really positive that this was the right direction for me to take. Next stop we were at BVE Expo at Excel, a great place to listen to industry experts and network with ex-colleagues and new contacts.

Zenna Barry with returning Coordinator Paula Watkins, and Sister Pictures Coordinator Maja Wlodarczyk at Media Parents IWD Drinks

Over the past few months I have been on placement at Tiger Aspect on Sean Bean’s new drama Curfew, thanks to Frith Tiplady and her team, and I’ve been working with my mentor Michaela Fereday nee Eccleston and Media Parents towards a future career plan.
My advice to other media parents thinking about coming back in : don’t let the fear of the unknown stop you from giving it a second go.  I am extremely positive about a future in HETV drama production. There’s no better time. Don’t doubt – believe and go for it!

June 30, 2018 @ 4:57 pm Posted in Freelancer Profiles, TV Returners Comments Off

how to edit remotely by Ian Brown, Editor

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I have been in British Television for over 20 years and in that time I have been lucky enough to work on programmes as diverse as Peter Kays Phoenix Nights, Cold Feet and Dragons’ Den to the multi award winning “Ups” documentaries, writes Editor Ian Brown.

Editor Ian Brown : https://www.mediaparents.co.uk/freelancers/11059/ian-brown

As a well respected finishing editor and colourist, the majority of my career has been spent working out of the regions’ top post facility houses, usually in big air conditioned rooms with fancy sofas and hot and cold drinks on tap but after the birth of my twins in 2012, I began to wonder if we could do things differently?

My youngest son Thomas has Cerebral Palsy and it became clear that if I could build a finishing suite at home, I would be able to have far greater control over my family’s work life balance.

A traditional finishing suite can easily set a facility back six figures but they all have one thing in common, without a skilled operator, they are worthless. I had the skills, I just needed to find a way to build a reliable home system.

In 2013 I began to forge a relationship with Matt Aindow at Scan computers in Bolton. As my plans progressed I spent time meeting the back room boys at Scan in their labs. Using a mixture of professional and gaming components we began to realise my dream of a facility class home finishing system. We added a Tangent wave control surface to give my system world conditions and it came up trumps.

Within days of me getting it home in February 2015, I was called on to grade a rock promo for Sitcom Soldiers, then edit a number of charity films, content for art exhibitions and a 5K grade on the British feature film “Off Piste”. It also allowed me to work from home whenever I was called on to edit TV programmes. Large parts of ITV’s Unbelievable moments Caught on Camera, Les Dawson Forever and Britain’s Darkest Taboo’s were cut in a cellar in Bromley Cross on my 3XS system.

Tom

Too often the demands of  working in Television combined  with the pressures of raising a young family lead to a talent drain out of the industry. I am reluctant to commit to working long unsociable hours especially when you add in a commute but as television fragments into more of a cottage industry I think this kind of home working is the future.

Send me a drive, discuss the brief and I can edit, online and grade around the needs of the schoolrun by picking up extra hours once my children are asleep. With high speed broadband, it is easy to do approvals over the internet. I consistently bring in my jobs on time and in budget whilst enjoying seeing my children blossom.

The way the team at Scan have worked hand in hand with me to see through my dream has been faultless and I am now often in the enviable position when I do go into town, of working on kit in high end facilities that cannot touch my home system for speed, grunt and reliability.

Yet much more important than that I am able to keep my skills as a high end finishing editor in the market place whilst juggling the family life balance that comes with having a child with complex special needs. Thanks to scan I am able to work on your project when you need me :-)

https://www.mediaparents.co.uk/freelancers/11059/ian-brown

June 7, 2018 @ 10:11 pm Posted in Freelancer Profiles, How To Comments Off

freelancer profile Lynne Boon, designer

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I am a 3D Designer working in Production Design, set design, live events arena, writes Lynne Boon. I am based in Hastings but work globally as you will see. Recently I worked as Production Designer for a live broadcast for Minecraft, Minecon Earth.

