Tune in tonight to watch Channel 5′s Model Railway Challenge, from Media Parents Executive Producer Pat Doyle and the Knickerbocker Glory team.
https://www.mediaparents.co.uk/freelancers/4934/pat-doyle
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."
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
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
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
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
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.
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
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
Keeping details brief, concise and informative helps when passing your details on to hiring managers. Your CV should read like a good menu!
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
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
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
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.
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.
We’re delighted to be joined by our Media Parents Back to Work Scheme winners, mentors and a host of supporting companies for drinks tonight (see our watercooler at www.mediaparents.co.uk for full guestlist). The evening is being kindly hosted by West Digital in West London, so join us for the last of the summer wine in a lovely garden. We look forward to seeing you there!
Media Parents Back to Work Scheme winners 2018 at Edinburgh TV Festival
West Digital is an independent, boutique post house based in West London that has been providing creative and innovative picture and audio post production to broadcast, theatrical and corporate clients for over 15 years. Our talented creatives and amazing support teams have a wealth of experience working across factual, features, documentaries and entertainment. We pride ourselves on the quality of our work and our genuinely supportive company culture.
West Digital team (from left) Paul Wilkes, GM, Darren Cock and Peter Zacaroli, Join MDs. Photobombed by Harriet
We provide a complete post production solution, based in our modern, relaxing facility. All of our cutting rooms are spacious with a contemporary finish, natural light and air con; we have great sound and picture finishing suites and lovely breakout areas such as our cafe-bar reception and our peaceful garden. We’re able to offer production companies office space within our facility and we also provide fully managed ‘pop up post’ solutions.
Recent credits include:
‘Chris Tarrant: Extreme Railway Journeys’ (Ch5), ‘DHL: Delivering the World’ (Ch5), ‘The Last Testament of Lillian Bilocca’ (BBC4), ‘A Place in the Sun’ (Ch4), ’Railways of the Holocaust’ (Ch5), ’Coast v Country’ (Ch4), ‘Inside the Storm’ (CNA), ‘People and Power’ (Al Jazeera), ‘Brilliant Ideas’ (Bloomburg), ‘Uncovering Venus’ (BBC4).
Meet West Digital and the Media Parents Back to Work winners 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.
I am lucky enough to be sponsored on the Media Parents Back to Work Scheme by ITV Drama (thank you ITV and I hope I can repay your faith!) writes Drama PM Geoff Dibben.
PM Geoff Dibben with the Media Parents Back to Work Scheme Winners 2018
Before my career break, I worked for many years as an Assistant Director and then Production Manager on films such as ‘The Dark Knight’ and ‘War Horse’ so at Edinburgh TV Festival, I focussed on things that were relevant to my area of expertise, scripted drama production.
Apprehension was the overriding feeling as I walked into the festival, having never been to anything similar previously. I had always been too busy working or trying to rest between projects, so it is easy to miss such events. But the magic of the Back to Work Whatsapp group meant I quickly met the rest of the cohort – a very impressive group – then straight in to sessions at the festival.
The first session was the BBC 1 ‘Meet the Controllers’ session with Charlotte Moore who discussed the future of the channel. Listening to commissioners and controllers actively encouraging programme makers to come to them with interesting, challenging ideas was a useful aspect of the festival. I also found it really interesting to hear Charlotte state the BBC is looking to “… do the shows that no one has dare to, to take risks” as well as a push on diversity, and a desire to engage with a younger audience such as bringing ‘Peaky Blinders’ to BBC 1.
After our Media Parents Back to Work networking training it was more from channel controllers, in this case Steve North, Hilary Rosen and Richard Watsham at UKTV. Again, a very impressive session hearing about UKTV’s tremendous ambition; especially with their expansion into high-end original TV drama with ‘Flack’, starring Anna Paquin. They have the desire to create content comparable to the likes of BBC and ITV, providing producers and talent with ‘…opportunities they may not get elsewhere’.
"At every spare moment I was trying to network with anyone who would listen."
At every spare moment I was trying to network with anyone who would listen. I met lots of interesting and supportive people such as Kerry Greenhill from Silver Print and Jason Simms from Sky Vision to name but few. It was gratifying that everyone I spoke to was positive about me and my return, especially gratifying after such a long time out.
