Working in the Creative Media industry

The Media Industries

The UK media industry is an industry that many nations look at with admiration and envy, it has produced high-quality media for decades and will continue to do so for generations to come. There are many sectors that make up the industry, these include the film and television industry which produce short, feature-length content on either an amateur, independent and professional level to consume, film and television can also be animated, which is a style of media where pictures are manipulated to appear as moving images. They often fall into two categories, one being educational aiming to educate the audience on a specific historic figure, ideology and important events in history. Whereas the other is entertainment, content specifically produced to entertain the audience and keep them busy for an hour, these shows are popular because the audience enjoys following a well thought out story with fleshed-out characters that they feel a connection to. Publishing is another form of media that is important to modern society, publishing is most commonly associated with producing newspapers and books. Print is important as it was the first form of media to be implemented into society, many decades ago the idea of technology was still miles away and therefore it meant print was the only method of informing the public of the goings-on in the world. Print media is often associated with a so-called 'higher class' with allegedly more sophisticated people reading the newspaper. However, with the rise of the internet newspapers have been on the decline and the print companies realise this as they have made the transition to digital because in a digital age it's the only way that print companies can survive in an era of digital consumption. Books are similar to newspapers but are still different, whereas newspapers main purpose is to inform the public on the everyday occurrences of the world, books are used by the public to read about a subject in a detailed manner, books can stay with a consumer for a long time whereas the newspapers will always be different. Books also often serve a similar purpose to film and television, to tell a well-developed story that the audience has an emotional connection to, books are different as you can complete a book in segments, you can read a certain amount of pages a night and come back to it at another time, whereas compared to film and television you often need to consume it all in one sitting. Advertising is an industry that is vital to all aspects of media, advertising is used to promote a product to an audience and get them to invest in seeing said products. Often advertising was uniquely print-based, as the technology we use today wasn't around in the past, with many films/plays being advertised in the local paper which went out to thousands of members of the public per day, a study by Newsworks deducted that print advertising was more effective than digital.

The Film Industry

A1
The film industry creates a lot of jobs, with often hundreds of people needed for a professional film project, with 800 people working on the film Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse alone, which shows just how much work is needed in all aspects of filmmaking. There are many types of jobs regarding the film industry.

A director by definition is 'a person who controls the making of a film and supervises the actors and the technical crew', the director is one of the most important jobs in film production. Often the entire projects rests on the directors shoulders, they're in charge of every little detail in a film, they storyboard the shot that they would like, they're hands-on directing the actors/cameramen to get the shot that they desire, their job is turn the screenplay on paper into a film for the big screen. Many directors get their jobs by starting as other roles within the industry, some directors attend film school to achieve degrees in film (Martin Scorsese achieved a MFA in film from New York University) and move on to jobs within the industry such as screenwriters, producers and actors and then decide that they themselves want to try their hand at directing (Jason Bateman is an actor and has recently taken on more directing work with Ozark, a show which he also portrays the main role in). Directors often receive the highest praise when their film succeeds and often the brunt of the criticism when the project falls below expectations meaning the role of director brings a lot of stress, as referenced before having the entire project resting on one person can be tough for some directors, with some even turning to 'habits' to combat the stress that the ever-moving industry entails (Scorsese was known to have a cocaine habit and was close to giving up on film).

Director might be the 'biggest' and well-known role in film production but there are roles you often don't hear about which are often just as important as the director. The people who work hands-on set are key to production, with roles such as:

Camera operators - these are people whose job is to capture footage on set to fit the directors needs, this is one of the more 'active' roles as camera operators can spend hours on end on their feet, meaning this role is one of the most important and it is vital that a high-quality camera operator is used for production. The greatest camera operators are required to be good at following instruction, working in a highly stressful environment as to use a film set costs a lot of money which means that the shots they need to have to be achieved in a certain time as to save the film studio money. Often camera operators are in charge of more than getting the perfect shot, often they're in charge of picking the appropriate equipment such as the lens, the camera itself and many more small requirements.

