UCASAPPLYING FOR MEDIA

RELATED DEGREES

HAYDON SCHOOL MEDIA AND FILM DEPARTMENT

ARTICLES TAKEN FROM THE GUARDIAN NEWSPAPER

WHAT TO DO WITH A DEGREE IN MEDIA STUDIESMedia studies is often dismissed as a non-serious subject, yet its graduates are in demand by many industriesA Mickey Mouse degree, or a means to understanding the cultural significance of Mickey Mouse? Media studies graduates often find themselves embroiled in discussions like this, usually as part of a vigorous defence of their chosen degree.Having only really taken off in the 1970s, media studies is still in its infancy and is often dismissed (ironically, in the media) as a soft option, but try telling that to anyone who has grappled with semiotic or deconstructionist theory as part of their degree.That said, course content can vary dramatically – some theoretical and others more vocational – so career options can depend on exactly what you studied. While it seems traditional print media may be in decline, journalistic and/or production skills in areas such as radio and video are highly valued by media organisations looking for new ways to reach internet audiences. People with bright ideas about how to get messages across to target audiences using new and social media should have no shortage of suitors.

WHAT SKILLS HAVE I GAINED?It goes without saying that as a media studies graduate, you will be expected to have an informed, critical understanding of the media and mass communication.A portfolio and some work experience are both essential to opening doors in the media, and while there may not be too many vacancies around right now, using work experience to impress people close-up can be invaluable. A more vocational course should have given you hands-on experience and training using digital audio/video recording and editing equipment, so you should have a grasp of skills such as filming an interview, recording dialogue, or putting together a written feature.You’ll also be aware of how to use new and social media to your own advantage, be it through blogging activity or by building up a following on Twitter.

WHAT CAREERS CAN I PURSUE?Media studies graduates have a variety of options, says Margaret Holbrough, careers adviser at Graduate Prospects. “Public relations roles are ideally suited to graduates with insight into effec-tive ways to communicate with different audiences,” Holbrough says. “For the more technically savvy, jobs requiring widespread use of multimedia as a means of informing and influencing peo-ple would be of interest.”The advertising and marketing industries both value media studies graduates too, recruiting them into media planning and advertising account management, copywriting and market research. Alternatively, other suitable careers can be found within broadcasting itself, producing or pre-senting perhaps, as media graduate Andy Akinwolere does on Blue Peter, as well as magazine, newspaper and broadcast journalism.

POSTGRADUATE STUDY?Many aspiring journalists take a National Council for the Training of Journalists-accredited course to hone their skills and get a grounding in media law, public administration, writing, filming and shorthand. Postgraduate teaching courses are also popular

WHAT TO DO WITH A DEGREE IN MARKETING

Almost every branch of commerce has a need for marketing graduates, not just advertising firms looking for the next Don DraperOver the years, marketing has evolved from being a module of business studies into the strong individual discipline it is today. Most people know it is about creating brands that people want, and understanding why they want them, and the advertising industry is a common destination for graduates. But before you dream of becoming the modern-day equivalent of Mad Men’s Don Draper, be aware there’s more to it than dreaming up chocoholic drumming gorillas.graduate table In the current competitive economic climate, people with marketing know-how are increasingly important to businesses, helping organisations work out how they can identify and satisfy cus-tomer needs using strategic thinking, business acumen and carefully designed communications.

WHAT SKILLS HAVE I GAINED?As a rule, marketing graduates tend to be commercially and organisationally astute as well as highly numerate. During the course of their degree, students will have developed an essential range of business skills, including:• A talent for clear expression, both oral and written;• The ability to plan in advance and think strategically;• Research, analysis, teamworking and presentation skills;• The ability to think independently.

WHAT CAREERS CAN I PURSUE?“Graduates are creative and forward-thinking, understand the power of media in all its forms, and are skilled communicators and team players,” says Margaret Holbrough, a careers adviser at Graduate Prospects.All of which can lead not only to careers in marketing, but in industries and sectors as diverse as retail, fashion, manufacturing, financial and public services, leisure and tourism, consumer goods, music, electronics and so on.“Public relations, sales, brand management, advertising and general management are all careers where the analytical and problem-solving skills of marketing graduates will be welcomed,” adds Holbrough. Knowledge of international markets may also be of interest to multinational organisa-tions.

