Working Within The Creative Media Industry

Computer games, Film and advertising are just a few sectors within the media industry. Film obviously produces movies, which in its self provides a lot of sectors within in it. Big budget films are released into cinemas for the public and is where the most money is made; the average movie released to cinemas profits over £100 million. The film industry provides a lot of jobs from the director to the gaffer which can be seen on the credits of a movie, but it is strongly linked to the marketing, visual effects and advertising. Each role is essential to the finished product and all interlinked. A film wouldn’t be as successful as it is if it wasn’t for the advertisement of the movie which is done by the advertising industry.

Advertisement is not only for film, but for any product or service, and can be done through any media platform such as TV or a social media site. A film company will hire an advertising company or create its own advertisement team so their full focus is on the advertisement. Because of this sector being a key role in the industry the two teams or companies will often create a strong relationship to work on further projects in the future relying on one-another. Computer games is another industry which is closely linked with film and advertising. The processes with the computer games industry are similar to film, such as computer games and film are both advertised in the same way depending on the targeted audience. The gaming industry is the fasted growing industry worldwide worth $108. 9 billion in 2017. This is currently because of the vast development in technology used within the industry and the products being produced. An example of the game industry developing is the introduction of the VR, standing for Virtual Reality.

The introduction of VR changed the gaming industry forever as this can be manipulated so it works with movies in the future. In every industry within media, all recruit people in a similar way. Each role plays an essential part within the final product; for example a cinematographer oversees and directs the camerawork in the production, meaning that the lighting team and sound team are depending on them to do their role in able to do theirs. This is a very basic example but gives an idea of how each role depends on another. In the film industry just over half of people working in film are freelance, meaning that they are self-employed and hired to work for a company on an assignment. Most film businesses had low numbers of employees; with an average of 10 or less at the workplace. 15% of the total UK workforce were self-employed on 2015, meaning that the worker is working for themselves as a freelance or the owner of a business instead of an employer. A company working on a film will employ them in a role for the production which will be agreed with contracts on things like the time scale and pay etc. This is a professional way of carrying out recruitment as the contract are needed for people to legally work.

The contracts and legal requirements change between each role but all need it to keep the production legal, professional as well as have proof. A contract is a document that states the legal acceptance of a business agreement. When someone works for a company they must sign a contract that they both agree on; in the film industry there is 2 contractual obligations, which are exclusivity and confidentiality. In the film production, contracts such as the Life Rights, Writer Agreement and The Production Entity are all used to enforce and confirm both the parties’ agreements. Other industry’s such as games have similar contracts as well as all the other as they are essential to confidentiality and employees rights. Professional behaviour in media industries is a form of etiquette in the workplace; this is linked primarily to respectful and courteous conduct. Simplified: professional behaviour is being conscious of how you act and treat people and ensuring a positive attitude that helps improve productivity and effectiveness in the workplace. An example of professional behaviour in the film production is being calm, compassionate, and helpful demeanour towards a co-worker; this is encouraged in every working environment including the media industry such as film, games, etc. A link that is often made to professional behaviour is producing work at a professional standard. Many people say that the to are inked but are both very different subjects.

Overall, each of these sectors are linked in some way; most are linked by marketing and advertisement. But changes in technology in one sector can still seriously affect the others. Concluding, that each sector is rapidly growing and developing in its own way, but all interact with one another forever moving forward. Overview of the film sector Major Players: The major players in the film industry consists of Warner Bros, 20th Century Fox, and Universal Picture etc. These companies are examples of what makes films possible; they are seen as competitors but each are well established by creating their own big budget movies then leading onto franchises How the Industry’s financed:

Strategic Product Placement – This is when a product or service is advertised through the movie. The product is placed within the movie to advertise it but so it is implemented in. It’s successful when it isn’t over-the-top and is blended seamlessly into the movie. The companies can offer products or services as well as obviously pay fees to be in the movie.

The BFI - The BFI fund invest money in film development and production. The funding covers scripts, project and slate development and feature film, television and digital content. It has invested over £26million of lottery funds per year to support film.

Legal and Ethical Considerations

Ethical Considerations – The ethical standards are that you don’t want to upset, or anger people in the film and animation. Ethical issues in animation or film:

• Intellectual property – Is the result of creativity such as patens or copyrights etc.
• Nondisclosure – Failure to show or disclose information.
• Business ethics – (Known as corporate ethics) revise the morals or ethical problems that can acer in the work environment.