Entertainment Lawyers - entertainment lawyers is a role that doesn't receive the attention that other roles do, but often the lawyers are just as important as the crew. They are called upon to discuss labour negations with actors and the crew and to gain the rights to use locations and music. The job of the entertainment lawyer is to get the best deal for the studio, ie; be able to purchase the rights to use a location for the best price, to handle contracts for actors to get them the best possible working contract, such as the best medical care, money and so on.

A2
Recruitment is important in every industry, and the film industry is no different. There are many methods that filmmakers connect with fellow professionals, these methods have changed over time to adapt to new technology that has made recruitment easier than ever. One method that is popular is networking, which is where up and coming members of the media industry can interact with established professionals and make contacts that will be useful in an industry where every connection counts, often networking occurs at business events which brings every industry professional together, making it ideal. There are always events going on up and down the country, which means that there's always going to be a new professional that you can meet, thus widening your options which will be useful in your career one way or another. An article by UrbanNetwork points out the same positives that I have, with them believing networking events are key as they allow you to break out of your comfort zone, linking in with the point that not only do events like these not only allow you to meet fellow professionals but they also allow you to improve your social skills which will benefit you in the long-term.

The emergence of the internet has allowed society to make massive strides. The internet and technology have allowed the film industry to create products that would've been revolutionary decades ago, the internet has also changed how people are recruited into the film industry, this is thanks to social media. One positive of social media recruiting is cost, with social media platforms being free to use it means that whoever is needing to recruit doesn't need to spend any money, which will be of convenience to them because there'll be other sectors of a media production that they will want to keep their money for, and they wouldn't want to spend money on recruitment because why would someone invest in a campaign advertising a job when social media is free and arguably a better recruitment tool? Several job advertising sites charge hundreds to advertise on their site, which makes social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin a no-brainer in company eyes. Not only is social media better value for money it allows you to deduct a person's personality without needing to talk to them, but social media can also show whether a person is quiet, loud, ambitious etcetera. It also makes the interview process easier, as users of social media often talk about their interests often, so as an interviewer social media could tell you more about a person than a face-to-face interview could. This point also can filter out the candidates that you wouldn't want to hire, if someone gets into trouble on social media often then it's a red flag, it begs the question to the employer: if this person is hired at our company, will any bad social media posts reflect badly on us? This is a valid concern as in many cases (despite this being about the film industry,  I feel this point is the same for any industry) there've been people who have made out of taste posts, and people who see those posts immediately attempt to find the individuals employers and they ask the employer if the persons comment reflects on their values leading in most cases for the employer to terminate the employee who made the disparaging comments. As an employer you do not want your company name tarnished because someone can't keep out of trouble. 

A3
Every job has the same contracts of employment, each industry follows the same process as everyone else. Some 'types' of employment are better than others. The most well-known source of employment is full-time employment which is when a worker works a number of hours determined by their employers. In my opinion full-time work is the best option as the benefits of working full-time vastly outweigh every other employment sector. Full-time workers are granted benefits such as: sick days, paid leave, health insurance and a lot more. Not only do employees who work full-time benefit with insurance, they have the luxury of having stable employment. They know that when they finish their work-week on Friday there'll be work the next week and they have a retirement plan which will benefit them mentally, as many workers in this new century often worry about their future, they often worry whether they'll even be able to retire, and working full-time is the sector that many people feel is best for their future. In the industry,a director will work full-time, as they're integral to

The next step in the employment ladder is part-time work. There are many reasons why a worker may choose to work part-time, students often take part-time employment so that they can earn some extra cash to support themselves through their studies and be able to study because part-time work is often 'flexible' meaning hours are usually agreed upon depending on the employees schedule, the benefit is that part-time work allows an individual to pursue other interests without being overwhelmed by full-time work, mentally it's better as there's less work to worry about meaning you would feel less stressed. However a negative to part-time work is that there are less benefits that a worker receives, less work means less income and ultimately isn't a stable career choice.

