Ask a 1st year Film Production student anything!
Hi guys,
I'm currently a first year Digital Film Production student at Ravensbourne University in North Greenwich, London. When I was applying for University I didn't really find a lot of help for Film and Media students when writing their personal statements and preparing interview stuffs... So, I'm trying to put a bit of help out there!
I'm currently a first year Digital Film Production student at Ravensbourne University in North Greenwich, London. When I was applying for University I didn't really find a lot of help for Film and Media students when writing their personal statements and preparing interview stuffs... So, I'm trying to put a bit of help out there!
(edited 9 years ago)
Ben,
Neither your University, nor any other which offers similar courses, has an employment rate of 96% in Film Production. That simply does not happen. If that is what they are telling you, they need to stop spreading disinformation like this as it is likely to mislead young people who are thinking of taking up a career in Film/TV that their employment prospects are much much higher than they actually are!
Neither your University, nor any other which offers similar courses, has an employment rate of 96% in Film Production. That simply does not happen. If that is what they are telling you, they need to stop spreading disinformation like this as it is likely to mislead young people who are thinking of taking up a career in Film/TV that their employment prospects are much much higher than they actually are!
Original post by TV man
Ben,
Neither your University, nor any other which offers similar courses, has an employment rate of 96% in Film Production. That simply does not happen. If that is what they are telling you, they need to stop spreading disinformation like this as it is likely to mislead young people who are thinking of taking up a career in Film/TV that their employment prospects are much much higher than they actually are!
Neither your University, nor any other which offers similar courses, has an employment rate of 96% in Film Production. That simply does not happen. If that is what they are telling you, they need to stop spreading disinformation like this as it is likely to mislead young people who are thinking of taking up a career in Film/TV that their employment prospects are much much higher than they actually are!
Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. That employment rate hasn't specified "96% of the employed go into directly related jobs" has it? That 96% employment rate for graduates in ANY job. So even working behind tills in ASDA will add to that stat.
Original post by BenWarburton
"96% of Ravensbourne's Digital Film Production (BA and Fast-track) graduates from 2012 had gone on to work in the Media industry within the year after their graduation". - Just going off the material posted by UCAS!
Christ mate, I was hoping you meant general jobs but I have to agree that stat does sound a bit too far.
How is the course anyway, is it fun? I did Film at A Level and it was one of the very few lessons I really looked forward to, something I would come in for even if I was illOriginal post by BenWarburton
"96% of Ravensbourne's Digital Film Production (BA and Fast-track) graduates from 2012 had gone on to work in the Media industry within the year after their graduation". - Just going off the material posted by UCAS!
I'm afraid that simply defies belief. That is almost as high as Medical degree graduates attain, there is not a snowball's chance in hell that Ravensbourne's graduates achieve that.
Ben - on what basis do you say that UCAS claim this?
I am glad that Ben has withdrawn that claim that 96% of Ravensbourne graduates get a job in the industry. I would guess he has gone away and found out the facts. UCAS do not say this. Nor does Unistats. I also sincerely hope that Ravensbourne itself does not claim this as no institution which offers media degrees can lay claim to anything like these employment rates.
The simple fact is that most media graduates do not get work in the industry of their choice when they graduate. Do not believe any institution that tells you different!
The simple fact is that most media graduates do not get work in the industry of their choice when they graduate. Do not believe any institution that tells you different!
(edited 9 years ago)
Original post by TV man
I am glad that Ben has withdrawn that claim that 96% of Ravensbourne graduates get a job in the industry. I would guess he has gone away and found out the facts. UCAS do not say this. Nor does Unistats. I also sincerely hope that Ravensbourne itself does not claim this as no institution which offers media degrees can lay claim to anything like these employment rates.
The simple fact is that most media graduates do not get work in the industry of their choice when they graduate. Do not believe any institution that tells you different!
The simple fact is that most media graduates do not get work in the industry of their choice when they graduate. Do not believe any institution that tells you different!
I actually know more film graduates that have gone straight into the industry than those who haven't. Many of them are offered jobs straight out of university since in Uni now they work for companies as part of their studies. I know four people who have gone straight from film at bournemouth to working on the new Star Wars movies and others who have gotten in depended funding for future films from feature film directors. You're making quite a lot of blanket statements here. The real problem is that most film students focus on directing which is very hard to get into, those who've done sound/cinematography etc that I know of all had jobs six months after they left university
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Blanket statements, largely accurate. Yes, you may well notice the few that get a job straight out of Uni but there are huge numbers who don't, and many more who get one job and then fall away.
It is a very precarious profession, and any University that tells you you are likely to get a job (let alone a career) in TV or film and simply fibbing (or ignorant)!
It is a very precarious profession, and any University that tells you you are likely to get a job (let alone a career) in TV or film and simply fibbing (or ignorant)!