POSTGRADUATE STUDY? Master’s courses in marketing tend to fall under the remit of business schools. “They will usu-ally focus on a more theoretical understanding of marketing, things like customer psychology or branding,” says James Healy, postgraduate admissions officer at the University of Exeter Business School. Also worth considering, he says, are management degree courses that include marketing as part of a wider curriculum.The Chartered Institute of Marketing lends its name to a range of well-regarded vocational certifi-cates and diplomas in marketing. All are mapped to government occupational standards.

WHAT TO DO WITH A DEGREE IN FILM STUDIES

The film industry is notoriously competitive, but graduates will have developed a highly trans-ferable range of skillsYou don’t need a film studies degree to be the next Alfred Hitchcock or Quentin Tarantino, but it could put you on the right path.Film studies degrees offer the chance to gain hands-on experience of film-making and also touch on topics such as film history, theory and criticism. Students study everything from Hollywood blockbusters to art house movies, taking in screenwriting, critiquing and directing along the way.Famous graduates include Paul WS Anderson, director of video game adaptation Mortal Kombat. Anderson graduated with a degree in film and literature from Warwick University and is also behind such box-office successes as Resident Evil and Alien vs. Predator.

WHAT SKILLS HAVE YOU GAINED?As well as practical film-making skills such as how to operate a camera and edit footage, you will have developed skills which will make you attractive to employers in a wide variety of fields. These include good research and communication skills, critical thinking, project manage-ment and the ability to organise your time effectively and work to deadlines.

WHAT JOBS CAN YOU DO?Almost 60% of film studies graduates went into full-time employment in 2009. Of those, 12.5% found jobs within the art/design/culture sector and, within the film industry itself, 2.1% be-came directors, 1.2% video/film recorder operators and 1.4% broadcasters. Some 34% found work in retail/catering, perhaps as a temporary measure and an indication of the competitive nature of the industry.The focus of your degree is an important factor, says Margaret Holbrough of Graduate Prospects. “Careers within the film industry are fiercely competitive and opportunities to pursue a techni-cal or practical career will depend on the graduate’s experience and the content of the degree, and whether it focuses more on hands-on film production skills as opposed to the appreciation, analysis and interpretation of films and film genres,” she says.“Within the film, TV and video industries the roles may include film/video/television editor, camera operator, photographer, art director, TV or film producer or production assistant, runner, location/props manager or programme researcher.“In addition, the publishing industry, including printed newspapers, magazines, online publica-tions and websites, may offer opportunities to write about films as a journalist, content man-ager or editor, or to work in film and picture research and archiving.”Some business areas, such as advertising, marketing and communications, may also utilise the creative and analytical abilities of film studies graduates in roles such as art directors, account managers, copywriters and market researchers.Teaching and lecturing are also potential career options and require a postgraduate teaching qualification.

POSTGRADUATE STUDY?Of those who graduated in 2009, 6% went on to study for a higher qualification. There are many masters and postgraduate diploma courses available in film studies, providing an opportunity to specialise in areas such as scriptwriting, directing, producing and final editing. Some jobs require a postgraduate qualification, such as teaching or journalism. There is also the chance to do postgraduate research in film-making.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/academy/

http://www.creativeskillset.org/careers/jobs/

KNOW THE FIELD YOU ARE INTERESTED INPRODUCERSDIRECTORSEDITORS (ONLINE / OFFLINE)COPY WRITER / SCRIPTWRITERDESIGNERPRESENTERRESEARCHERCAMERA PERSONSET CONSTRUCTIONCOSTUME / MAKE UPSPECIAL EFFECTSMARKETINGWEB DESIGNGRAPHIC DESIGNETC, ETC, ETC

USE CREATIVESKILLSET.ORG TO RESEARCH WHAT DIFFERENT MEDIA JOBS

WHAT TO MENTION IN YOUR PERSONAL STATEMENTINTERESTSBe able to discuss what specific media forms and ideas interest you – i.e. are you passionate about world cinema, the films of Tarentino, the power of the media to influence popular opinion, the role of the media in poli-tics, creative marketing strategies, new media publishing

SPECIFIC SKILLSNon linear video editing, image manipulation, page layout and design, photography, cinematography, live editing, lighting, sound recording, graphic design etc, preproduction drafting, storyboarding, scriptwriting

SPECIFIC PROJECTSMagazine design, music video production, live events recording, factual programmes, TV Idents, short film

GENERAL SKILLSCommunication, Research, Planning, Working to a Brief, Production Management, Team Work, Self Motivation, problem solving.