The following day I watched Kevin Lygo from ITV and his session. An interesting hour listening to his approach to commissioning broad and impactful TV drama which seems to have paid off with the channel producing the most watched and the second most watched TV dramas with ‘Liar’ and ‘Little Boy Blue’ in 2017.
One thing I was surprised to hear from Kevin was how hard ITV were finding it to get Producers and Writers to create 1 or 2 hour closed end dramas – ‘Where’s the next Lewis, the next Morse?’ he asked – programmes that have defined ITV drama over the past decades. That is definitely a note I will keep for future reference.
"It took me back, listening to them talking about pulling the pieces of the jigsaw of production together. This only urged me on more to realise my aims within the industry" writes returning PM Geoff Dibben
One of the sessions that resonated most with me was listening to Lennie James and Sky Vision’s ‘Save Me’ team talking about how the production (about a child kidnapped by paedophiles) got off the ground, and how they developed and realised the project’s vision – it took me back a few years, listening to them talking about pulling the pieces of the jigsaw of production together. This only urged me on more to realise my aims within the industry – to return to Production Management and one day Produce.
Hard to admit, but I have been out of scripted drama production for eight years and I am still sure I took the right decision to spend time at home with my family rather than months and months away on location. But it is hard being away from TV drama and keeping connected to it. My visit to the Edinburgh TV festival has without doubt confirmed in my mind this is the right way forward for me and I am raring to go…
https://blog.mediaparents.co.uk/2018/08/returner-geoff-dibben-scripted-pm/
Our Media Parents Back to Work Drinks are on Sept 26th. Click image to join Media Parents www.mediaparents.co.uk for great jobs, training and events.
I am always looking to find out what the shape-shifting, latest incarnation of TV looks likely to be. I was in Edinburgh to reboot my career having had a year off looking after my son, writes Director Emma Bodger, so it was fantastic that many of the sessions were so forward facing. Two great sessions stood out, reigniting my dual passion for storytelling and exploring innovative spaces.
Director Emma Bodger, Channel 4's Media Parents Back to Work Scheme Mentee, takes a networking selfie with returning PM Geoff Dibben at the National Museum of Scotland
The YouTube Originals session with Luke Hyams was a hit, not least, because it was the only session that ended with a mass selfie. I am now the proud owner of a Cobra Kai bandana (If you haven’t seen it Cobra Kai is the reboot of the Karate Kid franchise which has had over 40 million views on its first episode – check it out on YouTube).
Of course the burning question is what does Luke want to commission? Simple! YTO are looking for “personality driven authored pieces that have international appeal that take you into a world you haven’t seen before”. He showed Left Bank Pictures’ new sci-fi show ‘Origins’ as his drama example. Demonstrating high production values, it was a good illustration of audience and commissioner expectations of a premium show behind YouTube’s pay wall.
YouTube doesn’t have the same demands of linear TV schedules so although working in forms the audience will recognise, 30’ serialised comedy (ie not sitcom – it’s all about getting the audience to return), 60’ dramas and 90’ specials and films.
Although short form is not a priority on the premium channel, some things remain. “One of the main differentiators and one of the great pleasures of making a show for YouTube” is that the audience is able to comment. “It’s a way to get real and direct feedback from your audience” and the good news is, it will still be part of the functionality on the premium service.
Director Emma Bodger observes the rest of the 2018 Back to Work Scheme winners at Edinburgh TV Festival
In another inspiring session, Caressa Douglas from BEN was talking with Samantha Glynne – VP of Branded Integration at Freemantle and David Eilenberg Chief Creative Officer at ITV America in a session all about “How to Cash in on the Streaming Gold Rush”.
Samantha was keen that producers should remember “that ‘commercial’ is not a dirty word.”
There is a certainly a stigma in the UK around “product placement” that needs to be broken down even though producers are happy to pitch content to commercial channels funded by advertising. My big takeaway was the reinforcement that the partnerships must make sense for the brand, the producers and the audience/consumers. The panel were passionate that any brand integration into content needs to be bold and authentic. It fails where the brand of the show is compromised by including ‘subsidiary brands’ that are not the right fit.
What is super exciting about this new space is brands are now recognising that being inside content brings “an emotional impact” that a 30 second spot can never give them so they need producers as much as we need them. There are cultural shifts that probably need to happen. Sponsors are used to using ratings points as the biggest indicator of ROI, so clearly this thinking will need to modified as we find new models of funding content. But Caressa pointed out that already, big, global-thinking brands are getting switched on to the fact that the phenomenon of binge watching can lead to greater recall of product. It’s not just about impressions any more, it’s also about engagement. Great news for storytellers!
