Though I have started up a variety of groups on different sites to allow me to converse with others within my professional circles I have found the most successful in the art of conversation - be it through phone calls, on my blog or in person. Without even realising I have been furthering my inquiries by just merely taking more consideration and awareness of my already established social and professional networking forms. I am starting to affirm a more solid direction within my questions, now finding feedback on the following:
- What is your experience of a career transition?
- What specifically can be identified as 'cross-overs' between the 'arts' and 'media'?
- Although there is a keen sense of 'its not what you know, but who you know', what additional qualifications/knowledge can I gain to put myself 'a step ahead'?
- What qualities are required to reach a career within this field?
Though there are still a million more questions stemming from these, I feel that this is a much more collaborated form in where I am progressing with my inquiry.
1. You have to invest time and money to make it happen. Any transition worth doing costs...
ReplyDelete2. Media/Arts - it's really hard to do this...
3. From what I know, in media, it's about being there on the scene, I think you might have to work for free at first. Experience is everything!
4. Passion, Spirit and communicative. Most of all, that little something you can't teach - ingredient X...
Look at Natalie's archived blog that she has left for us - she did a really intersting inquiry on career transition http://natalieless.blogspot.co.uk
ReplyDeleteHi Paula, Alan also suggested me her blog. I have been referring to it, and found her inquiry interesting. Should I be aiming to build upon it or just maintain the same studies as we both reflect moving in a similar direction? Have my own inquiries and findings been along the right lines?
ReplyDeleteThe question of 'transition' from one 'practice' to another suggests that the practices are different. I wonder how different the practices really are? A good question in considering transitioning is what shared or common features are exhibited by both practices? There might be some underpinning aspects of practice common to both?
ReplyDeleteSo dance and TV presenting fo example may seem very different, but an exploration of what features, characteristics and conventions are shared between them seem a worthwhile question?
Thanks Alan, this is very true, there must be many similarities between them, otherwise the 'transition' process wouldn't even be worth questioning, it would result in an entire career change. This is definitely an area worth greater attention!
ReplyDeleteHi Simone
ReplyDeleteI agree with Ahmet in respect that you will need to invest time and money. Networking and experience is the key.
I would also recommend working for free, even if there is no job available! You could approach people who you are interested in working for/with and ask if you can trace their steps so to speak! They act like a mentor. It gives you the opportunity to observe and network at the same time. You need to get your name and face out there!! Its a similar process to starting out as a choreographer. This has actually been an area of my questioning, how to get ahead as a choreographer. Its the same old' catch 22 situation of people asking for experience but you can't get the experience if no one offers it to you!
My sister is an established make-up artist for TV, she spent two years practising this method and is now thriving in her career.
The only problem of course is the financial aspect but promotional work can often have quite flexible hours.
Hope this helps!
Kelly
At Middlesex we are now within the Media department - might also be worth looking at the materials for uni courses and other training course about the different 'fields' - also there is the idea of sector - so tv and radio might be different sectors - the Sector Skills councils might also be worth a look to inform your topic about 'media' http://www.ukces.org.uk/ourwork/sector-skills-councils
ReplyDeleteWe call what we do transdisicplinary because often while people do work within a sector - their skills are not form just one disciplinary background - so people of different disciplines work on projects and then when the projects end go onto the next prpject - sort of like performance (?).
Thanks Paula, I didn't even we were in the same department. I wonder whether it would be possible to interview a couple of students within this area? See what they have learnt, and how they are coming into the industry from a different direction? I definitely will have a look at what the courses itself has to offer. I do agree, the transferring of skills between jobs, careers and sectors is much like performance. In essence you are always building upon what you already know, as knowledge and skill is always shaped and moulded to be applicable. It will be interesting to see what are the 'stated' differences in sector, compared to what the majority feel is comparable throughout!
ReplyDeleteHi Kelly, thats so interesting about your sister. It would be good to know what her first real break was? How did it come about? I definitely think your right though, the more people you meet, experience you get and contacts you make the closer you come to that first job!