Media Parents

John Willis unfolds his arms and leans over his desk.  He has been considering his previous answers, about BAFTA, where he is Chairman, and Tinopolis, where he is Group Creative Director. But I’ve just asked him what it was like to be working in TV when he was a father to young children.

John Willis, BAFTA Chairman, Mentorn CEO and Creative Director of the Tinopolis Group in conversation with Media Parents at www.mediaparents.co.uk

“We had our children young – people settle down later now – we had our first when I was twenty nine. It put a lot of pressure on my wife because I worked on location overseas.  I had to go off for three to four months at a time.  In those days you would go off for much longer, so I went off to Australia for four months on a travel series with Alan Whicker.”  Before the days of email.  “You were allowed one phone call home a week.”

“Having children in TV can be one of the most difficult things – that agonizing moment when you miss the school play because your demanding job doesn’t finish at 5. Looking back on it now you miss big parts of your children growing up.  I do remember when my kids could say ‘Mummy’ and not ‘Daddy’”.

As Chief Executive of Mentorn Media, John Willis knows only too well that working in TV still impacts on families, and he says Mentorn tries hard to support family life. “In TV most individuals are sympathetic, but collectively it doesn’t always work out.  It can be hard for both parents to sort out childcare”.  One of the Mentorn Execs works a bit flexibly to help with childcare, another works a four day week, others take time as and when. Although it’s a large company, it feels smaller, and today Willis will be judging Mentorn’s annual Christmas tree decorating competition in his avuncular way. “It’s about the culture and attitude, so if someone says [flexible working] will probably work I always say yes.  People work from home when they need to, or if they take the afternoon off for Sports Day it’s fine if it enables talented people to keep working.”

“I think people undervalue the BBC – it’s criticized, but its maternity leave policies are best in class.  When it comes to job sharing or working from home it can be more difficult for an indie, but it’s not just practicality – it’s about thinking ‘we won’t have that meeting at 5:30, we’ll have it earlier so that person can pick up their kids from nursery’”.

Willis’s illustrious career, moving from early days at Yorkshire Television to become Director of Programmes at Channel 4, MD of LWT, then Director of Factual and Learning at the BBC, has “been driven by curiosity. Perhaps I’m just nosey.  I’ve always wanted to know about people and worlds I didn’t know about, and in TV you open out that world to millions watching”.

He supports diversity on both sides of the camera, not just regarding parents.  As BAFTA’s Chairman he encourages new entrants to the industry from all backgrounds. “Personally I think we work in a privileged industry. I’m keen that it reaches out to people who don’t have the opportunity – to talented people who don’t have the connections.” BAFTA has a mentoring scheme, a great online learning portal called Guru, and is also funding six postgraduates for the first time this year – “Diverse, talented people who are struggling financially.  One of those is a parent”, he tells me with a smile.

I ask whether he thinks earlier commissioning would help parents to keep working. “We’d all like earlier commissioning, but for lots of different reasons programmes get commissioned later than they should.  There are lots of commissioners who are working parents caught in institutional problems but I don’t know if that will ever change, it seems ingrained”.

“The industry needs working parents, not just because you’ve spent a long time training them, but also because when you become a parent it changes your perception of the world.  We must reflect our audiences in our programme makers too. To lose people doesn’t speak well of the industry if people feel that balancing work and parenting is so hard it doesn’t fit.  Good people must feel that there is enough support.”

This year’s Media Parents Christmas Party will take place at BAFTA on December 13^th, kindly sponsored by Molinare TV and Film Post Production.  To join us please reserve your place here :

http://mediaparentschristmasbash.eventbrite.co.uk

For BAFTA’s online learning portal please click on the BAFTA logo below

If you have more than 3 years' media experience see www.mediaparents.co.uk for great networking, talent, jobs and information.

To join us at the Media Parents Christmas Party at BAFTA on December 13th please use this link: http://mediaparentschristmasbash.eventbrite.co.uk

We’d like to thank you for your support for Media Parents over 2012, so please join us at our Media Parents Christmas Party to celebrate. With your help we are placing talented freelancers into jobs all the time, and working with more than 500 companies.

