How to get involved with the Film & TV industry in Wales.
The future of film and TV in Wales is looking very bright and opportunities will be appearing thick and fast but, unless you already have contacts, there are multiple issues with helping people get started in the industry. These being, having no idea where to look, who to contact, how to start, what your CV should look like, etc...
If you are like me and have always been passionate about film and TV and would like to pursue a career in it, then I hope this can help.
Here are a few bits of information on how you can get started:
Screen Alliance Wales
The idea behind Screen Alliance Wales is to advertise any opportunities within Wales that are associated with Film and TV productions happening in Wales.
They cover all positions from experienced editors to runners who need a chance to get their foot in the door.
They also provide information on training opportunities and education so you can acquire experience to put on your CV and understand the skillsets required to succeed in certain positions of a production.
You simply go to https://www.screenalliancewales.com/ register your information and go from there.
I have not been successful in my pursuit of a position through Screen Alliance Wales but they have allowed me to stay in contact and provided me with zoom calls and other various information towards the field I want to work in.
Rather than a rejection it feels more like training and it’s important to never take ‘no’ to heart in this industry.
The Talent Manager
The Talent Manager is effectively the Facebook of the industry. It is free to sign up and you do so by entering your personal details and create a profile that employers can view.
You can also attach your CV so that who ever views the profile can immediately download it. If you have prior experience you can add that to your profile and any other relevant information such as personal training and testimonials.
It is very easy to navigate through the menu’s as on the jobs board you can type in what position you are looking for and the location. Similar to Screen Alliance Wales, they offer positions ranging from all levels of experience.
The Talent Manager helped me get my foot in the door and helped me gain experience where I thought was impossible. Through getting a position I was able to gain contacts who I now consider friends and progress in my career.
Ffilm Cymru
I personally have had no involvement with Ffilm Cymru but I know they offer a wide range of support, experiences and opportunities. They are a development agency for the film industry and talent in Wales.
They support “film development, film production, film education, film exhibition, film business development and filmmaker career progression.”
In order to assist talent in Wales breaking the gap in to the industry they offer “training and advice for those aspiring to be in or already in the film sector.”
For new talent they have introduced a scheme called ‘foot in the door’ where they find production companies and crews looking to grow and offer trainee positions. This is a hugely beneficial opportunity for anyone looking for a career in film or TV.
All of the details about the schemes, development and education are on their website.
Sgil Cymru
Sgil Cymru is another one I have no experience with but I have worked with a number of people who have advanced through the various schemes and apprenticeships they offer.
In fact, some are still part of certain schemes offering advice for the next generation of Welsh TV and film workers.
Sgil Cymru is such a trusted scheme as it has a proven track record with helping young and experienced workers progress in their career.
To back it up “the team has more than 100 years combined experience in bilingual media training and production. The Sgil Cymru team have trained over 100 apprentices by working with companies across South Wales”
To cover some details, if you have experience within the industry they offer an initiative called ‘Stepping up’ where they can support your progression in to a specific field.
If you have no experience at all, they offer a wide range of apprenticeships which cover subjects from creative digital media to advertising and marketing communications.
More…
Wales Screen
Wales Screen is essentially a database with information regarding every department in the film and TV industry. It provides productions coming to Wales, looking for crews, with all of the Welsh run business’ related in specific fields.
For example, as a Runner/Location Assistant I would register myself and my details, including previous experience on their database. So when a production comes to Wales and need a runner they could go on and search through a number of candidates.
Ask
Questioning people is majorly overlooked when it comes to talent starting out in the industry.
Speaking from experience, I was always afraid to message people I knew in case I was being a burden to them and their work but in actual fact it can be hugely beneficial.
It shows people in the industry that you are interested in chasing a career and are willing to step out of your comfort zone in order to get experience.
It also helps you network and reach out to other people which could then lead to more opportunities. Never overlook the power of asking.
