BROADCAST TRAINING, EDUCATION AND OTHER INFORMATION

     

BBC Television Training & Development Courses (Technical & Leadership)

Feb. 2012

Safeguarding Trust 'Trust Dilemmas in TV' (v1)

Online interactive editorial compliance module covering the issues regarding safeguarding trust in broadcast television. Key points covered include running of competitions; re-staging events; use of commentary; cutaway shots; altering chronology of events; editing of interviews and misleading audiences.

 

Jan. 2012

Safeguarding Trust 'Children's Programmes' (v1)

Online interactive editorial compliance module covering the issues regarding safeguarding trust for children’s programmes. Key points covered include misleading editing of footage; use of commentary; chronology of events; managing story-lines; exaggerating / building artificial tension; collusion with contributors; editorial policy associated with message boards; managing expectations; casting restrictions and clarity; use of personal information; misleading audiences and realistic filming schedules when working with children.

 

Sept. 2008

Desktop Editing with Final Cut Pro

Face-to-face, practical hands on training course in desktop editing using Final Cut Pro (Studio 6). Course included the capture of material (tape and tapeless); creation of sub clips; use of editing tools; editing short films; importing music and sound effects; recording voiceover; vision effects; motion effects; ramping/mixing audio and the export of finished timelines / cut sequences to tape and file.

May 2008

DSR570 Camera Conversion

Face-to-face, practical hands on training in the use and self-operation of Sony DSR570 & DSR500 cameras. Course included camera operation; monitor and eyepiece setup; focus and back focus; use of lenses (standard, 2x and macro); zoom controls and the use of remote zoom arms; setting and syncing timecode; white balance and ND filters; iris control; F-stops; gain; depth of field; focus pulling and use of recording equipment including radio mics, line mics, external sound sources and boom.

Feb. 2008

Personal Effectiveness for Production Staff

Face-to-face producer training course in team management, setting objectives, mentoring and leadership skills to deal effectively with day-to-day situations at work. Focused course aimed at developing communication skills; situational leadership and leadership styles; transactional analysis; identifying training and development needs; making choices; self awareness; responding to difficult situations; action plans; asking for what you want and refusing requests; giving and receiving motivational feedback; influencing skills and time management.

April 2007

Assertiveness at Work

Face-to-face producer training course in team management, communication, negotiation and leadership. Focused course aimed at producers in recognising passive and aggressive behaviour / language from both yourself and individuals and it’s impact in the workplace. Skills taught include empowerment; communication; transactional analysis; controlling the thinking process; handling conflict and giving and receiving feedback.

April 2007

Giving Feedback

Face-to-face producer training course in giving and receiving feedback on performance in the workplace to enable managers to develop teams and help staff reach their potential. Focused course aimed at producers responsible for annual staff appraisals including practical training in staff appraisals and feedback; setting objectives and mentoring skills.

March 2007

Legal (Online)

Online modular training course in legal issues associated with broadcast television. Course included reporting restrictions of UK, Scotland and Northern Ireland; contempt; liability; Children and Young Persons Act 1933; BBC Editorial Guidelines; sexual offences and youths in court.

June 2006

Giving Feedback (Online)

Two online modular training courses in giving and receiving feedback on performance to enable managers to develop teams and help staff reach their potential.

Jan. 2006

Child Protection Workshop

Face-to-face course for programme makers regarding working with children and the issues of child protection within the broadcast television production environment.  Course included child licensing laws; CRB checks; potential issues which may arise / come to light when working closely with child contributors (experienced and inexperienced); data protection and working with licensed chaperones.

April 2004

Leadership & Management - Creative Thinking

Face-to-face producer training course exploring a variety of techniques to help generate and develop ideas as well as solving problems more creatively. Focused course aimed at improving creative thinking skills; generating creative sparks; lateral thinking; brain storming; programme format development and delivering / pitching ideas.

March 2004

TV Producer’s Foundation

Face-to-face producer training course focussed on preparing and managing a television production and production team in order to produce quality programmes. Course included originating, developing and pitching programme ideas; exploring new strategies and working practices; planning and scheduling productions to maximise budget and creative staff to achieve quality and fulfil objectives; making informed editorial decisions; leading and managing creative teams efficiently / effectively; improving self-management, communication and negotiation skills.