Lynne Boon's Minecon set for Minecraft

Minecraft is one of the biggest brands around at the moment and it’s amazing success of the brand is really down to the Minecraft community and creators who continue to build Minecraft worlds on line. They share the excitement and drive of being part of this wonderful community.

Minecon Earth is a live event, broadcast globally. Minecon Earth was a new venture away from the standard live event held at an arena to move to a global internet audience. It took place in Atlanta, in front of a live audience of 300 people and broadcast to millions across the globe.

I was the Production Designer on the event and the whole show was created around the live chat show feel. Set designs moved on and off stage to transition from scene to scene. Sets included NY apartment, US chat show set, Minecraft Grass Biome scene and Minecraft Desert Scene with big song and dance number at the end.

I worked very closely with the Producer/ Creative Director of the project, to take their vision and ideas and bring them to life and make them real.

I produced 3D visuals, showing the sequence of sets and how they changed from scene to scene, storyboards, presentations to the whole team to explain the show flow and how the space worked.

Once the concept was signed off and agreed, then I moved onto technical drawing, CAD plans, sections, detail drawings, drawing it up so the contractor could build and install it all. This covered rigging, building of sets, lighting, materials, props hire, everything that is required to build sets, then I joined the production team on site to install and see the show go out live.

I worked with a great team to make this event happen, marketing departments, stage directors, script writers, lighting designers, rigging team, sound designers, AV kit supplier, media designers, logistics, production managers, show callers, live broadcast producers.

The show ran for 90mins and was inserted with video clips, to update the Minecraft community of all the new and exciting things that are coming this next year, including, live updates, Preshow event, Community high lights, competitions, live mob vote, new server updates, cos play contest, Minecraft games updates were announced and whole show was hosted by Will Arnet and Lydia Winters brand director of Mojang with a series of guests.

If you need help and support on any of your projects, bringing ideas to life, visualising your concepts so you can pitch your idea to others, help with set designs, or the more technical aspects of CAD drawing, taking to contractors, build implementation, just give me a call it would be great to sit over a frothy coffee and have a chat about how I can help you.

https://www.mediaparents.co.uk/freelancers/15308/lynne-boon

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

May 3, 2018 @ 10:47 pm Posted in Freelancer Profiles Comments Off

5 minutes with PM Helen Landeau on Stephen Lawrence

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I’ve been a member of Media Parents for about 4 years since they helped me get back into TV after an 8 year break. I was a Media Parents Back to Work Scheme winner, and was mentored by Katy Brewer. I had to start again as a Production Co-ordinator but I didn’t mind, I was just happy to back in telly!

Helen Landeau's latest production is the landmark BBC series on Stephen Lawrence.

Since returning I’ve production managed for CBeebies and CBBC, a single doc on The Mersey Sound, and had the most wonderful opportunity of being the Production Manager for ‘Stephen: The Murder That Changed A Nation.’
It was hard work but ever so worth it and I’m so proud to be part of this creative team. We were often filming last minute and getting a cameraman and oh – those backdrops! Getting them to France and finding a suitable space in France to film with them – and also getting them into Downing Street was no mean feat! Finding the locations for drone filming in built up areas was a particular challenge, as was NATS paperwork. Filming protocols in Eltham meant working extensively with Greenwich Council, and filming drama recon with kids during the Beast from the East – working around snow in March – was unexpected to say the least!
The reaction even surpassed the production team’s expectations! Twitter was on meltdown and we were trending No 1 in the UK. If you haven’t had the opportunity to see all three episodes, you still can on BBC iPlayer.
Helen Landeau will be available in May.

https://www.mediaparents.co.uk/freelancers/9357/helen-landeau

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

April 24, 2018 @ 9:21 pm Posted in Freelancer Profiles, News, TV Returners Comments Off

5 minutes with Megan Toogood, portfolio freelancer

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I started my career in film and television in post-production and then worked freelance for all sorts of production companies and projects, writes Megan Toogood. I was a production co-ordinator for Complete Fabrication Special Effects and Modelmakers who specialised in high speed liquid effects and leatherwork, and whose credits included the Harry Potter films for work on the Quidditch costumes. I was a production co-ordinator, then production manager for their production company, Completely Fab, and made commercials for clients including Kinder and Ferrero Rocher. I produced short films and volunteered at the Greenwich film Festival.

