Entering and working in the media industries

Overview

Four kinds of role in a media production, above the line and below the line and training scheme or an apprenticeship for, in this context.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

1. 1

   Name four kinds of role in a media production.

   Model answer

   Creative roles such as writing and directing, technical roles such as camera and editing, production roles such as scheduling and budgeting, and commercial roles such as sales and marketing.

2. 2

   What is meant by above the line and below the line?

   Model answer

   Above the line covers the individually negotiated creative roles, while below the line covers the crew and technical costs budgeted as a whole.

3. 3

   Why is much media work freelance?

   Model answer

   Productions are temporary, so crew are hired for a project and released at the end of it.

4. 4

   Give one consequence of freelance working for the individual.

   Model answer

   Income is irregular and unpaid gaps between projects have to be absorbed, which requires savings or support.

5. 5

   Give one further barrier to entry beyond money.

   Model answer

   Much recruitment is by personal contact and recommendation, so those without existing connections do not hear of the work.

6. 6

   Why does the composition of the workforce matter to the products?

   Model answer

   What the people making the decisions take for granted becomes what the products take for granted, so a narrow workforce produces a narrow output.

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