Networking: Step into Film

Step into Film - Camera and Broadcasting Journalism 

Joining a webinar session, we got to meet two incredible people from within the industry of TV and Journalism. Getting to learn of who they are, what they do and how they got where they are now, plenty of helpful tips were given out to those like myself aiming to have similar successes in life.

Julie Ritson, BBC News Camera Journalist.

Introducing us to Julie, her showreel was presented giving us the highlights of her career. Filming and interviewing major news reports including shots from the Olympics with Usain Bolt, one-on-one interviews with ex-President Obama, King Charles and even wildlife documentaries.

Before launching her career, Julie attended the Glasgow Art School where she found art to be more of a hobby on its own as there was no potential career path that interested her. With that, she moved to Manchester where a Film and Tv course sparked her further interest.

And when it came to getting her first job, doing something you wouldn't really get away with doing today, Julie went ahead and rang up a production office simply requesting to sit in the back, and watch. Then during her time of helping provide the staff with snacks and coffees as such, one day someone from the BBC editing department had came up to the soon to be successor offering her a placement.

And with the industry in need of a bit of everything, Julie had took it upon herself to learn all the skills required through the production of TV.

When questioned how it felt working as a woman in the industry at that time, it was suggested that the reasoning for woman not taking an interest was due to the build of the equipment back then saying the size of all the hardware needed would put people off wanting to get their hands on them. As of now, all filming equipment has been reduced in size with better technicalities. In fact, you can have everything you need on one device rather than needing the crew for a particular item.

When talking about what you would need in the said profession, speed is a required skill. Although you could spend hours filming as she said, it is the editing that gets squeezed. With this being news editing, all is "on the day" giving stricter limits than it would in film.

Time is also an essence needed, for those being new to the industry and being thrown into the deep end, and although experience is to learn, all goes on far to quick for newbies to find their bearings.

Julie Ritson's top tips for joining the industry:

• Be robust, be comfortable with being uncomfortable.
• Have an eye for images.
• Understand photography.
• Be flexible and adaptable, react quick.
• Understand digital production.
• Be a team player.
• Have storytelling skills, look for stories to tell.

Having no regrets whatsoever, Julie described her profession as a "great career" and found it to be "exactly what I wanted out of a career". The best part she said was the getting to meet a number of great people as well as getting to explore new places.

For what was easier through her time, the main issue now of course is money. Budgets are getting cut, creating tighter limits. Another note, the most difficult thing is balancing the work and home life as it was shared that for this reason, Julie doesn't have kids. As she said though, "With sacrifices there are rewards."

Currently working part time now on the news reporter side of things, Julie is now a highly requested recruiter and mentor in the industry.

Getting to the Q&A part of the webinar now, a few questions were asked by the viewers. To what equipment she uses, the answer was a Sony A7S Mark3, M2 MacBook alongside the software, Final Cut 7.

What also helps with getting into the industry is to be keen, have a journalism background and search for regional apprenticeships. Attending London City University was also suggested.

When it comes to a CV, as a recruiter it helps when those applying are clear and concise, don't drag the CV out keep it brief. And show personality, mention your interests.

A question that intrigued me mentioned the issue we are having at the moment with artificial intelligence taking over. Asking for her thoughts, Julie fears that in the next ten years or so AI will have taken over as already it is being used to record footage by gathering existing products found on the internet as well as editing a full video at the click of a button.

Finally, there was a question on how important a degree is. 'Can you get in the industry with no experience?' Yes. As long as you're on the look out for apprenticeships, employers supposedly enjoy "moulding" students into what they need to be.

Richard Preston, BBC Senior Foreign News Reporter and Representer.

From a young age, Richard was always "in love" with radio itself. At fourteen he would volunteer at a hospital radio station excited over taking the feedback given and providing the patients with what they would ask for.

Having it in the back of his mind to do journalism, he understood the risk he would be taking and tried to push that down with instead joining the police force. Still wanting to work in journalism, Richard decided to give himself only a year's chance at making this career work where he then resigned and made a start on his real profession.

Working with the BBC as a researcher; now this is really a prime example of being in the right place at the right time as Richard had went into the kitchen at the same time as another employee who during a cuppa and a chat offered Richard a six week contract promising no more than that. But with that, then came a six month contract that turned into fifteen years.

And what it was that got him in the news presenters chair over in BBC London, was a news story he was adamant to share with the world. Taking multiple attempts to have his pitch seen, Richards mind set went from writing and setting up the stories to realising he didn't want someone else reading his words. And following that, a successful story that was believed would have been a flop.

Another note that helped get him onto TV, being more of a recent thing, during covid one of the presenters had called in sink. Being offered to host that nights news, Richard so it as a "sink or swim" situation, and went for it knowing if he said no, he wouldn't get that opportunity again. Enlightening the supremacies around the Jim Carrey title, 'Yes Man'.  

As a tip, networking and freelancing is a key to getting into the industry. "Meet as many people as you can."

When comparing working on radio and TV, TV had its perks with using images to give a clearer story to the viewer. But the downside to that is having to of course, rely on people getting the imagery providing a slower process of getting everything done.

With that, the downside to radio is not being able to show the listeners what you are talking about. Whereas, you don't have to rely on anyone other than yourself. Additionally, radio can feel more personal with talking directly to those on the other end.

Skillsets involve:

• People skills.
• Be yourself. Warmth and Empathy is radiated.

Then as everywhere suggests, contacts and experience.

For people who don't like being on camera, hearing or seeing yourself that is, as was Richard, a simple piece of advice was given. "Get over it."

A big thing as well, branching off of the contacts, favours. Don't be afraid to ask, it will get you further than you think. "Don't be shy, be open."

Again with the CV question, be brief and take up one page.

Ignore grammar to keep the CV clean and simple.

Again, show personality.

Make a link for your CV, put it on your website.

An interesting note was the scanning fact, giving a CV 7 seconds to impress them, employers will scan in an 'F' pattern so place the details where they will look.

Lastly, breaking news can impact home life so you must know when to turn off.

Also working part time now as the news reporter, Richard has gone back to University studying to help change his mindset. Becoming more open minded changing the way he thinks and is loving where he is in life.

Grateful to have gotten to hear from these two amazing people, I only inspire to find similar successors and will take their tips and stories with me on my studies. Even thinking about it now, I have already heard so many stories of people going to college and university to study an interest of theirs but finding themselves in a career completely different. And that is just a really interesting factor to think about right now, I am studying film but who knows where I will be in ten years time.