Megan Toogood worked as a Production Coordinator for the Quidditch props company Complete Fabrication

My children and my part-time MA in Screenwriting led me to a portfolio career, hopping from project to project, always interested in the novelty of doing something new. But as clients recommended me on to other clients and new opportunities presented themselves, I gradually drifted further and further away from the TV jobs I really wanted and I’ve realised it’s time to steer the ship in the direction I want to go! My varied experience means I’m looking for something like TV researcher, marketing manager, PR, communications, brand manager, publicist, events organiser, conference producer, festival producer, production coordinator, or maybe sales and distribution.

And who can argue with promoting pirate takeover day as a really fun job? asks Megan Toogood

Some of my jobs have been really fun, with a massive sense of achievement. I’m proud of the research I did into communities that are under served by arts and museums – it contributed to a major funding bid from the Heritage Lottery Fund that resulted in a travelling museum project – the Maritime Memories Machine. And who can argue with promoting pirate takeover day as a really fun job?

I was delighted to be shortlisted for the content marketing awards for work with publisher Wiley on their ‘Backfiles’ – a digital product that provides access to research going back to 1791.

It was a buzz to get a very technical product launch featured in industry press. Working with publishers has opened my eyes to the weird and wonderful, from astrobiology to medical devices.

Portfolio freelancer Megan Toogood is now looking for TV projects

Freelancing has helped to become a quick-study, working out what lies at the heart of a project and how best to communicate it to audiences. I’m a strategic marketing and communications planner and a very experienced copywriter. I am happy juggling an enormous array of different projects, in one month last year I worked simultaneously in museums, engineering, higher education, pharma, and the charity sector on a variety of projects that included copywriting, PR, social media promotion and print commissioning. I never miss a deadline.

I’m usually involved in communications work, but I also get projects off the ground and make things happen – I was the convener for a TV industry event for LCC alumni and am a Co-Producer for a series of theatre nights in Waterloo.

With child number one at secondary school and child number two about to follow its time to consolidate the many different experiences into a single role, that I really want, and stop my talent for being headhunted leading me in the wrong direction. I’m not sure what the perfect job will be, but I do feel sure there’s an organisation out there with a strange skills gap to fill and once we meet we’ll be perfect for each other!

http://www.mediaparents.co.uk/freelancers/8957/megan-toogood

March 23, 2018 @ 3:02 pm Posted in Freelancer Profiles, TV Returners Comments Off

How to Job Share as Post Production Managers

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They say “Two heads are better than one.” Post Production Managers Sarah Bell and Monica Rubio couldn’t agree more. (Since this article was published Sarah and Monica have been job sharing as post production managers – congratulations!)

This is us: Monica Rubio on the left and Sarah Bell on the right. Looking for an opportunity to job share in post production

Between the two of us, there aren’t many situations we haven’t dealt with in the world of post-production. Both born organizers, we run a tight post ship.

So why should you work with us?

We both have an excellent grasp of technical specifications and workflows, the ability to problem-solve under pressure and a wealth of experience in post-production scheduling.

We also share a solid understanding of archiving processes and understand the importance of utilising media management best practice.

Both of our collaborative natures and working together on projects mean we are a great job-share match.

With over 30 years of experience between us, we are a team who wish to job share for a healthy work-life balance. We have collaborated successfully on projects, and now wish to expand this to a job share.

