Creative Skill Set
Cameraman:
Industries: Photo imaging
Personality Type: Creative
Departments: Photographers
- Producing images for government departments (e.g. the Ministry of Defence), large commercial corporations, universities, museums or research agencies
- Working across a wide variety of photographic disciplines and styles
Sound Operator:
Industries: Film
Personality: Communicator
Departments: Distribution/Marketing/Publicity and Stills
- Producing interviews and behind the scenes footage for press kits
- Producing documentaries about the making of the film
- Producing extras for DVD release
Gaffer TV:
Industries: TV
Personality: Scientist
Departments: Lighting
- Being responsible for all the practical aspects of lighting sets and locations
Industries: TV
Personality: Engineer
Departments: Sound
- Helping record the best quality sound in studios or on locations, working closely with Sound Supervisors and Boom Operators
Art Director
Industries: Film | TV
Personality: Creative
Departments: Art Department
- Realising the Production Designer's creative vision for all the sets and locations that give productions their look and feel
- Project managing the work of the art department
- Also undertaking the role of Production Designer on smaller TV productions
Script Editor
Industries: Film
Personality: Communicator
Departments: Development | Script
- Providing a critical overview of the screenwriting process
- Liaising between the Producer or Development Executive and the Screenwriter
- Helping to strengthen and develop screenplays
Cast Director
Industries: Film
Personality: Organiser
Departments: Casting
- Organising the casting (selecting) of Actors for all roles in a film
- Arranging and conducting interviews and auditions with artists as well as negotiating fees and contracts for the Actors who get the part
- Working with the Director and Producer to understand their requirement.
Art Director
What the role is: this role is where you arrange and sort out the locations and sets of the productions.
Where the role fits in within the film and television industry: the role fits in with the film and television industry because it undertakes the role of Production Designer on smaller TV productions.
Responsibilities of the role: this role includes responsibilities to look after the set and location of the production, making sure that it is the right setting and good for filming.
Career pathways leading to and from the role: to make this successful, you would be expected to be a graduate in either art, architecture, theatre, interior or 3D design courses.
Radio Broadcast Assistant
What the role is: this role is where you give assistant to presenters and producers and giving them the extra help during productions.
Where the role fits in within the film and television industry: this role fits in within the film and television industry because you come into the same category as the director of the radio broadcaster in ensuring that they're running smoothly on radio programmes.
Responsibilities of the role: this role includes responsibilities in helping with research, planning and production.
Career pathways leading to and from the role: to make this successful, you would be expected to have a degree somewhere in this role and the best route into this career path, is to gain full experience either from a long period of time or voluntary work in a radio station.
Radio Presenter
What the role is: this role is where you are the voice of a radio station or programme.
Where the role fits in within the film and television industry: the role fits in with the film and television industry because you're engaging a relationship with the listeners, this can be from listening to the radio or watching them via the TV.
Responsibilities of the role: this role includes responsibilities to have a huge like base within the listeners and to generate original ideas so the listeners don't find it boring.
Career pathways leading to and from the role: in entering this role, you wouldn't be expected to have a degree to be a radio presenter.
What the role is: this role is where you arrange and sort out the locations and sets of the productions.
Where the role fits in within the film and television industry: the role fits in with the film and television industry because it undertakes the role of Production Designer on smaller TV productions.
Responsibilities of the role: this role includes responsibilities to look after the set and location of the production, making sure that it is the right setting and good for filming.
Career pathways leading to and from the role: to make this successful, you would be expected to be a graduate in either art, architecture, theatre, interior or 3D design courses.
Radio Broadcast Assistant
What the role is: this role is where you give assistant to presenters and producers and giving them the extra help during productions.
Where the role fits in within the film and television industry: this role fits in within the film and television industry because you come into the same category as the director of the radio broadcaster in ensuring that they're running smoothly on radio programmes.
Responsibilities of the role: this role includes responsibilities in helping with research, planning and production.
Career pathways leading to and from the role: to make this successful, you would be expected to have a degree somewhere in this role and the best route into this career path, is to gain full experience either from a long period of time or voluntary work in a radio station.
Radio Presenter
What the role is: this role is where you are the voice of a radio station or programme.
Where the role fits in within the film and television industry: the role fits in with the film and television industry because you're engaging a relationship with the listeners, this can be from listening to the radio or watching them via the TV.
Responsibilities of the role: this role includes responsibilities to have a huge like base within the listeners and to generate original ideas so the listeners don't find it boring.
Career pathways leading to and from the role: in entering this role, you wouldn't be expected to have a degree to be a radio presenter.
Radio Reporter
What the role is: this role is where you are the communicator for the latest gossip, breaking news, and sport related topics.
Where the role fits in within the film and television industry: the role fits in within the film and television industry because you're identifying and researching news stories and presenting them on air or LIVE on television.
Responsibilities of the role: this role includes responsibilities to create good news stories and to report live events as they unfold.
Career pathways leading to and from the role: to make this successful, you wouldn't be expected to have a degree to be a Radio Presenter.
Creative Director (Games)
What the role is: this role is where you have the overall decision in how the look and feel of a computer game is and how it is portrayed.
Where the role fits in within the film and television industry: this role fits in within the film and television industry because the jobs that it involves with, links to what it is being asked for in the film and television industry. This can range from the same equipment/resources being used and by working in a studio environment.
Responsibilities of the role: this role includes responsibilities like in making tough decisions and choices in the work and final product given.
Career pathways leading to and from the role: in becoming an creative director, you do not need a formal qualification to become a creative director. However, to become successful in the role, you will need to require a combination of experience that'll inspire to others that is also looking at becoming a creative director in this role.
Radio Programme Controller
What the role is: this role consists of leading programming teams on commercial radio stations, ensuring that they're meeting the correct guidelines for the station.
