What do I have to do to get a job in television?

The term television also covers film production, corporate video, DVD production and web casting.

Above all you must be really determined – there is so much competition in the film & video industries, only those who really stick at it will get through (unless you’ve got a double first from Oxbridge, in which case you probably wouldn’t be reading this!). You must be prepared for many rejections and setbacks but if it’s what you really want to do, more than anything else in the world, then you’ll get there in the end.

Is it worth it?

Yes, in my opinion. If you want a job where you meet some amazing people, visit some incredible places and where, much of the time, it doesn’t really feel like work at all – then its for you.

What training do I need?

At one time the only way you could get proper television training was at the BBC. In practice most people learned on the job and formal qualifications were rare. Nowadays, you can’t move for Media Studies courses and every aspect of film, video, TV and the visual arts are included. It’s not so much that you need training to work in the industry (on-the-job training is still important), as the fact that all your competitors for job vacancies will be waving diplomas and degrees so why would anyone look at you without one?

What are some of the qualities I need?

Stamina and perseverance - whether you’re working as part of a film crew or in an edit suite there will be times when you just have to keep going. Deadlines must be met, or you’ve reached a crucial point where to stop now would mean losing everything. If you moan about feeling cold or tired or hungry you’ll have a negative effect on everyone else.

Good team player - they all say that don’t they. But if you want to be part of a production unit it’s essential. If the only thing you have to do is cue an extra at the right moment, or pull a cable when the camera has reached a certain point, but you’re daydreaming and funk it, then you’ll let everyone down. You may only be a Runner with a really boring, simple job to do, but if you get it wrong it has the same effect as the lead actor forgetting his lines – the shot must be recorded again. So being a team player isn’t a cliché, it’s essential.
Good Judgement – you don’t have to be particularly bright to have good judgement. You can’t take a course in common sense. But these are both qualities that will stand you in good stead because there’s no manual to consult - every programme is unique and you won’t find yourself in exactly the same situation twice. Whatever your particular production role, you will often have to use your initiative.

Good judgement is important but you mustn’t be judgemental, instead you need to be…

Broad-minded – particularly if you are working on factual programmes – news, documentaries, etc. – you will see life from every angle and it’s your job to help others put their point of view across. You have to leave your opinions and prejudices aside and view things from another perspective.
Diplomat – assuming you start out as a Runner or Third Assistant it will probably be you who has to go and ask the builders to turn off their pneumatic drills for a few minutes, or else placate the irate neighbour who wants to get out of her drive NOW! You will also need to be good at child minding because nothing attracts the local kids like a film crew setting up.
Flexible – Schedules are useful and it’s good to be organised but stuff happens! You have to be ready to change your plans at a moment’s notice. If you are the kind of person who likes everything to be set in concrete perhaps a job in the accounts department would suit?

Does that mean that everyone who works in television will have these qualities? Sadly, no! But they are characteristics that employers will be looking for. You should also be obsessive about your chosen field – crazy about sound, devoted to design, geekish about cameras – and if you want to be a director it must be because you have a unique vision and are desperate to put in on the screen.

If it’s the glamour that attracts you, it will soon fade. Humping a vanload of heavy equipment up to the top floor of a block of flats with no lift is not very glamorous! But you will be invited into people’s lives, where you will be privileged to share secret moments and go places most people only dream about. Getting a job in television is not easy but it must be one of the most rewarding and satisfying careers around.