Week 12 - Dance Show 2

Julia was too busy again to do a meeting for the pitch. I think it's mainly to do with the time of the year though as she has a lot of work around Christmas. I will gently remind her from time to time as this is actually the last official week of the work placement in this module. Next week I will already be back in for a final class before this needs to be handed in.

Instead, she did have more work experience for me with another dance show. This time it was filmed in the Beachcombe Holiday Park, which is a smaller venue than last time but we had three shows to film instead of just the one.

In comparison to last week, I felt a lot more useful. Perhaps it was due to the experience of the week before, so I now knew how to set things up by myself. We had the same setup to last week, with a three camera tricaster system and talk-back mics. I helped set this up as well as having the responsibility to tape all the cables down to make sure it was safe for the audience to walk over them. I also arrived before everyone else apart from Julia, which meant I was able to start setting up early on. Which is fortunate, as we had similar technical issues to last time: some temperamental connections with the cables.  Thankfully, we were again able to get them fixed a few minutes before the start of the show, but it was a bit close.

During the shows, I was on the wide shot camera again, but due to the nature of this show I was able to be a lot more creative with the camera movement. This made the day a lot more interesting to me too, as I wasn't just making sure the action stayed in the shot. Instead I got to pan and zoom in and out as occasion required.

By the third show, we had some technical issues again, but this time with the talk-back system. The mic going to my receiver wasn't working just as the show started, which meant I had no directions from the director for the whole show. Thankfully though, it happened on the third show, which meant I had a fairly good idea of what the director wanted from me. I made sure if ever I did move the camera that the movements were careful and slow just in case my camera was being used at the time.

I had a very enjoyable day, and again gained a lot of useful experience. I now feel more comfortable on a moving camera. I think Julia sees this, as she has asked for me to do it again next week. I was also pleased that I could set everything up OK too.

 

I am on the camera on the far left

Reflections on Week 12

I feel like these eight weeks have whizzed by. I've learned a lot from them however and enjoyed the experience immensely. I have no doubt the things I've learned during these eight weeks will serve me well throughout the rest of my career. I think one thing I've realised though is that one cannot have enough experience in this industry, as even though the basics will be the same, every job is different. No doubt I will continue learning even after these eight weeks as I continue on with Julia and my university course. I have now completed another SWOT analysis found in the "About Me" section of this blog, to showcase my progression from the start of the work placement to after its completion.

Week 11 - Dance Show

Firstly I'll just mention that within a day of that previous meeting, I finished off the (hopefully) last of the changes to the pitch and with Julia's rubber stamp of approval, it should be ready to be sent off to the commissioners.

This week we didn't have a meeting as Julia is pretty busy in the build up to Christmas, but it does mean more work experience opportunities for me! This week we were filming a dance show at the Grimsby Auditorium, which is a large venue with hundreds of seats. We spent three hours setting up a three camera tricaster system, as the cables had to stretch out to the far reaches of the room, meaning using multiple cables and connectors so the cables would reach from the cameras to the tricaster. The problem was that there were some technical difficulties and the image from the cameras were not coming cleanly through, sometimes turning blue or red or green. All the camera operators, including myself, had to go through these cables one by one to see which one was at fault.

In the end, one camera was fine from the beginning, one had a broken cable leading up to it which got replaced, and the last camera had a fault with the socket in the camera itself, but gave a good image signal if the cable was taped at a certain angle. The problem was that this camera would be moving, and the cable could easily become dislodged, so I suggested we switch cameras so the camera with the temperamental connection would be one the static wide shot. That way, the cable would be taped into place and the camera wouldn't have to move very often. This turned out to be a good solution and the equipment worked for the rest of the show.

The camera-ops were then given talk-back headsets so we could hear the directions from the director. I was on the static wide-shot.

Directing us for the show was Andy Harris from ITV. He used to work with Julia and she sometimes still hires him for bigger shoots. It was very interesting and great experience to be part of this team, as I got to see how people in these kinds of productions perform their roles.

It was also a good lesson about leaving enough time to set up the equipment in case anything goes wrong. In this case it did, but we had allowed ourselves enough time to still have everything ready before the performance started.

