Our New Year Resolutions are:
- to reduce our course prices for our member companies & freelancers.
- to make it easier for you to come on courses when it suits YOU by starting waiting lists, as well as our scheduled dates, so that you can register for a particular workshop, and then we’ll arrange a date as soon as we have enough people signed up.
- to make ITF membership more accessible to all indies, whether small or large.
So we hope your Resolution will be to develop your professional skills in Hoxton Square! Come and learn how to make the most of social media, create ad-funded content, or deal with those other difficult media colleagues! And grab some of the remaining Skillset management bursaries before they run out!
With best wishes for a successful New Year
Ian Wyatt (ITF Training Director)
Scheduled courses on the management of productions, teams & business:
Combined Scheduling & Budgeting for Drama Production
19 January London
A 1-day workshop led by expert Line Producer Julie Clark whose recent credits include “The Crimson Petal & the White” (BBC), Stephen Poliakoff’s movie “Glorious 39”, the BBC’s “Oliver Twist”, and ITV’s “Whitechapel”, “Secret Diary of a Call Girl” & forthcoming “The Scapegoat”
Who’s it for? Particularly useful for Production Managers in factual areas who want to move into drama, AD’s wanting to move up to 1st AD, Location Managers and Co-ordinators wanting to move up to Production Manager
Special Offer Price: ITF Member or freelance £50 / Non-member company £200
Dealing with Difficult People – fully booked!
24 January 2012 London *Skillset funding applies
Our most popular course for media professionals is back! Led by Sue Ahern of Creative People, this is a highly practical day that will help you identify your strengths and weaknesses in a conflict situation and develop the skills you need to manage difficult situations
Who’s it for? Production or team managers and those wishing to develop their people management skills
Price: ITF company member or freelancer £50 / Non-member company £200
Ad-Funded Content and Product Placement
7 February London
Led by Endemol’s Brand Partnership Director and ad-funded expert Claire Heys, this is a half-day workshop encouraging TV and digital media producers and commercial managers to develop the new skills and business knowledge necessary to create and execute ad-funded productions.
Who’s it for? This introductory workshop for TV and digital media content makers will benefit those requiring an overview of the advertising market and of pitching advertiser funded programmes directly to brands and their agencies
Price: ITF company member or freelancer £50 / Non-member company £200
Music Rights (1): The Essentials
16 February London
A half-day seminar led by copyright expert Ivan Chandler of Musicalities covering the basics of music clearance in TV, film & digital production, the various organisations involved, and what is – and is not – covered by broadcasters’ blanket licences.
Who’s it for? Anyone who wants to learn the essentials of music copyright law, and find out how to deliver all music documentation on time and within budget.
Price: ITF Member or freelancer £50 / Non-member company £200
Future-proofing your Indie & your Team
28 February London *Skillset funding applies
This one-day workshop will explore vital business planning and risk management to future-proof your company. It will include a business planning exercise and a ’surgery’ to address some of the delegates’ specific issues. Led by highly experienced TV executive, coach and trainer Caroline Beaton
Who’s it for? CEOs/MDs, Heads of Production, Heads of Talent/Human Resources and other key stakeholders within production and/or distribution companies.
Price: ITF Member or freelancer £100 / Non-member company £400
Social Media Skills for Success
2 February London
This one-day workshop will give TV, digital media and interactive practitioners the skills and confidence to make the most of YouTube, Facebook, blogs and Twitter and second screen, to maximise the impact of your production, and engage your audience. Led by BAFTA winning cross-platform producer and social media expert, Mike Flood-Page (former Editorial Director of Illumina) with guest speakers, “Misfits” Social Media Manager Alexandra Wall & Online Writer Mike O’Leary
Who’s it for? All TV and digital media practitioners (freelance or staff, producer or exec producer, researcher or AP) who want to learn how to make the most of social media
Price: ITF company member or freelancer £50 / Non-member Company £200
Our other upcoming core skills workshops on production and creative development:
Managing People for the First Time
13 March London *Skillset funding applies
Led by Sue Ahern of Creative People, this is a highly practical one-day seminar for managers, team managers or anyone preparing for a management role within the TV industry. The session will help build confidence through TV-based case studies, exercise, questionnaires and sharing delegates’ own experiences.
