ITV Open Doors event aims to bring differing backgrounds into TV production
The broadcaster aims to make gaining access to the television industry easier.
“ITV has made a public commitment to improve society representation on screen, as well as increase diversity and inclusivity behind the scenes. Partnering with ScreenSkills on this important initiative is key to helping us get closer to ensuring our workforce represents our audience, it’s a big goal but one we hope ‘First Break’ will help us get even closer to fulfilling.” – Trish Brady, Head of HR, ITV Studios UK
When ITV began there was no ‘media studies’ or university television production courses. The creative talent came mainly from theatre backgrounds and those who had moved over to the BBC from such talent sources. However as time went on the hands-on experience of finding what an audience wants from live theatre gave way to Uni courses and bits of paper saying someone can wobble a camera and write a terribly trendy programme.
Now in order to open a wider range of talent ITV has signed up as the first partner in First Break, a new social mobility initiative from the skills body ScreenSkills to demystify the TV industry and create pathways in for people from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds.
In the regional days of Independent Television talent could also be sourced locally via the fifteen local stations all bringing programmes and creative personalities into the mix. Currently ITV only has major production centres in Salford and Leeds, the home of long running serials Corrie and Emmerdale.
The ITV Yorkshire Studios in Leeds, home to Emmerdale and the ITV Archive.
Building on a strong commitment to community engagement in those production centres ITV will offer placements to successful candidates on both Coronation Street and Emmerdale at the conclusion of the initiative, which is a match-funded collaboration with ScreenSkills High-end TV Skills Fund.
First Break will start by giving 100 candidates the chance to attend an Open Doors taster event to learn the basics of working in TV and hear first-hand about the variety and scale of jobs available in the industry. Recruitment will target individuals aged 18+ who may have studied BTECs or NVQs in further education, be career-changers, low-waged or unemployed.
Media City studios, home to Coronation Street, Judge Rinder and until recently Jeremy Kyle.
Participants will then be invited to apply for 40 places on a two-day boot camp to learn more. The boot camp will include what to expect from a job in TV, information on broadcasters and major indies, departments and chains of command, set etiquette, a studio tour and hands-on workshops in skills such as handling kit or in make-up.
The final round will see ten candidates selected for five days of paid full-time job shadowing on both ITV continuing dramas. The days will be spread across technical, creative/practical, organisational and ideas-related departments. These preferences have been identified to avoid intimidating candidates with job titles or grades at too early a stage.
“First Break is aimed at encouraging, nurturing and supporting people to consider a career in television and give them the tools, knowledge and taster experience to take their first steps in. We believe it will be a practical way of making TV more accessible to those without contacts, opening the industry up to people whose life experiences are not currently widely reflected in the television workforce.” – Kaye Elliott, ScreenSkills’ Director of High-end Television
