Overview
ScreenSkills’ High-end TV Skills Fund and Media Trust launch a new training programme to support freelance production management professionals to bridge into roles in high-end television.ScreenSkills' HETV: Building Your Career Portfolio, delivered by Media Trust, will support mid-career, freelance production management professionals with experience in unscripted entertainment, continuing drama or film to bridge into positions in high-end television (HETV). In selecting the 20 programme participants, we will prioritise talent from under-represented communities.
The programme will deliver expert-led training so participants can market themselves more effectively, network, pitch their professional experience and build a career portfolio to work in HETV. Participants will have access to training and mentoring by Media Trust HETV industry partners including the major studios, broadcasters and production companies. The programme is supported by the ScreenSkills’ High-end TV Skills Fund with contributions from UK HETV productions.
HETV: Building Your Career Portfolio combines webinars and online group mentoring circles with in-person networking and training, and a graduation showcase. The programme will help participants understand the difference between unscripted and HETV projects, dramatic script demands and the responsibilities and key skills for roles in production and production accountancy in HETV.
We particularly encourage applications from women, people from Global Majority backgrounds, people who are neurodivergent and/or self-identify as disabled, members of the LGBTQI+ community, people returning from career breaks and professionals based outside London.
The programme will run from December 2023 – March 2024. Participants must commit to and attend all training and events, both in-person and online.
Thanks to the High-end TV Skills Fund’s support, the programme is free for participants. We can also help with travel and accommodation for the in-person events and other access support.
Applicants will be required to submit a written reference from an industry professional endorsing the applicant’s experience, skills and suitability for this programme. This must include the contact email and phone number of the referee.
Applications are now open and will close at 9am, Monday 27 November.
Find out more and apply: https://mediatrust.org/youth-programmes/screenskills-hetv-building-your-career-portfolio/
If you have any questions about the programme or accessibility needs, please contact Aoife Allen on aoifea@mediatrust.org
Course Content
Webinar 1: Friday, 15 December 2023 – online webinar on setting personal and professional goals, how to identify individual strengths and areas for development, how to give and receive feedback, and how to combat impostor syndrome.Webinar 2: w/c 8 January, 2024 – online webinar on how to build your career portfolio for working in HETV, including an overview of how the HETV industry works (roles, scripts, ways of working/logistics, budgets), how to identify and understand your key offering within your work, how to successfully market yourself for a career in HETV and how to network effectively.
In-person training/ networking event: w/c 22 January 2024 – face-to-face training/networking session including a panel discussion involving people currently working in HETV production and production accountancy roles on how to successfully network and market yourself in HETV. This will be followed by a speed pitching exercise where participants will practise their self-introductory elevator pitches and receive feedback from industry/ HR professionals.
February/ early March 2024: 1 online 60-minute mentoring circle, grouped by role.
Graduation showcase: w/c 25 March 2024 – in-person graduation showcase and final networking event.