Who’s it for? Production and team managers or anyone preparing for a management role
Price: ITF Member or freelancer £50 / Non-member company £200
How to become a SuperProducer for all Platforms
6 March London
Kirsty Hunter (Project Factory UK MD & former Head of Interactive at Lion TV) will share her own experiences of leading cross-platform productions like “Britain from Above” and “Horrible Histories” for the BBC, and explore the practical TV and digital production skills you need to become a successful SuperProducer for all platforms. Nick Underhill, MD of Keo Digital, will also discuss the production expertise involved in its award-winning cross-platform Fish Fight.
Who’s it for? Producers of TV and digital interactive content across all platforms, both freelancers and
employees.
Price: ITF company member or freelancer £50 / Non-member company £200
Reviewing Your Options: A Workshop for Women Returning to Work in TV
8 March London *Skillset funding applies
This innovative and extremely practical workshop will offer a unique opportunity to take stock, to assess your professional skills and experience objectively, and to decide the best course of action. It will ask what you want from the next phase of your life, and what you want longer term. This may be to resume your pre-motherhood career, update your skills, move to a new organisation, change your role temporarily or permanently, or re-negotiate your present job. Led by Sue Ahern of Creative People and planned in partnership with Pact
Who’s it for? Women working in TV who have taken a career break for maternity or other reasons, or are about to do so
Price: ITF company member or freelancer £50 / Non-member company £200
Researchers Survival Guide
15 March London
Led by creative media expert Pamela Relton, this one-day workshop is designed specifically for junior production staff such as runners, junior researchers, production secretaries, etc
Who’s it for? Designed for junior production staff with some experience of working as a researcher or in a production or development environment.
Price: ITF Member or freelancer £50 / Non-member company £200
Generating Innovative Content
20 March London
Led by creative media expert, Pamela Relton this is a one-day workshop on creative thinking techniques with practical applications for generating and developing TV programme ideas
Who’s it for? Anyone in production who is involved with generating, researching and/or producing programme ideas
Price: ITF company member or freelancer £50 / Non-member company £200
Check out all our other ITF courses, for which you can add your name to the waiting list for it to be staged as soon as we have enough signed up:
* Skillset funding grants available for our Management & Leadership courses: up to 80% for experienced TV freelancers, or 50% for employees (including a proportion of travel and accommodation expenses where relevant) so, apply soon before they run out!
NB Multiplatform courses are no longer eligible for Skillset bursaries until further notice because the fund has now been fully used.
Helpful hints on how to apply for Skillset funding grants.
Book any of the above short courses by emailing Andrea at bookings@indietrainingfund.com or view the full listing of scheduled courses on the ITF website
ITF partnership development events around the UK:
12 January 2012 Newcastle *Skillset funding applies
A one-day workshop for production staff covering the basics of production management for TV drama
in partnership with Northern Film & Media.
For further details and to apply contact: bookings@indietrainingfund.com
9 February 2012 Belfast *Skillset funding applies
An innovative and very practical session led by Sue Ahern of Creative People, in partnership with Skillset, Northern Ireland Screen & Channel 4. For more details and to apply contact Ian Kennedy (Skillset NI Director) on iank@skillset.org
Other training programmes:
TV production companies can develop members of their team who are moving up to management roles by applying for this ongoing Skillset programme delivered by Bournemouth University Media Academy in a series of 3 two-day face-to-face courses in London as well as online delivery over six months. Candidates with at least 3 TV credits can apply for Skillset funding grants of up to £625 (employees) or £1,000 (freelancers) towards the £2,400 fee: For more details & to apply go to the Skillset website, or contact Charles Wilde or telephone 020 7713 9836.
New Shine/Livity production apprenticeship scheme – apply by 13 January
In partnership with Livity, ITF member company Shine Group recently launched an innovative salaried scheme lasting a year from late February for non-graduate new entrants aged 18-24 who can offer fresh ideas and forward-thinking talent. Successful candidates will form a totally new kind of production company, and will be trained and mentored by media practitioners so that they can make professional quality content for broadcasters, brands, online & mobile platforms. Apply by 13 January with CV & link to any videos you’ve made to: apprenticeships@livity.co.uk
Selling Your Script Weekend Masterclass (London – Jan 28-29)
An interactive Euroscript masterclass weekend for film & TV with practical exercises & personal feedback. Led by award-winning film-maker Charles Harris. Price: £150, or £135 for ITF members.
