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