BBC Commissioner Caroline O'Neill addresses the crowd at Media Parents Spring Drinks

A glittering array of talented freelancers attended and companies represented included BBC Commissioner Caroline O’Neill,  ITN, STV, Dragonfly Film & TV, Storytailors, ClearCut, Arrow Media, Box to Box Films, Brinkworth Productions Ltd, Big Fish, Little Fish, new indies Samphire Films and Soho Studios, South Shore,We Are Doc Women and of course Media Parents. Captions will be added soon, thanks for making it a fun night!

A big thank you to Presenter Sunita Shroff for taking great photos

PD Jim Shreim at Media Parents Spring Drinks with, from left, Presenter Sunita Shroff, Soho-Studios HOP Tina Lohmann, and Media Parents' Amy Walker

Thank you everyone for joining us – look forward to the next one!

To fully benefit from Media Parents join us here:https://www.mediaparents.co.uk/signup/?t=freelancer

Editor Nick Lear training in Manenberg, Cape Town

I’d edited the making of documentary for Hot Fuzz and I was offered the same for Scott Pilgrim. I remember pacing around the South Bank on the phone to his producer trying to explain why instead of taking this opportunity of a lifetime, I was moving to Mozambique.

At that stage I’d worked extremely hard to get to where I was – a year and a half as a runner, a couple more years in the machine room, all the while spending every evening and weekend learning how to use the Avid. It was four years before I got a chance to sit in that magical editor’s seat and I was thrown in at the deep end – editing a 90 minute David Gray concert. But I was ready.

Cut to a few years later and I ended up at TVC Soho on Great Pulteney Street where I started with music videos and commercials and moved onto broadcast & documentaries, like Secret World Of Magic for Sky One, The Real Hustle pilot for BBC Three & Bethlehem: No Room for Peace for ITV.

Offline Editor Nick Lear writes about turning down Edgar Wright, and what next

But over the years, my faith/justice journey made me realise I needed to make a more direct impact on the world. I was newly married and we travelled on public transport all the way from London to Mozambique where we ended up running a feeding program that served over 2000 a day. We had a lovely staff of 40 to manage, but they didn’t speak a word of English – talk about transferable skills, I don’t think I had any!

Nick Lear with his first child in Mozambique

When we started a family there, my other half was at home for the first year and I did the second, so that she could run a microfinance program for low income women. After that we juggled childcare between us – not that we were working full 9-5 days, you really couldn’t in that heat.

Things got too much for us in the end, but instead of coming home, we started working and living in a township in Cape Town called Manenberg where there was a gang fight every other week and an incredible amount of disadvantage and pain still left from Apartheid. I started a small film school there with a really talented DoP called Freddie Reed, which is still running under local leadership.

Editor Nick Lear and wife Cate after arriving in Mozambique

Eventually I came back to editing as the one thing I know how to do to make a living. Working remotely, I tapped into the US market, with documentaries for Discovery+, The Olympics and recently a film exec produced by Hillary Clinton. I also had a stint back in the UK in 2022 when editors were scarce (remember that!) and I joined the agency TOVS and worked on things like Chateaux DIY and My Floating Home for Channel 4.

Now we’re moving permanently back to the UK – to Glasgow in a couple of weeks – and I’d love to cut meaningful documentaries as well as broadcast, whether on my home Avid suite or the great post houses there. Time for a new adventure!

https://www.mediaparents.co.uk/freelancers/18753/nick-lear

Our next event is online on April 1st, see blog post for more details and booking link. Scroll down the blog for more info www.mediaparents.co.uk - the jobs and social networking site for short term, part time, job share and regular hours jobs in media. For free events for subscribers, join here:https://www.mediaparents.co.uk/signup/?t=freelancer

January 2025

A new year and it seems some people are back to work (except me, oh and many many other freelancers).

After many cups of tea, went to computer and looked at jobs, except there wasn’t any.  Tidied flat. Looked at bank balance, nearly went back to bed again.

The days are fine but with nighttime arriving almost as soon as I’ve got up means that my motivation failed to get out of bed with me.

Cat happy that I stay in bed until he wants feeding which appears to be a lot.  He needs to get a job to pay for his food addiction, this appears to be non negotiable and I am the food provider.

The whole of January seems to be a repeat of the above.

Did not make it to Media Parents January Drinks. Must do better at Spring Drinks, Autumn ones were good.

Media Parents January Drinks in full swing. Join us for Spring Drinks on May 1st

February 2025

More PM jobs seem to be appearing, alas I no longer want or more importantly, am capable of going for long stints on location.