Monica Rubio, Post Production Manager

Monica Rubio, Post Production Manager

Monica has a background in Editing and Colouring. She has been involved in Post- Production from the beginning of her career and has worked with a variety of post facilities from boutique to big houses. She particularly enjoys being involved in the process of programme-making from the pre-production stage. She is extremely interested in new formats and follows with passion the current and constant changes on formats and deliveries including HDR and ACES.

Monica’s experience includes the management of short form for online content to Audio assets and budgeting of serial scripted TV on the likes of Law and Order and Street Fighter as well as different Languages including British Sign Language.

Sarah Bell, Post Production Manager

Sarah Bell, Post Production Manager

Sarah began her broadcast career in Australia, in the fast-paced world of News; Editing and as a studio operator. This was followed by many years of all things post and long-form at the BBC’s in-house post-production facility for Factual programming, working on flagship programs such as Horizon, Louis Theroux and Sky At Night.

Sarah’s can-do attitude and eye for detail meant that she was rapidly promoted to Workflow Manager. She also has solid experience of short-form and TVC workflows having joined a busy creative agency as Post Production Manager. She has an extensive knowledge of deliverables for both broadcast and online. Her experience in News in particular means she can calmly work to a deadline.

Please contact Monica and Sarah through Media Parents using the links below. You can also meet them at Media Parents job sharing event in May.

http://www.mediaparents.co.uk/freelancers/10780/sarah-bell

http://www.mediaparents.co.uk/freelancers/14229/monica-rubio

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

@ 12:49 pm Posted in Freelancer Profiles, How To Comments Off

showcasing artist julia andrews clifford

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In celebration of International Women’s Day 2018, we are also showcasing the film-inspired work of photomontage artist Julia Andrews-Clifford. Using fragments, cuts, splices, paint and glue, she creates surrealist portraits and landscapes of real and imagined people’s lives. If you would like to nominate your own “everyday icon” for Julia’s new work please email Julia a good quality photo and some information about the work your icon does or has done. See below for contact details.

The Female Gaze, Julia Andrews-Clifford

Inspired by film and feminism, her work explores the tensions between public/private life and the personal/political, and sometimes re-presents hidden herstories from the film industry. She exhibits through art galleries, pop-up shows, public installations, and site specific works on advertising columns, billboards and bus shelters. You can buy Julia’s work as originals or limited edition prints through her website shop.

Cut, Julia Andrews-Clifford

Julia is currently working on a project for International Women’s Day 2018 with a series of large-scale works or ‘Everyday Icons’ that will appear on billboards and bus shelters across Hastings, East Sussex and explore the disconnect between domestic work and public recognition.  Her ‘Feminist Artwork of the Week’ challenge will also run until December 2018 in celebration of Suffrage100, the centenary of the first UK women getting the vote. It’s going to be a busy year!

#EverydayIcons

Portrait of the Unknown Editor, Julia Andrews-Clifford

Short Biog

Julia started off as an English teacher in inner London secondary schools, then moved to New York to study film and photography before returning to London to become an education officer at the British Film Institute.

A Step Up, Julia Andrews-Clifford

While at the BFI, creating cinema events and film education resources for kids and teachers at BFI Southbank, she developed an innovative network of after-school film-making clubs which led to her starting her own business, Cineclub – The Young Filmmakers’ Network. With this company she worked with professional filmmakers and actors training them to adapt their expertise to teach kids in primary and secondary schools – to help them script, shoot and edit their own films for exhibition at local and national cinemas. The company ran very successfully for 10 years and worked with over 5,000 young people with Lars Von Trier as patron and the BFI, EMPIRE Magazine, City Screen Cinemas and Film Council support.

In 2009, Julia devolved her managerial responsibilities to return to her own creativity, studying Fine Art at Chelsea College of Art and Design as a part-time mature student, and then taking a career break in 2011 to have a baby. She now works as a practising artist with a studio in Hastings, part-time as an art and film teacher and full-time as a parent.

www.julia-andrews-clifford.co.uk

@jacphotomontage

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March 7, 2018 @ 12:20 am Posted in Freelancer Profiles Comments Off