To say thanks, we’d love you to join us at BAFTA on December 13th from 6pm on the mezzanine level of the members bar for some seasonal fun.  If it’s anything like last year the Media Parents Christmas Party will be a great laugh, and a great opportunity to network over a glass of wine with employers, freelancers and execs across the board.

This year the Media Parents Christmas Party is kindly sponsored by Molinare TV and Film Post Production, who will be providing refreshments for early birds.

To join us please reserve your place by using this link  http://mediaparentschristmasbash.eventbrite.co.uk Places are limited so please bag your ticket asap.

If you have 3+ years TV experience please join us at www.mediaparents.co.uk

Not content with creating the best jobs and networking site for experienced TV people, we now bring you the ultimate stocking filler… Our Media Parents coasters are the perfect accompaniment to a mug of tea or a large glass of wine. Made by the same people who make the coasters for the London Transport Museum, and to the same high quality, these gorgeous mats bearing the Media Parents logo measure 90 x 115.  Ta-dah!

If you would like to purchase a coaster at the bargain price of £3.50 including P+P within the UK, or 4 for £12.00 please email us at admin@mediaparents.co.uk  Stuck for other gift ideas? Get someone a job for Christmas – or as near as! Ask us about gift memberships to Media Parents.  You can join a loved one to our talent section for just £15 a month or £75 for a year, or the network (everything but the jobs info) for £35 for a year. Brilliant. www.mediaparents.co.uk

Beth Whittal Williams' mum looked after her 2 and a half week old baby in the car nearby so she could come and meet some people. Amazing!

Huge thanks to the sixty people who came along on November 13th and made it a great night, and to BBC North for hosting at MediaCity.  It was great to meet so many people and hear some inspiring stories of how people are working flexibly, or can arrange it.

Listening to Sinead Rocks, BBC Director of Learning, the Media Parents crowd was full of talent managers, freelancers and MDs.

BBC Creative Director for Learning, Sinead Rocks, kicked off the evening.

Liz Bayliffe, Production Executive for Shine North, works part time.

Question from the crowd: "What can I do in TV with a young child?" "Development, position yourself as someone who can use social media to bring an audience to a show. Don't ask for flexible working, present solutions to a company."

Ian Bradshaw from Title Role said that their company embraces flexible working.

Sarah Murch, left, MD of Blakeway North told freelancers to ask for flexible working, but be realistic in their choice of programmes to target. "Great turnout, really good bunch of people. Sarah said "Media Parents is a really good organisation and very worthwhile. On the flexible working topic, I thought the evening worked really well. The key point is that no one does it for you, you have to work out what's best for you."

Danny Morrisey, Talent Executive for BBC Children's was hugely supportive in getting this event off the ground, special thanks to him and Aesha Zafar for their hard work and persistence. "We met new talent, which was really good, and all my colleagues at the BBC said the same. The topic of flexible working worked really well. I think it was demonstrated that sometimes it works out and sometimes it doesn't, but that there is a real appetite for it. Especially in BBC children's as it helps to get access to our audience!"!"

Helen Tonge, MD Title Role, with freelancer Fiona Greig. Helen "Great Evening, Amazing turnout. Really pleased that everyone is now aware of what we do at Title Role, so that they can make contact and we can grow our freelancer pool. There could be some jobs coming up... we will definitely be in touch with Media Parents then".

Amy Boscombe, Head of Development from LA Productions talks to Claire Brown from Media Parents.

Louise Blythe from the BBC Academy North spoke about FastTrain.

Carol Mackenzie, True North: "Great to meet new faces. Now we know Media Parents and who you are, we will be in touch as soon as we need to advertise. We are growing really fast, we have 35 people in Cardiff for the Valleys and have 18 Edits already in for next year."

Paula Stringer, Production Executive for News & Current Affairs talks to a freelancer.

Luke Frost from BBC Children's networks.

Tracey Walker, ITV Factual and Entertainment Talent Exec.