Although I did feel useful throughout the day, I did also feel like a bit of a third wheel overall, as I hadn't done anything like this before and I spent a lot of the time watching how it was done. I wish I could have been a bit more useful. Also, because I was on the static wide shot, it meant I didn't get much opportunity to experiment with different shots. All I ended up doing was making sure the cable didn't come out and also that the action stayed in the frame. I realise this is because it was my first time doing this kind of production, but I hope I will feel more of an integral part of the team next time!

The ECP team for the event

Me on the static cam

Vision mixer

After the show

Julia Thompson and Andy Harris

Reflections on Week 11

This week made me realise the importance of leaving enough time to set up should everything go wrong, which in this shoot it felt like it did. Had we arrived with only an hour to spare before the show, the equipment wouldn't have been ready, the show wouldn't have been recorded and we would've had a very angry client on our hands. As I'm not producer yet, I don't have to be the one making these decisions, but maybe in the future I will and I'll have to take this experience into account.

Week 10 - The Updated PowerPoint

Having made the changes as suggested, I went to the next production meeting with more confidence than last time. Overall, Julia was happy with how it turned out and this meeting was spent going through fine tuning suggestions. There is just a few more things I will work on this week, and then I will email the final draft back to Julia in readiness to send the pitch off to the BBC commissioners. Julia said she will organise who it is we will send the pitch to and work out how exactly to go about doing that for BBC.

This week I was also able to take part in a production for a corporate promo video. There is a local business in the outskirts of Grimsby that wanted ECP to make them a promo video, particularly showing off the production process in their factory. I got experience in being a runner for the day, but as there was also a professional cameraman there I was able to see how he went about his job. It was interesting and insightful to see how he directed people to get the shot he wanted. What impressed me was he clearly knew what he was doing and knew how to get the shots he wanted.

Watching Julia in the role of a producer was also interesting as this is perhaps the role I would want when I leave uni. The role of producer clearly requires good communication skills with the clients as well as the team. It also requires patience, as when people aren't co-operating as hoped, or if the production is a bit behind schedule, the producer is the one that needs to keep a level head.

My role as a runner included setting up equipment for the different scenes and carrying the equipment between sets. There was an awful lot of equipment as they used cameras, tripods, a track and dolly and three point lighting. I was able to set it all up no problem, as I've had experience with all this kind of equipment from uni.

Overall a very good experience and I'm glad I took part in it.

Reflections on Week 10

Although I was just the runner in this shoot, I still felt like it provided me with a wealth of experience. I have done promo videos in the past, but what stood out to me in this shoot was the professionalism of the crew. In previous shoots, I was working with students. In this shoot, I was working with industry professionals who knew what they were doing. I also felt like I was useful, as I was kept very busy setting things up and carrying equipment.

Another thing I like about this job is the connections and contacts you can make with clients. Doing promo videos a lot means you meet a lot of new people, and if you do a good job for them or stand out in some way, maybe they would be more likely to hire you for something in the future.

Week 9 - The PowerPoint

This week I spent about a day on the PowerPoint presentation using the notes I made from the discussion Julia and I had in the previous meeting. I had to do a lot of research for various things, so it took a lot longer than I was excepting.

I had to find stock photos of people that could represent the characters I was using. I also had to find breathe-taking images of space that would not only wow the commissioner, but also truly represent what could be seen in the episodes.

I would also admit that when it comes to page layout and presenting a message using visuals, that really is not a strength of mine. Some people really know how to layout a page to display information in a good, clear and concise way, for me it simply doesn't come as naturally. It took me a long to try and get the PowerPoint looking professional and interesting. It also didn't come as any surprise to me when I went for my next meeting with Julia that she changed a lot of what I had done.

To be fair, the basis of what I had produced so far was retained, but font sizes and colour changed, positions of pictures, picture choices, layout etc. I could also agree with most of the changes. I now have to polish up what we did in this meeting throughout the week and hopefully I'll have something even better to show Julia next week.


