By: Fabiola Grosshan
Submitted: 2010-05-21 05:54:00 | Word Count: 511
With over two million Brits working in the UK creative industries such as on demand TV and Internet streaming video, the entertainment industry in the United Kingdom is one of the fastest growing industries. With new and improved ways of reaching audiences, making sales, and distributing products and services that replace the old methods, the creative industry has been able to steadily grow at almost twice the rate of the economy. In fact, many experts predict that this particular industry will continue to grow by around ten percents each year, greatly increasing the number of employment opportunities.
You can also work in the creative industries without necessarily being creative and an originator of creative material. The industry offers jobs in production management, intellectual property law, media finance, marketing and corporate strategies, broadcast operations, studio and location management.
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However the creative skills and in particular script writing is the cornerstone of television and film production. Script writing, from the point of conception through to the realisation of the final work, forms the spine, structure and design of the final play, film or TV production.
All production ideas, decisions and executions emanate from script writing, giving the scriptwriter huge influence in the creative and production process. Hence understanding the production and commercial side of the screen industry is essential for the any career success of a screenwriter or film producer.
Working as a screenwriter or film producer requires a set of transferable and wide-ranging skills beyond just script writing. Here are a list of subjects / topics which should be taught as part of a film makers’ education:
1. How to tell a story
2. How to construct a narrative
3. Characterisation and character function definition
4. Dramatic construction and adaptation of material into dramatic form
5. Understanding of the screen as a visual medium
6. Howe to build audience empathy
7. Understand film genre
8. Psychology within script and stories
9. Learn about structure and mechanics of the screen industry
10. How to judge story ideas
11. How to convert ideas into screen productions
12. Film budgeting
13. Script marketing
14. Understand legal issues in filmmaking
15. Lear how to handle writers, directors, actors and agents
Considering a career in any creative industry, you should also have presentation skills and develop the ability and confidence to present material in a convincing, professional manner. This is required at all levels, whether you write scripts or you make film.
Today's creative world is built around the use and exploitation of media technology. You should have a basic knowledge in video filming, digital sound recording, audio, video and picture editing software. It also helps to have hands-on experience in all aspects of media production and creative activities such as camera operation, sound recording, lighting and editing.
In summary, there is a lot to learn about film making and the media industry. Whether you want to be a scrip writer, film producer or work in film production, make sure you pick the best film school to get your education.
