LO4 Understanding the Creative Media Sector

Employment Opportunities and Job Roles in the Film Industry

How many people are employed by the UK film industry?
Within the film industry in the UK, it was last reported in 2012 that there were
70,000 people working. These jobs included working in the cinema and being a
runner for a film exhibition. When working in an exhibition though, the jobs
arent stable and could be a short lasting part time contract whereas working
in the cinema the job is solid and assured to be a full time permanent job.
There are 65% of people working behind the screen in production, 10% in
distribution and 25% in exhibition. The majority of these jobs are run by
Hollywoods investment in the UK.
Is the number of people working in the UK film industry growing or falling?
For the 65% of people working on production, it shows that it has been quite
steady throughout the years then suddenly in 2009 the employment rocketed
up from 25000 to 51000 workers. It has then started to drop slowly back down.
For film distribution it has always stayed quite low in employment as you can
see that it started at around 5000 and is now at around 8,500. It has only
recently started ti increase from 2011. For film exhibition, it has also stayed
quite low but is a bit rocky. It has dropped and increased many times
throughout the years and has gone from 10000 and increased to the most
recent update of around 19000.








LO4 Understanding the Creative Media Sector

What are the different roles available in the UK film industry? (Development,
production, post-production; how are they linked?)
Here is a list of roles you could take on in the UK for the film industry.
A Producer
The Role of Producers in Developing a Film
The Role of Producers in Financing a Film
The Role of Producers in Production
The Role of Producers in Post-Production
A Director
The Role of Directors in Development
The Role of Directors in Production
The Role of Directors in Post-Production
Production Crew
Editors
Music and Sound
Visual Manipulation
Writers
Readers
Script Editors
Agents
Film Financiers
Sales, Distribution and Exhibition

When developing a film, there tends to be two different producers that are
split up into their own groups. One of them takes control of the projects and
creating the relationships that will excite the audience. Another producer will
then go through all the plans then contact the author and ask for their opinions
on their plans for the film. The other group will take control on the financial
side of the film production.
All of the roles you can take in the film industry rely on each other in a
different way. If you dont have everyone working to the highest quality they
can, then the whole system will not work. For example if the director doesnt
turn up, then no one is told what to do or how certain scenes need to be
filmed. If the camera crew didnt turn up then nothing will be filmed and so
everything is a waste of time and everyone will have to leave. Without the
LO4 Understanding the Creative Media Sector

script editors, no one knows what to say do or film and wont know what
camera shots are wanted for each shot.
For example, Steven Spielberg is a famous
American film director, producer, screenwriter
and business magnate. He has produced many
famous, large films in his career such as Jaws,
E.T. and Jurassic Park. From his career, he has
managed to be worth $3 billion. He has worked
with many famous film producers in his past and
is one of the largest names out in the film
industry. His first professional TV job was in
1969 where he was hired to direct one of the
segments for the pilot episode of Night Gallery.
Based on his impressive work, Universal signed
him up to produce four films. One of these films was Duel. Through all of the
work he was offered, studio producers Richard D. Zanuck and David Brown
offered him the directors chair of the film Jaws. There were many when
directing this film such as delays and budget over-runs but he kept with it and
finished the film. It was very successful and won three academy awards. It also
grossed more than $470 million worldwide at the box office. From this one
films, he became one of the youngest multi-millionaires in America. He went
on to reject producing certain films such as jaws 2 and King Kong. He wrote
and directed the film Close Encounters that he was awarded another 6
academy awards nominations for. The film also won Oscars in two categories.
Throughout then on he was direction and producing many films and his whole
career is a huge, wealthy success. Through the duration of his career, he has
had two marriages and is married to actress Kate Capshaw. He has seven
children altogether and lives in America, but has four amazing houses in
California, New York city, East Hampton on Long Islands and Napels, Florida.
Where would you go to find jobs in this industry? (Provide links and explain why they
are useful)
To find jobs in this media industry you can go on to websites such as
mandy.com or pinewood studios. You can find emails online and send in your
CV. There are always places you can go to and ask. On each website there are
LO4 Understanding the Creative Media Sector

links and different lists of jobs you could apply for. They then narrow down to
the locations that are best suited for you to work. There will be all of the
information about the job and sometimes your salary offered.
There are websites such as:
1. www.myfirstjobinfilm.co.uk
2. www.mandy.com
3. www.jobs.screendaily.com


Example of 3 job advertisements (Explain what qualifications and experience are needed)
This job is to be a Production Manager.
To do so you need all of the listed
requirements said so on the website.
There is a deadline where your CV
should be handed in and all the
information you need is on the home
page for this job.


This is a different website I have used
and they have a list of jobs alongside
the front page where you choose
what job would best suit you. This
job application is for a director of
production. This example is to apply
for a director of production and so is
a very large job with lots of
responsibility.


LO4 Understanding the Creative Media Sector


This is a third website I have found where it
gives you an offer to work as a
videographer. At the top have the main
details for the job such as where to apply,
the location, duration and the date. Under is
a bullet pointed list of all the things you
need such as grades and experience. There
is also a list of other jobs similar if this
particular isnt suitable for you such as
transport issues or location rise.




What are the differences between freelance, permanent and casual work?
Freelance work is where you have pay patterns, where each job you do is
different, you have your own tax, insurance and accounting work, you have no
holidays, sick days or leave, you have a set completion date for the work you
do and there is a timescale bonus and penalties.
If you have a permanent job it is where you have a solid monthly pay, you are
allowed a certain amount of days off a year for holidays, sickness support, you
are given a notice if you are going to be fired, there is a specific job you will
stick to, you have little admin and a daily instructor.
Casual work is classed as the same as freelance where it isnt a solid
permanent job, you only do the one project.



LO4 Understanding the Creative Media Sector

Why is professional behaviour important to succeed in the industry? (Consider
reliability, attendance and punctuality and communication skills)
You have to have a professional behaviour when working in the industry
especially in this certain film business. This is because you have your whole
world wide audience to please, including all the other workers and authors
included in the business. If you arent good at keeping to a schedule for the
day, you are rushed and not working to a high standard then you will not be
wanted as no one will want you working with them if the final outcome is not
up to the high standards required. You need to have great communication
skills and you need to have patience when working with so many people all at
once. You have to be organised to be able to get all the work completed every
day or you wont have everything done by the final deadline.