Reflections on Week 9 

It seems I have found another weakness of mine, knowing how to creatively lay out a presentation. In this case though, I feel like this is a skill that can be learned, rather than a gift given at birth! I looked online for some inspiration to see how other people did it. I also took into account how Julia wanted it to look. I probably haven't cracked this skill just yet, but at least I know where to go to improve, and as I get more experience at it, I will have a better eye for it in the future.

Week 8 - Episode Summaries Completed

The meeting with my brother was very productive. We spent about half a day going through each episode and smoothing out the storyline for each one. I am now extremely happy with each episode summary and was pleased to be able to email them to Julia.

In the development meeting, Julia was also happy with the episode summaries. She said the only additional and essential thing we need before we go to the BBC3 pitch is making a PowerPoint presentation. The presentation needs to be concise and have a hook, and also be able to 'wow' the commissioner. Julia broke down what I would need to put into the PowerPoint in very precise details so I know what I need to work on now.


Reflections on Week 8

This week made me think about the importance of having contacts and connections in all different aspects of work life. One can simply not be a jack-of-all-trades. It's important to realise weaknesses, but also important to know those who can help out. In this case, I was glad to know my brother, who is studying creative writing and has always had a knack of storytelling. I know there will be other times in the future where I'm not so strong at something, but what will be the most important is having the contacts who would be ready to help out in that situation. I feel like this is especially the case in the TV and film industry.

Week 7 - Finalising the Episodes

During the week I worked on the other episode summary sheets. Unfortunately, I was only able to get four out of eight completed as I was struggling for ideas for the remaining four. I had researched all the facts, but was struggling to come up with a plot that didn't seem overly cliché.

In the development meeting with Julia, she was happy with the episodes I had completed so far. The four that were only half completed, she helped me brainstorm some plot ideas. By the end of the meeting, we had come up with some good ideas which I'll try and incorporate into plot outlines.

I also have asked for my brother's help with nailing down plot outlines for all the episodes as I feel even the ones I have completed could be improved. He is studying creative writing at a university level at the moment, and has a huge passion for stories so I'm hoping that he will help me structure a good story for each episode. I will speak to him in a few days.

I was also able to do some editing for Julia this week. She had a meeting during the morning and so I was able to use her MacBook while she was busy. I edited the footage we filmed while at the Business Hive Live business expo. This included cutting footage and motion graphics.


Reflections on Week 7

The thing I could have improved on this week is not leaving the episode summary sheets until late in the week. I assumed they would be easy to do, but actually it was a lot harder than I thought. I realise now that I am not the most creative person when it comes to storywritring. If I had realised I was struggling for ideas earlier in the week, I could have asked for my brother's help earlier and might have even been able to have a brainstorming session with him before my meeting with Julia. As it turned out, I went to the meeting with only four of the eight episode summaries completed. Julia though was understanding and helped brainstorm some ideas too. She is actually a very nice lady and seems genuinely interested in helping her crew out the best she can, which is nice to see in a boss.

Week 6 - Episode Development

This week I worked on one of the episode summary sheets. The episode summary sheets required me to research facts on the episode subject. I would then need to come up with a potential plot based on one or a few of those facts. The plot needs a conflict and then a resolution, which I gave several options for.

Julia was largely happy with my work this week and has tasked me to continue on with the rest of the episodes during the week, so that I'll have them completed by next week.

I was also meant to do some editing while the the Beehive Business Centre today but as East Coast Pictures don't have a MacBook spare I wasn't able to do any. Unfortunately I don't own a Mac myself, only a Windows based desktop computer at home which is incompatible with the software they use there - Final Cut 7.

Reflections on Week 6

It's a bit of a tricky situation to know when it's important to my career to invest in equipment or not. For me, I've always been against Apple products as I find them completely overpriced for what they do. Unfortunately, Final Cut only operates on Mac computers. So far I have gotten away with it as I have always used the equipment found at uni. The same applies to the camera equipment. There are occasions however, where I find myself needing a camera at short notice, or in this situation I could have done some editing if I owned a Mac. I don't feel I have the answer to this problem yet, as I have to weigh up the cost of the equipment to how useful it will be to me. The decision would be a lot easier if I had a lot of excess cash but sadly that is simply not a situation I am in right now!

