victoriabrownproducer-blog

[victoriabrownproducer-blog]

My CV, Showreel and Business Cards are all finished now. I made a folder to keep it all together. Just need to hand it in to the office now.

[victoriabrownproducer-blog]

I’ve Finished my Showreel

https://vimeo.com/217472189 I’ve amended it slightly since the last version (Which I’ve now removed from Vimeo to avoid confusion) as originally I didn’t have the names of the films in there. 

[victoriabrownproducer-blog]

Software Analysis

For my showreel I chose to edit using AVID Media Composer. AVID is the current industry standard so I felt that any practice I can have using is will help me get a job. I am not great at editing and AVID is quite advanced so I was apprehensive about using it however it does give you a lot of freedom as well as providing a very professional outcome. I think AVID is quite user friendly however it does take a while to get the hang of it.

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Here is a new cinematic poster for the short film I recently produced ‘Extra Ordinary’

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Here are some jobs that I am qualified for that I found on Guardian Jobs. As you can see these jobs are mostly sales or PR based which I feel would suit me better than being a runner. The requirements are similar. The industry is a fast paced environment so these jobs was someone who is friendly and enthusiastic and a fast learner therefore when applying for these jobs I will make sure my CV highlights these skills.

[victoriabrownproducer-blog]

Job Searching

Obviously at entry level most of the jobs in the industry I’m looking at are for runners however I have also been looking at more admin-based jobs since I am hoping to enter down the producing path as opposed to an on set role.

I’ve found some entry level jobs in marketing, social media, admin as well as runner jobs

[victoriabrownproducer-blog]

Skills and Strengths

My skills are:

- I can use the ARRI Alexa and Canon C300 Cameras

- I can use AVID and Final Cut Pro edit software

- I have experience directing child actors

- I have coordinated a 7 day short film shoot

- I have raised funds for a 2k budget film

My Strengths are:

- I am organised

- I am friendly and enthusiastic

- I am good at getting on well with people

- I’m good at problem solving

- I pay attention to detail

[victoriabrownproducer-blog]

Focus Group Feedback: Showreel

https://vimeo.com/217163893

“Good choice of clips, they’re put together nicely and flow well and the music ties it together really well” - Hannah

“It was nice to see a mix of documentaries as well as short films and it was easy to tell which were which. I think it would aid it if the names of the films appeared in the corner of each clip. I love the music choice, it isn’t too overbearing but it’s thereto compliment the clips.” - Charlotte

“Nice variation, especially in colour - shows a wide range of skills and experiences.” - Georgia

“Good transitions between clips and good choice of music.” - Lorna

“I liked that it showed variation. Might be worth putting the name of each film in the corner of the clip so people know which it’s from. The information at the end was a good continuation with the brown colour.” - Benjamin

Given this feedback I’ve decided to alter my showreel slightly and add the names of the films. I held off from this originally because the clips were so short I didn’t think there’d be enough time to read them. To solve this I will bunch all the shots from the same piece together so the title can be easily read. Since it was popular I will keep the same music and the same beginning and end slides because as people have said it ties everything together well.

[victoriabrownproducer-blog]

Focus Group Feedback: Website

https://www.victoriabrown.eu/

“looks good, I like that you can download your CV. My only criticism is the blue arrows to swap the information, either change them to a lighter colour or make them thicker otherwise they are hard to spot” - Benjamin

“I like the continued colour theme throughout and I really like the sliding between the ‘about me’, ‘credits’ and ‘Showreel’, the only thing I would say is they move too fast to read fully.” - Hannah

“Where it says ‘you can find a selection of my work both on this site and my blog the details of which you’ll find on this page’ you need to add a comma between ‘blog’ and ‘the’. On your skills bit, some sentences start with ‘Can’ [do thing] and others start ‘I have’ [ability to] so it would be good to change them so they match.” - Charlotte

I have now made some alterations to my site based on this feedback.

[victoriabrownproducer-blog]

Focus Group Feedback: Business Cards "I love the curved edges. The font and colours are also very clear and easy to read" - Hannah "Brown colour is clever. Rounded corners seem more approachable. Says exactly what you need, all the info is there" - Benjamin "Very professional and nice logo - really shows what you aspire to be" - Lorna "Soft imagery with the curved edges and good choice of font" - Georgia

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Today I held a focus group

I wanted to get some feedback on my Business Cards, Website & Showreel so I gathered a group of people and showed them my artifacts.