Found a couple of jobs that I thought I would be a perfect fit for.  Sent off my CV within minutes of jobs being advertised, refrained from putting “pick me, pick me” in my covering letter but just had to remember the advice that is given to young keen wannabe runners, send off your CV and forget about it.

Forgot the advice and kept checking emails.

The closing date for both jobs was Friday 14^th.  Monday 17^th at 9:07 exactly I got a rejection from one of the jobs saying that the job had already been filled.

Started looking at alternative careers.

I saw lots of people saying that people are needed in the NHS doing admin jobs etc, went online and started my research.  Saw what they were paying.

Started looking at jobs that were paying more but soon realised that even with some clever re-wording of my CV about my first aid courses I could never convince anyone that I was a qualified Nurse or above.

Got rejected from the 2^nd application.  On the plus side, at least they responded which I call a win. Cat still has a food addiction.

Tinx the Cat. Still unemployed.

March 2025

Started looking at “working from home sites” I could earn lots of dollars or even pounds if I pay up front, but decided that knowing my luck I would be rejected and paid to be rejected.

The weather was being kind so I did some gardening, slightly half heartedly, but it was nice not to be a slave to checking for jobs every hour (there seem to be lots more on Media Parents btw).

On Tuesday this week, I did my morning scroll of emails (well, on the hour, every hour) and suddenly I saw something I hadn’t seen for a long time.

AN EMAIL ASKING IF I WAS AVAILABLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Obviously I held back as best I could (15 minutes?)

By the afternoon, I’d been interviewed and got the job, it’s not a long contract, but it’s a JOB!

I started on Wednesday!!

The team are lovely, it’s going to be a graft with what needs to be done in a very short time, but am back on the bus and loving it!

Stay strong, jobs are coming in, they may not be the long contracts that people are used to, but they are coming in.

PS – cat update, he’s slightly cross his food consumption has been lessened by me not being at home pandering to his “I need food” wail,  he’s currently fast asleep on the bed. Belly fully, just not with as much as he was used to.

For those who know, Michele Kimber is in this shot somewhere. Meet her at Media Parents Spring Drinks

To contact Michele Kimber, who will be available in May, log in to Media Parents and click here.

https://www.mediaparents.co.uk/freelancers/18138/michele-kimber

Our next event is online on April 1st, see mailing list for more details. Scroll down the blog for more info www.mediaparents.co.uk - the jobs and social networking site for short term, part time, job share and regular hours jobs in media. For free events for subscribers, join here:https://www.mediaparents.co.uk/signup/?t=freelancer

Companies represented include Arrow Media, BBC, Box to Box Films, Brinkworth Productions Ltd, Big Fish, Little Fish, Dragonfly, FullFat TV, ITN, new indies Samphire Films and Soho Studios, South Shore, STV, We Are Doc Women and of course Media Parents. Scroll down for the guestlist so far.

Huge thanks to Film+TV Charity for hosting the last ones, we had a great time and made some great connections. If you would like to see our gallery for a flavour of what goes on, go here: January Drinks or here: Autumn Drinks. Look forward to seeing you there!

FREELANCERS include

Meredith Chambers: MD / CEO

Read Meredith’s blog contributions to our online development event here.

Anna Coane: SP / S Edit Producer

Read Anna’s latest blog

https://www.mediaparents.co.uk/freelancers/2251/anna-coane

Anika Pilnei: EP / PD

Read Anika’s latest blog

https://www.mediaparents.co.uk/freelancers/18539/anika-pilnei

Daren Tiley: offline editor

Read Daren’s latest blog

https://www.mediaparents.co.uk/freelancers/9614/daren-tiley

Richard Hughes: Shooting PD and DOP

https://www.mediaparents.co.uk/freelancers/6200/richard-hughes

Tom Colvile: Shooting PD https://www.mediaparents.co.uk/freelancers/7749/tom-colvile

Kasia Uscinska: PD / Edit Producer https://www.mediaparents.co.uk/freelancers/1582/kasia-uscinska

Sam Lang: PD / Cam Op

PD https://www.mediaparents.co.uk/freelancers/917/samuel-lang

Still a few places left for subscribers so please sign up here to be assured of a place, booking details on the site watercooler.

Our next event is online on April 1st, see mailing list for more details. Scroll down the blog for more info www.mediaparents.co.uk - the jobs and social networking site for short term, part time, job share and regular hours jobs in media. For free events for subscribers, join here:https://www.mediaparents.co.uk/signup/?t=freelancer

Nightbitch is a dark, dark comedy starring Amy Adams, rising from the creative ashes of her lowest, lost moments of motherhood. You don’t have to be a mother or a middle aged woman to find yourself laughing out loud at this film that reflects most of our struggles at the moment. Adams’s character fights her situation, her husband, her heritage, her self – to rediscover self-expression. It’s not easy, it skirts insanity via magic realism, and – no spoilers here – it is a fight worth watching (and fighting)!