March 2004

Career Development

Face-to-face course in examining current strengths, development needs and exploring potential career options. Focused course aimed at understanding career marketplace; setting goals and objectives; interview techniques and networking and negotiation skills.

Oct. 2003

BBC Safe Management of Productions (Pt1)

Face-to-face comprehensive course (refresher) covering all aspects of production safety including Health and Safety Law; working with production contractors; safety and hazard assessment of location and studio filming environments; participation of public / contributors; fitness to participate; manual handling and working with lightweight cameras; observational filming and the safety of productions involving events organised by others; programme risk assessments (including technical risk assessments for production equipment, set design, visual effects and stunts).

April 2003

Avoiding Bad Decisions

Face-to-face producer foundation course focussed on production management; format development; forward planning and strategy; setting team objectives; decision-making and team leadership including mentoring and feedback.

July 2000

Advanced Multi-Camera Directors Course (MCD2)

Face-to-face, practical hands on training course in advanced multi-camera gallery directing covering the process of planning a studio production from the initial design/concept meetings, planning meetings, writing camera scripts, using the BBC Scriptwriter programme, camera cards, compiling studio VT inserts, preparing studio floor plans, lighting plots/rigs, studio set design and technical running orders, to the studio camera rehearsal and recording.

 

Course included advanced series of directing exercises designed to cover a range of directing disciplines including camera scripting and directing music performances for television; live and as-live interview based discussion shows; presenter and VT studio formats; product tests and demonstrations and simulated live transmission of presenter led multi-camera magazine show.

June 2000

Directors Cut (Outside Broadcast Directing & Vision Mixing)

Face-to-face, practical hands on training for directors in directing and vision mixing for multi-camera outside broadcasts and flying rig setups. Focussed course covering television conventions; picture composition; cutting shots together; language of camera direction; camera script terms; rehearsing and lining up shots; vision mixing; VT editing; directing demonstrations; location research, planning and rehearsals. Course also included the use of non-cabled cameras (radio signal) for shooting in environments not suited to a hard cable run.

May 2000

BBC Safe Management of Productions (Pt1)

Face-to-face comprehensive course (refresher) covering all aspects of production safety including Health and Safety Law; working with production contractors; safety and hazard assessment of location and studio filming environments; participation of public / contributors; fitness to participate; manual handling and working with lightweight cameras; observational filming and the safety of productions involving events organised by others; programme risk assessments (including technical risk assessments for production equipment, set design, visual effects and stunts).

March 2000

Managing Poor Performance

Face-to-face producer training course in managing team performance. A workshop for managers in production designed to provide the necessary skills and knowledge to deal confidently and effectively with issues related to staff performance, in particular poor or average performance; lack of capability or motivation; unsatisfactory conduct and disciplinary procedure.

 

Skills taught included team leadership focused on appraising and turning around team members who have peaked, plateaued or piqued; dealing with problems and problem people in the workplace; setting fresh objectives and finding ways to reinvigorate staff.

Sept. 1999

DV Workshop – Advanced Sound Training & Operation (PSC & DVC)

Face-to-face, practical hands on advanced training course for self-shooting directors covering sound recording and the acoustic considerations in recording audio in the field; use of equipment including microphones, headphones, cables and connections, beach box, microphone amplifiers, radio mics, boom and the recording of audio from mixed and external sources.

May 1999

BBC Executive Safety Course

Face-to-face advanced production safety course for location producer / directors working on high risk programmes including use of helicopters, boats, air-to-air filming, moving vehicles and stunts as well as a refresher of basic production safety; Health and Safety Law; working with production contractors; safety and hazard assessment of location and studio filming environments; participation of public / contributors; fitness to participate; working with lightweight cameras; observational filming and safety of productions involving events organised by others; programme risk assessment (including design, visual effects and stunts).
Dec. 1998

Bar Counting Theory & Scripting Music for Multi-Camera

Face-to-face introductory course for directors in camera scripting music for multi-camera studios. Included breaking down music and lyrics into beats and bars; working out shot breakdowns; multi-camera scripting; how the P.A. bar counts in the gallery.

