Video Production Hints and Tips - Career Advice for Students

I was recently contacted by an eager student looking for advice on how to break into the film and video production industry, and also wanted to know what kit I would recommend them to invest in. The below as my response;

'Hi ******,

Thanks for getting in touch.

At university, you’ll have access to a whole lot of fancy kit and studio space, and my advice would be to make the most out of it. Don’t wait for your assignments to book it out. Even if it's just your own personal / passion projects, get as much hands-on experience as possible to develop your technical skills.

Aside from applying for work in television, (a route I never went down) contact video production agencies in your local area for opportunities.

Keep working towards building your CV. When I left university, my degree was probably the best thing on it, yet companies hiring will be more interested in real-world experience.

Search for CV tips in the Facebook group, 'Northern Freelance TV Production Staff.'

Find out if there are any small local businesses or live events that need video content. Just use the kit you can access at university for free. Clients in the real world often don’t care what camera you are filming on; they’ll be more interested in how engaging it is, and how the video communicates the benefits to their customers. So, researching and planning a project will have much more impact than buying a nice camera.

If you do feel you need to get your own kit, it’s difficult to say without knowing what you want to film. Perhaps a little Sony mirrorless (a7s) can do the job you need. Or do you need a proper video camera? ND filters, XLR inputs, long battery life and dual SD card recording can make your life a lot easier. Perhaps you could have a look at a used Canon C100 or Sony FS700 if they fit your budget.'

Let me know if you found this article helpful, or if you have any further questions - I will do my best to help!