Jobs in the Media Industry

Job roles in the media industry are separated into 6 different groups; creative jobs, technical jobs, editorial jobs, managerial jobs, administrative jobs and financial jobs. 
Here are example of different jobs from these groups, that are found in the TV and Film industry.

Creative 

Screen Writers

Writers are involved in the creation and/or development of all types of creative writing for film and TV. Creative writing covers a number of wide and varied forms including screen and radio; such as comedy/soap opera scripts, drama productions or documentaries. Screenwriters are responsible for crafting the words that are spoken by actors in film, television and video games. While well-known writers can make salaries well above £0.6 million, the majority of screenwriters earn a smaller salary. The salary of a screenwriter can be earned from several methods of writing beyond creating a script from scratch.According to a 2010-11 report by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, screenwriters fall under the "Authors, Writers and Editors" category. Professionals in this career field earn an average salary of £34,495.

Technical 

Camera Operators

A Camera Operator works with digital, electronic and film cameras in multi and single camera operational conditions, producing pictures for directors by combining the use of complex technology with creative visual skills. The work is based in either a studio, where the Camera Operator usually follows a camera script (which gives the order of shots practiced at rehearsal and is cued by the director during recording) or on location, where there is likely to be more opportunity for creativity through suggesting shots to the director. A Camera Operator usually works under the direction of a director or director of photography and is sometimes supported by a camera assistant (or a focus puller/clapper loader, although with the advent of digital and electronic cameras these functions are in decline). The role is an interesting mix of the creative and technical. The average salary for a camera operator is between £11.500 - £40,000+ a year.

Editorial 

Editor

Film Editors assemble footage of feature films, television shows, documentaries, and industrials into a seamless end product. They manipulate plot, score, sound, and graphics to refine the overall story into a continuous and enjoyable whole. On some films, the film Editor is chosen before cast members and script doctors; people in Hollywood recognize that the skills of a good film Editor can save a middling film. In the same way directors use certain actors they appreciate over and over again, they also use film Editors they know and are comfortable with. Martin Scorcese, Spike Lee, and Robert Wise are a few of the directors who work with the same Editors over and over again. Such relationships lend stability to a film Editor’s life; otherwise, they must be prepared to submit video resume after video resume, in the struggle to get work. Range of typical starting salaries for an editor is between £18,000-£25,000 for those employed by a television or post-production studio. This is not typically an entry level/graduate job; entrants start at a lower-paid level, which can be around the national minimum wage, working as runners and then assistant editors before reaching this post. Range of salaries with experience: £20,000-£35,000. Range of typical salaries at senior levels: £37,000-£70,000. The higher end of this scale will only be available to senior editors working on high-status projects.

Managerial

Producer

A film Producer initiates, coordinates, supervises and controls all aspects of a production, from fundraising and hiring key personnel, to arranging for distributors. The Producer sees the project through to the end, from development to completion. A television Producer is usually employed by a television station or network. A network television series usually has an executive producer who does long-term planning for the show. Some television Producers work independently; they may find sponsors and grants to supplement their budgets from the stations. The average salary for a film and TV producer averages between £18,000 - £70,000+ a year.

Administrative

Assistant Director

The First Assistant Director (AD) is the director's right hand person, taking responsibility for a number of important practicalities so that the director is free to concentrate on the creative process. During pre-production, First ADs break down the script into a shot by shot storyboard, and work with the director to determine the shoot order, and how long each scene will take to film. They then draw up the overall shooting schedule (a timetable for the filming period). Once the film is in production, Firsts are in charge of making sure that every aspect of the shoot keeps to this schedule. The approximate average salary rate for an assistant director is about 329,000 a year.

Financial 

Production Accountant

Production Accountants are responsible for managing finances and maintaining financial records during film or TV production, working closely with the producer and the production office. Their job includes preparing schedules and budgets for film productions, and managing the day to day accounting financial reporting against the budgets. The average wage of a production accountant is around £42,000 a year.