Tips on how to start a career in TV

Here are some tips on how to start a career in TV created by some of the team. This is for anyone unsure as to where to start and hopefully these tip will give you some inspiration in to how to start a career in TV.

Josh

Depends what you want to do. I feel it’s important to find people that are doing what you want to do in TV and pick their brains and ask them. The amount of strong executive producers I called to ask advice on the process, running an indie etc was so important. Everything they said I wrote down, listened to and took in and as a result it naturally made me better at what I wanted to do and helped me formulate my path. I have always felt the easiest way to get into something job-wise is just to learn from the best. The next question I get asked is how you do that and I tell people, you would be surprised how many people will give you 5 minutes of their time if you’re humble and passionate. You’d be very surprised. Those same people can also help you get opportunities, interns

hips, apprenticeships etc in production and development. It all starts from having no fear, and no ego.

Holly

My tips on getting a career in TV would be to take note of the production companies that produce the shows you like, find out who the decision makers are there and contact them directly. Not only does it show passion and initiative, but you’ll stand out from the rest of the job hunters applying through the standard route of responding to jobs ads. Be active, contact as many different companies that you feel you fit in with. Also, spend your spare time practising whatever craft you want to work in, whether that be camera, editing, sound, development etc. You can never have too much practice.

In this industry you need to make yourself stand out, so cater your emails to each individual company and show them why there’s no one else like you. You’ll make it eventually!

Chloe

Tip 1: Talk to a friend who studies or work in this industry

Tip 2: Go to some short courses to have some knowledges.

Tip 3: Go to more events and talks of the industry.

Tip 4: Start working as a runner.

Tip 5: Watch some online courses or youtube videos.

Tip 6: Be nice to everybody, have empathy, respect everyone. Stand for what you believe, but you don’t have to be strong to others, but please be strong inside.

Tip 7: Take let yourself be taken for granted.

Katie

The best piece of advice I can give to someone who is looking to start a career in any industry is to just be themselves. This will make you more confident in an interview scenario and your personality will shine through. I believe that knowledge can be learnt but who you are can not be changed, do not let anything make you change who you are as an individual. In terms of getting a career in TV production, I found my way by talking to someone already in the industry, I got advice and learnt as much as I could about how the industry works. Research is your best friend! Research what type of company you want to work for and research what they work on, as I think you when you approach them you will stand out a lot more giving knowledge on their work rather then sending a generic cover letter. It will show that you are passionate and have actually got an interest in them.

Susan

1. You need to be passionate for the work in this industry, if you love this job, you will have the strong motivation to continue it…

2. You need to be a fast learner, if you are not, just keep curious about everything and keep learning. You need to be like a sponge to absorb knowledge and experience at any time, this will accelerate your growing up much faster!

3. Of course, you also need to be patient and hard working always…

Duncan

One of the great myths of working in television is the glamour – meeting celebrities, going to wrap parties, travelling the world doing holiday programmes….well, as anyone in the business will tell you, it’s just like an other job with the same frustrations and deadlines, the same problems and commute in the morning. The one thing it does have going for it though is that every day (pretty much) is different and you get to meet some amazing people. And not celebrities (though it is always nice to meet a celeb who turns out to be very nice and warm and engaging) but rather ordinary people who have done extraordinary things or who have something extraordinary to show or tell.

Further education institutions churn out gazillions of people with some form of media degree and while that is useful, something that demonstrates your practical application in the media is a real bonus. Show me the short film you made on your I-phone. Tell me about the festival you organised. Show me the exhibition you mounted. Tell me the story of your investigation into a social injustice. The article in the local paper. The campaign that you started. These sorts of extra-curricular activities set your CV apart from the rest.

Rather than pitch an idea to a broadcaster on your own (believe me, you won’t get very far), target some tv production companies whose output matches your interests and viewing habits. Maybe send through a well presented idea, ideally back up with a little taster tape that you put together yourself. Show that you can capture a story in a page treatment and show how you see it working on film. Do you have unique access to a unique story? Now that will grab the attention. Ask for a meeting. If you don’t ask, as they say….

Try and get that face to face meeting. Show that you are confident and that your really really want to work in television. A production company that is open and receptive to new ideas and new people should open its doors to you. More likely a smaller company than a super-indie it must be said. There are hundreds of smaller indies dotted around the country and while many may write back and say ‘we don’t accept unsolicited ideas’, someone might well say ‘yes, this looks interesting, give us a call’.

Worth a try.

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