These are all things that have to be taken into consideration for workers in film and animation, with things like respect towards other employees and insure that workers or anyone uses others ideas in their work. Animation and film companies need to have tight security in productions, this involves work such as storylines, and other materials that belong to the company. They need to have full confidence that the company is comfortable with its own workers.

Legal Considerations – The legal consideration are dominantly things to do with copyrighted material and rights for employers and employees as well as health and safety.

Rights of the Employer and Employees – Employers must provide a health and safety standard in the work place for the employees. If an employee makes a claim the company have a current employer’s liability insurance policy, which applies to the current law. This is basically to protect employees in the work place.

Health and Safety – Employers must have health and safety in the workplace to ensure the health, safety and welfare of the employees. This does also apply to people that aren’t employees but are within the premises of the workplace.

Copyright, intellectual properties and trademark – Copyrights protects and stops others from stealing your idea or content and portraying it as their own. If you create and IP, you can sell it to a company; but you then lose the right to that as they have the rights to it.

Contracts of employment – A contract is a document that states the legal acceptance of a business agreement. When someone works for a company they must sign a contract that they both agree on; in the film industry there is 2 contractual obligations, which are exclusivity and confidentiality.

• Employees – Employees are employed under a contract of employment. They don’t have much of a choice of how they carry out their work but have the widest range of employment rights. Employees must be taxed under Schedule E meaning their tax is a deducted source via payroll. Employer national insurance contribution is payable and therefore should be included within the budget at the outset of a production. Employees can generally be employed across all grades although it’s not normal for heads of a department to be an employee. But status is ultimately determined by an employment tribunal and the actual relationship between the individuals. The contracts included within employment and recruitment are used across all media industries; although each industry will have a lot more contracts and conditions that come with the job role. These include subjects such as, working hours, equipment and availability etc.
• Freelancers – Freelancers are engaged under a contract to provide services and are linked with being self-employed. However they also have the name of a worker meaning that they have rights to things like the minimum wage and employment rights. In a production context, they are typically people who are working in one job title included in the HMRC list in film, TV and production guidance notes. There are many more contracts associated with the media industries such as; entitlement and pay, UK working time regulations, employment of children etc. These span across all industries and need to be taken into consideration when working and recruitment.

Employment Opportunities

Most employers in the film industry are looking for experience rather than qualifications. Obviously have the basic qualifications still matters but if someone has a lot of experience in a say ‘camera work’, an employer will value that a lot more because they know what it’s like in the work place and the equipment. To get started in the film industry there are multiple paths to take. Most people looking to get into the production aspect may good to college studying in a media related course which will the give them the kick starter to then move on to an apprenticeship or university course. After moving on to the higher education is when then people can start to find work in the area they want; but to get started they need to find the area they and to work in and then gather the skills they need to, to further them-selves. Actual employment itself is harder than it seems. There is the option to look for work though opening advertised that you can then apply for online; these tend to be on Indeed and Prospects etc. But these are hard to get as a job from as these are overly crowed and have a lot of variables to them. Another is to become an apprentice which can sometimes get you a job at the end of it or gives you the experience the employers are hoping for.

Management Structure

A film production is a complicated system, each role in the production has another ether telling them information as well as them telling other in the team roles. The chart gives a clear view of the roles that are involved with the production team; but it also give a clear view of the controlling personnel’s. Such as the Producers and Head of department and the director of photography. The controlling personnel’s overlook other roles that are below them in the chart, such as the director of photography (DOP) overlooks the assistant camera, the gaffer, focus puller etc. This means if the gaffer has a problem they ask the DOP but if it is that serous then the can go straight to the head of department but mainly the DOP. This is just a way of laying out how the production team is organised to keep it organised and filtered.

Creative Structure

The structure of the creation of a film is very long and complicated with a lot of layers. Its starts with the idea, which is then developed and converted into a storyboard and script. Then the production can take place but there is a lot of behind the scenes work done first like; designing the costumes, locations including roles such as a cinematographer, gaffer and producer, and a long list of other things that are decided in order to produce the film. The content is then edited, possibly adding special affect and cutting down all the extra. This is an extremely basic way of explaining how the development and production of a film goes.

