Dream BIG In Children's TV 2024

***NOW OPEN FOR APPLICATIONS***

New Entrant Programmes

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LOOKING TO KICK START YOUR CAREER IN CHILDREN’S TV or ANIMATION?

Your chance to get your foot in the door in Children's TV and Animation! Work for some of the best companies in the country across scripted, unscripted and animation!!

Alongside your paid role, you will receive training and support from thinkBIGGER!

• Scheme start date: September 2024

NB: You don't need to be based in the city of the production company you are applying for, but you do need to be willing to relocate.

We particularly encourage deaf and disabled applicants and those from an ethnic minority background as part of our drive to promote diversity in the television industry.

If you have any access requirements or require an alternative format please contact application@thinkbigger.uk.com

This programme is supported by the Children's TV Skills Fund, the Animation Skills Fund and the Adobe Foundation.

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WHAT ROLES ARE ON OFFER?

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Wondering what role might suit you?

• What is a production co-ordinator?

  Production co-ordinators are part of the production management team who look after the logistics of making TV – this includes budgets, transport, schedules and health and safety.

  Production co-ordinators work to Production Managers, but will also work very closely with editorial staff (producers, assistant producers, researchers) to facilitate filming requirements.

  A production co-ordinator will book travel and hotels for crew and contributors, organise crew visas and filming locations. They will be looking after paperwork for production, such as release forms, and compiling a call sheet - a document issued for all filming shoots containing contact details, locations and schedules.

  Transferable skills:

  • Organisational – do you love to create a holiday schedule or planning events or a wedding? A co-ordinator keeps a team organised!
  • Finance – Have you worked in a bank? Looked after a university committee's budget? Worked in retail? Production management are in charge of budgets and as a co-ordinator you’ll be working with invoices and cost monitors.
  • Problem solving - Unfortunately, as organised as we try to be, a TV shoot may not always go to plan. So we are looking for people who can think on their feet and find a train to replace that flight that was just cancelled.
• What is a researcher?

  Researchers are part of the editorial team who are responsible for the creative content of TV making. They will typically work as part of the team with possibly an Assistant Producer and Producer.

  Researchers tasks will vary depending on the genre of programme making it a really exciting job role. If you are working within casting you would be spending a lot of time on the phone looking for people to take part in programmes, conducting background checks and looking after participants during filming. As the title suggests, the job involves researching content for the show – speaking to experts, reading studies and books and compiling briefs with facts.

  More experienced researchers can go on to specialise in different areas such as casting, archive, development or question writing for game shows.

  Transferable skills:

  • Creativity - are you a Tik-Toker? Do you create content for social media? Make short films? Have your own YouTube channel?Communication - Have you worked in retail, customer service or hospitality? As a researcher you will be working with a range of contributors in the same way you would with a customer - being personable and dealing with any problems!
  • Writing - Have you written a blog, dissertation or a persuasive letter to your local MP? This will help when writing briefs, biogs and pitch documents.
  • Problem solving - TV is fast paced and can be unpredictable so being quick thinking helps. Have you organised a big event or started a podcast or other content where there were a lot of hurdles? Managed to shoot a film in lockdown?
  • Organised - Keeping organised notes and planning shoots are some of the daily tasks you’ll undertake as a researcher. If you’ve planned a day trip with friends or taken notes during a lecture then these skills will keep you organised in TV!

STILL NOT SURE?

You can take this ScreenSkills quiz to find out what role might suit you based on your existing skills.

ScreenSkills also has a wealth of resources on Starting Your Career in the screen industry, including Job Profiles and Career Maps.

READY TO APPLY?

Read our blog on top tips for applying to training schemes.