Director Emma Bodger, Channel 4's Media Parents Back to Work Scheme Mentee
Although most of the examples were factual entertainment (I was amazed how many brands there were in Love Island!), there is lots to think about when pitching scripted and it made me think back to my super proud moments from my Emmy Award winning work in Kenya in a parallel universe where we were embedding sponsored, behavioural change messages, making careful choices to protect the storyworld/brands and the characters from not saying or doing things just because the sponsors asked for it but making sure all integration was true and authentic to both the characters and the world. I feel have a lot to offer in this space and a wealth of multiplatform past experience to build on. Being at the Festival gave me the opportunity and the space away from family responsibilities to reflect on that. The future is looking bright…
https://www.mediaparents.co.uk/freelancers/14708/emma-bodger
Our Media Parents Back to Work Drinks are on Sept 26th. Click image to join Media Parents www.mediaparents.co.uk for great jobs, training and events.
A big thank you to all the talented freelancers who applied for the Media Parents Back to Work Scheme 2018. Huge congratulations to the eight winners who will be attending the Edinburgh TV Festival care of our sponsors All3Media, Channel 4, Endemol Shine, ITV, Merman, Raw TV, Sister Pictures and Warner Bros.
We are delighted to announce:
Returner Emma Bodger’s credits include River City, Casualty and Where the Heart Is. Emma suffered an accident and subsequent disability which, compounded by mat leave has made it difficult for her to find work: “As a female director who has found barriers to progression around diversity, sexuality and disability, I would love to bring a different and unique voice to the new rounds of British commissioning”. Read more here :https://blog.mediaparents.co.uk/2018/08/returner-emma-bodger-scripted-director/
Since having her children six years ago and being widowed 18 months ago, Jo has taken on several very short-term part-time contracts, but is now looking to return to work part-time on a permanent or longer contract. Jo’s credits include Strictly Come Dancing, Comic Relief and Pop Star to Opera Star. https://blog.mediaparents.co.uk/2018/08/returner-jo-larmer-unscripted-edit-producer/
Geoff Dibben was a Production Manager and Production Supervisor on features including War Horse, Clash of the Titans and The Dark Knight. He took on care of his family in 2006, enabling his wife to go back to work, but returning has not been as easy as he anticipated. https://blog.mediaparents.co.uk/2018/08/returner-geoff-dibben-scripted-pm/
Merman’s mentee is Scripted PM Hannah Williams. Hannah’s credits include Peppa Pig, Sarah and Duck and Wissper. : “In 2003 I took my first steps into the world of television, a decade later I had built a career of BAFTA nominations, crew akin to family and exciting projects. I then took on my own exciting project. 3 of them in fact”. After three children she is on her way back in. Read more here : https://blog.mediaparents.co.uk/2018/08/returner-hannah-williams-scripted-pm/
Elena’s credits include Hospital, The Job Interview and The Undateables. Returning to work a year after the birth of her first child, Elena needs edit experience to ultimately progress to series producer. https://blog.mediaparents.co.uk/2018/08/returner-elena-mourey-unscripted-producer/
Two kids with a 20 year age gap, 10 years out of TV, Aspergers and Leukaemia to conquer and none of that is holding back Jenny Madalura. “I have been out of media work for over 10 years since working with the BBC. Having a family, getting a law degree and working part-time as a LexisNexis copywriter, whilst being a full-time parent to my two children, Luke and Ocean kept me out”. https://blog.mediaparents.co.uk/2018/08/returner-jenny-madalura-scripted-assistant-coordinator/
Melissa has been out of full time work for around three years, as the primary carer for her mother. In the meantime she started an MA in Documentary Production to better her prospects in TV as she is in it for the long run: “I feel I still have a lot to offer and have not yet reached my full potential and have many years left to work in the industry.” https://blog.mediaparents.co.uk/2018/08/returner-melissa-bishop-unscripted-ap-researcher/
Click image to join Media Parents www.mediaparents.co.uk for great jobs, training and events.