There may have been a reason why we couldn't remember names by the time we got home. Thanks for coming, we had a great time.

New mum Christina Wilby talks about juggling her job in TV and her relationship, how her husband re-trained in order to support her career choice, and bridging the North South divide to keep working.

I’ve been working in television for the last seven years and love it. I knew it was for me well back when I was at school, and after I studied at Manchester University I got my first work placement in Religion and Ethics at the BBC in Manchester. It was a great starting point. I was still studying for my Post Graduate Degree while working full time as a runner and they were very accommodating when I had to take time off for my final exams.

Christina Wilby and Ollie. "Early on I had to learn to juggle my career and my relationship with Ollie who I met when I was 17 years old."

Early on I had to learn to juggle my career and my relationship with Ollie who I met when I was 17 years old. Ollie doesn’t work in TV so at first I think it was hard for him as he was alone at home a lot of the time as I often did not know when I would be home. But he has been so supportive and when I decided to go freelance and had to take a number of jobs in London he supported me 100%.

I worked in News and Current, then moved to ITV as a Senior Researcher on The Jeremy Kyle Show. It was this show that really taught me about the dedication needed to work in TV as the hours are long and you have to produce a show every week no matter what.

For the last four years I have predominately worked in London. Mentorn Media  gave me my first job as a researcher after leaving The Jeremy Kyle show, developing the BBC3 series Underage and Pregnant. I have worked for Mentorn a lot and they are a great production company.  I have managed to be able to continue to work in factual documentaries and factual entertainment which is where my passion lies and I finally got to the point where I was able to choose between different jobs that came up.

After four years working in TV, Ollie and I got engaged and decided to move to Canada for a year as we love travelling and wanted to visit my family who live out there. We thought if we don’t do it now we’ll never do it. So we moved to Vancouver where I worked at the Vancouver International Film Festival, and on a 48 hour Horror film which was brilliant. When we arrived back in the UK we were planning our wedding which took place at Kichaka Lodge, a Private Game Reserve in South Africa. Ollie and I love wildlife and Southern Africa and knew this was the place for us to celebrate our big day. I started work on Junior Doctors: Your Life in Their Hands in Newcastle as Story AP which was brilliant but full on as I was away from home and planning a wedding abroad. We got married in October 2010 which was such a special day but straight away after we returned home I was back to London to help in the edit for Junior Doctors.

I love being a mum but love working in television. I had always said to myself I wanted to achieve my goal of being a Producer by the time I was 30 and before I had children. I have been able to achieve this goal and hope to set myself a new one once I get back to work.

I was lucky and worked as Casting Producer on One Born Every Minute, Series Four, in Leeds when Mako was 6 months old, helping out with some last-minute casting. It was hard leaving Mako for the first time but it was nice to get back out there again. I haven’t worked since then although I have been offered various projects in London but decided it was too soon to leave Mako. I decided to join Media Parents as I saw the flexible working event in Manchester which I thought was a great idea.  I attended the event and it was great to see some familiar faces, meet some new people and learn more about some of the current projects happening at the BBC and Indies in Manchester. Through Media Parents I also found out about the Fast Track North event at BBC Salford which I am attending on November 20th.

Mako is nearly 9 months old now and I am looking to get back to work, so I hope I am able to balance being a mother and working in TV – only time will tell.  I am looking for PD work ideally, but AP work if needed in Factual or Factual Entertainment. I have lots of experience in casting and development. I can self shoot but haven’t shot that much for broadcast recently.  I love working in TV because you learn and take away something new from every project you work on and I don’t want to do anything else. I am sure I will end up back in London again but hope I am able to work up North more often than not.

http://www.mediaparents.co.uk/freelancers/1277/christina-wilby

If you have more than 3 years' media experience see www.mediaparents.co.uk for great networking, talent, jobs and information.

On November 13th, Sinead Rocks, Creative Director of BBC Learning, will open the Media Parents MediaCity event hosted by BBC North.

