How to start and maintain a company or a freelance career in the media industries.

This resource aims to equip you with the information and the skills that will enable you to make a successful start and develop a flourishing career as a media professional. It will guide you through the art and the business of managing a creative career in the media industries, by providing relevant information based on interviews with successful media professionals, links to the most useful web sites, diagnostic tasks and research projects and assignments.
The interview material, the tasks and research projects are intended to contribute to the Business Planning process, and to develop in the student an awareness of the importance of planning and self development as key to sustaining a career in the media.

As you work through the interviews it is important to note information and ideas that will be of use to you in the development of your own career plan/business plan. Contained within the material are diagnostic tasks and three research projects that aim to get you to consider and analyse your skills, training, talents and experience. This will provide you with a personalised research resource from which to plan a strategy and develop a business plan to enable you to launch your career. The research projects will involve you in researching your ideas and communicating them effectively and appropriately to potential employers, clients, funders and financiers. This will involve you in researching possible contacts, communicating your ideas to others in written form and seeking appropriate help and advice.

Once you have worked through the material and completed the tasks and assignments you should have:

• An understanding of the jobs and roles available to media graduates contemplating setting up a business or pursuing a freelance career.
  
• An understanding of the personal qualities needed to sustain a career in the media industries.
  
• An understanding of planning and self-development as a key to a sustainable and successful career.
  
• An awareness of funding and training schemes.

And you should be able to:

• Plan and prepare basic proposals, applications and budgets.
  
• Analyse the process of how media work is commissioned.
  
• Understand the notion of career planning and business planning as key to success.
• Locate the jobs and roles available to media graduates contemplating freelance work.
• Show the importance of developing networks and contacts.
• Prepare a draft Business Plan.

Study Hours - A Guide

22 hours of study time and 40 research hours as follows:

			The interview material equates to 4 hours of content-based material.

			The 3 diagnostic tasks require approximately 3 hours of study time and 10 hours of research.

			The 3 Research Projects will require at least 15 hours of study time and 30 hours of research.

			Some of the research is carried out on the web.

Five media professionals, working in different areas and at different stages of their careers, have contributed to this resource. They have shared their experiences with regard to a range of topics. It is hoped that you will gain insight and inspiration from their experiences.

			Vin Arthey A senior lecturer at Bournemouth Media School, and freelance radio and television journalist, writer and consultant.

			Sarah Beecham and Graham Howard Husband-and-wife team who run 'Art of Memory', an interactive media company specialising in museum kiosks and websites.

			Kate Broome A producer and director at the BBC.

			Christine Molloy Partner in a company called 'Desperate Optimists', making performance work and digital video-based media.

			Victoria Noble A television producer based in Scotland, currently working on a seventy-four programme series for Scottish ITV.