TV Tips 04.09.10
Contacts
The saying goes, it’s not what you know, it’s who you know. Well it’s both in TV - but who you know is particularly important. Personal contacts can help you get your first job. And they can help you get better jobs after that. So how do you make contacts? Well the first challenge is finding them…
Sourcing Contacts: Five Top Tips
1. Be Alert Contacts are all around you. If you’re a student and have any sense you’ll be heavily involved in a University TV Society, hospital radio station or student paper. It’s likely one of your peers has been able to secure some work experience. Ask your contact for their contact. But make sure you repay the favour at a later stage – it’s all about keeping your sources sweet!
2. Ask around. Normally someone you know knows someone, if you know what I mean. Your mum’s hairdresser’s cousin’s friend is a potential contact - if they work in TV. So is someone in TV who went to your college, university or school at some point in the last fifty years.
3. Watch the credits on the programmes you like. Keep an eye out for the following people; the producer, the series producer and the production manager. These are potential contacts, but you need to watch out for the name of the company at the end of the credits so you can track them down using tip 4.
4. Use the internet All the major TV programme making companies have easy to find websites. The potential contacts from tip number 3 may be on there. The website will also probably have a recruitment or work experience email address on the home page. Send in your CV - just don’t hold your breath waiting for an answer!
5. Read trade papers and magazines like “Broadcast”. The articles will feature the key players in the industry. There will also be stories about companies which have just got programme commissions and may need staff. Once you have names and companies you have all the info you need. It’s email time!
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