Oct. 1998

DV Workshop – Advanced Lighting & Safety Course

Advanced lighting course for self-shooting directors (PSC & DVC) using three light kit. Practical hands on course in the use and setup of lights (back light, key light and fill), filters and range of lighting kit available for location filming. Due to the risks involved when using external sources of electricity the course also covered Health and Safety and Electricity at Work regulations and additional safety training. In order to use the three light kit production team members must have passed the lighting safety course at the end of the training.
July 1997

Advanced Training in Operation & Directing PSC & DVC

Face to face, practical hands on training for directors using PSC (Sony Digibeta, DSR and DVC cameras (Sony VX1000, 2000 & PD150) including additional shooting techniques and accessories. Course also covered camera setups for single and multi-camera location filming.

July 1997

Basic Lighting, Lenses and Sound for PSC & DVC

Face to face, practical hands on training for self-shooting and PSC directors using three light kit in a variety of setups, use of additional lenses and filters as well as advanced sound techniques including radio mics and boom.

Sept. 1996

Multi-Camera Directors Course (MCD1)

Face to face, practical hands on training course in multi-camera gallery directing, studio camera operation and running of the studio floor and sound gallery. Course covered the process of planning a studio production; rehearsals; language of direction; writing camera scripts; preparing studio floor plans; studio camera rehearsal and recording.

 

Course included series of exercises designed to cover a range of multi-camera directing disciplines including drama; studio discussion/interview; studio debate (various setups) and presenter led magazine show formats utilising VT inserts. Practical experience in all studio roles including vision mixer, gallery director, gallery producer, gallery P.A., studio camera operation, sound gallery operation, floor managing and participation as studio guests.

Sept. 1996

BBC Production Training

The Trainee Assistant Producer Scheme offered comprehensive television production training including face to face seminars / courses in: - Legal Issues; Copyright; Producer Choice (Finance, budgets, contacts and planning); Basics of Television Research; Format Development and Creative Thinking; BBC Producer Guidelines & Editorial Values; The Commissioning Process; Transmission Pack – Production procedures and documents; BBC Safe Management of Productions (Pt1).

 

 

Practical training courses also included: - 

  •      PSC Familiarisation & Lighting for Single Camera
  •      Language of Direction
  •      Single Camera Workshop - Scripting and Directing PSC
  •      Operation of DVC Cameras (Self-shooting VX 2000)
  •      Non-Linear Editing Workshop (Lightworks and Avid)

 

1996 – 1998

BBC Trainee Assistant Producer Scheme (TAPS)

The BBC’s prestigious ‘Trainee Assistant Producer Scheme’, a two-year fast track training programme which aims to find and develop the skills of the next generation of producers / directors. After a long selection process I was one of eight successful candidates selected from over three and a half thousand applicants and joined the BBC as a Trainee Assistant Producer in September 1996.

 

Between September 1996 and September 1998 I worked as an Assistant Producer and Location P/D across a wide range of BBC departments including BBC Youth & Entertainment, BBC Science & Features, BBC Comedy Entertainment, BBC Documentaries, BBC Music Entertainment and BBC Children’s.

 

During my two year traineeship I worked on many flagship studio and location based productions including: - The Sunday Show (Location P/D & Edit Assistant Producer); Tomorrow’s World (Assistant Producer); Tomorrow’s World: Hot Gadgets (Location & OB Assistant Producer); Wax Stripped (Studio Assistant Producer); Election Night Armistice (OB Assistant Producer); Naked (Assistant Producer); It’ll Never Work (Presenter); The O-Zone (Location Producer/Director); Live and Kicking / Electric Circus (Location P/D & Studio Assistant Producer); The Pop Zone (Location Producer/Director & Edit Producer); Linford’s Record Breakers (Location P/D).

 

The Trainee Assistant Producer Scheme offered comprehensive television production training in research, budgeting, legal issues, editorial compliance, production safety, risk assessment, creative thinking, script-writing and format development as well as many practical training courses including in Editing (linear and non-linear); Operation & Directing PSC & DVC; Multi Camera Directors Course (MCD1); Basic Lighting Lenses and Sound for PSC & DVC and Advanced Training in Operation & Directing PSC & DVC.