The final 'step' in the employment ladder are zero hour contracts, this means that a worker doesn't have a set amount of hours, they're only working when they need to be. It's an agreement that the worker would work when asked to, despite there being no obligation for the employee. Now, in my personal opinion, zero-hour contracts are the most exploitative contract of employment, there's no guarantee for an employee that they'll even work which employers use in order to get people in, they may not work in a week but they cannot do anything else as they already signed an agreement with the employer, employees have their hands tied behind their back. Most likely staff who work in catering on a film set may work zero-hour as there's no need for them on set permanently.

A4
Social media is a tool that many modern-day employers use to find and hire new talent like referenced earlier social media is an ideal tool as it allows you to find out a lot about a potential new employee without even meeting them, but the potential new recruit can show off their past works on social media also. A show reel is a reel of someone's past works, whether it be something they directed/starred in or even edited, usually the most exciting/well-produced parts are showed in the reel to make the potential new recruit seem the ideal person for the job, as employers are looking out for talented but unique individuals. The most commonly used method is a CV, a CV can be best described as a long description of yourself, you talk about who you are as a person/what you've done in the past/what your goals are. The CV has been used for years and most employers often take great interest in CVs, it tells them a lot about you which can help them realise what sort of person you are, often the CV is often referenced during the recruitment process, a good CV can do a lot of good for yourself and your career.

A5
An interview is the final hurdle for a job, most potential employees usually have an interview before the real one and they're chosen for the final interview. The best way to a custom yourself with your potential employer is to be formal, both in terms of the clothes you wear and your timekeeping, being dressed professionally and being on time is a necessity for an interview, as it shows that you genuinely care about the role on offer, if you don't do those employers will look down on that and will hinder your chances, show them that you care and they'll pay it back. In the interview it's best to show yourself as a sociable as social skills are what every employer looks out for, you'll have to interact with customers so being good with people is almost a given, you need to be presentable as you'll be representing the company and any bad behaviour on your part will look bad on them.

A6 + A7
Making yourself employable is something everyone should aim to achieve, and there are many ways that you can make yourself look exactly that. Bettering your skills in your chosen field is a given, wanting to learn new things shows your current employer that you're ambitious and always wanting to know more, wanting new skills shows initiative as to advance in the industry you need to have the highest quality skills possible to prove that you belong at the top of your chosen industry, it not only shows your employer that you are technically better, but it also proves to them that you're a person that they'd want to keep around. Work experience is also another great way of making yourself more employable, as work experience can vary, you may end up somewhere that is the complete opposite of what you aim to get into, but it proves that you'll be willing to do anything to get into your desired industry, like the previous point it shows that are willing to put the work in so you can achieve what you want. Also work experience allows you to get real experience into the world of work, you'll be dealing with the same customers that you may be serving for real in the future, it allows you to grow as an employee but also as a person, you'll most likely deal with customers of every personality, customers that are agitating, that are intentionally difficult and many more. It prepares you for the life that you'll be living, it'll force you to improve your customer service, as despite in the majority of cases the customers are in the wrong, as an employee you have to sometimes accept it and realise you need them. Professionalism is the final thing that can make someone more appealing to employers, being professional isn't just about being good at your job, it's about being able to deal with aspects in the workplace. For example someone who is good at diffusing tense situations is more employable as in the workplace there's inevitably going to be some sort of conflict, and being able to resolve conflict is a trait that not everyone has, an on-edge workforce isn't good for business, if people are in conflict then morale will drop and people who aren't as motivated to work well will produce low quality results.