Sinéad Rocks has worked as a journalist at the BBC since 1996 and was previously responsible for all of BBC North’s network current affairs content. As Creative Director she heads Learning’s in-house production team, taking the creative lead on all learning projects online, on television, radio, and face to face. Sinead started her career working in News and Current Affairs in Northern Ireland and was editor of Newsround for a number of years.

Sinead Rocks, Creative Director of BBC Learning will speak at the Media Parents MediaCity UK event this Tuesday. If you have more than 3 years' media experience see www.mediaparents.co.uk for great networking, talent, jobs and information.

Sinead, along with other BBC employees working with Talent, is hosting a networking evening with Media Parents for freelancers and independent companies from across the North at Salford’s MediaCity UK.  This groundbreaking event which will embrace production across Manchester and the North has been co-ordinated by Media Parents, a jobs website and organisation which aims to pull all the short term, regular hours, job share and part time jobs in media into one place, to help freelance working parents, or anyone who wants to work flexibly to balance the demands of life and TV production.  Some of the other companies represented are Shine, ITV North, Title Role, Blakeway North, True North Productions and Nine Lives Media.

The evening will include a brief discussion on flexible working in TV production, followed by an opportunity to network with local TV production freelancers, broadcasters and Indies. The evening of networking and discussion on how TV can work more flexibly will begin at 6:30pm and is strictly by guestlist only.

Media Parents Director Amy Walker said “Media Parents currently helps experienced freelancers to find flexible and standard contracts in London, Brighton, Bristol, Scotland, Wales and elsewhere nationwide, so it is great to be working with companies in the North at this exciting time for Salford and MediaCity UK.  I am hoping that we will be able to forge some great flexible working relationships and open minds to the possibilities of working flexibly in production”.

On November 13th BBC North is hosting a networking evening with Media Parents for freelancers and independent companies from across the North at Salford’s MediaCity UK.  This groundbreaking event which will embrace production across Manchester and the North has been co-ordinated by Media Parents, a jobs website and organisation which aims to pull all the short term, regular hours, job share and part time jobs in media into one place, to help freelance working parents, or anyone who wants to work flexibly to balance the demands of life and TV production.

If you have more than 3 years' media experience see www.mediaparents.co.uk for great networking, talent, jobs and information.

Media Parents will be hosting with BBC North, and will be joined by Talent Execs, Managers and MDs from the BBC, Shine, ITV North, Title Role, Blakeway North, True North Productions and Nine Lives Media amongst other indies. The evening will include a brief discussion on flexible working in TV production, followed by an opportunity to network with local TV production freelancers, broadcasters and Indies.The evening of networking and discussion on how TV can work more flexibly will begin at 6:30pm and is strictly by guestlist only. Here’s who will be joining us from companies in the North:

Daniell Morrisey, BBC Talent Executive, BBC Children's. BBC Children's is a company which employs through www.mediaparents.co.uk

Daniell Morrisey is a BBC talent executive with BBC Children’s, career writer and coach, previously HR & Development Manager for BBC Comedy and Entertainment and headed up recruitment for BBC News. His experience in the commercial sector included recruiting journalists and editorial staff for the print, multimedia and broadcast industries and he has worked as a journalist and magazine editor himself. Also joining us from the BBC are Victoria Roye, Talent Executive for Entertainment North. Victoria Roye has been the Talent Executive for BBC Entertainment Production North for 3 years. Responsible for the staffing of productions like Junior Doctors, The Planners, Racing Legends, Dragons’ Den and A Question of Sport to name a few. Previous to that she worked with Channel 4 implementing and delivering a Series Producer course for their upcoming freelance PDS.  Her background is in entertainment production, making shows like Honey We’re Killing the Kids, Dragons’ Den and Mastermind. Paula Stringer, Production Executive for News & CA. Paula Stringer has a background in factual, entertainment and news production (both inside and outside the BBC) and is currently Production Executive for News Group North based in Salford.  She spans all News Programming including Radio Current Affairs (File on 4, 5Live Investigates, the Report and Profile), TV Current Affairs (Rip Off Britain, The One Show, James Martin’s Operation Hospital Food and BBC3 docs), 5Live (all programming now comes from Salford inc Nicky Campbell and Rachel Burdens breakfast show, Victoria Derbyshire, Shelagh Fogarty, Richard Bacon etc.), BBC Breakfast (3 hours of live News programming every day) and Regional and Local Programming (North West Tonight, Inside Out, Online, Sunday Politics and Sport on Sunday).  Her role is wide ranging and she works closely with Head of News North and editors/execs from each department on the strategic direction of News in Salford and offers the operational plan of action to achieve the specific goals set and manages the Production Management teams across News Group North.  A key part of her role is involvement in recruiting, retaining and developing the best journalists and production management talent in the North for News and also ensure effective succession planning takes place. We will also be joined by Aesha Zafar, Resourcing & Talent Business Development Partner, BBC North.

