Lexi Riddiford-Bell
Wow, so here we are……2 months into our traineeships and we’re still standing!
I’m Lexi Riddiford-Bell and at 30 years old I’m on the scheme purely for being an old fart! Well, comparatively old, to be having a career change and getting into the media industry at this age. (My friends and Folks rarely let me forget this fact!) I’m a production secretary at Objective Productions for a year.
My background is in independent short film with a dabble in music videos. I’ve no “professional” experience in this industry, at least not in an “Ooo look I’ve been paid!” capacity and I’ve been through the festival circuits’ ad infinitum…..
…..and all of this prepared me in no way whatsoever for what this industry has to give and what it has to throw at you. Backgrounds are all well and good but unless you’ve been a production secretary for a TV company before (which means you wouldn’t be on this course) then it’ll all be a glorious surprise!
I’ve looked at what my fellow trainees and friends have had to say so far and to avoid repetition I’m going to chat about my pre-conceptions of my position and the key skills it’s taught me.
I spent a week on the Runners desk at Objective learning who were who, what was where and the general Objective way of doing things. I was then assigned to a pilot sports comedy show for Sky as a production secretary.
The first thing that hit me was that everyone else on a crew assumes that you know what you are doing. You can’t take for granted that they know you’re a trainee. A Catch-22 then arises; you want to be seen as a professional and be trusted to do the job but at the same time your fellow crew members think you’ve already done this before so assign you tasks and ask you questions as if you know what on earth you’re doing. You don’t want to tell them you’re a newbie and a trainee but you don’t want to be thought of as crap at your job. Hmmm, what to do! Ultimately you can only assess each scenario on it’s own merits. Being honest is never wrong but at the same time you have to be careful how you phrase things to avoid the following:
a) Sounding like you don’t know anything, b) sounding like you want special treatment and c) trying to provide an excuse for making any mistakes.
More often than not it’s just down to gentle reminders to a key person, such as your coordinator, that you‘ve not encountered this particular task as yet on your training scheme so could they just point you in the right direction?
Diplomacy is just as vital a skill to learn (and learn quickly) as knowledge. This industry has a wonderfully ornate set of etiquette rules. This industry is powered by networking and being in the right place at the right time.
So remember that this means that every person you meet is a potential colleague or employer, regardless of their current job description. Always have a set of up to date business cards on you and develop a brass neck! I’ve met people who have obtained their positions through sheer balls as well as experience or knowledge. You can be a great secretary but if you just it quietly in a corner and wait for anyone to hand you anything or for someone to recommend you for a job then you’ll struggle to get anywhere. Everyone else in this industry is fighting for roles and there is a constant stream of new people coming into the industry everyday. With more colleges and Uni’s offering media subjects than ever before, you have to glow! This is one of the beauties of this scheme, it opens up a world of resources that are just like gold-dust; training, the people you get to meet (day 5 as a trainee and I’m sat at a table in a Channel 4 meeting room next to the Controller of Channel 4 thinking “how the hell did I end up being picked to be here?!”), the practical hands-on experience, the paid work and access to a whole year’s worth of networking and contacts whilst not having to worry about obtaining your next role.
The attributes to keep in your ‘tool-kit’ at all times are:
• A bullet-proof thick skin
• A sense of humour
• An unbelievably open mind
• A willingness to learn
• The responsibility to take ownership of tasks and mistakes
• Constantly having a notebook and pen on you
• An organized approach – you could be contacted at 11pm at night at home from your series producer with a question from account numbers with your courier of choice to the DoP’s home and mobile number
• Patience! – You will not be running Channel 4 in your first week! Everyone, regardless of age, ethnicity, background and skill, will start off making teas and coffees, photocopying, shredding or some such activity. Use these as a tool to get to know people’s, places, office layouts etc. Not meaning to sound all Confucius-esque but there is always something to learn in any task.
• Remember that the guys at 4Talent & Think Bigger are an amazing group of people so if things ever get too bad you always have someone to go to.
• Make the most of this year as you’ll never get another chance like it. Schemes like this simply do not happen so if you get on it, do everything you can to get everything from it.
I still can’t believe that I am here on this course, I had a dream just last week that this had all been a daydream and I was really still an unemployed Uni graduate in York stuck in a recession-rut! But now I’m working on my second production since starting here and I’ve already tackled tasks that are outside the standard production secretary remit, including research and being a contact point for celebrity talent. At 30 years old I’ve found my niche at last. The guys on the DPT scheme with me are great and we are a constant source of support, solace, friendship and beer-age for each other. Within our group we can whinge after a bad day without damaging our future employability and we can also share our great moments, we have all done so already. There’s also been birthday celebrations, Halloween fancy dress (of a sort!) and a mad-cap chase around Shoreditch to track down Stringer Bell from The Wire, DJing at a club! Post-work drinks have turned into long sessions and we even have our own Facebook group. Having the comfort and company of 11 other people in the unique position I’m in, and the friendships that come up from there is another big, big perk of this course. We’re an instant occupational family!
On the one hand it feels like I’ve been here for 5 minutes, and on the other, I feel like I’ve always been here.