Organisation Opportunities

Organisation Opportunities

This extended format piece of writing is going to be based on a lesson I had with Mel, one of my tutors. This lesson was based on a range of organisations and how they say they can help benefit an upcoming filmmaker, like myself.

We started out having to make a PowerPoint, I worked with Kylan, and we had to make a PowerPoint on the film festival called DepicT, so that is where I will start. For this slideshow, I researched what Depict do, and examples of people who have found success from this festival.

DepicT - Bristol

DepicT is the Watershed’s international short film competition, located in the city of Bristol. DepicT has been around for over 20 years, their name to fame is their the 90-second short film competition, accessible by anyone that meets the current brief on the DepicT website. The main focus for this challenge, they say on their website is to unearth imaginative international filmmaking talent. They work with a range of partners such as the Watershed and Encounters Film Festival and are sponsored by businesses such as the National Lottery, IMBD, Channel 4, Aardman, Shooting People and many more. They are also promoted by the filming hire store Films@59, ICO and the British council.

I believe this festival could be for me, as an upcoming filmmaker, as I show passion and quality in my projects, I know enough people to be able to form a crew and create a 90-second film, in return, my name could get out there in the industry, however, back to reality. DepicT is appetising to me, as if I ever wanted to make a short film, this could be a possible opportunity for me in the future.

Depict Film Festival could definitely benefit me as a young filmmaker, as I had previously stated it could be an opportunity to be noticed for my content, not someone else’s I have worked on, for example as a DOP. Ultimately taking on the DepicT film festival could lead onto endless future possibilities for myself, looking at DepicT’s website they show how many people have managed to get into the media business through the DepicT film festival.

Screenology - Bristol

Screenology is a filmmaking University located in the city of Bristol, however unlike conventional filmmaking courses, at Screenology their “motto” is to, and I quote “film, film, film”. Only having been around for less than ten years, Screenology is a relatively new campus in Bristol. However, it Is soaring in popularity, as their approach to practical work before theory, is incredibly appealing. The course at Screenology is a fixed three years and is also full time; this means five days a week, every week.

The opportunities Screenology offers, or the ones that I heard when I went for an open day. They say that each student will be working on over 40 films in their first year. To me this sounds like a whole load of stress, when you hear it like that, however, I do know some people who study at Screenology. Jake Mason is a student there, I’ve worked for him as a camera operator for a few shoots now, and I can confirm that the students are always working on films, all of the time. This sounds interesting, as I also found out from Jake, you can also work on your long-term projects at the same time, so that it could be months writing a script, then find a crew and shoot your film, this is very much what Screenology is about.

Screenology is relevant to me as it seems like a credible next steppingstone, because after college I can gain a few more years of production experience and networking, I also quite like the aspect of working on many films, my skills as a DOP will most definitely improve. I will also gain experience with all sorts of cameras. This will be useful because, if I want to apply for a DOP role or just a camera operator, I will need to have knowledge and experience for most cameras. I know that Screenology uses Sony A7’s which I have already used quite a bit Canon C100’s and 200’s which I have little to no experience with and a Blackmagic pocket 4K camera, which uses the same lens’s as my GH4! (Micro Four Thirds).

So how could Screenology benefit me? Well, I know Jake Mason, has explained me and keeps telling me that Screenology is fantastic for networking and finding work experience. He has even found himself as an assistant producer for a major film with a big budget! Which is crazy when you think of it. This is apparently what Screenology can help students achieve in the filming and lectures, to be ready to go out into the real world and find a job in the media, so this is how I think Screenology could benefit me. I feel as if I could make many more films, gain experience working as a team and behind a camera, but most importantly make new contacts, so when I leave, hopefully I will be more employable than I would straight after I finish college.

Calling the Shots – Bristol

Calling the Shots is a Bristol-based production company that aims to “engage new audiences and create new talent”. The business was founded in 1998, so it is over 20 years old now, they are also well known for their innovative projects, effective management as well as professional production. They have worked with Channel 4, and Honda UK to make films, so they have some very good clients. However, they mainly focus on short documentaries and client work for local businesses around Bristol. They also make films inhouse for their workers which then may get entered into Encounters Film Festival even in Bristol.

In Bristol, “Calling the Shots” have in house editing suites, their own cameras, which include Canon C100’s 200’s Sony A7’s and 9’s as well as a red camera with the weapon 8K sensor, this gear sounds incredible for a reasonable small production company, as well as the cameras they also process their sound and lighting equipment.

Working at a production company is a dream of mine as it would allow me to gain practical experience, this could also help me in other departments, like lighting and sound, rounding my experience further to maybe, one day becoming a director of photography.

“Calling the Shots” is a relevant career for me, as they are an efficient company offering a broad range of ways to get into this sector of business. I have found on their website that they have an apprenticeship option, which could be an option for me, however, if I were to choose this, I would apply for a job there straight after college as a runner and work my way up through the business. Although the first year would be a long one! hopefully, I could show my skills and be able to operate camera B on shoots, then maybe one day Camera A.

Working for “Calling the Shots” could be an elevator to success for me, if I managed to get a place working for them, I could experiment with all sorts of production activities, mix with and network with clients and other filmmakers, look for other job opportunities as they come up, as I know in media and television people are continually shifting jobs for one reason or another, but for me I think to work at “Calling the Shots” could definitely benefit my practical skills and networking. Who knows what it could lead onto.

Conclusion

Overall, from writing up about all three completely different possible options to take on after college, I have realised how much potential there is to get into the media sector after college, it just seems all hidden away, however, when you unearth it all, for example looking at “Calling the Shots”, a production company that hires Students from the range 16-30, you get paid to work there to practically gain experience. Screenology is another option I have been personally investigating for some time; however, I do feel as if another three years of fixed education could be too much for me. Networking is the only thing I believe I could benefit from here. I do not think I would improve as much as they promise. Then finally DepicT film festival, I have always wanted to make a short quality production, however, I have never succeeded at it, I seem better at producing long content, like documentaries or music videos, I just find, as a camera operator, there is not enough time to create shots that I am proud of in a short film, without sacrificing the story.

This research has taught me that there are genuinely many options to take on after college. For me as a filmmaker, I believe Screenology would be my second option after the hunt for a job in television, where I will apply for several positions and then evaluate what opportunity I think is best suited for myself and my future.