HARDWAREVideo Cameras, SLR Cameras, Photographic Studio, Vision Mixers

SOFTWAREVideo Editing (Premier Pro / Final Cut), Effects Production (After Ef-fects, Motion), DVD Authoring (Encore), DTP (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign), Web Design (Dreamweaver, Flash)

OTHERHow you feel further study will enhance your skills, furute plans,

PERSONAL STATEMENT EXAMPLE 1

I have always had a passion for Media and this has been fuelled further over the past four years that I have been studying this subject, and related subjects, at Haydon School. I enjoy the creativity that comes with the course, along with the vast amount of independence that I am given as this tests my ability to meet deadlines and utilize my time effectively.

Having studied media at GCSE and having carried it through to A level, I would love the opportunity to continue my study of the subject at university as I believe that I can build and apply the skills that I have already acquired, as well as having the prospect of finding a job that I have an extreme passion for. My ideal job would be to work for a high profile magazine publication and as part of my A Level coursework I created my own music magazine entitled ‘RAW’. This project emphasised the importance of targeting an audience and I was also able to apply my linguistic skills whilst familiarising myself with a variety of softwares, including Photoshop and Adobe Premiere.

Additionally, I attended film studies classes at GCSE which were run as an enrichment programme. This illustrates my commitment to the media field as a whole and my willingness to build on my knowledge of the industry. I was able to study both Hollywood and world cinema whilst being taught the importance of production, distribution and exhibition phases of media products.

Along with my A level study of media, I am a keen student of English Language and Philosophy and Ethics. Whilst studying these subjects, I have been able to expand my analytical skills along with my ability to present and argue my point to others.

I have been privileged to gain experience within the media department, through volunteering to direct a series of photo shoots over two curriculum days at my school. I took this opportunity to explore my communication skills alongside my capability to work as a leader within a team. Moreover, I have emphasised my dedication to the sixth form facilities by participating in weekly meetings in which I represent the views of others to senior staff members who view me as a reliable and mature student. This experience makes me an ideal candidate as I am eager to involve myself in all elements of the university as well as being prepared to sacrifice my own time to improving what’s already on offer.

This summer, I travelled to Swaziland and Mozambique in South Africa for a month with a group of 14 other students from my school as part of a ‘World Challenge’ expedition. We spent a week working on a project for a company called ‘All Out Africa’, which involved levelling terrain for the foundations of a classroom, making and laying bricks and integrating myself within the local community. From Swaziland, we travelled over land to Mozambique where we completed a trek up Mt. Binga, which is 2,436 metres above sea level. I am extremely proud of this accomplishment and the trip has opened my eyes to how other people live in different cultures around the world. Overall, the trip forced me out of my comfort zone however I was quickly able to adapt to the challenging situations I was faced with, whilst playing an active role within my team.

Furthermore, I have been introduced to the world of work as I have maintained a job at a local café for over a year where I have a responsible role. The job requires a high level of confidence, along with punctuality and professionalism. However, my job has emphasised the importance of time management and organisation as I have had to keep up with my ongoing studies. Essentially, I have been able to maintain excellent social skills and an ability to interact with a variety of people.

Outside of school I enjoy socialising with friends and I find interest in all aspects of media and fashion. I am a keen social-networker and frequent use of the internet has allowed me to recognise its growing influence over the media and emerging digital media industries.

PERSONAL STATEMENT EXAMPLE 2

Media surrounds our everyday lives. Whether it is a film, television or theatre, the study of media has always fascinated me. There are endless possibilities when it comes to producing and interpreting different forms of media, which I have enjoyed immensely while studying Media at GCSE and A-Level.

The various skills and techniques I have learnt have fuelled my desire to increase my knowledge of Media. I enjoy learning the theoretical aspect of the subject as well as the practical element, and applying the skills I have learnt to various projects is thoroughly exciting. Also interpreting different forms of media text from a postmodern perspective, as well as analyzing semiotics. Furthermore, I find committing to independent research helps to widen my knowledge of various film and television industries, including the UK Film Industry, which I have studied extensively. I am also currently beginning production of my music video, which includes using a variety of software including Premiere and After Effects.

