Screenwriting
I would like to eventually work with the BBC. I enjoy screenwriting and would love to write drama and period drama for television and film. After researching the job role I found various websites which explain the job requirements.
Looking at these guidelines I would say I have a number of skills or attributes which would make me a good screenwriter. Given that there isn't an essential qualification needed and that I am studying a film and media degree, this will hopefully help me to further understand the film industry.
It also looks as though there are a number of differences between being freelancer or be employed by a company as a screenwriter. This caused me to want to look at employment vs freelancing since i'm pretty certain that I want to be employed by the BBC one day.
Advantages of being a freelancer
Disadvantages of being a freelancer
I decided looking at these that I would probably like to have periods working both for a company and being freelance. I would still eventually like to be employed by the BBC but I think until then I will probably write in my own time as well and perhaps look into submitting my scripts to various places such as the BBC writers room.
I have also looked at the average salary for a screenwriter. I imagine because writing is such an unreliable and irregular business I will have to be working elsewhere in order to make a living while I try to get my work noticed.
I had a look at The Writers' Guild of Great Britain where they have a page dedicated to 'rate cards' for different roles within film and media. https://writersguild.org.uk/rates-agreements/
Obviously there are differences in salary depending on whether a script is for film or television and also depending on the production budget. I would like to think that I will eventually be writing both film and television.
It also looks as though there are a number of differences between being freelancer or be employed by a company as a screenwriter. This caused me to want to look at employment vs freelancing since i'm pretty certain that I want to be employed by the BBC one day.
Advantages of being a freelancer
- Flexible hours - not necessarily business hours
- Control over jobs and clients - Don't have to work with difficult clients under contract.
- Work wherever you want - quality of life, you can be where you want to be.
- You're the boss - no one's micro managing you, you're in control.
- You keep all the profit - or decide where it goes, your work - your money.
Disadvantages of being a freelancer
- Not steady or reliable hours - can't depend on a regular project.
- Work/life balance - difficult to distinguish between work time & personal time.
- Lots of legwork - if you don't have work you have to find it yourself.
- Not getting paid - you have to be a debt collector.
- No employer benefits - No paid absence, no health benefits.
I decided looking at these that I would probably like to have periods working both for a company and being freelance. I would still eventually like to be employed by the BBC but I think until then I will probably write in my own time as well and perhaps look into submitting my scripts to various places such as the BBC writers room.
I have also looked at the average salary for a screenwriter. I imagine because writing is such an unreliable and irregular business I will have to be working elsewhere in order to make a living while I try to get my work noticed.
I had a look at The Writers' Guild of Great Britain where they have a page dedicated to 'rate cards' for different roles within film and media. https://writersguild.org.uk/rates-agreements/
Obviously there are differences in salary depending on whether a script is for film or television and also depending on the production budget. I would like to think that I will eventually be writing both film and television.
Camera work/ cinematography
I am also interested in photography and I like working with cameras but I am not as confident as I would like to be so that is something I would like to focus and improve on. Perhaps if I do develop a good understanding of the technical side of production I may want to explore going into cinematography too. Directing does also interest me however I am definitely not confident enough yet and I don't have the level of professional experience to be able to take on that role.
While I am starting out I will probably not be making much money and so I would like to be able to use my photography skills to work at weddings and parties. I would need a portfolio of my photographs for this which is something I would need to start
developing. I would also probably need to create a professional online presence using social media in order to promote myself as a photographer.
While I am starting out I will probably not be making much money and so I would like to be able to use my photography skills to work at weddings and parties. I would need a portfolio of my photographs for this which is something I would need to start
developing. I would also probably need to create a professional online presence using social media in order to promote myself as a photographer.
ONLINE PRESENCE - HIIVE
I have created a Hiive profile to present my work and attract possible job opportunities. I have only made a limited number of films at this point but I need to upload the two I have made to my profile. I have included my education history and my preferred job areas of the profession. I have also uploaded my CV and although it shows that I have studied Film and Media A Levels, I have no professional work experience to include which will make me less likely to be considered for certain job positions.
I would have likes to have included a showreel but given that I don't have much of my own work yet this is something I will have to do at a later stage.
I didn't add a photograph of myself as I prefer not to but perhaps doing so would increase my chances of being noticed by employers as they probably like to have an idea of the person they are considering hiring.
I would have likes to have included a showreel but given that I don't have much of my own work yet this is something I will have to do at a later stage.
I didn't add a photograph of myself as I prefer not to but perhaps doing so would increase my chances of being noticed by employers as they probably like to have an idea of the person they are considering hiring.
TRADITIONAL CV
ON SET EXPERIENCE
Aside from my own assessed projects I hadn't spent any time on a real film set. I was asked by a second year student if I wanted to be a runner on her short film Hitchhiker.
I was able to commit to the first day of the shoot Monday 17th April. I was then emailed a call sheet and told where to meet in the morning.
We got to the cottage at around 10am and started unloading all the kit from the cars. The actors were staying in the cottage for the week and so we needed to unpack all the food into the fridge and cupboards. I was asked to make the kitchen look 'lived in' for the first scene of the day so I moved around various props and removed any equipment out of shot.
I was asked to do the visual log and this was something I'd never done before. I had to make a note of the scene, the shot description, the take, the SD card and then I was told to ask the director for a rate out of five for each take. I was told to wait until she had spoken to the actors, the cameraman and the producers, when she was quiet. I would hold up my hand and she would hold up a number of fingers from 0-5. I would note this down and then she would sometimes have comments about certain takes e.g. what was good, what went wrong, any editing notes etc. Aside from this I was a bit concerned that there wouldn't be much else for me to do since the crew was a group of about fifteen people however I was constantly being asked to carry equipment into different rooms or black out the windows for the night scenes. I was also asked to make cups of tea and coffee for the cast and crew and was taught that I should priorities the Director and Producer, then the actors and then camera people and then the rest of the crew. |
I've also been asked to work on another first year student's Style and Meaning project in May '17 as second camera op. This will give me a chance to have some hands on experience with a camera and hopefully become more confident in using one.
JOB ADVERTS/ VACANCIES
I wanted to find out more about the various entry level job opportunities being advertised so I looked on several websites such as Hiive, Cahootify and I also had a look on the BBC website. They offer work experience programs three times a year.
I found this work experience placement working with the BBC at Wimbledon 2017 and thought I might be a good candidate given that I play tennis for a local club and I spent four years working as a children's tennis coach and I'm studying a film and media degree.
I didn't end up applying because the placement required applicants to be available from June 29th-17th July and I'm away for the last four days of the placement. Also because the placement is located in London I would have to organise two weeks of accommodation.
I also just don't think i'm experienced enough on a set to go for something as big as a placement at Wimbledon yet.
I didn't end up applying because the placement required applicants to be available from June 29th-17th July and I'm away for the last four days of the placement. Also because the placement is located in London I would have to organise two weeks of accommodation.
I also just don't think i'm experienced enough on a set to go for something as big as a placement at Wimbledon yet.