I thought I knew what I was doing...

I thought I knew what I was doing but I found it all makes a lot more sense when you interrogate why you’re doing it... 

Not only do our Ones to Watchers get a free place at the TV Festival, but the benefits don't end there. We offer our alumni heavily discounted training and career development opportunities - such as this intensive two day course provided by DV Talent. 

Jennifer Shaw, Development AP at Boundless and Ones to Watch Alumnus 2011 shares her experience...

To be honest, I guess the main incentive for applying for the course was the special rate offered to the Ones to Watch alumni, but by the end of thisintensive two-day course I felt I'd consolidated my skills, improved my structuring and progressed my editorial abilities to the next level… I thought I knew what I was doing when it came to shooting and editing but I found it all makes a lot more sense when you really interrogate why you’re doing it. 

The all important camera check list

Day 1 began with a slightly unexpected activity. Instead of the usual straightforward introductions, documentary maker and course leader Kevin Hull sat us in the “Story Circle”. In very serious tones, he explained the first and second rules of the Story Circle (rather like Fight Club except less violent!). Our task- to tell one story to the circle about ourselves that was “true”- was harder than it first appeared but set us up for a day of challenging but valuable learning curves. Through the ‘Story Circle’, it was refreshing to learn that the group was made up of a real mix of backgrounds from an NHS Photographer and an Arts Charity director to a handful of GEITF Ones to Watch alumni. 

Searching for a story on the streets of Kentish Town

Next, we took the Canon XF305s out and about to source a true story on the streets of Kentish Town- an opportunity to hone shooting and directing skills. Back in the course HQ, the different ‘stories’ we brought back (from the chanced-upon street scene to the engineered coin-on-the-pavement trick) lead to a really  eye-opening debate about how to tread the thin line between production and reality… 

Day 2 involved several more rigorous story-telling tasks including shooting a story and editing ‘on camera’. It was a tough but great lesson in being really disciplined with what you shoot (although a bit of a shock when we realised we’d actually have to leave the safety net of behind the camera to stand in front of it for once!). What was particularly useful for me was the chance to review each others’ work and receive detailed and valuable feedback after every major task.  

Since attending the course, I now find myself repeating nuggets of wisdom I picked up over the two days- from how humans are thought to be genetically programmed to process stories to the fact that every story in the world is actually based on a handful of age-old narrative arcs. All-in-all an intensive and really worthwhile couple of days.

DV Talent is the UK's leading independent training provider and career agency for creative media professionals.  Visit their website for more training opportunities.

Applications for Ones to Watch 2013 are now open.  If you have been working in the TV  industry for 3-5 years, apply here.  If you know someone who you think deserves a Ones to Watch place, recommend them here