Jackie Barnett, Talent Exec, Religion & Ethics.

Jackie Barnett, Talent Executive, BBC Religion & Ethics. I am a Talent Executive for BBC Religion & Ethics looking after Editorial staff for both TV and Radio programmes. I’m keen to meet those across all job categories with relevant knowledge and experience and an interest in working across BBC Religion & Ethics programming.  Victoria Goodwin, Talent Executive, BBC Learning Current Role: Leads on staffing & recruitment for BBC Learning teams, based in Salford, London and Bristol; ensuring that we attract, manage and develop the very best staff base possible; reflecting diversity & creative excellence, which helps us deliver our strategic objectives.

Victoria Goodwin, BBC Learning, Talent Executive.

19 years’ experience of working in the Broadcasting Industry.  I began my career after a work placement on Good Morning with Anne & Nick at BBC Pebble Mill.  From there I went to a small independent production Company specialising in the production of Corporate training & promo videos.  I moved from there to ITV for 5 years, where I was trained as studio gallery Production Assistant in News programming. This was followed by a short foray into the Cable Network, where I worked on the start-up and operational growth of local Sports programming studios for NTL across the UK, which subsequently became Virgin Media. I returned to work for the BBC 10 years ago and joined the Children’s department in London. I have predominantly worked in Production Management roles throughout my career, from Production Secretary to Production Executive. I have worked for a variety of Companies and genres in the industry, from Daytime programming ,to Corporate, News, Sport, Children’s, Multiplatform, News & Currents Affairs and now BBC Learning.  

Luke Frost, Talent Manager, BBC Children's.

Luke Frost is a Talent Manager for BBC Children’s, responsible for the development, recruitment and scheduling of staff across CBBC.  His main areas of responsibility are CBBC & CBeebies Presentation, CBBC Development and CBBC non-drama covering all factual and entertainment productions.

Melissa Mitchell.

Melissa Mitchell is a Talent Manager for BBC Children’s, responsible for the development, recruitment and scheduling of staff across CBBC tv and interactive output and genres including news, factual, entertainment and drama – main areas of responsibility are Blue Peter, Newsround, CBBC Interactive, CBBC Drama including WolfBlood and 4 O’Clock Club, as well as many diversity initiatives across BBC Children’s and BBC North.

Sarah Murch, MD, Blakeway North.

Sarah Murch - Blakeway North Managing Director Sarah Murch, award winning Executive Producer joined Blakeway from Granada Television. Since her arrival at Blakeway, Murch has started developing factual programming in Manchester to complement Blakeway’s London slate of Current Affairs and Documentary Commissions – and is responsible for a range of factual commissions for an assortment of broadcasters. Maire Tracey – Blakeway North Producer I worked at Granada for 10 years as a producer / director. I produced and directed a wide range of factual programmes ranging from Science and history documentaries for Nat Geo and Discovery (Time Machine, Battlefield Detectives, The First Americans)  to Factual Entertainment and archive shows (Farewell Mike, 40 Years of University Challenge) for ITV and BBC.   I have filmed around the world extensively in the US and China and throughout the world using local and international crews.  My factual entertainment documentary “40 Years of University Challenge” won an RTS North West award.

Tracy Walker, Talent Executive for Factual and Entertainment, ITV North, will be joining us.