Masters Programme in Production Management
Open to all broadcast professionals as well as BBC staff, this is the UK’s innovative high level qualification offered by the BBC Academy in partnership with Bournemouth University and Skillset.
Inspiring Women’s Enterprise in TV – February 10 & 27 & March 7 around the UK
A series of one-day Skillset workshops aimed at women with proven professional experience in the TV industry or who are returning to the industry after a career break.
10 February 2012: The Greenhouse, MediaCityUK, Salford
27 February 2012: BBC Bristol
7 March 2012: Skillset, London
For more information and to register, click here.
Sky is partnering charity MAMA Youth Project in sponsoring 12 young people aged 16-25 from BAME and disadvantaged backgrounds in London & the South East to have hands-on training and professional work experience on a Sky production. MAMA Youth will provide 12 weeks’ training in production skills as a researcher, camera and sound operator, and video editor. A paid placement will follow for a minimum of 4 weeks at an indie making a Sky production. ITF member Shine Group’s Princess Productions has already agreed to take 2 trainees.
Salford Women returners’ ITF workshop Facebook network group
The delegates who attended ITF’s highly acclaimed Reviewing Your Career Options workshop in partnership with Skillset (at BBC MediaCity in Salford in September) for women returning to work in TV have set up their own network group on Facebook which other media professionals are also joining.
News
New Development Executive for ITF
ITF has a new Development Executive, Len Brown, who brings a wide range of experience as a freelance journalist and network TV Exec Producer, producer/director, writer, self-shooter & editor (especially on arts, features, music & sports programmes). He previously worked for Granada and the BBC in Manchester, and has produced programmes for many indies. He has also delivered media production courses for the Universities of Leeds and Salford, Lincoln College School of Media, and the Northern Film School, and has been a mentor on diversity trainee schemes for the BBC & ITV. He will be working closely with Training Director Ian Wyatt on devising tailored development for our member companies through our unique in.indie scheme, as well as supervising our short courses, and developing relationships with existing members and other indies.
Manchester Media Festival (November 16-17)
Our new Development Executive Len Brown went to the premiere of this event, where he met the Indie Club and other local media companies. Read his report.
C21 Future Media Conference at BAFTA (December 1)
Ian Wyatt & Len Brown represented ITF at this inspiring annual event on the latest developments on and beyond the Digital Frontier – find out more about what they heard.
Creative Diversity Network Awards at MediaCity UK, Salford (Dec 7)
ITF member Endemol won the Company of the Year Award for its commitment to training and developing diverse talent. Other winners include ITF member Talkback Thames’ comedy Phone Shop (E4), Company Pictures’ Skins (C4), Mentorn’s factual series Fish Town (Sky Atlantic), Raw TV’s Battlefront (C4) & BBC drama Luther. Now in their third year, the Awards were introduced by BBC Director General & CDN Chair Mark Thompson who also previewed the results of new research into perceptions of age on screen commissioned by the BBC for the CDN.
Women in Film & TV Mentor scheme 2012
Women in Film & TV recently announced the names of the 20 women who have been accepted onto the 2012 WFTV Mentoring scheme. From January to June 2012, each of the mid-career women will have six hours of mentoring contact with an experienced industry mentor, combined with an intensive programme of seminars and access to training and networking opportunities.
Industry Events
Pact Equality Act event: inspiring diversity, banishing boxes (Jan 27 – Channel 4, London)
This free event for all indies, freelancers & broadcasters has been organised by Pact in partnership with Channel 4, the BBC, ITV & Sky. Could you attract more diverse talent to your company, both on-screen and behind the camera? How can you keep within the law? Employment lawyers, commissioners & programme-makers will explore how the legislation could affect you and the editorial decisions you make, and how better diversity could improve your business. You can also request a free half-hour legal surgery about your specific issues.