Week 5 (Part 2) - Series Development

Julia listened to what I had brainstormed but disagreed on a few points. Although the series will be fictional, it will be mostly based on fact and she thought I might be diverting away from that too much.

This week I have been tasked with thinking up subjects for each episode of the series. I will need to complete a episode summary sheet for one episode. This way Julia can see if I'm on the right track, and if I am, I will be able to continue working on the episode summary for the rest of the eight episodes.


Reflections on Week 5

To a certain extent, I understand how directors must feel when the studios give them strict guidelines and don't allow too much in the way of creative freedom. To be fair though, I submitted on a few points simply because I am the one learning the ropes here and Julia has done it many times before. I think she has a better eye than I do for what will be successful or not. At the time I was a little disheartened, but now I'm determined to see the idea through that we've now agreed on. 

Week 5 (Part 1) - Series Development

This week I was away travelling, but used the time while on the train and plane to brainstorm ideas with my wife for the BBC3 pitch. While I am good at coming up with concepts, I'm not so good at coming up with stories. That is more of my wife's forte. The pitch is for a fictional web series, which means we need a rough story before we can go to the pitch. We got a rough idea of characters and a potential story which I will be able to bring to Julia on Thursday 13th October.

Week 4 - First Day of Work

I was asked by Julia to come in at 10:00am for a 'Production Meeting' as we had a day of filming ahead of us. I actually arrived at 9:30am, and Andy and Julia were also already there so we started the meeting early. The production meeting mainly consisted of explaining what we would film, who had what responsibility, and a quick crash course on all the equpiment Eastcoast Pictures use.

We were tasked to film at a business conference/expo for local businesses, run by the Business Hive. We would interview the representatives of the various businesses and ask four questions:

• What advice do you have for anyone starting their own business?
• What do you think is the secret to being a good networker?
• If you could invite any business person to dinner, who would it be and why?
• Why is North East Lincolnshire a great place to do business?

There were also some guest speakers from larger, national companies which we were also tasked to record. My main responsibilty was to ask the questions and be the interviewer and hold the mic, but during the guest speaker's talks I could do some camera-op work too.

The footage will then be split into five 60 second videos which will then be used by the Business Hive on their website and in promotional videos.

At roughly 10:30am we had a 'Development Meeting' based on the project that Julia and I had agreed to on during the interview. I think this went really well, as I explained my idea and Julia seemed to really be excited by it too. During the meeting, we wrote down a brief series plan and episode breakdown, which I will have to work on over this upcoming week. The main crux will be brainstorming the problem and the hook in each episode. This meeting went on until 12:00pm when we had to leave for the business conference.

The conference went well, and most business owners were happy to be interviewed as it was a way of getting free promtion. We were able to get about 20 interviews in all.

The filming ran on until about 7pm. It was a great first day and I really enjoyed it.

My task for this week will be to nail down some solid ideas for the BBC 3 pitch so we can discuss it again next development meeting. I will also need to edit the footage next week to make one of the five videos.


Reflections on Week 4

As far as first days go, I think this went very well. I'm glad I didn't shy away from responsibilities and was an active participant in the crew. We got a lot of footage so the editor could select the best bits from the day. I feel like it was good experience for me to see how a producer operates too, and how to run a three man crew. I think in hindsight I should have been more actively involved in the technical aspects of the production. I did do a bit of camera operating but I could have let someone else ask the questions and I could be the one with the camera and headset to check audio levels. These cameras, while similar, are different to the ones at uni and so experience using them would be beneficial. At the same time I'm sure I will get opportunity to use them in the future over the course of the eight weeks, and I will take advantage of such opportunities.

Week 3 - Brainstorming

Seeing as I have my work placement organised and I don't begin until next week, I don't have too much to do other than brainstorm ideas for the project Julia and I agreed to in the interview. Which is perfect, as it gives me time to focus on coming up with something special for the BBC 3 pitch.

Which is what I did. In my opinion, I have a great series idea which could really work. I hope Julia is as excited by it as I am. I simply did a brainstorming session. The time when I get the most inspiration is right before I go to sleep. I then write down ideas on my phone as they come to my mind.