Media is a complex and broad topic, which benefits me in my other subjects. In Psychology I look at the effects of the media on individual behaviour and in English Literature I analyse and interpret poems and books, which further develops my analytical skills I learn in Media. I also take AS Film Studies twilight, which gives me an in-depth look at different film genres and the workings of the British Film Industry. I am also shooting a short film as part of this course, which will boost my practical skills, allowing me to experience all aspects of a media course. I chose to take AS Film Studies as I have a passion to learn more about media.

My experiences with practical work in Media have also deepened my understanding of how to produce a successful piece of work and I continue to be committed to media work outside of lesson time. I took part in a Curriculum Day where I ran a photo shoot for a younger class of students from school with three of my peers. This meant I had huge responsibilities and thus gave me a great example of how to run a practical shoot. These responsibilities included directing the models, taking the images, escorting the models to where they were needed, and transferring the images onto the computer; all whilst making sure they had an exciting and informative experience. This task helped me develop my skills with Photoshop and also exposed me to the importance of time management . The whole experience boosted my confidence and I am excited to take the practical skills I have learnt from school to university.

I completed work experience at The Days Hotel in South Ruislip where I enjoyed undertaking various challenging tasks such as communicating with guests at reception and over the phone. I was also responsible for organising their stay and making sure they felt welcome and had everything they needed. This work experience provided me with the communication skills to work alongside colleagues, and organisational skills to be able to work on my own successfully and ensure all guests were happy with their stay.

Participating in extra-curricular activities such as stage plays and an amateur performing arts group sparked my interest in exploring media further and also illustrates my ability and enthusiasm to work well with others. Also, I have been in various clubs such as Gymnastics and Athletics over the years. In addition, I am also going to partake in backstage production of ‘Guys and Dolls’ this academic year at my school, for which I have just starting preparing. I have also taken part in a Race For Life, which raised vital money and awareness for Cancer Research UK and I plan on participating again next year. These clubs and activities demonstrate my commitment to a variety of projects.

I believe that I will be an excellent student for a Media course at your university, as my enthusiasm, skills and passion will allow me to achieve success in this subject. I’m genuinely eager to immerse myself and engage fully in university life. I feel that my goals of working in the media industry will be heavily supported and encouraged by university study, and will drive my ambition even further.

PERSONAL STATEMENT EXAMPLE 3

My fascination in the subject of Media began with the realisation of its power to sway the public’s opinion on anything and everything. Whether one is social-networking or just flicking through a magazine, opinions and values are subconsciously modified by the media.

As the daughter of a Film & TV Cameraman and the sister of a Film Editor, I was brought up to observe how the media influences people from a producer’s perspective, rather than as a member of the receiving audience. As a young adult, It was no surprise to find myself incredibly eager to learn more about the simply inescapable and often dangerously powerful subject that is Media. It’s communication with society never fails to amaze me; the fierce impact it has on civilisation is ever-growing.

Predictably, studying Media at both GCSE and A level has hugely contributed towards my passion for this subject, enabling me to recognise the way the industry is dominated by the ideologies of a product’s target audience. Furthermore, my desire to learn to use programmes such as Adobe Photoshop, Premier Pro and After Effects has been satisfied.

My persistence to gather more knowledge on this topic led me to volunteer to help produce and star in many students’ short films, music videos, magazines and adverts; I found that I enjoyed working and communicating within a team. Additionally, I chose to spend my two hours of Community Leadership assisting the Media Department, working on the creation of presentations, videos and researching information for class discussions. This broadened my knowledge on events within the industry and perfected my production skills in areas such as scriptwriting and filming short documentaries.

Nominated as one of the top four best Media students in my school due to my AS grade being the 2nd best in my year led to opportunities of involvement in many projects; utilising my creative skills to produce a prospectus video about my school, which is currently being featured on the Haydon School website. I also assisted in the creation of the Leaving Assembly video that will be shown to all year 13’s at the end of the school year. This enabled me to work as a unity with other media students and use my own innovative visions to produce a meaningful video.