   Amy Buscombe joined LA Productions as Head of Development in September 2009.  She has since worked on twenty episodes of the acclaimed Jimmy McGovern-created MOVING ON for BBC One Daytime, with series four currently in post-production for tx in 2013.  Amy developed and script edited JUSTICE (BBC One Daytime 2011), SECRETS AND WORDS (BBC Learning / BBC One 2012), and STEPPING UP, the company’s first children’s drama series, which aired on CBBC and BBC ONE in 2012.

Amy Buscombe, Head of Development for LA Productions will be networking with Media Parents on Nov 13th.

Amy is currently working on COMMON, the new BBC One single drama from Jimmy McGovern, which has been greenlit for production in 2013.  Among other projects in development are new dramas from Alice Nutter, John Fay, Marks and Gran, Shaun Duggan, Nick Leather and Esther Wilson. Previously Amy has worked as a freelance script editor, New Writing Co-ordinator at BBC writersroom, Broadcast Assistant at BBC Radio Drama and Business Rights Executive for BBC Television Drama and Children’s Programmes.

Amee Fairbank, MD of Lizardfish TV.

Amee Fairbank, MD, Lizardfish TV Amee Fairbank graduated from the University of Teesside in 2006 with a BA (Hons) Media. Her experience in production lead to her researching and making over thirty programmes for Lizardfish for channels such as the BBC, Teachers TV and corporate companies, with two of the programmes being nominated for RTS and BAFTA Awards. She has directed programmes for Teachers TV.

If you have more than 3 years' media experience see www.mediaparents.co.uk for great networking, talent, jobs and information.

Amy Walker, Media Parents Director and founder continues to work as a factual Series Producer in addition to championing flexible working and Media Parents. Currently working for Mentorn Media on the World’s Scariest series for Channel 5 which regularly gets more than 2million viewers for the channel, Amy has worked in TV production for more than ten years, in five continents, gaining an RTS award along the way. She has worked for all the major broadcasters, with many indies large and small, and has had her own ideas commissioned. Her passion is to keep experienced talent in TV, and she believes that production can work more flexibly in order to do this.

Claire Brown works as Companies Liaison for Media Parents. Claire works flexibly from home on the Media Parents website, as well as bringing up her three children.  Claire previously worked as a Business Development Manager for BBC Broadcast, and as a business consultant for FOX International Channels, Nat Geo and the BBC before leaving to start her family. Please scroll further down this blog to see a photo of Amy and Claire.

Cat Lewis of Nine Lives Media will be networking with Media Parents in Salford.

Cat Lewis is the CEO, Joint Creative Director and Executive Producer for Nine Lives Media an Independent Production Company based in Manchester. Cat has worked continually since 2002 as an Executive Producer, specialising in factual programming and winning many awards. She has come up with the ideas for and overseen the production of hundreds of hours of factual programmes for the BBC, Channel 4, ITV, Channel 5, AETN, Discovery and Sky. Cat also makes programmes directly for American channels. She set up her own production company – Nine Lives Media on 3rd September 2007. Nine Lives has built a reputation for producing programmes which are highly acclaimed, have great production values and usually rate exceptionally well. Before becoming an Executive Producer, Cat enjoyed a successful career as an award winning Producer/Director, Series Producer and on screen News Reporter for the BBC and Granada. Cat is the founder and chair of the Indie Club, which she’s run since September 2006 to support television production in the north – www.indieclub.tv. She is on the PACT Council as the representative of independent production companies based in the English Regions – www.pact.co.uk . Cat is also on the committee of the Royal Television Society North West.

Liz Bayliffe, Production Executive, Shine North will be joining us at MediaCity UK on November 13th.

 Helen Tonge Title Role, Managing Director & Executive Producer.

