Want to make it in media? Follow these tips...

In case you didn’t know, 18^th - 22^nd November is Global Entrepreneurship Week. Simon Wright, Talent Executive at the BBC Academy, has put together the following top tips for young entrepreneurs keen to get into the media industry.

Simon is currently supporting this year's For 3 Minutes initiative, a nationwide talent project hosted by digital media specialists Carve Productions in partnership with RBS Inspiring Enterprise that has been taking place throughout the week.

The initiative is giving budding media hopefuls five days to turn an original idea into a broadcast quality piece. At the end of the week Simon will select a winning film and the team behind it will be offered the opportunity to work for RBS, filming their corporate events and gaining valuable industry experience.

Discover more @For3Minutes.

Here are Simon’s tips on making it in the notoriously competitive world of media:

Just do it!

If you are passionate about TV and radio then just do it! It may sound flippant but get involved and start writing, filming things (even with your phone) or recording soundbites for radio. You need to demonstrate your passion and interest and the best way to do that is to create content. It may not be amazing when you first start but stick at it and let people see it.

Maximise social media

Get yourself on Twitter, Linkedin, Facebook, Instagram etc. and actively engage with these forums. Get yourself along to events, get your work on Youtube and create a buzz around the stories and ideas you have. If you feel that you are not having access to people, then arrange your own events and ask people to come and speak. This really shows initiative and can be great for networking.

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Don't give up

Everyone who has worked in the media industry has faced rejection from jobs, so you need to develop a thick skin and sense of determination. Set yourself goals to contact so many people per week or to create so much content per week. Actively promote what you do! It's much easier to get a meeting when you have 1,000s of people who have watched your films on Youtube.

What's different about you

Think about what your unique selling point is - what stories do you have to tell? What makes your ideas different from what you are currently seeing on TV? Ideas are your currency and people want to hear new and fresh stories, so don't underestimate your ideas.

Know the audience

Who is going to watch or listen to your ideas and why? Why are they important? Think about audiences that you don't see represented on screen, how can we authentically represent them? Broadcasters struggle with capturing the youth audience - what do young people want to watch and how can you make that?

Watch TV and listen to the radio

Actively watch TV and listen to the radio; think critically about the output rather than just being a passive consumer. Think about what you would change and how you could make the story more effective. Look at programmes in terms of how they are filmed, how certain shots are used to create pace, frame or to evoke emotions.

Network

Engage with as many people as you can. Listen to what people are talking about on the bus - could that be a programme idea? Network with your peers and people that you meet, and always follow that up with a further meeting. This can seem daunting and intimidating but share ideas and rather than selling who you are as a person, sell your ideas, your passion and knowledge for the media.

By Simon Wright, Talent Executive at the BBC Academy and judge of this year’s For 3 Minutes initiative.

Want to make it in media? Follow these tips...

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