It's been a crazy couple of weeks since I last wrote on here. When I say "crazy", I mean it in the most positive sense of the word (if there is such a thing), akin to hectic, busy and crammed full of activity as opposed to being clinically insane or doolally. Still, if I carry on at this rate I may just end that way!
My most important and noteworthy news is that I am now officially an auntie to a beautiful baby boy, Alfie. He took his time - bless him - arriving a few days late, but he is absolutely perfect and doing well. I have seen him a couple of times now and he doesn't really do much yet when I hold him, other than sleep. In all honesty, it makes a refreshing change because I normally don't get on too well with babies. They usually just cry when I am within a yard of them or perform some sort of bodily function either on me or aimed in my direction. Anyway, when he is a little older, I fully intend on being his favourite auntie and win his favour by spoiling him rotten and taking him on cool days out and the like. I believe I am in the running for the title, seeing as his I am his only biological auntie living in the country. (Not taking into account his millions of "aunties" who are friends of my sister or her boyfriend, their next door neighbours or the milkman etc). Heck, I'm the only one on this continent... his auntie on the other side of his family lives in New Zealand! Actually, I would settle for being his favourite aunt in the northern hemisphere I think, so as to not cause problems with his other aunt... It is a sufficiently grandiose title after all. I wonder if Hallmark would make a card to that effect: "To my favourite auntie in the northern hemisphere. You are the best in Europe, North America and most of Asia, but not Indonesia". Anyway, I digress...
In the meanwhile, I have been cracking on with the job hunt. After jury duty finished, I thought to myself that I had to seriously knuckle down and do some serious networking and research. The question then, however, was where do I want to be... in television or radio? (Cue the "You've got a wonderful face for radio" comments... I've heard them all before!) There seem to be a lot of people who have started in radio and have transitioned to TV and vice-versa, such as Graham Liver (to name a local example... he works on BBC Radio Lancashire and North West Tonight), Vanessa Feltz, Terry Wogan, Dermot O'Leary, Chris Evans... the list goes on. (Note: To clarify, at this point I am trying to get a behind-the-scenes role, not a presenter job, but I didn't know where to start).
I figured, the only way I was going to find out which area I wanted to start off in at least, is to get out there and do it! I have lots of experience with hospital, student and community radio but zilch for TV so I started to aim my focus there.
Twitter has been a great help on this front. A lot of people moan about twitter, but, if used correctly, I honestly believe it can be an extremely useful tool. It is where I find out about most job vacancies and get in touch with people who otherwise I may find it hard to contact. (i.e. important people at the BBC). It was on there that I saw a job advertised as a "runner" in a post-production house in Manchester city centre. This role is basically like an assistant to all the people who work there, and your responsibilities include answering the phones, keeping the place clean and making cups of tea and coffee for the staff and guests. With this industry, you have to start at the bottom and work your way up, which I am more than happy to do. So, I went along for an 'informal chat', (which was really an interview) but I didn't feel it was for me. Post-production is when scenes from TV or adverts are edited and special effects are added or any graphics or CGI. Although I am desperate to "get in", I am definitely not a technical person, and couldn't tell you anything about editing software, graphics or technology. My mind is simply not wired that way, I am a creative person! I don't think going to the 'interview' was a waste of time though, it helped me on my way to figuring out where it is I need to be. I think I'll get there by finding out what I don't want to do (or can't do) first, and then by trial and error, I'll end up in my dream job!
So, that experience told me I probably want to focus on production. A few days later, I saw a tweet which said there was some work experience as a runner going at a TV and Film production company in MediaCityUK and that you should send in your CV asap. So, that's exactly what I did. Within half an hour, I had received a reply saying they liked my CV, and asking me if I was available the following week. Obviously I said yes and that's where I have been for the past fortnight.
The company creates adverts for a lot of famous brands such as CSL, Oak Furniture Land, Lambrini, P+O Cruises and many many more. During the past two weeks, I have been helping out with admin work and answering the phones, making cups of tea and running errands, but I have also had the opportunity to assist with a casting process and also go on a shoot down in Bristol and over in Widnes for DW Sports. The days are very long (I get up at 6am, and travel 90 mins each way to get in and back home, and often get home at 8:30pm) but, it's great for my CV.
It's unpaid, but the boss has offered to pay my expenses which is definitely something. I have been told I am a great help, so who knows what will happen? I am still waiting for my placement at Key 103 to be confirmed, and I have also applied for the November/December round of work experience at the Beeb. The application process has changed though, and now you can either apply for TV or Radio... not both. Not knowing which one to go for, I ended up applying for TV. I have some work experience promised to me from an important radio station, but TV is a lot harder to get into or get experience of in my opinion, so if I could get in at work experience level at the BBC, that should help clarify which one I am better suited to.
Working at MediaCity these past two weeks has been an absolute dream. I know I want to work there, I just don't have clear in what capacity! I'll keep on running, as it were, and see what happens. :)
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