How to get into the broadcast industry

The broadcast industry is arguably one of the most popular industries to work in, making it notoriously difficult to break into

The broadcast industry employs over 50,000 people in the UK and is arguably one of the most popular industries to work in, making it notoriously difficult to break into. But the glamorous end product we see on TV can only come into being thanks to the crew and technicians working hard behind the scenes. And with the ever-growing demand for content on more and more channels, there will always be demand for the expertise that makes it happen.

Here, John Brennan, MD of Procam TV, the UK’s largest broadcast hire facility shares his top tips for breaking into one of the UK’s most competitive industries.

1. Be proactive If you love a particular production company or channel, don’t just wait for your dream job to become available on their website - take the initiative. Send them an email explaining what you love about them, your interests and why you would love to work for them. This way you will already be on their radar when an opportunity becomes available and you will be a step ahead of the rest.

2. Start small Whether you are still studying or planning a change of career, without relevant experience this competitive industry becomes even more difficult to break into. To build up your CV you might have to start at the bottom as a runner or junior researcher and work your way up the ladder to your dream role. You don’t need a university degree to join at a junior level and within 5 years you could progress to filming on shows such as Made in Chelsea.

3. Be passionate Anyone can say that they’re passionate about the industry but to really stand out from the crowd you need to have concrete evidence on your CV. Take every opportunity to immerse yourself in film-making; you can do this by creating short films or videos, and also applying for work experience at local companies. Videos can even be produced on a cheap camera so that you have a short ‘showreel’ to present to potential employers – this will give them an idea of your skills, imagination and eagerness to learn more. Posting your content online can make it easier to discover and it is an easy way to share your work with companies and millions of people around the world.

4. Be determined I would encourage anybody to get into the broadcast industry - It is tough with long, anti-social hours but the rewards far outweigh the negatives. . My career has allowed me to meet such a variety of different people and go to places few people would ever experience – especially as part of their profession.

Procam TV has been providing crew and camera equipment to some of the major broadcasters, production houses and blue chip organisations throughout the UK and internationally since 1991. ‘Team Procam’ is the ‘hidden’ talent behind the scenes of some of the UK’s most-watched programmes today, including Made in Chelsea, Dynamo and Derren Brown.

Discover more at www.procam.tv