In the creative media sector, there are many different job pathways because it's such a large sector to make money in. In the creative media sector, there are 6 main job pathways and some jobs from them include:

- Creative: writer, concept artist and soundtrack composer

- Technical: camera operator, location sound and video editor

- Marketing: advertising co-ordinator, analyst and social media manager

- Managerial: director, producer

- Legal: lawyers that deal with contracts and copyright

- Financial: accountants and cashflow

How you can find jobs

National Press

General newspapers or magazines, like the Daily Mail or a more local news company like The Wokingham Times for me, could have job advertisements for the creative sector.

Trade Press

These are newspapers or magazines which are tailored more to a specific audience like film, photography or a certain franchise like Marvel. Jobs may be advertised here to get people that would more likely enjoy that job role.

Trade Fairs

These are organised exhibitions where companies set up booths where they can showcase their new products and/or services. They also are good to get talking to people already in the business and they can help you to apply and learn about job roles in more detail.

Personal Contacts

You may know someone that has the job you want or in the same business and they could put a word in or help get you a helping hand when it comes to getting a certain job.

Networking

This is when you try to make connections, gather information and asking questions. It's not begging for help and jobs its more about building relations with people to help yourself get the job. This could be used at trade fairs to get a job.

Word of Mouth

This is when you would hear a job from other people. So it might be from someone in the career path you want to go down or it may be a family member who saw something and knew you would like the job.

Internet

You can go to companies you would like to work for and they normally have a sector abut open vacancies you can apply for or use websites like indeed which sort all the vacancies onto a single website.

Employment Contracts

Full-time

Full-time jobs are a form of employment where you work over 35 hours a week. You are guaranteed a certain amount of holiday and sick pay as well as maternity and paternity pay for working full-time. This is the type of job most people have once they have finished their education. Some job roles in the media sector include editors, actors and directors. I think this is the type of contract I will have when I, hopefully, work in the media industry.

Voluntary

This type of job role is when you willingly chose to do this by giving up your time and unlikely getting paid. This could be a job like a football manager for a grassroots team (for example I help out my sister's under 8s team every Wednesday and Saturday if I am available) or, in a more media-based role, designing a logo for a local charity or editing a video (for example I have edited a handful of videos for my local nursery during lockdown). This is a type of job that would likely be done in your spare time unless you have some sort of income from somewhere else allowing you to do unpaid work here.

Part-time

Part-time jobs are a form of employment where you work fewer than 30 hours a week, otherwise, it is considered a full-time job. Some of these roles could include a social media manager, photo and video editors (for smaller businesses). I think this type of job can be great for students who cannot commit to a full-time job because of education or parents who need to earn some money but have to look after their children. However from a business point of view, it may be bad as they need to reassign job duties and these jobs don't normally provide benefits such as health insurance, sick pay and holiday pay.

Fixed Term/Temporary

Jobs like this are when you are hired for a certain amount of time. For example, shops normally hire Christmas temps who work during the busy period during the holiday season. The contract is normally 3 months at most so it can mean that you are out of work after that time but sometimes companies may decide to hire you permanently after those 3 months. Types of jobs of this type in the creative media industry include assistants, cameraman and maternity cover for many job roles.

Freelance/Self-employed

A possible job for this type is an artist or illustrator which would normally be hired to create some artwork and get paid. This is good as it means you can work when you want and you don't have fixed hours. However, it isn't a permanent role which means there isn't a fixed pay so there could be times where there's lots of work but then times when there isn't, like a zero-hours contract.

Potential Job Roles

I used the website Discover! Creative careers to look at some potential job roles within the industry that interest me.

Film Marketing Manager

They are the people who advertise media production. They identify the audience of the film or tv production as well as, create campaigns and strategies to spread awareness of the production.  The basis of the job depends on the scale of the production as bigger blockbusters will have larger budgets for marketing and likely have their own marketing departments that do all of the advertising for all the films for that company; They would be full-time jobs. However, smaller-scale productions may employ marketing managers for certain programs or films every 6 months for each series. Or use separate marketing companies or agencies. So this means that it is likely to be a full-time job as you would work for a company rather than freelance. 

