Unit 2- Learning aim A

For this unit, I will be looking at the different roles within the media industry and its sectors. I will be looking at Film, Print and new technology media and then I will produce an E-portfolio that I could present with confidence to a potential employer in the field of media that I most interested in.

Job roles found in the film industry

DIRECTORS

Crucial for the completion of any film production, directors jobs and responsibilities are overseeing all aspects of the creative process and bringing them together. This Director is mainly involved in nearly every stage of the filming process. An ideal director is someone who has strong communication skills, a fair but firm approach to giving orders, excellent time management and the ability to solve problems under pressure. 

Many filmmakers do agree that a degree in the arts will provide a deeper understanding of what's involved in film making but the practical experience will help you build a network of contacts in the industry and allows you to develop your filmmaking skills.

In an interview, an individual who wants to pursue this career will want to bring forward past work and demonstrate that they understand what it takes to direct a film, also mention your qualifications and your contacts you've made over the years whilst working on past productions.

PRODUCERS

Producers oversee the whole creative process of a film from the main concept into completion, working closely with the director to make artistic and technical decisions about the shooting, budgets and post-production. Producers are excellent leaders and have the ability to make reasoned decisions under pressure to ensure smooth production of a film.

Progressing to this senior role will require genuine passion and creativity, carrying out work experience and networking at any given opportunity. Producers often start in a junior role, such as a runner or programme researcher, to get their foot in the door of the film industry. In an interview to showcase the skills, you want to show past productions and the roles you had to help produce them. Some producers find it best to have a bachelors in the film so they can show they have put the effort in and have the passion needed to become a producer. 

DP- DIRECTORS OF PHOTOGRAPHY 

Otherwise know as cinematographers, directors of photography work with film directors to help portray scenes in line with their visions. They manage the camera and the lighting crew on a film set, make artistic and technical decisions and review footage in the post-production stage.

A D.P will need an in-depth knowledge of cameras and lighting equipment, also they need to know what will and won't work for certain shoots. They have an excellent eye for detail, the ability to make reasoned decisions quickly and take direction fairly. They'll oversee film crews, but if the director has specific intentions they may have very little control over how a scene is shot.

Just like becoming a producer many will start out as camera assistants and grips and they'll gain the experience needed to become a director of photography. It's best to have a degree of some sort in Film so right of the bat in an interview you can provide the information to inform the employer that you know more than just the basics when it comes to film.

FILM EDITORS

Working with the raw footage in post-production to compile an end result that's suitable for release. A film editor works closely with the director to ensure their work is in line with the director's intention of the film. It is no simple task, it's one of the most crucial yet invisible aspects of the film, such as comedic timing, pacing and suspense, are all influenced by the edit and good editing can elevate the value that a film holds. Successful editors pay close attention to detail, bring a creative flair to the film and have self-motivation to experiment with editing.

Often to become a film editor one must build experience working on many productions before progressing to feature-length films. They might enter the industry like many others do until they move up the ranks to the first assistant before becoming an editor.

A good way to start out is to work in post-production company where you can gain skills and learn about who you are as an editor and then provide all the past films and products you've worked on to an employer so you can fully showcase your work.

Job Roles in print media

EDITORS 

Editors for print media have important roles and responsibilities such as deciding what stories are printed and put in the newspaper or magazine. Also, the editor is in charge of assigning reporters and journalists to cover certain stories then checks for accuracy and fairness in the newspaper's articles.

Editors need at least a bachelors degree in a field like journalism, English or communications, as well as having many years of writing behind them. At first, if you wanted to become an editor you will more than likely start your journey towards your career doing journalism or reporting and then become comfortable with the type of environment that this field of media has. After a few years of gathering experience, journalists and reporters will be given the opportunity to move up in the chain. But like any business found in media your contacts and network of people you will make can heavily influence where you end up and how long it takes to get there.

EDITOR IN CHIEF 

The editor in chief is responsible for the whole operation of the print, they manage the budget, hiring and the content of the product. The editor in chief day to day life depends normally on the size of the paper, as found the smaller papers and magazines they are extremely involved with the production whereas in bigger prints this normally isn't the case. The steps to becoming an editor in chief start out the same as an editor but once you become an editor you can move up to this role after a few years.

PUBLISHERS

the publisher is the top of the food chain and oversees all aspects of the production, which means both editorial and business. However, this being said they normally have very little involvement with the day to day operations of the newsroom. If you want to become a publisher you normally have to have an educational background, so acquiring a degree in some sort of English field or communications and also a lot of experience that will help you be considered for the role of publisher.