 

After 6 years with the broadcaster she left to set up Title Role Productions, but her affiliation with the channel continued.  She was asked to produce and direct Ghosthunting with Girls Aloud for the channel, a format she established that has been highly successful.  She also edit produced for the Saturday night entertainment show, Soapstar Superstar. Now as the co-owner and Managing Director of Title Role Productions, Helen continues to produce and Executive produce a wide range of quality programming for UK and International broadcasters. In the last few years she has created 2 high rating returning series, ‘Crimes That Shook Britain’ and ‘Britain’s Biggest Heists’ for Sky, both of which were nominated for RTS awards.  She has also created a number of factual entertainment series for ITV and stand alone documentaries for History and Discovery. Helen is a member of the RTS Committee.

Ian Bradshaw, Technical Director & Director of Photography.

Ian Bradshaw of Title Role.

Royal Television Society Winning Cameraman Ian has had a successful career at ITV for 10 years.  He has also worked on news, factual and entertainment programmes for C4, MTV and Sky.  He left Granada Television in 2005 to set up Title Role with Helen Tonge. Ian now has many TV credits to his name and is a highly recognized Cameraman and Director of Photography within the industry. Since becoming Technical Director for Title Role Ian has helped produce programming for ITV and the History Channel and gaining countless award nominations for the company. Amongst Ian’s credits are Crimes That Shook Britain & Britain’s Biggest Heists. Carol McKenzie: Head of Production and Facilities, True North Carol joined True North in April 2009 after 25 years in YTV, Granada and ITV, where she worked across a wide variety of drama, entertainment, children’s and sport, but spent the last decade as Head of Production for Factual programmes in the North. Programmes supervised include Billy Connolly’s Journey to the Edge of the World, Tonight with Trevor McDonald, numerous 100 Greatest for C4, Challenge Anneka and Naked Science. Carol will be joined by Samantha Stamp, Production Manager, True North. We look forward to being joined by a host of talented freelancers, and more respresentatives from other indies in the region.  The guestlist for this event has now closed, do join us at future events soon. Please note that you must have 3 years’ production experience to join Media Parents.

If you have more than 3 years' media experience see www.mediaparents.co.uk for great networking, talent, jobs and information.

Helen Tonge of Title Role Productions.

Helen Tonge began her television career working on a series for FIVE with Endemol.  She then worked her way up the ranks at Granada Television, researching, then producing and directing factual and entertainment programmes for ITV.  She was part of the team that produced the RTS award winning series, Crimefighters.

Media Parents is working with the BBC who are kindly hosting an evening of networking and discussion on how TV can work more flexibly, at Salford’s MediaCity on November 13th.

Media Parents will be hosting with BBC Manchester, and will be joined by Talent Execs, Managers and MDs from the BBC, ITV North, Title Role, Blakeway North, True North Productions and Nine Lives amongst other indies. The evening will include a brief discussion on flexible working in TV production, followed by an opportunity to network with local TV production freelancers, broadcasters and Indies.

Who’s coming so far? From the BBC – Daniell Morrisey, Victoria Roye, Paula Stringer, Jackie Barnett, Luke Frost, Victoria Goodwin, Helen Tonge from Title Role, Carol McKenzie from True North, Maire Tracey from Blakeway North,
Cat Lewis from Nine Lives and Katharine Oates from ITV North amongst others.

A quick reminder of the details:
Can TV Work More Flexibly in Manchester? will take place on Tuesday November 13th at 6:30pm at BBC MediaCity UK in Salford.

If you would like to join us at this FREE event we are sorry to say that applications have now closed, all successful applicants will be contacted on Monday 12th November with final details of the event. Priority will be given to Media Parents subscribers to attend this event, and please note that you need 3+ years TV experience to be a member of www.mediaparents.co.uk

Hope to see you there!

If you have more than 3 years' media experience see www.mediaparents.co.uk for great networking, talent, jobs and information.

On Tuesday 13th November Media Parents’ Claire Brown will be at BVE North.  Claire will be offering CV tips and advice on returning to work – FREE! Why not come along to meet us at this free event.  Here are more details of how to apply for a FREE pass. http://www.bvenorth.co.uk/

Claire Woodward, right, at the Media Parents Summer Party.

Following the overwhelming success of last year’s inaugural event, BVE North 2012 returns to Manchester Central on 13-14 November 2012 with even bigger plans to inspire and educate broadcast and media professionals in the Northern regions.