The suggested qualifications needed are OCR Technical Diploma/Extended Diploma in Business or BTEC National Diploma/ Extended Diploma in Business these are both level 3 vocational qualifications. On the other hand, you could do AQA Foundation Technical Level Business: Marketing Communications, AQA Technical Level Business: Marketing or NCFE Diploma in Skills for Business: Sales and Marketing. It is also suggested to get a degree in marketing or film production and a strong portfolio as this would help you to stand out when looking for a job. 

Some professional Standards that I would need are Audience Awareness (understanding what the people want and like as well as statistics), Marketing (The ability to think creatively, analytically, create content that is enjoyable and know how to reach the target audience) and Knowledge of the industry (Having the knowledge of what's popular and trending and how to reflect that into figures in the box office and viewers). I believe that I already have the ability to think creatively and analytically as well as the knowledge of what's trending because I spend a lot of time on social media and know how it works. During the original lockdown, I was actually managing an Instagram account as well as giving some advice to my dad who has a small business. I managed to grow my photography account, now named @samwashere.productions, from 0 to 500 followers in 3 months.

Photos by Jason (Morgan) in Hollywood

Video Editor

This job role includes film editing, improve picture quality digitally, create a 'rough cut', keep a clear storyline and agree a finished watch of the final production. Most jobs seem to be full time as companies need edited videos a lot of the time. In these times there are a lot of opportunities for editing roles for example tv, film and now YouTube as growing "Youtubers" may want to delegate work so they can focus on filming the videos. I like the idea of working for someone in YouTube as it would likely be from home which means I don't have to commute and every video is different and shorter than a film or tv show which means it's always fresh. However, I like also like the idea of working in a film or tv studio as I believe that would help me to learn, meet new people and hopefully gain new opportunities. The route to this profession is normally Level 3 (or Level 4) Diploma in Creative Media Production and, then, a degree (or equivalent) in film and television studies, media production or film and media. I think I would rather go through the route of an apprenticeship, rather than university, like a broadcast production assistant advanced apprenticeship as I could specialise in editing and post-production. The skillset I would need includes: 

- attention to detail

- the ability to work well and communicate with others

- know how to use different software (like Premiere Pro, Davinci Desolve and Sony Vegas) and different operating systems like Mac and Windows.

- knowledge of media production and accept criticism

I believe I do have certain skills already like I am good at using both Mac and Windows, I think I have good communication skills, I am flexible and open to change. Something that I like the idea of to volunteer to edit videos for my local community to build experience and a portfolio. In fact, I have been editing videos for my local nursery during lockdown.

Prop Maker

Some jobs that a prop maker would do include understand what props need to be made, understand and create props from sketches, hire or purchase props if needed and create or repair props onsite of the production. A prop maker would also be in a lot of contacts with set designers, costume makers and production staff. On smaller-scale productions, the prop makers may have to design and create all of the costumes and sets for the production. The job would likely be full-time as they are always needed whether that's pre-production or during production and repairing props or something else while filming is taking place. 

A route to getting to that job would be at college: "Level 3 Diploma in Production Arts, Level 4 HNC / Level 5 HND in Performing Arts (Production) or Foundation Degree, or HND in prop making, technical theatre or set design." Then at university an undergraduate degree in one of the following areas: "prop making, scenic arts or production arts." CarftsCouncil.org.uk suggests "other degree subjects could be art and design, fine art and 3D design." The key skills include attention to detail, creativity, ability to use software to design props, ability to use machines like drills, woodcutters and jigsaws, teamwork and communication and budget awareness. 

I really enjoy watching videos on YouTube on making props, I think that it is amazing watching people look at trailers then use their artistic interpretation to fill in parts that they don't see. Quite like what Odin Makes did for Storm Breaker before of the release of Avengers: Infinity War. I haven't had any massive experience in prop making however it is something I am looking into starting.

Cover Letter

A cover letter is a document sent with your CV and is normally a letter expressing your interest for a role at the company. It also includes a bit of information about you which is the company's first impression of you so it needs to count!

Curriculum Vitae (CV)

This is a document which normally contains skill, previous experience and grades. These are presented when applying for jobs and is one method of looking at who is the best suit for the job.