Where the role fits in within the film and television industry: this role fits in within the film and television industry because they need knowledge of the radio market, different station and programme styles, and audience demographics which also is in need in film and television.
Responsibilities of the role: this role includes responsibilities to take care in coaching and to develop talent in others, having responsibility in data handing and to be able to manage creative teams, and encourage acceptable risk-taking.
Career pathways leading to and from the role: in becoming a radio programme controller, you will not be in at need in having a degree in it. However, you could gain the required management skills and experience on other jobs in the past.
Actor
What the role is: this role consists of interpreting others' words in order to bring a script to life, and by reading what it states written onto the script.
Where the role fits in within the film and television industry: this role fits in within the film and television industry because actors are found in films and on your televisions. It also consists of being around cameras, lighting and many other media typed roles that link to this industry.
Responsibilities of the role: this role includes responsibilities in learning your chosen script, staying in role, deliver lines at a specific pace and to have a responsibility of yourself, especially with objects and safety hazards around you (wires, cables...)
Career pathways leading to and from the role: you will almost certainly need to train to become a professional actor. This can start from in beginning to go to drama/stage school where you would learn in becoming an actor and to be lead into the correct direction.
Director (TV)
What the role is: to bring ideas into finished programmes.
Where the role fits in within the film and television industry: this role fits in within the film and television industry because you're the manager of everyone/everything. You will direct people and the productions to make it as successful as possible - this is also managing everyone in both film and television roles within productions.
Responsibilities of the role: this role includes responsibilities in looking after the sound of the production and its technical standards just in case something goes wrong.
Career pathways leading to and from the role: you won't need a specific qualification in becoming a director in television. But, by having a degree in a media-related, drama or specialist subject, it may give you a good grounding of where you need to place yourself to follow the correct route in becoming a TV director.
Lighting Director
What the role is: their job is to use the script or brief from the production team to design a specific look that is required for each shot being taken - they also set the mood/atmosphere and changing the picture to fit in and link to the main topic chosen.
Where the role fits in within the film and television industry: this role fits in within the film and television industry because during film and television, you will use a lighting director to change the scene using the lights and also working in the same environment/area as the other typed media job roles that link to film and television.
Responsibilities of the role: this role includes responsibilities in making sure that you and the people around you are 1. in a safe area and 2. making it safe, plan ahead so everything is set out beforehand and to make sure you have given and paid enough attention.
Career pathways leading to and from the role: you won't need a qualification in becoming a lighting director, but you will be expected to have a number of training courses and to be the best of the best in the lighting role of media you will however need to work your way up the line.
Technical Support Engineer
What the role is: their job is to provide various information, advice and technical support to clients about problems with photographic equipment and techniques in helping them out.
Where the role fits in within the film and television industry: this role fits in within the film and television industry because in the film and television industry, they use different variety of equipment and objects that is taking part for the productions, so when these problems and issues come about, this engineer then helps and corrects the problems so they can use it again. In this industry, they need someone that is able to fix equipment that is very technical as things like this can break easily.
Responsibilities of the role: this role includes responsibilities in making sure these broken equipment get's fixed in time for the next occasion that it needs to be used for and to be extra careful with it too - as it can be very dangerous, through fires and breakages.
Career pathways leading to and from the role: most employers specify the need for an electronics qualification, in City & Guilds, BTEC.... However, training is expected to take place as it isn't a job where you would just walk into it straight away, this is because from the equipment that you will be working with within the industry.
Lighting Technician
What the role is: their job is to help set up the lighting during sets and productions and helping with the power supply on filming.
Where the role fits in within the film and television industry: this role fits in within the film and television industry, because they work with the lighting on set of many productions during filming.
Responsibilities of the role: this role includes responsibilities in looking after lighting equipment on a film set, or on location.
Career pathways leading to and from the role: in becoming a lighting technician, you are expected to have a relevant vocational City and Guilds qualification.
Genny Operator
What the role is: their job is to operate electricity generators on location and transporting these generators to the right location set before and after production filming.
Where the role fits in within film and television industry: this role fits in within the film and television industry, because you're maintaining the generators onto the locations for film.
Responsibilities of the role: this role includes operating with electricity generators on location and your responsibility is to also have mental awareness for the safety of you and others.
Career pathways leading to and from the role: in becoming an Genny Operator, you've got to be over 21 years of age for insurance purposes, be willing to work long hours, to be a fully qualified electrician and to get additional training to learn about manufacturing and fault-finding in different models/generators.
Gaffer (Film)
What the role is: their role is to run all of the electrical work on a production and to work closely with the Director of Photography.
Where the role fits in within film and television industry: this role fits in within the film and television industry through working with the main Director of Photography, it's part of the film industry throughout the equipment that it uses to help maintain things and as well as working with lighting for the film productions.
Responsibilities of the role: this role consists of responsibilities like leading a team of lighting technicians and to mainly keep the budget of lighting under control and maintained carefully.
Career pathways leading to and from the role: in becoming a Gaffer in film, you would be expected to be a fully qualified electrician with the relevant vocational qualifications and you maybe expected to get additional qualifications as you process yourself throughout your career in film.
Apprentice Lighting Technician
What the role is: their role is to work for a specialist lighting company, and learning on the job of how different departments work throughout the industry.
Where the role fits in within film and television industry: this role fits in within the film and television industry through working with the lighting resources for the television and film productions.
Responsibilities of the role: this role consists of responsibilities to attend college courses during training.
Career pathways leading to and from the role: in becoming an apprentice lighting technician, you are expected to have at least a Level 2 qualification in Maths, English and IT. Futhermore, the best route towards this role is to apply for an apprenticeship with a Lighting company, which in fact you would work for 3 years to get your qualifications and complete your apprenticeship by the time you are 21.
