BBC: Work experience opportunity within Television

http://careerssearch.bbc.co.uk/jobs/job/Work-Experience-Opportunities-within-Television/5323

Work experience opportunities within Television

1. Question
   What’s inspired you to apply for your chosen Work Experience category? (200 words maximum)

I want to get experience in a professional industry and have chosen television as I would like to work behind a camera and to direct. One of the many inspirations that has lead me to apply for TV has been the spectacular cinematography in David Attenborough’s Frozen Planet. The camera work and determination, to push their skills to the absolute limit working in extreme freezing condition for many months and capturing to the unpredictable. Frozen Planet, created by the BBC id truly one of the rare programs that can reach and entertain all ages groups for generations to come. I am aware that the BBC have to stretch themselves and to be innovative in order to inform and educate their audience of over 37 million watching their factual programmes every week. I am passionate about TV and film and would like to be part of the modern world of multimedia production and help share the BBC’s vision and help ‘to be the most creative organisation in the world.’

2. Question
Tell us why you should be awarded a Work Experience placement with the BBC. (200 words maximum)

I have great people skills and work well in a team. I am creative and I know my strengths and working in a team enables me to expand on those strengths and to learn new skills from others. I am enthusiastic and creative and would work hard to ensure that I would be an asset, as well as learn within the working environment, on any work experience placement in the BBC.

This summer I had a work experience placement for a production company in West London working as a runner. Whilst there I helped set up lighting for shoots for interviews and music videos at various external locations as well as in their own studios. This was extremely useful to me as I am writing my dissertation on lighting and how it can achieve different mood effects. Recently they invited me back for some paid work as the gaffer’s assistant which involved helping to set up the lighting for shooting a music video, as well as undertaking manual tasks such as loading and unloading the equipment.

3. Question
Tell us what’s your favourite television programme and why? (200 words maximum)

Currently my favourite television programme is Breaking Bad. It is gripping viewing; the complexity of the plot creates enormous suspense. Even the silences create an intense and extreme emotion between the characters, which is accentuated by the positioning and distancing of the camera work, which produces a ‘fly on the wall’ effect.  The varying pace of scenes seems to work well, keeping the viewer gripped and wanting more. 

The writers have specifically picked naive characters, throwing them into situations where you would not expect to find them, and then creating background stories which link the characters together. These are not the typical character archetypes and you get pulled into their stories, watching how their personalities change over the 5 seasons. The documentary cinematic style hand-held camera work draws the viewers into the position of each character, making the experience more profound. As an example, the blocking of the characters in a particular scene suggests the relative power between them. There are times where the viewer is so drawn into a scene that you feel almost trapped in that scene along side them and question how on earth they got themselves in to certain situations.

4. Question
Tell us about a project or assignment that you’re proud of and that has inspired you to gain further experience in Television. (200 words maximum)

A recent project that I did at university was on Peter Sutcliffe, the Yorkshire Ripper. The brief I responded to was ‘Transmedia’ and I wanted to take a story using a mix of old and new footage and to create a montage style documentary. I was Influenced by the 2012 Turner Prize winner Elizabeth Price, as well as the true events from famous Yorkshire Ripper in the late 1970’s, I worked totally on my own in order to experience all sides of documentary making including research, budget, travel, interviewing, location, filming, editing and sound. I had a very limited budget and I learned a lot from the experience and understand many of the challenges around film making including the difficulties around sound.

I also learned that there are areas that I need to expand my knowledge, and working at the BBC would give me an opportunity to learn from experts in the various fields and to allow me access to experienced sound engineers and state of art editing suits.