Technical Structure

Most of the decision making is made by the producer or at least overlooked by it. The producer is normally employed by a production company or work independently; they oversee selecting scripts, coordination writing, directing, editing and arranging financing etc. Maintaining and being associated with things like cameras and lighting equipment is down to roles such as camera and lighting operators.

Administration Structure

The production administrator in a film production supports all the production and artistic operation functions. These include the logistics, contracts and association with runners and studio assistants. The administrator basically helps everyone in the whole production and overlooks the project meaning they have an essential role in the making of a movie.

Distribution Structure

The distribution of roles such as marketing all the way to the lighting team are all decided by the producers and directors. The roles all have part to play in the making of the production and it is shared out depending on the job. The marketing of the product is done by a marketing team but is all overseen but the producers.

Industry Case Studies

The Structure of a media sector: The industry can be broken down into different parts and other sectors. The main three are production, distribution, exhibition. This is the life of a film from the core production of it including the filming and editing to the distribution of the film into cinemas. Others include development, facilities and export. The major leaders in the sector are Warner Bros, Walt Disney and DreamWorks etc. These millionaire dollar companies produce these large blockbuster movies, as they have the large amounts of money the fund and invest.

There are hundreds of job role within the film industry and sector connected within it. For example, there is the cinematographer who overlooks roles such as the lighting and gaffer when producing and filming. Others are Director, Assistant Direct, Boom, Casting Director, Production Manager, and the list goes on. These are just a few examples of the career opportunities within film production without touching on other parts of it like the development and exporting. How are people employed in the sector?

In 2015 66, 000 people were working across the industry’s three main sectors. Just over 70% of those involved in the production. Employment is concentrated in areas such as London and the South East of England. Just over half of people working in film are freelance meaning that they are self-employed and hired to work for a company on an assignment. Most film businesses had low numbers of employees; with an average of 10 or less at the workplace. 15% of the total UK workforce were self-employed on 2015 meaning that the worker is working for themselves as a freelance or the owner of a business instead of an employer. Bradford Young did an interview where he said about what young cinematographers should do to become one and get established in the industry. His advice was to remember where you came from and recognise your own style. What I took away from this is that he wants people to not try and recreate was the top cinematographer are doing and try you’re on way of do it and you’re own style; obviously you can take inspiration from their work but don’t try and recreate because you won’t successes though that.

How do people find employment in the sector?

Employers are more interested in your technical skills and practical than academic qualifications. Many camera operators take a college or university route to develop camera skills before looking for employment. Most find a course that offers practical experience and possibly work placement. These involve activities such as:

• Community Film Projects
• Working for a camera equipment hire company
• Finding work experience such as a runner or camera assistant.

Most are find work though agencies or online profiles. As a company or production will look for experience rather than issues, unsatisfied customers etc. These are the most common legal issues faced within the workplace and will also be encountered within the film industry as well.

Copyright law: The copyright law protects the “original works of authorship, ” fixed in a tangible medium. This includes literary, dramatic, musical, artistic, and other intellectual works. This means that a movie company can get the copyrights to a movie idea and when it’s been produced; meaning anyone that tries to copy their work or uses their work as their own are stopped. An example of this is the song Better Now by Post Malone is own by his ‘label or company’. If his music is then used within a YouTube video without permission it will be taken down and then legal action can be taken.

Ethical considerations

This is a problem or situation that requires someone or organization to choose between alternatives that must be evaluated as ethically or unethical. These are just two examples of the legal and ethical considerations that are used within a films production. There are a lot more as there are more added with every stage of a film production: pre-production, production and post.

Impact of legal and ethical issues on employment

Ethical considerations mostly affect employment in a positive way, it makes employees and employers must think about their actions and how it will affect the co-works, to deal with a situation. If an employee has some ethical issues and think its wrong, they can speak to their manger or co-worker to resolve the issue. In an interview with Bradford Young he discusses the relationship between the cinematographer and Director and how much trust does into each role and what I took away from that is people taking advantage of the role, or status and using that the morally hurt someone. When a company employs someone they must not discriminate, meaning a company can’t hire someone or not depending on their raise, religion, age etc. This is an ethical and legal matter which ever employer must follow. Legal issues when someone is employed is that there are a lot of laws and rights that the future employee will have; such as data protection stopping the employer from sharing the employee’s personal data, and the list goes on. The law issues when recruiting someone is mainly to protect the candidate and maintain a fair way of getting the role.