Reflections on Week 3

As all I did this week was brainstorm ideas, I don't have too much to reflect on. I did, however, feel very excited by the idea I did come up with. I already had this method of brainstorming ideas, as it seems that when all the issues of the day settle to the back of my mind at night, creative ideas start coming to the foreground. In the past I sometimes did not write these ideas down and would sadly forget them by the morning, so I've learned to always write it down as soon as I get an idea now.

In the morning I can then reflect on the idea and potentially expand it. This is something I have learned to do and will continue to do in the future.

Week 2 (Part 4) - The Application Process

The interview went exceptionally well. I was told - especially by Dan Carter, my tutor - that Julia will put the interviewee through their paces and give them a real experience as to what interviews will be like in the industry. Now, I'm not saying Julia didn't make sure I was up to speed with the background of her and her company, but it was a very positive experience overall and went a lot better than I could have even hoped for.

Julia Thompson

She seemed very interested in me as a person and what I had to offer the company. As I had mentioned my YouTube channel in my cover email and also my CV, she wanted me to show her right there in the interview some of my best videos I had to offer on my channel. We discussed how I make the videos from pre-production to post-production, how I draw views and subscribers to my videos, what drove me to produce these videos in the first place. I mentioned how unless I am doing a collaboration video with another YouTuber, I would often be the one who produces the video from start to finish, including researching the video topic using proper sources, writing the script, getting public domain footage from NASA and other space agencies, producing my own CGI, and finally editing the video and rendering it. I talked about how I use a combination of social media as well as keywords on YouTube to draw in views. I get roughly 40,000 views a month using these methods. I also mentioned how I was already a big fan of space, and I had been making films as a hobby since I was a child. This YouTube project was an amalgamation of both of these interests, as well as something to show as a portfolio when I was applying to universities. But seeing as it has seen some success and continues to draw new subscribers every day, I have been carrying on with it even though I already have a place at uni now.

I explained to Julia that it was something I was considering going into after uni, as it is a gap in the market in my opinion. If it doesn't work out for whatever reason, I would still want to focus on being a producer in documentary filmmaking.

Julia seemed impressed with my ambitions, as well as what I'd already produced, and offered me the place to do work experience at Eastcoast Pictures. What was particularly exciting though, was that Julia said the main objective of my work placement would be to come up with and then pitch a new format of programme for BBC3, the TV channel which has recently switched to online only. The focus of the programme would be to make space interesting for the 16-25 year old bracket. She also suggested we look at pitching a programme for CBBC, the children's channel, on a similar topic. The episodes would have to be about 5-15 minutes in length, and for both formats would need to be an innovative way to capture the audience's interest in space.


I have been tasked this upcoming week - before my work placement starts - to come up with some ideas that I can bring to the table on my first day. Julia said that she would also give it some thought this week and we can have a brainstorming session at some point.

Overall I'm very excited to be working with Julia, this opportunity almost seems too good to be true. I will certainly give it my all to try and make a success out of it, and best case scenario would be BBC3 or CBBC taking us up on whatever format we come up with and running with it.


Reflections on Week 2

I am very pleased with how this week went overall. I feel like I was being proactive by changing my CV, applying to some companies and by getting an interview all in the same week. I feel like the tips I got from the CV workshop were invaluable to the success of the week, as it really helped focus my mind when I was writing up my application.

Condensing my CV to one page, and improving the layout and look made it much more attractive to the viewer, as well as helping the viewer pinpoint key information much quicker. I knew what to write in the profile section, and included only the most relevant work experience. In the cover letter/email I was able to highlight key points about me and what would set me apart from other candidates, and I feel like the help from the workshop really worked in this regard as I was quickly able to get an interview after applying.

I also mentioned how I was concerned about my body language in the interview, and because of this conscientious effort I feel like I gave across a much better impression than I would have done otherwise. This is still an area that needs improvement though, as I do find myself slipping into relaxed poses too easily and I don't want to give the wrong impression to the interviewer. I did however make good eye contact, and the overall flow of the interview went very well.