B1
The media industry has a variety of different structures within them, the industry can not survive without every member no matter how big a person’s role is within the chosen industry. An example of this is radio, radio itself is an industry that some argue is in decline with the emergence of social media, online news sites with some not seeing the point of the radio as there are more sufficient and more convenient alternatives to receive the news. The head of a radio station is the station manager, the station manager manages every aspect of a radio production, these responsibilities include: the business aspects of radio (eg: negotiating sponsorship deals and negotiating deals for the on air personalities) as radio like any other platform needs money to survive and continue broadcasts. On smaller radio stations station managers may help with ‘hands on’ roles, a manager may need to host if needs be. A role that deals with the hands on aspect of the radio station is the training and programme manager, individuals in this role often look over the hands on production and see whether further training is required and evaluate the effectiveness of it, they also make sure that the morale of their staff is high as high morale equals a higher standard of production which benefits everyone involved in the radio production

Public service media is a form of media funded and run by the public to inform its viewers of all the goings on in the world, many believe that PSM is more reliable as with it being publicly funded there’s no incentive for there to be any bias in terms of politics, social issues ecetera. Independent media is relatively similar as independent productions are funded by themselves which is what PSM is like, and independent media are often run by people who have a distaste for modern media corporations as especially in the 2010s, many believe that the news corporations have lost their vision, modern day news networks have a clear bias which people have noticed and don’t stand for anymore. Example of independent media stations are: Corporate Watch, Independent Media Centre and GM Watch.

B2 The media industry is incredibly large, with the media industry alone in the US employing millions of workers. The industry is a massive money maker with many companies posting billions in revenue, Disney posted revenue of 70 billion dollars which should indicate just how big the industry is, and that’s just one company. Big media companies have a lot of influence, careers can be made overnight and turn filmmakers and across into stars. The media industry create pop culture references that millions of people still refer to today, it shows just how influential the industry is, films made years ago are still regarded with praise from critics and the public alike. In modern days many companies are ‘conglomerates’ which by definition is a multi industry company that operate in their own industry but under one company. Disney are by far the biggest and most well known example of this. They own ESPN (news company), Marvel (arguably the biggest film making company, with their films receiving critical acclaim and billions at the box office) and many other franchises. Many people see conglomerates as a negative as the more a single company owns, the less incentive that company has to make high-quality and original content, a statement I personally agree with. Disney own franchise such as Marvel and Star Wars which are the biggest franchises in modern media. Criticism has been made against the ‘newer’ films in these franchises as many people think that these films are made to make money from the ‘name’ and nostalgia, with fans believing these films are made not to create works of art, but to please the masses.

B3 + B4 With any media product there needs to be consideration as to the many different ‘groups’ of the world, these groups include people of different religions, race, nationality and many others. However, you need to be careful as to how you represent them, for example you need to refrain from any bias in your reporting, many modern consumers believe that there’s a bias in the majority of media. For example during the UK general election 2019 criticism was labelled against many news organisations as the public believed that certain papers had a bias for a certain political party, for example Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn was smeared by multiple papers for the smallest things and they made some debatably slanderous comments, the biggest offenders are papers such as The Sun and the Daily Mail (both being Conservative papers). These are the standards that the public want our media to adhere too, but deep down there’ll always be some bias. Another standard is that the story you put forward is accurate, you can guarantee this by fact checking your sources, in modern times this seems to occur more often than it should, occasionally the same lies are pushed by supposedly credible sources yet that isn’t the case, the problem is so bad that independent fact checking sites such as Hoax Eye have never been busier exposing lies. The media also have to represent the aforementioned different groups in an unbiased way also, but it’s different in this case, media organisations have to make sure there’s no racial/social bias also. An example of the social bias that organisations have to avoid is with the difference in reporting is regarding two missing children cases, the McCann and Matthews case. To summarise: Madeline McCann went missing on holiday in Portugal and hasn’t been seen since, her family were of middle class, both parents were doctors and received sympathy from the nation. Whereas Shannon Matthews, a young girl from a council estate In West Yorkshire went missing and her family had the complete opposite treatment: her family happened to claim benefits, and this, according to our nations media organisations meant that her family were supposedly lazy and free-loading. This is an example of just how social class can affect the way that you’re portrayed in the media, people claim that there’s no correlation between social class and representation in the media but everyone knows otherwise, it happens too often to be considered a coincidence.