Sheffield Doc/Fest 2012 Meetmarket applications & Film submissions now open
Sheffield Doc/Fest is now accepting entries for the 2012 programme. The Meetmarket is a unique opportunity for content-makers to pitch new documentary, factual/entertainment and cross-platform projects to over 200 decision-makers, buyers, funders and mentors in one of the world’s top factual media marketplaces. Apply by 29 March.
And don’t miss your chance to give your new short, medium-length or feature documentary film the launch it needs into the UK and Europe by submitting to the UK’s most important documentary festival. 2011 entries like Just Do It gained theatrical distribution after Doc/Fest, and many others like Calvet and The Camera That Changed the World went on to feature at other major festivals internationally.
Be quick – film submissions close January 27th 2012.
Broadcast Awards 2012 (Feb 2 – Grosvenor House Hotel, London)
Big event celebrating successful programmes, indies & channels- you can book a table now.
Channel 4 Apprentice Day (Feb 7 – Channel 4, London)
In National Apprenticeship Week Channel 4 will be staging an event with its current apprentices to raise awareness of its own programme, and inspire other organisations to take part. If you want to get involved or find out more, contact kickstart@channel4.co.uk or email Simon Devereux.
Channel 4 Talent Boutique open evening (March 6 – Channel 4, London)
Channel 4 is hosting its third open evening for disabled people who want to work in the media industry eg in 4’s advertising sales, HR, marketing, finance research, online and other departments. For more information and to apply before 29 Feb click here.
MIP Formats Pitch (March 30-31)– enter now for up to €25,000 funding from Warner Bros
This C21 competition is open to creators & producers from around the world (whether company or not) to pitch their new/original, genre-defining non-scripted entertainment formats. A panel of international format experts including Warner Bros, WBITVP, Shed Media & Warner Horizon will assess all entries, and choose the 6 finalists to pitch live at MIPFormats in Cannes. Warner Bros International TV Production will spend up to €25,000 developing the winning project.
And finally…
Check out BAFTA’s useful new website tool to record and monitor your indie’s carbon footprint and make your productions greener and more sustainable.
Organisations Don’t Tweet, People Do + Google Search – Euan Semple
Social networking guru Euan Semple has written a new Manager’s Guide to the Social Web. You can read a description, contents list, and some sample chapters on his publisher Wiley’s site, and order it on iTunes or on the Amazon Kindle Store.
Also in his invaluable Newsletter Euan mentions that Google has been changing the way search works, partly to accommodate its own use of the + symbol! Not everyone uses the various modifiers in search but even if you don’t, this article explaining how “verbatim” search works is worth a read.
Sign up for his newsletter.
What’s innovation got to do with learning & success?
Former BBC Head of Learning & Development Nigel Paine explains why innovation and learning are key to business survival and success.
Bafta Guru
BAFTA Guru is a brand new website that brings together some of the most exciting voices in Film, TV and Games in one handy hub. “inspiring minds in film, TV and games.”
UK Broadcasters announce new standards for tapeless production
The Digital Production Partnership (DPP) members ITV, Channel 4 & the BBC recently announced new common Technical & Metadata standards for file-based delivery of TV programmes to all major UK broadcasters.
New BBC Production Talent database for freelancers
The BBC has started a new database for freelance programme-makers looking for work.
You can upload your CV, photo and availability details. At present it is used only by BBC Factual (arts & features, business, consumer, documentary, history & science) but BBC Drama and Entertainment will also access the database in the future.
New Exchange for indies and academic experts
Launched last month, the Cultural Capital Exchange is a one stop shop to link programme-makers and academic experts. Initial members include the University of Arts, King’s College, Guildhall School of Music & Drama, and ITF member Lion TV whose MD Nick Catliff says it could help indies get commissions: “It’s vital that we have access to exciting new content, presenting talent and editorial points of view. Universities are a rich source of all three, and it’s no coincidence some of our best projects have been developed with ideas and input from academic researchers… The CCE will help us access the intellectual capital we rely on much more quickly and easily.”
BBC Academy and College of Production
Check out the short video clips, hints and tips, job profiles & talks from leading industry practitioners at the website
Intro to Factual Production Management
20 January Newcastle *Skillset funding applies
A one-day workshop covering the basics of factual production management in partnership with Northern Film & Media.
For further details and to apply contact: bookings@indietrainingfund.com