The Substance, if you haven’t already seen it, is a darker, Faustian dive into the extreme choices we may feel forced to make to maintain our later careers/ selves. And in The Last Showgirl, Pamela Anderson’s character Shelly grapples with society and her daughter’s condemnation for putting her now dying career in entertainment before motherhood. And for what? So interesting… Back in Europe (way, way back) Firebrand is about agency. Please watch it if you haven’t seen it, I imagine you will be cheering.

These powerful, funny, important films imprint on you. We need to sit exhausted and uncomfortable with the themes of resistance and persistence – if we can, we need to dig deep – and act.

If you can’t find work, create. You can create opportunities for work or meetings via our online Development Meet coming up on March 19th. If you are taking work outside TV to pay your bills, there is no shame in that. You can still say you work in TV even if you’re not right now, you have earned that through your previous experience. If you’re determined to get out or reinvent yourself, we have a great blog coming up that is going to inspire and empower you.

Even if you do none of the above, come for a drink at our London drinks on May 1^st. Inertia never helped anyone. Do whatever you need to pull yourself out of the hole. Creativity doesn’t have to be paid. If it makes you feel better to rest, rest. But if it makes you feel good to be creative, create.

If you would like to discuss anything related to TV work, you can log in and use the Media Parents watercooler (anonymously if you like) – request collabs, share inspiration, have a moan…

Our next event is on March 18th, see mailing list for more details. Scroll down the blog for more info www.mediaparents.co.uk - the jobs and social networking site for short term, part time, job share and regular hours jobs in media. For free events for subscribers, join here:https://www.mediaparents.co.uk/signup/?t=freelancer

We all introduced ourselves to the floor at Media Parents January networking. It's really helpful for everyone to know who's who

At Thursday’s event Amy explained that freelancers applying for roles through Media Parents will be in a group of up to 10 applicants. Many jobs are exclusive, but where they are listed elsewhere, employers say they look at Media Parents applicants first. How do they know? Application mails via the site are branded. Why do they like it? Media Parents is the only selective jobsite, requiring freelancers (not just restricted to parents) to have at least three years TV experience before joining. So much less sifting for hiring companies. From attending the event I can vouch that most people have much more experience than three years. So Media Parents is win, win for freelancers and hirers.

Media Parents Jan Drinks provided a great opportunity to meet or reconnect with companies like Strawberry Blond

I just want to say thank you so much for the networking evening and for the work that you do at Media Parents. I am so glad I made the journey. I am just reaching out to the people I met there. I’d say that I picked up contacts from 30% of the people in the room, including some employers I would love to work with.

I did some more stats for myself which I found interesting and really clear. I thought I would share them with you. I usually go from job to job without too much of a gap. Or have done for many years.

Researcher Hannah Bairsto, seen here with HOP Tina Lohmann, said it was the best networking event she had attended because it was friendly and relevant

Here are my stats as a freelancer of 23 years in two months of job searching, December 2024 to Jan 2025, prior to joining Media Parents:

****Job applications: 24 – for PD/SD across ob doc/fact ent/talent led genres.

Average number of applicants: 200 – 300 for every job (guestimate from the large numbers of applicants per job on the large jobsite I’ve previously been applying through + assuming they are not exclusive to that site).

Number of interviews – 3 (12.5 % hit rate)

Number of jobs got: 1 and it has been delayed until end of 2025.

***Number of speculative reach outs to talent managers / people I don’t know - 20

Number of emails back – 5

Expressions of interest for future work – 5

****Number of existing contacts with actual real work on the horizon who would earmark me – 1

*** number of my industry contacts who have called me saying do I want work? – 0

This element has been wiped out and was always there before. Although it formed 40% only of my work contracts.

For more info about Media Parents January Drinks scroll down this blog

Reason for these stats: My contacts are not in work, or have left the industry, or have many mouths to feed in terms of who they are hiring. I understand many jobs are not advertised (as backed up by yesterday’s Media Parents email and ring round) – but, I agree with Talented People’s Industry Health Check that broadcaster and streamer-approved candidates are going from one job to the next. If the same people are working on what is being commissioned then like any eco system it will start to fail or massively diminish and no longer flourish. Even the bits that are left.

Prognosis:  Doing what I did before is unlikely to find me work on the basis of these stats. Hence joining Media Parents to increase my reach and opportunities.

