I got asked to teach on a Degree . . . No really.
Last year I was approached by the Film & TV Degree course leader from Hull School of Art and Design (HSAD) to deliver a module to the second year students. 
I’d had a bit of experience with education stuff in the past and spoken publicly on the subject, so despite my academic shortcomings I decided to bring my professional practice to ‘Professional Orientation’.
Plus, it sounded like fun. What was I thinking?!

So far,  a number of the students have asked me about working in the media, some even interviewing me as a part of one of their other modules.  So, academic stuff aside, here are my three TOP TIPS for becoming ‘Professionally Orientated’ in my little corner of the creative industries.

1. ‘Writers Write’
The old expression is true of any creative profession. I don’t just make films when people ask me to. When we have time we make our own films and work on our own projects (and these are always the best because you can do exactly what you want, experiment and you only have to please yourself).

2. Fill Your Boots
Get as much experience, with as many different people and organisations as you can. You’ll learn new skills, make more contacts and add to your credits and showreel.
New skills are important as the more versatile you are the more employable you are. 
Why hire a runner when you can hire a camera assistant slash boom operator slash motion graphic whizz?
Also, people don’t hire strangers. People hire people they know, so get to know lots of ‘em!

3. Don’t Work For Free
The definition of being professional.  People do all sorts of things as hobbies that other people do for work - gardening, cooking, taking photos. THIS is not a hobby, this is how you want to earn your living. 
Sure, get experience to gain new skills and boost your CV, but don’t give away your time/experience/resources for free. No one else does! Can you imagine asking a taxi driver to drive you for free because A) it would be good experience for them and B) you might need a lot of driving doing in the future which would pay well?
If there really is no budget for the role your filling, make sure you’re getting something in return such as training, new skills, really good sandwiches and your bus fare home.

That said, how did I start out in media? Um, did stuff for free . . . just try not to get stuck in the feedback loop between points 2 and 3!

Liked reading this blog? Got an experience to share? Leave a comment . . .

    Ever since we started JayJay Media in 2008 we've accepted work experience placements. But don't think this is some sinister scheme to tap into a source of unpaid child labour - I've never had a 'workie' that doesn't double my workload and I'll bet that most people working in the creative industries, or any industry for that matter, would agree. So WHY do we do it?
    Well it started innocently enough with unsolicited individual approaches along the lines of "I'm starting a media degree in September and wondered if I could make tea for you over the summer", and has developed now to official placements with local schools, colleges and even an internship from Hull University. So I'd guess that one reason for offering work experience is because people keep asking us, and it's something that we CAN do. We can't support all the local causes that we'd like to*, we can't give jobs to everyone that asks us for one, but work experience? Sure. Why not?
    And it's not entirely altruistic. There are many benefits too. One is that I like showing people what I do. I like sharing and passing things on. It's nice when people take an interest in what you do and it's rewarding to be able to pass it on.
    We're ALL creative, we all love to make things and it's great to see a sense of achievement when one of our 'workies' produces a finished project like the stop motion animations that we sometimes get them to make, or when they work on a live project and get to meet clients and come on real shoots with actors and locations and props or EVEN when they get to see their name on a credit.
    Another benefit of providing work experience is that it involves us in the community we are part of. "No man is an island" and our company needs to be part of where we live and work, to interact with the the people and organisations and broaden our role within the community. We don't just work here remember, we live here too!
    When you are 15 and basically spending your first working week outside a classroom it is VERY different. You don't need to ask to go to the toilet for one. There is a lot of learning to do before you decide what you want to do, and I'm sure that not everyone who
comes on work experience with JayJay Media, or even does a media degree for that matter, will end up working in this industry. But when I was 15 I got to do my work experience at the AV dept of Hull University. I got the wrong week and missed the filming they had planned so had to spend a week editing the chap's holiday footage of the Blaenau Ffestiniog steam railway and it bored me to distraction. But I guess it must have left a big impression as 18 years later I'm working in the media running our own production company!
    So I'd just like to express my gratitude for that experience and promise that when our next 'workie' starts on Monday she won't have to make tea. After all, we might be working for her one day!

                                                                                                                                                                                    Joe Sargieson


HERE ARE SOME OF THE PAST JAYJAY MEDIA 'WORKIES":
Rachel White (Self Placement)
Owen Nash (South Hunsley School)
Liam Mortimer (South Hunsley School)
Lewis Fish (Goole High School)
Alex Rae (Hull University Intern)
Daniel Tribe (HSAD)
Abbie Myers (Self Placement)
Joshua Mortimer-Newby (Malet Lambert)

*JayJay Media support both Hull Truck Theatre and the Humberside Police Lifestyle scheme, but more about that in another post.