If you missed part I of this post, which was about student journalism, you can find it here.
Breaking into any creative industry is no easy feat, but to land a job in TV you need lots of enthusiasm, creativity and — somewhat unsurprisingly — work experience. It takes hard graft to get into TV, yet the thrilling fast-paced trade is worth the effort.
First and foremost, you need to develop your TV skills and get grips with various roles in the field, which you can do by getting involved with a student television station. And, luckily, Newcastle University has one on offer.
NUTV (Newcastle University Television) offers huge amounts of experience opportunities, from camera work to presenting, from producing to editing. All it takes to become a member of NUTV is to email the station or to contact them on social media — and you can start working.
The station is run by students, who also train the newcomers. But as Haaris Qureshi, Head of Production, explained:
“A lot of TV producing is troubleshooting and last minute planning, which can’t really be taught, only experienced and practiced upon.”
With NUTV you can learn what it is like to produce visual content, the intricacies of production stages and how to schedule and organize resources such as equipment or crew.
All of NUTV’s shows are student led, and anyone can pitch an idea or run a show. The content is varied, from live coverage of student council to a Blind Date show. And it is generally distributed via social media channels.
Television more than any other media platform relies on teamwork, as it takes quite a few people to produce a show. This means that not only will you be able to develop your technical skills but also make new friends along the way.
Don’t give up on your dream to work in television. Persistence is the key in this profession, and NUTV might become the first step in your career.