Job Roles within the Media

For our 'BC1001 Roles and Processes' module, we have been required to research the various job roles available within all the different aspects of the media. In this blog I will be looking at a variety of job roles that exist within the media business, whether television, radio or one of my personal interests of film. I am using the creative media skill development website www.skillset.org to help with my research and to give me an insight of the jobs I could be doing in my future career.

Runner (TV, Radio, Film)

Being a runner is what I will most likely start of as (depending on my grades) as my degree comes to an end and is the likely entry point to a career in any industry within media. Whether TV, Radio or Film, runners are most definitely needed in a production team and are integral in supporting the needs of production personnel and clients. The term runner glamorises the job and aspects of it, as whilst still working within the media it is more likely to be a combination of waiter, cleaner, handyman and messenger. Whilst this does seem rather unimpressive, the role of runner does provide a great opportunity to gain a valuable knowledge of all aspects within the media industry as well as allowing to make some valuable contacts. This has nurtured the potential of some very talented individuals and paved their way for a career within media.

Director (TV, Film)

In Television, directors work across a broad variety of genres (including news, drama, documentaries etc.) and will work on shows that are transmitted live, pre-recorded as live or single-camera work. They can be in charge of a multi camera production or a single camera project and are responsible for the look and sound of a production and its technical standards. Their main role within a production is to interpret the writer or producers vision (which in some cases could be themselves) and to ensure that the final programme is faithful to its original concept. As guardians of their genre, they need to be able to keep in control of their material whilst at the same time being able to push boundaries to create something original and distinctive.

In film, directors have a lot more creative input and are responsible for being the driving force within a production. Acting as the crucial link between production, technical and creative teams, it is the director who is accountable for translating whatever's in the script into actual images and sound on screen. They are the visionaries behind a film and must define the style and structure of the film, acting as both a storyteller and team-leader to bring their vision to reality. A film director has many duties to fulfil, including casting, script editing, shot composition, shot selection and editing and whilst most of the practical aspects of filmmaking (financing, marketing etc.) are left to the producer, Directors still to need to have a good knowledge of the schedule and budget. Because of their large commitment to a project, it is the director that is usually held responsible for a films artistic and commercial success or failure.

Producer (TV, Radio, Film)

Producers are the people that have the final responsibility for all aspects of a film or programmes production. They are usually the first people to get involved in a project and they would see it through to the productions end. In film and TV this would require the producer to participate directly in all main producing phases, including post-production, marketing and distribution. The producer’s role is to turn any ideas on paper into a quality working production that in film would make profit and in broadcast would entail survivability (as well as profit).

Whilst a producer is responsible for the overall production, it is the executive producer that is in charge of ensuring the final product conforms to commissioners’ specifications (for TV and radio) or the studio and distributors (in film). The executive producer selects marketable projects and provides the funding towards producing them, meaning they need to ensure the director and producer will meet their specifications also or risk losing out on their investment in the project.

Researcher (TV, Radio)

Researchers work across all genres within television and radio production and help to originate and develop new ideas for TV and radio. Drawing on their knowledge and understanding of industry requirements, they present their findings to decision makers hoping to have thought of something original. Other aspects of their job include fact checking and writing briefs for on-screen presenters (on panel shows etc.). Similar aspects of this job can also be used within film production, specifically research within films that need facts to be right for example a film biopic, true story and even film adaptations).

There are plenty of other job roles within media that I could go on to talk about, however most seem rather self explanatory (although I’m sure do involve a lot more). These include jobs within editing, camerawork, sound, screenwriting and lighting.

My Career Aspirations

With such a large selection of jobs to choose from, it’s hard to consider what I could be doing in the future although as previously stated I would like to be working in the film industry. There is something about making films that interests me more than TV and radio, and one of my main aspirations would be too end up working in a big American studio helping create a big budget blockbuster. I like to think I have quite a creative mind and to end up writing for films would be a brilliant outcome, although I do really like editing and would also like to direct. Nevertheless, it’s still early days and like I mentioned earlier in this blog I will most likely be starting my career as a runner, meaning I probably have a good few years yet perfecting my coffee making skills.