In this series, we’re talking to students from our new television Masters programme – MSc Television Content Development and Production.
It’s August, the last week of the Masters course, but Eden isn’t anywhere near the campus; since the beginning of August, she’s been working for Tern Television – one of Stirling’s closest partners in the factual television MSc course. Eden explains:
‘I’m working as a Data Wrangler for Tern TV, managing media on productions and preparing for the edit. I work on location, which can be quite an intense environment, but it’s a small team and everyone wants to make an amazing show.’
Eden’s current 8-week contract isn’t the first time Eden has worked for Tern. She has joined them three times this year, using every break in the Masters programme as an opportunity to build her CV.
‘I met Andrew Blackwell from Tern at Focus on Scotland (*)’ she explains. ‘I asked if there might be any placements for editors in development. I kept in touch and at Christmas got a week’s placement cutting tasters. Before Easter I emailed again and got two weeks’ paid work during our downtime from the course.’
Although she still had to complete her dissertation, Eden decided to go all out on networking this summer.
‘When we knew we were finishing classes I contacted everyone; the BBC, Urbancroft, Red Sky, and a couple of other people I met during the year. I just emailed everyone I could to get the word out that I was looking for work.’
Eden’s determination has paid off; she’s been almost constantly in work since August, first transcribing for Tern, then data wrangling on a different Tern production. All this and she hasn’t even graduated yet; a true Master of TV.
Her advice to anyone wanting to break into TV?
‘Contact everyone and introduce yourself to industry people when you get the chance. We learnt every aspect of creating TV on the course, but the most important thing was the chance to meet industry people. Make sure there’s something you know you’re good at – pursue that role and do it at every opportunity you can.’
*Focus on Scotland – our Festival of Factual, running again this year on Monday 21st October; register for your free place here… https://www.stir.ac.uk/about/faculties/arts-humanities/news-events/conferences/focus-on-scotland/