Actions:

• Apply for jobs on a platform with a great reputation / less competition
• Meet new people and build new relationships (watch out for Media Parents next event which will be online on Feb 19th)
• Write for this blog which has a reach on social and direct mail of 35K people in TV. I’ve made this post anonymous as I feel it’s a bit contentious, but I will be writing, I will

Our next event is on Feb 19th, see mailing list for more details. Scroll down the blog for more info www.mediaparents.co.uk - the jobs and social networking site for short term, part time, job share and regular hours jobs in media. For free events for subscribers, join here:https://www.mediaparents.co.uk/signup/?t=freelancer

Heidi Perry, centre, was on great form at Media Parents Autumn D. Pictured here with ClearCut MD Rowan Bray, hosting

While travelling with my family last year, I made 5 episodes of Shamba Shape-Up, a popular farm makeover show that goes out to 8 million viewers across East Africa. Filming with a Kenyan crew was an incredible experience and made me want to go back to TV more than ever. So I’m jumping back in! So far I’ve had some feature doc development work with Blackbox Multimedia and I’m putting feelers out for edit producing or directing. The commissioning landscape has changed considerably since I last left, but adaptability is a superpower possessed by anyone working in TV, and I have it in spades. I also have a passion for TV that I can’t shake and valuable experience I know I can put to great use.

Heidi Perry on location in Kenya

The first time I left TV, after a trip to Cameroon undercover filming Crime Scene Wild for Animal Planet, it was because on my return, my two-year old daughter Nina gave me one look and strolled nonchalantly away. It was clearly time to stop going away all the time and luckily, alternatives came along: the first at Immediate Films directing charity fundraising films that would raise £1 million at high-profile events. The second was making films for the Ministry of Justice about the issues faced by vulnerable women in the criminal justice system. Making films with a purpose honed my storytelling fast and I learnt how to impact an audience in different ways.

Heidi Perry shooting in the Cameroon for Animal Planet

When my daughter was older, I tried TV again. I’d missed the camaraderie and collaboration of team-working across a series. I did some development in BBC Specialist Factual, a Hairy Bikers’ food history series, an Antiques Roadshow spin-off obs doc, a few series of Bargain Hunt. Then I fell in love with fixed rig filming as a P/D on One Born Every Minute and The Hotel for C4.

Although bouts of edit producing made TV more compatible with parenting, when my relationship ended, I struggled as a single mum on freelance contracts. So I took an offer of a secure job in a national children’s charity. People asked if I missed TV and I’d call to mind squeezed budgets and crazy hours, trying to convince myself and them that I didn’t, but in truth I missed it unbearably. Now it feels wrong not to be doing what I love so much. So here goes again…fingers crossed!

Join us inside... Media Parents for networking, jobs, training and community https://www.mediaparents.co.uk

Big Fish Little Fish Head of Children's and Young Audiences Ros Attille has a serious discussion about fashion with the ClearCut team. Richard studies the floor

Dragonfly's Head of Talent Gayl Paterson chats with freelance PD Tom Colvile

“Thank you for a lovely evening!” Jo, Exec Producer

Freelancers Mav Brown PM and Tom Colvile, with Story Films' LP Donna Blackburn

All3Media's Annie Conlon, centre, and PM Michele Smith left.

“Glad it was fun,  it felt very retro to be meeting in person!   I think it was a mixture of reassuring those who are looking for work and networking for those in work, seemed a really positive event.” Rowan, ClearCut Pictures

Producer Katie Flamman with Offline Editor Daren Tiley, very pleased to be back on the blog after all this time. Editor Liz Convey behind

PD Lorraine Molloy, left, made it all the way from Cornwall. PD Heidi Perry with ClearCut MD Rowan Bray. Thank you so much for lovely hosting

“Thanks for a brilliant meet up last night, it was really nice to catch up with some familiar faces, and meet some new ones too. And it was so nice of Clear Cut to host again.” Anna, Producer / SP

Huge thanks to Offline Editor Alex Kirkland who hosted a simultaneous zoom from the event, joined by freelancers and companies

Tinopolis' Katie McAfee was no sooner through the door than she was zooming - thank you Katie

“It was great to have you around and I’m glad everyone enjoyed themselves. Was good to see everyone get over the initial awkwardness and socialise.” Phil, ClearCut Pictures

Director of Production Sarah Buckenham from Yes Yes Media meets with a returning freelancer

Thank you Zara McFadden ITN for making everyone laugh on zoom

“Great to meet the other night. Really good event and good energy in the room!” Jim, SP

I love this pic of Producer Julie Dawson-Wills

Box to Box's LP Emily Freshwater and Scripted PM Richard Godfrey had a laugh with the zoom attendees

“This is just a quick note to how much I enjoyed yesterday evening’s Autumn Drinks at ClearCut Bloomsbury. Thank you for arranging the evening and making sure that I was meeting other invitees that might be relevant to my career.” Richard, PM

“A quick thank you for organising the event last night. It was great (and a bit strange) to be among so many people. And thanks also for all you’re doing to support everyone just now.” Tom, SP

Media Parents' Amy Walker with returner Steph Carpanini - thank you Jo Woolf for the photo!