Hi everyone,
I am currently a 2nd year film student at Ravensbourne University and also a moderator for our student rooms forum. I will say from my experience that although the 96% statistic may not be entirely accurate, a large percentage of people will find work in the industry within a year if they really wanted to, the university prepares you for that but it won't be the glamorous director/dop/producer jobs straight away. You can either become self-employed which is what most graduates do and start as production assistants/ACs and work your way up on a project to project basis or start shooting wedding/corporate videos and live off that (which pays a lot) or get an office-type job in marketing/distribution or like a production coordinator or something. Point is, there are so many ways to get into the 'industry' and it isn't as hard as people make it out to be but people have crazy expectations of what it'll be like and think they can make millions by directing blockbusters and when they see the reality they become disillusioned and give up early on. The best way thing is to start building contacts asap and work on as many projects as you can and make use of the facilities and learn from other students. Its ultimately up to the individual and yeah i've seen students not go on to do much after they graduate and i've seen students who've started working on feature films straight out of uni so i guess the statistics don't really mean much whether they're accurate or not its ultimately up to you. I'm rambling. Hope some of this helped. If anyone has any questions, do ask.
I am currently a 2nd year film student at Ravensbourne University and also a moderator for our student rooms forum. I will say from my experience that although the 96% statistic may not be entirely accurate, a large percentage of people will find work in the industry within a year if they really wanted to, the university prepares you for that but it won't be the glamorous director/dop/producer jobs straight away. You can either become self-employed which is what most graduates do and start as production assistants/ACs and work your way up on a project to project basis or start shooting wedding/corporate videos and live off that (which pays a lot) or get an office-type job in marketing/distribution or like a production coordinator or something. Point is, there are so many ways to get into the 'industry' and it isn't as hard as people make it out to be but people have crazy expectations of what it'll be like and think they can make millions by directing blockbusters and when they see the reality they become disillusioned and give up early on. The best way thing is to start building contacts asap and work on as many projects as you can and make use of the facilities and learn from other students. Its ultimately up to the individual and yeah i've seen students not go on to do much after they graduate and i've seen students who've started working on feature films straight out of uni so i guess the statistics don't really mean much whether they're accurate or not its ultimately up to you. I'm rambling. Hope some of this helped. If anyone has any questions, do ask.
Ravensbourne, as a student, I am afraid you are simply not in touch with the reality of how tough it is in the industry out there, as you will rapidly discover when you graduate.
You are correct in saying that many fresh graduates might end up in wedding/corporate video production or an office job but they simply will not walk into a production co-ordinator job. That is a skilled position which is highly sought after and not one that a recent graduate can just walk into without working for some time in the business. Paid jobs as Production Assistants and Camera Assistants are also highly sought after and you will absolutely not get a job like that in the mainstream media straight out of University. Unpaid work experience is the first thing you will do if you aim for the mainstream media - that is simply a fact.
It is also true that moving to the mainstream of TV and Film production from the wedding/corporate sectors is extremely difficult, mostly because those industries do not value the experience and skills that you might pick up doing that kind of job. You also cannot legitimately become "self employed" in the proper meaning of that word - although if you mean by that that people will be picking up occasional bits of work here and there, then that is a more accurate way of describing the reality.
Also, when you say that "the 96% statistic is not entirely accurate", what you should be saying is that it is totally and utterly baseless when it comes to any measure of how many people get into the industry in any form. That is the case because no-one has done any research to back up any claim of how many people are in media related work within 6 months of leaving. A more accurate guess however would be that, after two years, there will be more Ravensbourne (and other) graduates not working in the mainstream media than are.
Speaking as someone who does actually know how the real world is - it really is as hard as people make out. It is also not simply a matter of getting work "if you really want it". Determination is helpful but third in importance to careful planning and sheer dumb luck. And if anyone is in any doubt about any of this, I do suggest they talk to people who actually work in the industry - especially Producers and Production Managers. you will find that what I have described above is, I'm afraid, the reality.
You are correct in saying that many fresh graduates might end up in wedding/corporate video production or an office job but they simply will not walk into a production co-ordinator job. That is a skilled position which is highly sought after and not one that a recent graduate can just walk into without working for some time in the business. Paid jobs as Production Assistants and Camera Assistants are also highly sought after and you will absolutely not get a job like that in the mainstream media straight out of University. Unpaid work experience is the first thing you will do if you aim for the mainstream media - that is simply a fact.
It is also true that moving to the mainstream of TV and Film production from the wedding/corporate sectors is extremely difficult, mostly because those industries do not value the experience and skills that you might pick up doing that kind of job. You also cannot legitimately become "self employed" in the proper meaning of that word - although if you mean by that that people will be picking up occasional bits of work here and there, then that is a more accurate way of describing the reality.
Also, when you say that "the 96% statistic is not entirely accurate", what you should be saying is that it is totally and utterly baseless when it comes to any measure of how many people get into the industry in any form. That is the case because no-one has done any research to back up any claim of how many people are in media related work within 6 months of leaving. A more accurate guess however would be that, after two years, there will be more Ravensbourne (and other) graduates not working in the mainstream media than are.
Speaking as someone who does actually know how the real world is - it really is as hard as people make out. It is also not simply a matter of getting work "if you really want it". Determination is helpful but third in importance to careful planning and sheer dumb luck. And if anyone is in any doubt about any of this, I do suggest they talk to people who actually work in the industry - especially Producers and Production Managers. you will find that what I have described above is, I'm afraid, the reality.
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