How Much Should I Be Paid?

What you should be earning and how to ask for it.

Last week I turned down a job I'd wanted for years. Because it didn't pay enough. 

I know what you're thinking: surely if it was my *dream* job, I'd do it whatever the money? Yes, in an ideal world I would do that job for free because I love this industry and I love being a part of it. And many people sacrifice a wage for the sake of advancing their career, through un- or low-paid internships. Admirable? Maybe. Wrong? Definitely.

We have a National Minimum Wage (£6.50/hour, working out at £12,675/year) but we also have a Living Wage, for a reason. Basically, if you are expected to live off your wage, it must be equal to/more than £17,843/year in London, and £15,308 in the rest of the UK.

The job I was offered was at a *top* independent production company and they offered me just £17,000. It is almost impossible to live off that amount of money in London - so I asked for more. What surprised me was that the company didn't immediately shoot me down and were willing to negotiate. So this has led me to write this post!

Black People Can't Act & Diversity Sucks

2015's Oscar nominations caused a bit of an uproar didn't they? And quite rightly. All of the 20 nominated actors and actresses were white. Of the 10 writers nominated not a single one was a woman. And yep, you guessed it, no female directors received any gongs either.

Everyone jokes about the Oscars being racist and sexist, but how true is it actually? And how far does this extend into the rest of the industry?

Just saying it now: I disagree with the idea of "diversity" and here is why...

What The Black List Says About Us

The Black List was announced last night. For those of you who aren’t aware of it, the Black List is a US website and online community for the film industry that aims to bring new writing talent and producers together. Writers can upload feature film scripts for feedback and industry execs can search for new projects. It’s great for all involved, like a film development gang-bang.

Once a year the producers vote on the screenplays they’ve read and their favourites are compiled into the official Black List. Get your script onto that list and you are well on your way to a production deal.

Films that started life on the Black List include Juno, The King’s Speech and Argo. Yeah. It’s a big deal.

So I awaited this year’s Black List eagerly. To be eligible the script cannot be in production during that year, so all titles on this list will not be made until January 2015 at the earliest. This means that most will start to hit cinema screens from 2016.

It’s really interesting to see what producers are feeling at the moment and what audiences can expect in a year’s time. You can begin to identify trends and it paints a clear picture of what ideas attract producers. As a writer or development assistant, being aware of what sells is essential.

Nerdout: My Thoughts on Digital Convergence

Do we fancy a nerdy post? Good. This one is about...

YouTube vs the Traditional Broadcaster Model

I spend more time on YT than any other website at the moment because my day job is currently working in digital video for a big fashion brand. Previously I worked in high-end drama production for UK broadcasters and I never thought digital video was a side of the industry I'd experience. It wasn't that I'd ever ruled it out, it just simply hadn't occurred to me. I wanted to work in TV - not online.

Except that boundary is now blurred almost to the point of non-existence. Confession: I don't even own a television. I watch everything via my laptop on catch-up services and I expect this is now the case for most people. Why? Because living life according to the TV schedule is inconvenient and we want more choice over what we view.

YT is the extension of this - you can view clips from your favourite TV shows without having to endure the whole episode. Whether you're looking for that epic Friends quote, that particularly funny Jimmy Fallon sketch or the moment Ryan Gosling is topless in Crazy Stupid Love, YT provides.

Getting a Job in TV/Film: The Myths

Anyone catch that article on The Guardian "6 Myths About Getting a Career in the TV & Media Industries"?

It's always interesting to hear from insiders and I'd definitely suggest a read of it (and a lot of the other stuff on The Guardian's media pages). However, in trying to encompass all aspects of the media industries the article becomes misleading. I also question whether the author can really know and understand the obstacles facing new entrants, if they are now at manager level. Having spent almost 3 years working in the industry (I include my various internships whilst at university, from which I graduated a year ago) I am much farther down the ladder and have quite a different opinion on the subject.

So in response to that article, here is what I think you also need to know about the 6 Myths....