REPORTER 

the reporter's job is to collect and obtain the information for the stories and articles that will be published. When starting out they will cover any story they can just to get their foot in the door but as time goes on and they become more professional, reporters gravitate to one specific area of news such as Politics, Sport, Crime etc.

Many people dream of becoming a journalist and many people see it as a stepping stone to get where they want to in their career but it is vital in the sector of print that at some point you experience the day to day life of a reporter, it gets you experience and gets you to gain skills that you will only find by going out and getting stories together. To become a journalist you normally need a degree in English or something similar and also a little bit of experience, some write for their local paper and others write articles for their College or Uni paper whilst studying. Any experience is good and employers will see this and it will truly help you when pursuing a job in print.

Job Roles in radio 

PRESENTER

A radio presenter is the voice of the programme, their working hours can vary on the programme so it can be late nights, early mornings, weekdays and weekends. Sometimes they travel to events to broadcast a programme. They can present live shows or have them pre-recorded, they may have to conduct interviews live on air or simply house a music station. You do not need any degree to become a radio presenter but employers will look for someone who has experience within the media and have developed technical skills that they have evolved throughout their career but most importantly employers want someone with a distinctive personality. Working as a presenter can lead to other jobs and not just on the radio, as many times we see radio presenters moving towards careers in film or TV. Presenters will need to know how to communicate with an audience and use equipment found within the station. 

RADIO PRODUCER

A radio producer's job is to produce content and manage the production process for live and pre-recorded programmes. They will have to generate ideas, gather research and identify suitable ideas for what to broadcast from others. You don't need any degree to become a radio producer but most of them are well educated but employers don't necessarily look for individuals with degrees. This job can lead to working in bigger media companies as there are plenty of valuable skills one will learn whilst working as a radio producer but the majority move up into management roles. While employers don't look for someone with a degree for this role but they will want to have someone who is very well organised, creative and punctual. Also, someone has great leadership skills and is very good at communicating with a team. 

BROADCAST ASSISTANT
These people offer support or help with any member of the station but mainly their roles orbit around the producers and presenters. They help with making sure the programme runs smooth and can help gather information and research that will be used for broadcast. This role is a good stepping stone into radio, that's probably why most Assistants are students who are wanting to get started in the media industry and they can move up to be a presenter, producer or even this role can lead to working for a bigger radio station. Most employers want someone who is confident, organised and preferably has a good understanding of the IT equipment used in the station.

COMMERCIAL PRODUCER
The main role of a commercial producer is to produce advertisements that will be broadcasted on the programme and also creates station promotions for their own station. You can work your way u to this role by starting out as an assistant as you don't need a degree but employers will consider someone with a degree in business, marketing or communications more than someone without.
This job can lead to other roles such as a job in advertising, you could also change to TV and Film advertisements or continue working to a management role in radio.

TYPES OF EMPLOYMENT CONTRACTS IN MEDIA 

A contract is a legal document which acts as a mutual agreement between the employer and the employee, it is also a means of understanding and agreeing what is expected from both parties of the contract. They are signed by both parties and if anything is breached in the contract by the employee then the employer has every right to dismiss them from their job but if it happens the other way round where the employer breaches a rule of the contract, the employee has the right to sue the employer. This process happens in a court of law and order with a solicitor.

Full time- 
A full-time contract refers to someone who works anywhere up to 35 hours a week and gets their pay salaried annually. Normally an employer will not have to pay anyone in a full-time contract for doing any 'over-time' on their job. For example a radio

Part-time-
A part-time contract has the same rules as a full-time one except you won't be expected to work as many hours. There is no specific amount of hours a part-time employee has to work but they will get less than a full-time employee. The laws in the UK, however, protect part-time workers by making it illegal to treat them any less favourable than full-time employees.

Fixed- term-
This refers to when someone is hired for only a specific amount of time which will be agreed upon between the parties of the contract. When the time that binds the contract runs out the employer has two options which are to dismiss the employer from any other further work for them or to offer them a full-time contract but this can only be performed when the term on the fixed contract is over.

Freelance-
Freelance is someone who is self-employed and therefore doesn't work for a specific employer. They get work from clients through marketing and building a reputation. These clients will give them projects or jobs to complete and they can be paid with an hourly rate from the client or agree upon pay for the whole job. There are positives and negatives to working freelance and one of them being that if you can't get any clients then you're earning no money, so it isn't a 'steady' job.

On completion -
This type of contract refers to when someone will be employed until their assigned task is finished. Normally the employer will only want a certain task done and therefore can put a time limit on the contract meaning they have agreed on a certain amount of time and payment that suits the job that will be done.