Continuing to explore my enthusiasm for this topic, I undertook an extra GCSE and AS level in Film Studies. This helped me to explore the film industry in greater depth, experimenting with my own production abilities on a short film and film magazine.

English Language significantly contributed to my interest in Media, as I was able to combine my imagination and analytical skills to linguistics, revealing my natural ability to write effortlessly. It exposed my confidence and infatuation for writing; the mention of an essay was never a daunting prospect.

Theatre Studies also provided me with a self–assurance to think efficiently about how to handle any social situation. It has taught me to be self-confident, regardless of the quantity of people overlooking any tasks I carry out.

Outside of my academic studies, I am a member of an acting agency called Jam 2000. From this, I’ve worked with companies such as Tiger Aspect Productions and Bwark Productions, taking part in the comedy sketch “Bad Education” for BBC3 and Channel 4’s “Drifters” in 2012. Throughout these shoots however, I found myself more interested in what was happening behind the camera, rather than in front of it.

I strive for opportunities to expand my knowledge on the media industry as a whole. I recently visited a Media arts festival in Manchester called “Why Not?” Watching the inspiring short films that were exhibited increased my determination to study Media at a degree level. A trip to the London BBC studios also had a significant impact on my career aspirations. The Television and New studios, Green screens and the general environment of a working media centre fuelled my ambition to make my life’s career in a similar environment.

PERSONAL STATEMENT EXAMPLE 4

Philo Farnsworth worked on a farm in Idaho in 1921 where he made the realisation that an electron beam could scan a picture in horizontal lines and reproduce an image almostinstantaneously, a groundbreaking enlightenment provoked entirely from mowing the lawn. Thiswas just the start. Our Media industry today is now one of the most influential and powerful tools for theconstruction of message, meaning and ideology.I would love to continue studying Media, more specifically, Television production. A huge part of my life is working fluidly with a team or solidly individually, role-playing in many different areas both low and high status in order to grasp what these tasks entail in the real world, developing physical and communication skills including liaison, compromise and persuasion. I have many achievements that have commended me for excellence; one of these was a young achievers award from Hillingdon council back in 2009 for acting performances. I was awarded a LAFTA award for a short film from the British Film Institute for discussing the importance of languages. I have produced a 1 hour live vision mix for a professional theatre company, recording and selling one of their productions. I have created an advertisement campaign poster for the same company to attract customers to a show. In a two year television and film BTEC I have developed in areas such as computer animation, digital media, film production, photography, editing, camerawork, project management and television production. Some of my work projects entailed making a soap opera, Ident, documentary and music video which all were awarded the highest grade.I have recently started up a Media workshop for young children; this is a weekly class that I organise to teach basic practical foundation skills of Media to get younger people engaged at school, to have fun and learn whilst being involved in a social extra curriculum.I recently starred in a play at the Edinburgh festival in which was credited a 4 star review. A trip that involved a young team of thespians adapting to a new lifestyle and embracing an art culture. I arose to the challenge of time management, organising activity itineraries around the town and keeping a positive demeanour.I enjoy the journey of discovering and mastering new professional technology. As in the past this is done very quickly and to an advance level where skill and ability is no longer a hindrance to innovative and creative ideas. A concept that has driven and challenged me in media is that “Everything commercially broadcasted in media is there for a reason”, I desire to traverse into this point, discovering if this is true and how to utilise this to an efficient way of learning and producing.The broad field of Television forces me to do frequent research into new trends, news and techniques incorporated into worldwide production. I understand that one has to be malleable and dedicated to the subject to evolve simultaneously. Alongside the aspects of practical media there is a great world of theory. Personally I have had in depth studies into film genre, more specifically post modernity; here I discovered and passionately explored the world of theorists. I believe that university is the perfect nurturing environment, where a community of alike talented and enthusiastic students can perfect their art. Self motivated and impelled for accomplishment I excel in everything I do, Media, pure law studies, English language analysis and Film studies. I enjoy acting, athletics and run an approachable task force in my local media department for promotional videos. I study and am very perceptive of time, whether it is the past where I read into Greek literature and mythology, the present, where I live the new golden age of prosperity or the future with a fascination for development and science. I have huge passion and a thirst for knowledge.I am Inquisitive, diligent, prolific and a well rounded individual with flare and charisma.

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