How to be a Purple Cow - Careers in the Film Industry

Yen YauCareers Manager

Into Film

What drives you?

Context

The Bigger Picture

Taken from Independent Review of the Creative Industries Sept 2017

• The digital era, often referred to as the Fourth Industrial Revolution, represents an enormously exciting opportunity for a further wave of growth and innovation. But we will need to work hard to harness the value of the IP in these sectors and invest in R&D to secure our reputation as the most innovative place to make creative content. We need to exploit technologies such as Virtual and Augmented Reality, 5G, 3D printing and other new techniques to keep innovation strong.

• Creative occupations, which make up a high proportion of Creative Industries jobs, are highly resistant to automation with 87% of creative workers in the UK at low or no risk, meaning their share of the workforce is likely to rise steadily in coming years. Creative Industries Strategy 2014

What we associate with feature films

www.bafta.org

What we probably don’t imagine

http://www.digitalsmarthomes.com/vanc

ouver_canada/files/Dolby-Atmos-

Vancouver-Home-Theater.html

http://www.ditworld.com/workstations/

Film Value Chain – stages of making a film

Careers in Film

Development

• Researching the idea, finding money and team members to make your film

Pre-Production

• Got the money and an idea –you’ve got the green light! Next, preparations

Production

• Shooting the film

Post-Production

• Post production -what you do once you have shot the film

Exhibition & Distribution

• Getting the film seen in a cinema

Skills Shortage Areas

http://www.bfi.org.uk/news-opinion/news-bfi/announcements/bfi-national-lottery-future-film-skills

Craft and Technical departments

Costume & Hair/Make Up DepartmentsLighting/Camera & Grips Departments

Examples of technology impacting on film-making

• Cloud and collaborative workflows

• Media management

• Drone cameras

• VR/AR

• Go Pros

• 3D printing

Source of image: CosProp http://www.cosprop.com/

Connecting to the Curriculum

Science

Design and Technology

Music

Art and DesignLanguages

Computing

Maths

Production accountants to make sure films

come in on budget (math)

Production designers (art, design, architecture)

to define and create every visual aspect of a

film

Producers (law, business studies, math) to

develop projects, find the finance and pull the

different players together

Script supervisors (English) to ensure that

there is continuity in the script

Riggers and carpenters (construction) to build

sets

Digital imaging technicians (ICT, computer

science), to back up the files, checking for

technical errors in the rushes

Compositors (STEM, art, computer science), to

put together all the various layers of computer

generated images in VFX

design accounted for £131 million

of services exported in 201110.

Award Winning VFX (visual effects)

Elysium, thanks to TriStar Pictures, a contributor to the Skills Investment Fund

• Scientific

• Technical

• Engineering

• Artistic

• Maths

= Stunning scenes and

effects

VFX is STEAM Driven

VFX is spreading

Film

Television

Games

VR/AR

Events

Architecture

Science/Medicin

e

Image courtesy of Double Negative VFX, © Property of Warner Bros

Disney's "MALEFICENT". Maleficent (Angelina Jolie). Photo Credit: Film Frame. ©Disney 2014

Unfilled jobs as

VFX Designers

Technical Artists

Technical Directors

Software Developers

61% of VFX employers report skill

shortages including Maths, Physics,

Art & Design

Developing a

Portfolio

The Foundry – VFX Software

Pixologic Sculptris – VFX Software

Blender – 3D Animation

Autodesk – 3D tools, Maya, AutoCAD, 3DS Max

Lightworks – Editing Software

How to Get Started

https://creativeskillset.org/assets/0002/5097/The_Core_Skills_of_VFX_-

_Student_Primer.pdf

Stages of making a film

VFX Careers Doc-2.jpg

VFX Companies • Framestore

• Double Negative

• Industrial Light and Magic

• Jellyfish Pictures

• The Mill

• Milk VFX

• MPC – Moving Picture Company

• One of Us

• Territory Studio

Getting noticed

Who are you?

What are your skills?

What are you passionate about?

What’s your BRAND?

Are you resilient?

What Employers Want

Personal attributes•A positive attitude: a ‘can do’ approach, good work ethic and willingness to learn•Good personal presentation •Honesty and integrity•Reliability•Timekeeping and personal organisation•Team working, collaboration and co-operation•Flexibility•Commercial awareness and customer focusSkills •Communication – oral and written•Numeracy•Computer literacy/IT skills.

Drivers for Success

• Taking an active role in career progression

• Finding creative satisfaction

• Embracing learning and skills development

• Building beneficial relationships

• Boosting confidence through support mechanisms

• Demonstrating relevant characteristics and approaches

• External influences on sustaining a successful career

Succeeding in the Film/TV and Games Industries – career progression and the keys to sustained

employment for individuals from under-represented groups (BAFTA 2017)

What skills do you need?

• Has a film related degree

• First aid certificate

• Can speak foreign languages

• Has made a short film

• Has a driving license

• Has a university degreehttps://stephenfollows.com/how-to-find-a-job-in-film-and-tv/

Ranked in order according to employers

1. Has a driving license

2. Has a university degree

3. Has made a short film

4. Can speak foreign languages

5. Has a film related degree

6. First aid certificate

Share the Plan

Action Plan

Final Thoughts

1. Be resilient

2. Be bold

3. Do a Skills audit

4. Always double check grammar &

spelling!!

5. Research, Research & Research!!

6. Don’t be a MEDIA WANNABE!

7. Be prepared for opportunities – 90

second pitch

8. Work out how to convey your

passion

• BAFTA Guru

• BBC Academy

• BBC Writers Room

• Creative Choices

• Creative Skillset

• Futurelearn

• Hiive

• Pixar in a Box

Useful Websites

Getting in Touch

info@intofilm.org

@getintofilm@yenyau