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Greenscreen with Envy

Wednesday, June 30th, 2010

When times are tough, some actors have to swallow their pride, close their eyes and take the cheque. Never work with animals? Depends if the price (artistic or remunerative) is right.

James Stewart co-starred with Lassie in The Magic of Lassie (1978) whereas Clyde the orangutan took the cheque and decided to team up with Clint Eastwood twice, in Every Which Way But Loose (1978) and Any Which Way You Can (1980). Charles Grodin, a student of Lee Strasberg (the father of method acting) had the slobbering and eponymous St. Bernard Beethoven (1992) upstage him, but became a household name.

No-one could accuse Noel Clarke of needing the cash or the kudos but he too gets upstaged in Skillset’s new promo, not by an animal this time, but rather by a giant CGI tick symbol.

I’ll explain. I’m talking about the new promo for Skillset’s “Pick The Tick” campaign which features Noel on a green-screen laden Sound Stage desperately trying to learn his lines. He nervously rehearses “Skillset is the industry body that supports skills and training” under his breath and tries to impress the crew with pretentious badinage that explains why the film is being made.

Clarke, star of Kidulthood and director of Adulthood, not to mention a role in Doctor Who, brings a level of aspirational urban cool with him. Here’s a role model for a new generation of film makers, talking about training.

Some would say there is a slight dissonance of an obviously self-made man (who studied on that old industry bugbear- a media course) – promoting a kitemark of quality training for creative media; but I’m sure Noel’s ambition would have seen him choose a course and university that had the strongest links with industry in his day. And that’s what the Tick is all about. You can see the video here.

Now to me the interesting thing here is of course the recognition that vfx has very much arrived in the public imagination. We all know what a green screen is for, even if we don’t know why it’s green. We even accept the role of the vfx supervisor, sitting at his laptop, behind the camera, as in this promo. The video playfully references the idea of precious or overbearing actors being replaced by a more malleable and accommodating CGI, and these days we can all enjoy the joke.

By stealth this video also alludes to a new priority within Skillset’s Film, TV and Animation departments. We have a programme to help the UK’s nascent vfx degrees get tooled up to industry standard; a TV bursary scheme to allow tv sector freelancers to get access to Escape Studios’ online vfx courses; and bursaries for editors to enable them to take on more advanced vfx-heavy projects. Also, as new vfx courses emerge, we’ll be building a framework to accredit the best. As a frustrated and defeated Noel storms off in the video, it’s worth remembering the Tick symbol is not to be feared, but celebrated. It’s as friendly as canine talent like Beethoven and Lassie, but without the slobbering.

Noel’s done his bit. Now here’s YOUR homework:
http://www.skillset.org/funding/individuals/VFX_Bursaries/ (till 30th Sept 2010)
http://www.skillset.org/funding/individuals/film_bursaries/
http://courses.skillset.org/pick_the_tick/what_is_the_tick

Posted in Media Academies, Skillset, creative media, higher education | No Comments »

News Rewired: What next for the niche?

Friday, June 25th, 2010

Here’s an outline of a presentation I gave at news:rewired today on what’s next for the niche.

Skillset is the Sector Skills Council for Creative Media. We work with our industries as well as education, training providers and accreditation bodies to identify current and future skills gaps and shortages for existing workforce and new entrants and to plug those gaps.

We work with the Advertising, Animation, Computer Games, Facilities, Fashion and Textiles, Film, Interactive Media, Photo Imaging, Publishing, Radio and TV industries. It’s a big part of the economy, with over 25,000 companies. Despite the recession, it also has a substantial workforce: half a million people are employed in the industry, with a further 130k employed in Creative Media occupations in other industries. (Source: Skillset’s Strategic Skills Assessment for the Creative Media Industries, 2009)

As we have worked across the creative media sectors, we’ve seen the different industries increasingly draw on the skills and knowledge of each other. Today’s programme reflected this. Just take the mobile session: a traditional interactive media platform that is now relevant across publishing and broadcast. How far will this disruption to traditional business models and roles go? What impact will convergence platforms and technologies have on the skills of the workforce? I want to take you through a model we’ve developed at Skillset to understand these issues.

Digital has had an increasing impact across the traditional work flows in all sectors. Each of our sectors is on a journey: from traditional media modes of working to a ‘digital cloud’, where traditional boundaries don’t apply. Each is in transition, learning from the existing model of business, but needing to map a way forward.

Impact of disruptive technology

(Source: Fiona Kilkelly, Skillset, 2010)

We want to understand:
What core, traditional skills will we take with us?
What new skills from other sectors will we need to acquire?
How will we go about our business in the digital cloud and who will we be working with?

What core, traditional skills will we take with us?
There are seven key areas of competence relevant to the practice of journalism identified in the recently merged broadcast and print National Occupational Standards for Journalism, developed in conjunction with employers, freelancers, BJTC, NCTJ, PTC and other industry bodies, published in February and now available online.