[victoriabrownproducer-blog]

This is my showreel

https://vimeo.com/217163893

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I have finished my CV

After receiving feedback on my previous draft I have changed the parts that needed altering. You can download my CV from my website https://www.victoriabrown.eu/ 

[victoriabrownproducer-blog]

My Website is finished

you can view it here https://www.victoriabrown.eu/

[victoriabrownproducer-blog]

SWOT Analysis: Part 4 Threats

Q. What obstacles do you face? A. The main obstacle I face is that I don't have many industry contacts and a lot of opportunities arise from people you know. Q. Are the requirements for your desired job field changing? A. The requirements for jobs in this industry are always changing because of the changes in technology. Q. Does changing technology threaten your prospective position? A. I could do because in a few years the cameras and software I can use will no longer be industry standard however I hope that I will have managed to get that forst step on the ladder before that happens so I will be able to learn the new advancements as they come into the industry. Q. What is the current trend line for your personal area of expertise? A. The current trend line for my area of expertise (producing) would be Movie Magic (budgeting software) Q. Could your area of interest be fading in comparison with more emergent fields? A. Luckily my area of interest is one that is unlikely fo fade because there will always be a need for someone to coordinate the production. Q. Is your chosen field subject to internal politics that will lead to conflict? A. I think most jobs are affected by internal politics from time to time, mine particularly because it involves leadership and when you're in a position of power someone will always disagree with you on something. So conflict is a very real possibility. Q. Is there any way to change the politics or to perhaps defuse your involvement in potential disputes? A. I don't think internal politics can be avoided in my field however as long as I can always justify my actions and I don't lie to anyone I think I can keep conflict to a minimum. Q. How might the economy negatively affect your future company and your work group? If the economy gets worse then the industry will suffer as there will be less funding available for film and TV. Q. Will your future company provide enough access to new challanges to keep you sharp and marketable in the event of sudden unemployment? A. I think they will. Most productions have similar processes and use the same software so whatever company I end up working for I will be learning skills that can be adaptable for most other companies in the same field

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SWOT Analysis: Part 3 Opportunities

Q. Where are the promising prospects facing you? A. The promising prospects facing me are that I am willing to relocate anywhere which broadens my job prospects. Q. What is the "state of the art" in your particular area of expertise? A. The Arri Alexa camera is the top camera currently, AVID is the state of the art editing software and Movie Magic is the best budgeting software at the moment all of these I have used during my time at university. Q. Are you doing everything you can to enhance your exposure to this area? A. While I still have access to these things (as long as I am a student here) I will be practicing to ensure my skills are the best they can be for when I enter the industry. Q. What formal training and education can you add to your credentials that might position you appropriately for more opportunities? A. I intend to do a first aid course and get my driving lisence once my coursework deadlines have passed so I can add those to my CV. Q. Would an MSc/MA or another graduate degree add to your advantage? A. I don't think doing a master's would help me becuase In this industry even a bachelor's degree isn't necessary but I decided to do one so I could develop more skills with the equipment the university had. In this industry, experience is more valuble than education so I feel the best next step is to properly get a foot in the door in the industry. Q. How quickly are you likely to advance in your chosen career? A. My understanding is that once you get into the industry as a runner or other entry level role, things progress quickly. While I was on work experience at Halo Post Production none of their runners had been there longer than a year but people also told me that it can take about 10 years to work your way up to your ideal position as there are so many stages to progress through. Useful opportunitues can arise. I think the popularity of social media means a lot more video content needs to be created which brings more job prospects.

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SWOT Analysis: Part 2 Weaknesses

Q. What could be improved? A. I could improve on my assertivness. While I'm good at cooperating with people, I'm sometimes not as tough on people when they need it. Q. What do you do badly? A. I am bad at having to let things go. Even though I mentioned this as one of my strengths earlier I can appreciate that at times things do need to be let go of. In situations where priorites need to be made I need to learn to focus on the most important things and identify what can be pushed aside. Q. What should you avoid? A. I should avoid working with unreliable people. I have a tendency to see the best in people which means I can sometimes make errors in working out who I can trust to work hard. Q. What are your professional weaknesses? A. My professional weaknesses are that I don't always have confidence in myself. I need to get better at believing that I can do things as it's unprofessional to doubt yourself. Q. How do they affect your job performance? A. These weaknesses affect my job performance because it can make people untrusting of my abilities which undermines my authority. Q. Think about your most unpleasant experiences in school or in past jobs and consider whether some aspect of your personal or professional life could be a root cause? A. At school I was picked on a lot and I think that, had I felt more confident in myself and been a more assertive person I wouldn't have let people get away with making fun of me.