Breaking into Television

I have been unusually busy with work the past few weeks and it looks I will continue to be for the next couple or so more.

What’s that I hear you say?

“Oh good, finally this English student is doing some bloody work.”

Well yes and no. You see, I haven’t been doing much university work. Instead I have been doing research and logging for ITV’s Tonight programme as it is getting to that time of year where their workload and output increases. If you have no idea what I am on about by the term ‘logging’ then see my previous post on it.

“But aren’t you in the final few weeks of your degree?”

Yes I am, but doing English does have its perks. Having only eight contact hours a week means I have a day free, or I have only one lecture in the morning/afternoon and so I am able to work a few days a week at ITV if they require my help.

The other day was slightly different in that I was called in to do some research. Now this was slightly daunting in that with logging, you know exactly what to do. The task is straightforward and you just have to get on with it. However, with research, you don’t always have confirmation that what you’ve done is up to a good standard – a bit like an English essay.

My task on the face of it was simple enough – find items for an upcoming shoot. However as you do your research, you can begin to wonder if you’re suggesting suitable items, whether you’ve fully understood what the producer wants or whether you’ve provided enough information. Thankfully, it appeared as though I had done a good enough job as a few of the things I found were ordered. 

In trying to explain why I spend my days at ITV typing away, I explained to my mum that it is a way to get ‘in’ to the industry. As you slowly build up your experience, you may get called in for more research, then one day you may get asked to accompany the team on shoots. Through baby steps, you can work yourself onto the team if you demonstrate your ability and enthusiasm. At least that is how it appears to me, and at the same time, the job, people you talk to and things you learn about whilst logging also keep it interesting. 

Working on a current affairs documentary team is also quite fun. Whilst you query and research contemporary topics, you can also get to travel quite a bit. A more experienced logger/researcher was recently asked to accompany the filming crew on a trip to Italy, so hey there are perks to the job apart from free coffee and boiling water on tap.  

Until Next Time

A Worried Student