1. You'll spend all your time partying with celebrities
As a runner in TV you will meet celebs and probably get to attend some cool parties. However you need to know that fandom is extremely looked down upon in the industry. If you meet your all-time favourite actor you have to behave like they are any other regular Joe. No autographs, no selfies, no incessant chat. You won't get fired if you do any of these things, but it makes you look unprofessional and people will trust you less - the result will be less access to celebrities. And after a while the novelty of seeing famous people will wear off, as you realise they are just like everybody else and just want to get on with their job. Some will be divas, some will be super down-to-earth. However they behave, you need to be cool, calm and, at parties, one of the more sober attendees.

Queen of the Tearling - from Book to Film

I treated myself to a new book the other day. It's called Queen of the Tearling and it is the debut novel of Erika Johansen. Picked it up in Waterstones, read the blurb and bought it on the spot: it's a fantasy adventure about a young woman thrown into danger and forced to stand on her own two feet. Couldn't really be more up my street.

Looking at online reviews now, it's got everyone very excited. The publishers snapped it up, everyone thinks it's great... Apparently I have good taste in books. Apart from the one douche who described it as a "female Game of Thrones" (rage*) it looked pretty promising.

Then I discovered that David Heyman, producer of Gravity and Harry Potter, aka most successful British filmmaker in my mind, had purchased the rights to the book, before it was even published. He's already lined up Emma Watson to play the lead (more on this later) and there is a premature IMDB page and everything.

Fast work Mr Heyman. I hate you a little bit because I wanted to get the rights to this book first (can you stop being so successful please and thanks?). But I also love you because you make awesome films. So at least Queen of the Tearling is being made by someone I trust to do it justice.

Hipster Culture in TV & Film

So at the moment I'm writing a drama about a group of twenty-somethings living in London. Obviously I want it to be original and I've also decided I don't want it to be "hipster", which is hard because I've seen and relate to Lena Dunham's GIRLS quite strongly, and can't help but find parallels between that show and what I'm writing about (because I am a twenty-something living in a big city). Anyway, thinking about the hipster trend/culture led to me questioning where it all started and how it has recently seeped into so much film and television.  

First question: da fuq is a hipster?
Well, hipsters themselves cannot agree on this. The "movement" (if we can call it that) is not a new thing and has origins going back to the Beat Poets and, as the term suggests, the hippies of the 60's/70's. I'm going to call these "true" hipsters. They were the artists and creative people who worked casual coffee shop jobs and hung out on urban street corners, discussing their work and dreams, taking life one day at a time. They sought out the original and unheard of, rejecting everything mainstream and zealously guarding their discoveries from the masses. We're talking non-conformists without the get-up and go of the punks, but with safe, well-educated backgrounds to stop them becoming chavvy benefit-scroungers. Mostly, I feel like becoming a creative hipster was the "it" rebellion for kids from upper-class families - "Oh won't Mummy and Daddy be upset when they learn I'm wasting my Oxbridge degree working at a coffee-shop. They don't understand my need for creative liberation!"

"Nobody smile - smiling's too mainstream"

Oh Hey Steven Moffat

A while ago I attended a sell-out event by the Royal Television Society. The focus of the evening was one of British TV's biggest and brightest dramas - Sherlock. Joining us in the room were its writers/creators Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss, producer Sue Virtue, BBC controller Ben Stephenson and actress Amanda Abbington. 

They were going to tell us exactly how they made such a huge, brilliant hit!

Thinking of "Her" - Film Review

I was treated to a trip to the cinema on Valentines Day, in a strictly non-romantic capacity, by a guy I used to work with. It was so nice to not feel any pressure to make the day special in any way, for the first time in 5 years! There was definitely a feeling of just doing what felt fun and good at the time, without worrying about anything else. Snatching at happiness in a big city. This became a bit of a theme for the night when we went to see Spike Jonze's Her. 

Having seen the trailer a couple of times I was intrigued by the film. The concept - in case you don't know - is a love story between a writer called Theodore and his computer operating system. Imagine Siri on your iPhone had a really hot voice, its own evolving personality and was always a pleasure to talk to, instead of snarky and infuriating.

Pff, who'd wonna work in Film?

Imagine a world where no one wanted to work in the film industry. They'd have to recruit people, like they do for the army. Perhaps we'd each do National Service for the good of the nation's entertainment. I see the poster as something like this:

I'm only kidding, it's not that bad.

