Local people who live in Cornwall and Devon that are looking to take their first steps in the world of TV Production can apply to join an exciting paid work experience programme, First Break.
The programme funded by the High-end TV Skills Fund at ScreenSkills is a collaboration with Red Planet Pictures and Screen Cornwall and offers first-hand experience of working on a television production to locals based in Cornwall and Devon with no prior experience of working behind the camera in TV.
Nine paid placements will be available for lucky locals aged 18+ to join the production on series two of Red Planet Pictures’ locally filmed Beyond Paradise for the BBC. This follows last year’s First break programme where 12 participants gained paid work placements on series one of the show, with four since securing full-time roles on series two.
To find out more about the opportunity and how to take part, an Open Doors event, run by the HETV Skills Fund Team at ScreenSkills, is being held on Tuesday 27 June from 6.30-8.30pm at The Box in Plymouth where industry professionals and those running the programme will be on-hand to answer any questions you may have.
No previous knowledge or experience is necessary to take part and placements are available across a range of roles.
Vicki Ball, HETV First Break and Careers Outreach Manager, said: “The Open Doors event is a fantastic opportunity for local people to meet members of the TV production crew and ask them about their different departments such as camera, sound, hair and make-up and costume and find out about their jobs. We’re looking for people with a range of different skills and from different backgrounds to join the many roles in the TV industry so if you’re interested please come along to find out more. We’re really pleased to be developing the work of the HETV Skills fund in the South West and working with partners to help develop a thriving screen sector in the region”.
Cat Fox, Head of Production, Red Planet, said: “Following the huge success of the first series of Beyond Paradise, Red Planet Pictures are delighted to be able to revisit the First Break programme again this year. Providing local opportunities and building on the current infrastructure within the region was a key goal while making the show and is at the heart of what Red Planet does. We cannot wait to welcome this year’s cohort onto the production and to build on the achievements of last year”.
Laura Giles, Managing Director, Screen Cornwall, said: “In an emerging rural screen cluster such as Cornwall, returning series provide a huge opportunity in terms of career development for early stage and emerging talent to build their CVs without having to move away and we are delighted that four alumni from last year have come back in full time roles this year. It’s fantastic to partner with HETV ScreenSkills and Red Planet again on this programme and provide those first steps into the industry.”
Read more about the Open Doors event and how to take part.