Journalism NOS

What new skills from other sectors will we need to acquire?

Core ‘craft’ skill
Platform specific specialism: audio, video, stills, text.
Additional technical knowledge or expertise from other sectors (e.g. non-linear narrative, data & infomatics, mobile etc)
Broad skills and knowledge to utilise (e.g. Agile project management, business models, managing conversations)
Most important, reader/customer/consumer in mind at all times: what they want, how they want it and when & where they want it.

It also applies to all levels: you need flexible & adaptive management, visionary creative leadership and collaborative working.

Pick n Mix skills

How will we go about our business in the digital cloud and who will we be working with?

That’s a lot of skills and knowledge for one person. We are starting to see emerging networks of individuals working collaboratively, pooling knowledge, skills and resources. e.g. Help Me Investigate, They Work for You, Talk about Local network. Adam Westbrook’s Next Generation Journalist ebook is a handbook for getting started.

There are opportunities for industry that may be beyond the scope and scale of even large multi-nationals. Alliances and partnerships need to be formed – across technical and creative sectors. The IFNC and subsequent local TV pilots, are emerging examples as is the development of computer games in educational publishing.

It’s an exciting time. NESTA analysis for 2009-2013 points to growth as businesses take advantage of digital technologies to develop new business models. Recessions tend to play a role in triggering new business start-ups. Whatever your size, whatever your niche, it’s no longer enough to just have the core skills. We’ll all have to think – and work – differently to get the right mix.

One final request.
Whether you agree or disagree with what I’ve said today, make sure you have your say and help shape our thinking. Take our Workforce Survey. It should take approximately 15 minutes, but will feed into our work for the next couple of years.

Thank you.

Tags: #newsrw, journalism, news:rewired, niche, Publishing, skillse, skillset
Posted in Interactive, Publishing, Skillset, creative media | No Comments »

Calling all professional and aspiring writers and literature workers

Tuesday, March 9th, 2010

ccskills

Are you professional or aspiring novelist, poet, writer, translator, critic, editor or agent? Our sister Sector Skills Council, Creative and Cultural Skills, is running an open consultation on their Literature Blueprint.

The Blueprint is a UK-wide workforce development plan for the literature sector developed in conjunction with Arts Council England. It will analyse the skills needs of the literature sector and propose key actions in response.

Creative and Cultural Skills are inviting writers, literature development workers and others across the literature sector to contribute to the new plan to develop the skills needs of the industry.

If you are working in the sector, make sure you have your say. Download the Literature Blueprint here. Comments should be sent to: engagement@ccskills.org.uk

Deadline for feedback is Friday 19th March 2010.

Posted in Interactive, Publishing, Skillset, creative media, higher education | 2 Comments »

What video skills do you look for when commissioning professional photographers?

Monday, March 1st, 2010

Do you regularly commission professional photographers for a publication, in print or online? We’d like to get your views on the skills you look for when you make a commission.

We’ve been running an online survey for photographers about the need for video skills, as the convergence of stills and moving image is becoming a major talking point for professionals in the industry.

We’re keen to find out more about the skills needed to meet this demand and to generate debate about how best to develop and deliver relevant and accessible training solutions.

From the responses we’ve had so far, photographers are telling us that magazines and newspapers are some of the clients who are driving this demand.

We’ve therefore created a similar set of questions for these commissioners of photography to get their views. The questions will only take a couple of minutes to answer and your answers will help inform the development of future short courses.

You can find the survey here: http://www.skillset.org/photo/article_7593_1.asp

Thank you. The survey closes at the end of this month. Your views and comments are really appreciated.

Photograph courtesy of istock

Posted in Photography, Publishing, Skillset, TV, creative media | No Comments »

THE BRITISH FILM AND TELEVISION INDUSTRIES – DECLINE OR OPPORTUNITY

Wednesday, January 27th, 2010

As you’ve probably have seen from our recent press activity, the Lords Communications Committee’s report on the state of the UK Film and TV industry was out this week. Not only was it a fine report, it had a lot of very good things to say about the importance of training and skills for the prosperity of the industry and our work at Skillset.

Here is a summary of what we said about the recommendations:

1. The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills should encourage the Higher Education Funding Council to deploy some of its funding to support high-level, post-graduate training in the postproduction and animation sectors;
2. The Higher Education and Funding Council should encourage closer relationships between universities and the creative industries;
3. Skillset’s work on a code of conduct for internships. We are encouraged by the Committee’s support and we will soon be able to publish Guidelines for the industry that cover apprenticeships and other on-the-job training, as well as internships;
4. The film and television industries should provide more equal access to training and skills-based career development through greater use of apprenticeships and graduate internships;
5. Welcoming the continuing role played by the BBC and the BBC’s willingness to make its training more widely available through the launch of the BBC Academy;
6. Understanding the current pressures on the budgets of UK commercial public service broadcasters, but highlighting that a reduction in training budgets threatens the future competitiveness of the UK television industry and urging the Government to encourage them to revive their investment in training;
7. Regret that the UK Film Council should be forced to reduce significantly its funding for training for the next three years, at a time when training should be a priority. Skillset backs the Committee’s call for the Government to make sure that the UK Film Council is adequately funded to allow it at least to restore its former level of support for training;
8. Accepting that in an industry so dependent on freelance working and informal training, there is an urgent need to clarify the uncertainty around statutory definitions of training and asking the industry regulator to take a long term view.
9. Ofcom proposals to develop co-operation within the regulatory framework for training in TV and recommending Ofcom to publish guidance to clarify the roles of the organisations involved.

Here here!

Posted in Media Academies, Skillset, TV, creative media, higher education | No Comments »

What are occupational standards for journalism and advertising sales?

Monday, January 4th, 2010

Standards

Before christmas we announced an industry consultation on a major overhaul of occupational standards for advertising sales and journalism.

Don’t forget that you can still feedback: the deadline is Friday 8th January.

Both sets of standards have an online questionnaire where you can fill in as much – or as little – detail as you want. You can find the links here for journalism and advertising sales.

Here at Skillset Towers we are always looking to develop standards to best reflect current industry needs, but it is sometimes easy to forget that not everyone will have used standards or know what they are. So here’s a brief explanation of why they are useful for businesses and individuals working in creative media.

Standards provide a framework of tried and tested good practise that tells you what needs to be done to effectively perform a job. They offer a list of the skills and knowledge you need to undertake a role, but without being prescriptive by trying to tell you how you do it. They are used by individuals and companies for a range of activity including:

For individuals and freelancers

evaluate and demonstrate skills, knowledge and competence in a competitive employment market
identify your training needs to ensure your skills remain up-to-date
identify non-specialist skills that enhance employability e.g. problem solving, health and safety, team working, etc.

For employers

draw up a list of skills and knowledge required for a role via job descriptions, job profiles etc
communicate their needs for a particular role to staff
use as a basis for selection and recruitment of staff
identify training or continuing professional development (CPD) needs
job role design
measuring staff performance and a tool for appraisals

They can also be used by Careers advisers as a tool to assist with applications and to ensure they demonstrate industry knowledge, and we also encourage training and learning providers to map their provision to the standards where possible.

If you have an interest in advertising sales or journalism, make sure you take part in the consultation, but don’t be put off by the number of them. This is intended to be a comprehensive shopping list of skills that you can browse and select only the items that work for your particular role.

The finished standards will be published this spring. If you need further information in the meantime, email me at suzannek@skillset.org or have a look at our website.

Tags: standards
Posted in Publishing, Skillset, TV, creative media | 2 Comments »

Data Publishers Conference 2009: Future of Digital Publishing

Tuesday, November 10th, 2009

dpa

This one day annual conference held each October brings together the great and the good from data and directory publishing. This year’s programme included strategic and practitioner streams which delegates used to share best practice, learning, practical skills and to review competing software and technology platforms.

I was particularly interested in the opening keynote session – including David Hendon, senior Director at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, who was there to put the government’s case – on the future of digital publishing. All the panelists were clear on the importance and immediacy of the impact of digital publishing on the industry and while there was a lot of discussion around the role of government in procurement as well as the use of and source of information, I was particularly interested in the panellist and audience response to the skills and innovation required to fuel the success of this sector.

It was agreed that the UK has the technology – or semantic – lead, but there were questions about whether as an industry they know enough about research in university that has the potential to seed future product development.

Tim Weller, CEO and founder of Incisive Media identified the following weaknesses in the public and private sector: a lack of specific skills; a lack of understanding of economic contribution of the creative industries; and clear structural, cyclical and regulatory threats to advertising revenues.

He identified a lack of action on the issues, but it wasn’t all about tax competitiveness being in decline or tackling piracy (both of which featured). He advocated supporting the genius of the arts and creative sector, citing the absence of allocated new university places to the creative industries as an example of where more could be done.

When I asked the panel for more detail on the skills in need, they talked of getting “back to basics”, getting more people through ICT courses in college and into the industry, developing more knowledge based courses to get people into our sector with the right knowledge and skills, and going back to schools to get the right skills in the curriculum (finance was specifically mentioned).

They acknowledged that industry needs to spend time training their teams, but added that the right students will come through in due course, that we are going to get there and are in transition. However, they also felt the need to push hard for the future rather than argue for what is right in the present.

The overwhelming message I took away was the need for information technologists: those with high level ICT or technical skills, but with creative and critical ability to think around solutions and the consumer. It throws the spotlight on work across technical and creative departments in higher education and how they must work together to develop the vital skills of the future workforce.

Watch the session on the DPA website.

Posted in Publishing, Skillset, creative media, higher education | No Comments »