A good time was had by all. It can be a lot to get to an in person event after working remotely, or looking for work for a while. The energy in the room was great, and the garden was good to escape to too!

“Thank you so much for organising such a lovely event last night. It was so nice to meet yourself and so many others in real life!

Thanks also very much to Clearcut for hosting – and I’m so sorry that we outstayed our welcome! How did it get to 9pm so quickly?!” PD, Eliza

Spot the back of Little Bird TV SP / Exec Matt Holden. Thanks Jules Seymour for the photo

Yes Yes Media's HOP Sarah Buckenham with Lucy Maxwell, Community Development Manager from Film + TV Charity. FTVC have available funding for freelancers who need stopgap help to pay rent and bills, and also have free available counselling support for freelancers - get in touch with FTVC to find out more

Thank you so much to everyone who joined us for Media Parents Autumn Drinks – we had a great time! Freelancers met with hirers including ITN, All3Media, Dragonfly, Yes Yes Media both in the room and live from the event on zoom. We were so well looked after by the ClearCut Pictures team led by Rowan Bray and Phil Knowles – thank you! Watch this space for more, join us at Media Parents to join in!

www.mediaparents.co.uk - the jobs and social networking site for short term, part time, job share and regular hours jobs in TV

Join Media Parents for jobs, masterclasses and networking

Join us on Friday September 20th at 10:00 for a cracking overview session : Ace Your Applications – and get (back to) work. The 45 minute online / in person event will be led by Media Parents’ Amy Walker. The session will be followed at 11:00am by a second online / in person event focusing on TV CVs. This small interactive event has big ambitions to help you navigate best practice in TV CVs and gives us the chance to workshop. Led by Media Parents Head of Talent Amy Walker it is one in a series of events giving an overview of TV applications – cover letter, CV wins, Zoom presenting and interview tips – so you nail the opportunities that are out there.

Amy Walker leads Media Parents freelancers in an Ace Your Job Application Masterclass online

To find out more and sign up to sessions go here. All sessions are free to Media Parents subscribers – if you are not yet a subscriber go here to subscribe, or message us here for more information.

Friday Oct 11th Event

Click here for a ticket to Ace Your Applications General Event 10am Friday 11th Oct

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1014480196577

Click here for a ticket to Interviews and Networking Masterclass Friday 11th Oct 11am

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/interviews-and-networking-friday-11th-oct-ace-your-job-application-tickets-1014508651687 As this session is also about job interviews please bring a list of questions you anticipate at a job interview.

If you would like to join Amy Walker in person for this final training event, you can book a place at no extra cost in the gorgeous private room at renowned gastropub The Crown, Hastings. Taking a day out by the sea can be a great way to clear your mind and bring a fresh perspective to your career path. The food at The Crown is great so I highly recommend booking for lunch afterwards. Email for details.

Events are free to subscribers, informal and in a small group. You can join camera on or cam off and ask questions in the chat. If you are not a subscriber or you have questions in advance hit us up via the contact button on Media Parents website.

Keen beans can prep in advance for the event by reading and working with Media Parents CV blog with tips from loads of industry employers, and Amy Walker and TV friends’ cover letter tips.

If you’re looking for work at this point and some extra support would help see the links below for the Film + TV Charity’s FREE Counselling service. Having worked with and interviewed many returners I would urge you to talk through the barriers of getting back to work before your interviews, so these feelings have been aired and are not the focus of your interview conversation. This helpline from Film + TV Charity 0800 054 0000 is not The Samaritans – it’s for people who want to talk and offload the problems of TV, or not working in TV, yet. https://filmtvcharity.org.uk/get-support/get-help-now/

Media Parents Autumn Drinks in London Tuesday October 15th

www.mediaparents.co.uk - the jobs and social networking site for short term, part time, job share and regular hours jobs in media. Join our latest event on Friday 11th October from 10am til midday.

Emma Bellars https://www.mediaparents.co.uk/freelancers/17828/emma-bellars

freelancers finding it tough out there contact the Film + TV Charity for support here: https://filmtvcharity.org.uk/get-support/

www.mediaparents.co.uk - the jobs and social networking site for short term, part time, job share and regular hours jobs in media.