Week 2 (Part 3) - The Application Process

After sending my CV and application off to Resolution Television and Eastcoast Pictures, Julia Thompson of Eastcoast Pictures has already got back in touch with me with a date for an interview. It will be for September 26th, and fingers crossed everything will go well. As I mentioned before, I really did like the thought of working with Eastcoast Pictures after researching them and after hearing everything everyone had to say about them.

I will wear smart casual dress and be sure to be aware of my body language throughout the interview as I have a tendency to act too relaxed in these kind of formal situations, for example leaning back in my chair too much. I want to give the impression that I am very keen to work with Julia Thompson at Eastcoast and will put in a good shift for them.

Here is a copy of the cover email I sent to Julia:

Good day Julia!

My name is Alex McColgan, I'm a student at the University Centre Grimsby. I'm currently studying BA Digital Film and TV, and as part of the course I need to do an eight week work placement.

Looking through and researching local media businesses, I must say as was most impressed with Eastcoast Pictures. I see that you have good connections with the industry and have also established a good client base in the local area. I also see that you do work in social media and online content - something that I particularly want to go into as a possible career. During my spare time at the moment, I run a space documentary YouTube channel which has amassed 7,000 subscribers in about 2 years. It is something I very much enjoy doing!

If possible, I would like to apply to work for you. I have attached my CV and would love to have the opportunity to have a face to face interview. I'm also in the same class as Andy Ward, who has had only good things to say about you and the company and has made me really excited to apply. If there are any spaces available, I would really appreciate an opportunity to prove myself to you.

Kind Regards,

Alex McColgan

Week 2 (Part 2) - The Application Process

The conversion of my CV to the new template worked really well. The CV is now concise. Originally it was two pages, now it is condensed to one. I was able to remove a lot of unnecessary fluff, things that weren't particularly relevant to my line of work like customer service experience. A natural result of having less on the page, and also due to better formatting, the work experience that is relevant is highlighted more and is immediately apparent.

I also took note about the tips that were given about the profile and have completely redone it. I mention my job title, drop a company name.

I showed my CV to some employers in different professions and they say it is the best looking CV they have seen in a long time. Granted my fellow students also has access to canva.com now, but a lot of people won't have seen something like this before so I feel like this is going to give a competitive edge in future job applications.

New Improved CV

Old Version of CV

Week 2 (Part 1) - The Application Process

After researching various companies last week, I need to decide which I'm actually going to apply for. Before researching, I had my mind set on applying for Resolution Television, but after researching I became torn between Resolution and Eastcoast Pictures.

During our workshop in class we also reviewed the important points to creating a professional and outstanding CV. Points of note were:

• Mention personality traits - add traits which are useful for the industry. For example, to be: innovative, problem solver, passionate, creative.
• Personal profile should be at the top. The personal profile is like a slug line, very short intro to me as a person. It should be snappy. Drop company names.
• Put key skills in second after the personal profile. Technical skills that would be useful for the job. Media skills would centre on equipment I have experience with, software including editing software I can use, languages I can speak, etc.
• Perhaps make more than one CV depending on what you are applying for. A media centred job will require a different CV to working at the supermarket for instance.
• Check out prospects.ac.uk and canva.com for templates and example CVs. Basing the CV on tried and testing templates and ideas gives a better chance of my CV being noticed and to stand out in the crowd.

Although I have a CV already, I really liked the templates on canva.com to make a stand-out CV. Over the course of this week, I will convert my CV over to the new template.

I'm also going to apply for some work placements using the new CV and hopefully have an interview organised by next Tuesday.

Week 1 - Local Market Research

The first step to working with a company is to find out what companies there are in the area. There are several conditions to look for in a company that would make an ideal match for me. They are:

• Commutable distance away (within one hours travel time)
• Passionate co-workers
• Industry connections - are they well connected?
• Projects where I have some experience or interest. My current mindset is to go into more online media or documentaries.

With these things in mind, I have scoured the local market to see what media companies there are.

1. Estuary TV

Estuary TV is a local TV station found on Freeview channel 8, based in the University Centre Grimsby.