JENNY MADALURA, RESEARCHER / PRODUCTION COORDINATOR
Scripted PM Hannah Williams will be sponsored on the Media Parents Back to Work Scheme by Merman
In 2003 I took my first steps into the world of television, writes returning PM Hannah Williams. A decade later I had built a career of BAFTA nominations, crew akin to family and exciting projects. I then took on my own exciting project. 3 of them in fact. My children are now 5, 3 and almost 1 and it has been a magical sabbatical, one that is hard to leave, but it is time to go back to work.
I am hoping that the Media Parents Back to Work Scheme will help me to find a balance. One that allows me to still experience my children growing up for half the week whilst I spend the other half continuing where I left off six years ago. I hope it will help me to find an inspirational company in which I can be creative, practical, and inspired again to make great television.
I am looking forward to using my brain in ways that I haven’t (continuously at least) since my life changed in 2013 with a small person who swept me into a happy (yet all-consuming) fog of sleep deprivation, nappies and utter devotion.
Most of all I am hoping to rebuild my confidence. I have worked on and off between babies but only on short contracts. This time I want to jump back into the industry and allow myself to find something that will develop my skills, challenge me and give me a career goal to work towards once more. The people I once worked next to (or above) seem to have gone so far, cameras have changed, systems have altered and I feel a little out-dated!
Being mentored by Merman will be an incredible experience. One to sooth the guilt of going back to work and rekindle a little bit of the old, ambitious me again!
https://www.mediaparents.co.uk/freelancers/11460/hannah-williams-lovell
Click image to join Media Parents www.mediaparents.co.uk for great jobs, training and events.
Scripted Coordinator Jenny Madalura will be sponsored on the Media Parents Back to Work Scheme by Sister Pictures
I have been out of media work for over 10 years since working with the BBC, writes Jenny Madalura. Having a family, getting a law degree and working part-time as a LexisNexis copywriter, whilst being a full-time parent to my two children, Luke and Ocean kept me out.
My son, Luke, is now 21, with Aspergers. Despite this, he was given a place at Ravensbourne College, to do a degree in Film and TV Production two years ago. Shortly after, he was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukaemia. Thankfully after nearly two years of extensive treatment and a bone marrow transplant, he’s now in remission and able to return to university. My daughter Ocean just turned a year old, I feel I am ready to return to work and focus on my media career.
Eager to return to media work late last year I took part in some short practical back to work workshops thanks to Media Parents last October. This gave me the confidence after such a long time out of a media career, to try and get back in. Through Media Parents I was also fortunate to have been mentored by Leo Martin, from Fudge Park Productions, which was both insightful and promising. Thanks to my legal training I was offered assistant coordinating work, but due to unforeseen circumstances within the company, the offer to be taken on board was no longer viable. I am keen to try again.
https://www.mediaparents.co.uk/freelancers/15655/jenny-madalura
Click image to join Media Parents www.mediaparents.co.uk for great jobs, training and events.
Unscripted AP / Researcher Melissa Bishop will be sponsored on the Media Parents Back to Work Scheme by Warner Bros
I’ve been out of full time work for around three years, as I am the primary carer for my Mother. I am now able to hand over some of that responsibility to my sisters, so am very much looking forward to getting back to work. My passion is factual TV, specifically documentary programming. I am especially strong with finding and managing contributors, from all walks of life. I love engaging with people and building a rapport. I feel I still have a lot to offer and have not yet reached my full potential and have many years left to work in the industry.
I had my first job in a production company twelve years ago, and for the following four years worked happily in various fairly junior TV roles, mainly as a Researcher. I then moved sideways to work for Legal Network Television, a corporate company making educational factual programmes, and worked my way up to producer.
For the past eight months I have been studying for a Masters’ degree in Documentary Production at U.W.E., affiliated with the BBC in Bristol. I undertook this as, at the time, I was unable to commit to regular work as my mother was recovering from illness. I thought it would be beneficial to me to brush up on my production skills, and hopefully make myself more appealing to the industry.
I do feel reinvigorated and have gained new skills. In addition it has really encouraged me to think deeply about factual and documentary storytelling and what building blocks are needed to make up truly exception programming.
Melissa is being sponsored by Warner Bros. Many thanks to the Warner Bros team for sponsoring again this year. To follow Melissa’s progress please read this blog and tweets @mediaparents.
https://www.mediaparents.co.uk/freelancers/14397/melissa-bishop
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