And, obviously, millions of people want in! Hollywood will never be short of people banging at it's doors, desperate for a shot. And that's because if you do, you have the chance to make something for the biggest canvas out there - cinema. To creative types, that is like a catnip and cocaine fusion, covered in glitter, with a potential climax of wealth and recognition.

Where do I sign up?!!

There's the catch. I feel very lucky to have a job in the industry and I'm aware of how many others are dying for the same opportunity. So I wanted to write a post about a couple of ways the system is cheating you of this.

An Audience with Kathleen Kennedy

Kathy Kennedy is arguably the world's biggest film producer. Her IMDB page boasts a filmography of over 60 titles - including huge family blockbusters such as Jurassic Park, heart-wrenching emotional stories like The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, and award-winning masterpiece Schindler's List.

I was lucky enough to see this amazing filmmaker in the flesh and sit amongst an audience to hear her tell her own story. It is an inspiring tale of determination and true talent and I'm excited to share it with you.  

Believe it or not, Kennedy originally planned to be a nurse - until she saw Steven Spielberg's Close Encounters of the Third Kind and the film industry became her goal.

My Top 5 London Cinemas

I bloody love the cinema. Everything about it! The first film I saw was the 20th Century Fox animated picture "Anastasia". I used to think TV and VHS were my great loves, until I was taken to a dark room with a huge screen and surround sound, and I mercilessly threw aside the small screen for a bigger and better version.

If it was up to me, I'd see a new film every week. Unfortunately, ticket prices are a wee bit expensive nowadays... but if you know where to go you can find a good bargain and a hidden gem. Here are my faves:

Why Disney's Frozen is Brrrrrrilliant

The Not-Quite-Every-Tuesday Film Review

No spoilers - pinky promise!

One of the perks of working in the film industry is seeing things in the cinema before they are released! I've somehow managed to wrangle my way into a company big enough to have its own big, proper, fully operational cinema in the office. And the first thing I was invited to watch there was...

So it was inspired by the fairytale The Snow Queen which I'd heard of but didn't really know - in terms of fame it's no Little Mermaid or Beauty and the Beast. But in Disney magic and fuzzy-feeling it's just as special.

The Runner: A Definitive Guide

Run.ner (rūn'er) :

1. TV/film crew member
1. Tea maker, messenger, willing slave
2. Lowliest of the low
2. Beginner
1. Enthusiastic and wide-eyed with wonder
2. Cheap
3. Achy achy feet

A reader has asked me to write more about what's expected of a runner, following on from my summary post Getting Started in TV & Film. So this is a rewrite of a post from a past blog of mine, which The Unit List passed on to their followers on Twitter. Number one top tip: follow The Unit List on Twitter for daily production jobs.  

I'm gonna passionately shove my application up your ***

So I've noticed some upsetting trends in job applications recently. I apologise in advance for the following - completely justified - rant. Before you say it, this is not a bitter response to rejection, because I have a job and went through three interviews to get it. Nonetheless, I worry about the next time I have to go through the application process again.

The big grad schemes (BBC, Channel 4 etc) are guilty of this:

"You don't need experience for the role, just a passion for film and television"

Great! So my months of working at minimum wage, my £23K degree and my 3 YEARS experience count for nothing?
I just need to prove that I'm PASSIONATE about film & television?

Getting Started in TV & Film

This is meant for people just finishing their A-Levels or university and thinking about a job in TV or film.

Frankly, it's super hard to get a job in the industry, unless your uncle's an exec producer or your cousin is the BBC controller (dontcha just hate nepotists?). But there are ways. I'm no media mogul but in my short experience, this is what has worked best for me...


The best CV advice I've ever read 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/academy/collegeofproduction/articles/tv/writing_the_perfect_cv

Don't put things like "makes a great cuppa tea" - a 5 year old can make tea (if you actually don't know how then you need to learn FAST). Don't make it funny. If it's looking empty and bare find transferable skills in your non-directly relevant experience and make it clear that you're eager to learn - eg. sales assistant? Then you have great communication skills, are used to long hours on your feet and you work well in a team etc etc.

To fill your CV you need....