It is broadcast to 350,000 homes in the North Lincolnshire and East Yorkshire area. The station works closely with the community, local businesses and independent producers to produce television for local people. This means it has a variety of programming, from sports shows to documentaries to news. It is probably the best opportunity in the local area to experience a TV station and how they operate.

Estuary is a commercial public service broadcaster provides local news every day, combined with a varied schedule including current affairs, business, environmental, historical, documentary, films and entertainment programming.

Historically, they are the UK’s longest-running local television station. Estuary TV was the first local TV station to launch, on November 26th 2013, as Grimsby was one of 19 selected for the Local TV licence.

Comparing this company against my owns wishes for work experience:

• A very good commutable distance away, no further to travel than coming to Uni.
• In the past I have tried on several occasions to volunteer for them to no success. This has kind of put me off offering my services to them in the future. I'm unsure whether I feel they would be passionate co-workers or not.
• Being an actual TV station means they are well connected, if at the very least with the other 18 local channels I already mentioned. If TV station work was where I want to end up, then this could potentially be a good option.
• I now have some experience in recording vox pops and cut aways, but I'm unsure if I actually want to go into TV station work, rather to be more in a production house. Although having it on my CV would definitely do me no harm.

2. Resolution Television

Resolution TV are based in Scunthorpe, and produce, broadcast, and distribute entertaining TV advertising, online video, and creative solutions, including induction systems, for national and global organisations. They are a production house rather than a TV station.

They started the company 11 years ago, and have since completed over 3,200 projects. 34 television adverts have even been aired this year alone.

So far, I have seen this being the most exciting prospect out of all the media companies in the local area. Here's why:

• While not particularly close, the train from Cleethorpes to Scunthorpe is reasonably well connected.
• My tutor, Dan Carter, in talking about the different companies, said the people working here were very pleasant yet they would work you hard. That seems perfect.
• Because of their work with other national and local TV stations, for example ITV, they are certainly well connected.
• They definitely check the boxes when it comes to my interests. I have experience already in online videos and online induction systems. The type of productions they make is more or less what I would like to get into.

3. Eastcoast Pictures

Eastcoast Pictures are a Grimsby based media company, that produce a wide variety of video content. Productions have been made for ITV and the Local TV Network, as well as corporate videos for businesses, including promo videos and staff training videos. Content is also produced online for social media and YouTube.

It is run by Julia Thompson, who used to be the Executive Producer and Director of Entertainment for Sony Pictures Televison International (UK), and also a producer for ITV.

They have many clients around the North Lincolnshire area and beyond.

This would be a good option for me, as although I hear they use Final Cut Pro 7 as editing software (which I dislike), Julia is obviously well connected and the company has a lot of clients in the local area. Business is going well for them and they have a lot of upcoming projects.

• Based locally in Grimsby. Very close by.
• Julia Thompson is clearly a very driven woman from what I've been told and also what she's achieved in such a small amount of time. Andy Ward, a classmate, also works for her so there would be some familiarity too.
• Very well connected both locally and nationally. Particular connections with ITV.
• Our interests do align, although what they do is probably not exactly what I would want to get into as a career. I would however take it as a learning opportunity as well as a chance to gain work experience and connections in the industry.

From what I've seen locally, these are the media companies that catch my eye the most. I will be excited to work with like-minded people in the industry and also hope to be able to contribute well to the company I end up working with!


Reflections on Week 1

As I'm writing this reflection at the end of the module, I now have the advantage of hindsight. When I wrote this blog originally, I was almost certain I wanted to go with Resolution Television. As a result, I don't think I gave the other companies much of a chance to impress me. I don't think this was a good attitude, as if I had just gone with that first impression, I wouldn't have had the opportunity to work for East Coast Pictures. I think at this point in time that I couldn't have hoped for more from ECP and it has been an amazing experience to work with them. I'm glad that I didn't just go with my first impressions and dug a little deeper into each company, as by so doing, ECP actually ended up impressing me most of all.

It has taught me a valuable lesson for the future. First impressions are not always what they seem. I (hopefully) won't fall for that again.