With the continuing growth and development of MediaCityUK as the major hub for the region, opportunities for business have never been better and the run-up to BVE North is reflecting this optimism.

The show organisers are also pulling out all the stops to provide the expected 3000 visitors with more topical, informed and valuable free seminars, presented by the UK’s leading broadcasters, content creators and technicians. Visitors will be able to get the inside track on media industry trends, pick up insights into future broadcast technology and how this affects workflow, and learn key production and post-production skills from the practitioners at the top of their game. All seminars are free to attend and seats are allocated on a first-come, first served basis.

The Broadcast Theatre covers IT, Audio and Post Production issues, examining the latest infrastructure and tools for delivering broadcast quality images and audio in the new digital landscape. Visitors will gain valuable insights into the new tapeless workflows and how digital content is being delivered, how the lines are being blurred between production and post, and the new skillsets required by post professionals to integrate IT into everyday workflows.

Speakers include Tim Sargeant, Head of Technology, BBC North, examining how major broadcasters are developing their workflow and infrastructure around the challenges of managing data, moving assets around and working at scale;

Mike Thornton, Audio Meister, hosting an essential workshop session on handling audio post production for self-shot film, identifying the necessary tools and providing key tips and tricks for getting better results, faster; and Andy Wild, Technical Director, CauseandFX, discussing the crucial issues of managing meta data, from where it fits in the workflow to the benefits it brings for commercialising assets.

In addition this theatre will host sessions on the technical and commercial considerations of remastering projects, the issues surrounding the preparation of audio broadcasts, and the evolution and continuing challenges of best practice digital workflows and delivery.

For those interested in Production issues, the Production Theatre offers content creators a plethora of strategic and practical sessions, with experienced professionals from the commissioning world through to on-set and post-production professionals sharing their experiences and advice on how to create compelling, beautifully shot and highly marketable content.

Speakers include Louise Brown, Multiplatform Commissioning Lead, Channel 4, examining the implications for broadcasters of multi-screen viewing, Connected and Smart TVs and what content creators need to take into account when creating content for future audiences; Nicola Shindler, Chief Executive, Red Production Company, presenting a fascinating insight into what production companies look for in a script and how to develop your story while taking production considerations into account; Claire Brown, Media Parents, discussing CVs and Lynne McCadden, Head of Development, CREATIVE ENGLAND, Hugo Heppell, Head of Production, Screen Yorkshire, and Nicola Lees, TV Mole and WFTV share their considerable expertise on how to get the green light for projects, identifying new sources of funding and examining successful and innovative financing models;

In addition there will be sessions on LED lighting techniques, recreating a filmic look with digital content, and new creative opportunities offered by the latest digital cinema technology.

The IOV Theatre combines valuable practical advice with expert insights into current industry issues.

Speakers in the IOV Theatre include Richard Laurence, MD, Innsight Television, examining the opportunities available to videographers from the 21 newly granted local television licences; Jeff Wood and Rich Daly sharing their experiences and tips for good wedding cinematography; and Matt Hubbard, Director, Reels In Motion discussing the growth of video marketing and how to maximise the potential market of corporate videos. On the practical side, Adobe Certified Instructor Simon Walker will be taking a look at Premiere Pro CS6 and demonstrating some improved workflow strategies.

Something new for BVE North 2012 is the Skills Zone. These informal one-hour sessions are designed to give BVE attendees the chance to get valuable advice from expert practitioners in the industry. The topics up for discussion will be essential, everyday business concerns, from running your own business to career advisory sessions. Each session can be attended by 10–15 people at a time, and visitors will be able to express interest in advance or drop in on the day.

And of course, BVE North also offers a great opportunity to network with fellow industry professionals, catch up with old friends, reaffirm business relationships and make new contacts. 2,500 professionals from all stages of the broadcast workflow visited BVE North 2011 and that number is set to grow to over 3000 for 2012. No other show north of London offers the chance to meet so many key industry people all under one roof.

All the information you need about the show is available to view at www.bvenorth.co.uk