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Critical Comparison of a range of practices in the media industry

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Critical Comparison of a range of practices in the media industry

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STRINGERS:

Stringers are a type of freelancers working in the journalism sector. They contribute reports, photos, etc., but only when they are hired to. A business would hire a stringer, when they are in need of a quick, one-off piece of work. Stringers are paid for individual contributions (if they are paid at all, that is), rather than being out on a regular salary

Pros for the employer:
The loose relationship is beneficial for the business because it costs less than paying a salaried employee.
It also means that they can quickly put out content that they may not necessarily have the resources for with their current workforce.

Cons for the employer:
The way I see it, there aren't really any cons to the business. A stringer is somewhat of a last resort, there aren't really any drawbacks to their use.

Pros for the employee:
Allows for flexibility
Not as much commitment, can work on multiple things at once
Pay isn't fixed

Cons for the employee:
Good time management skills are more of a necessity
May not be credited for the work
Sometimes may not be paid for the work

FREELANCER
Freelancers (independent contractors) are self employed workers who might not necessarily work for a specific organisation/employer long-term. Instead, it is a type of employment contract that is more flexible and requires less commitment (both from the perspective of the employer and the employee) than might be required from a full or part-time employee.

Pros for the employer:
More affordable for the employer
Freelancers may work efficiently than their full or part time counterparts
Freelancers do not require training
Don't need to find multiple people strong in a lot of areas, one freelancer is enough
No equipment costs

Cons for the employer:
Might not be as immediately available as a full time or part time worker

Pros for the employee:
Earn more money as they can take on more work, flexible hours, flexible careers.
Lot of skills, lot of clients

Cons for the employee:
Must take on the responsibility of proactively getting work
Might not have as high a job security

CASUAL WORKERS:

Casual workers work for a specific business, under the supervision of a manager or director.

They might work on zero hour contracts, which means they do not have a set work schedule. Instead, they are called in when required. They are not necessarily obliged to accept the work, but of course that means they do not receive payment.

Pros for the employer:
Employer does not have to commit to specific hours
They only pay workers as and when they need them, meaning less costs on wages.
Gives the employer flexibility

Cons for the employer:
When needed, there is chance the employee might decline the work

Pros for the employee:
No need to commit to a long term full or part time contract
Can take on more or less work depending on availability/circumstance

Cons for the employee:
Work will likely be irregular
No organised life
Dead end job, no future

FIXED TERM:
A fixed term term contract is a contract that lasts until a specific date set by the client, at which point all work must be completed.

The contract can be terminated if it's for a good reason.

Might be hired for agencies, magazines newspapers, photographers etc.

Pros for the employer:
Existing employees might learn from the new employee's skills.
Employer can plan ahead in terms of budget/workforce
Shorter term contract means that changes can be made to staff in case of problems

Cons for the employer:
A good worker may not necessarily want to stay at the end of the term

Pros for the employee:
Informed about vacancies
The same pay as longer-term staff
Contract may be renewed at the end of term

Cons for the employee:
Travelling might be required if working on a project
Requires good organisation skills to ensure work can be found after a term has been completed

FULL TIME:
A full time worker works for around 40 hours per week, generally from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. Unlike a freelancer for example, they work under a set salary.

Pros for the employer:
Regular staff, allows for reliability/budgeting
Staff can be trained

Cons for the employer:
If there is an issue with an employee, it is difficult to replace them

Pros for the employee:
Steady monthly income
Pension fund covered in contract
Opportunities to progress in the company, as well is for continual professional development

Cons for the employee:
Little time to spend with family
Very difficult to change to change jobs
One might become too comfortable with the job as such might not be able to develop talent

PART TIME:
A worker is considered to be part time if they work under 35 hours per week.

Pros for the employer:
Part time contracts attract more skilled employees who might already have families and other commitments
Part time workers can help the employer to have enough stuff at peak times such as evenings and weekends

Cons for the employer:
Might cost more to hire multiple part timers, to do the same job as one full-timer.
More time might be spent supervising numerous workers as opposed to just one

Pros for the employee:
More time to spend with family (ideal for mothers etc.)
Also allows for other non-work endeavours such as studies etc.

Cons for the employee:
Might need to work evenings or weekends
Might not have as many opportunities for progression

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Evidence of professionalism in Units 5 and 6

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Evidence of professionalism in Units 5 and 6

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In Units 5 and 6, I was the producer of the project. This means I had to distribute the workload between my teammates in a way that ensured maximum productivity. I also had to adapt workload and production schedules to absences from teammates. As can be seen in the production schedule for that project, a lot of edits were made to the production schedule - (original plan in strikethrough, edits in red).

Also, near the end of production I put in a lot of extra work editing the video, managing to finish it before the screening. Because of this dedication and extra work our group ended up being one of only two in our class that were able to show a finished product at the end of the term. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibsMBOb4zC8

I also directed the voice acting sessions for the ebook. I made an effort to vigorously direct the voice actors across many takes. Because of this, I think the voice acting came out to be of a much higher quality than it would have been had I not bee quite so thorough.

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INearly there Thom...just a couple of pieces of work missing ofr needing expanding

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https://youtu.be/RaAdH5GNEP4

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Uploaded by TheUntitled154 on 2016-03-14.

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thomisaacs.wordpress.com

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Presenter notes for final presentation (Partial. Any information not found in the notes can be found on the powerpoint)

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Presenter notes for final presentation (Partial. Any information not found in the notes can be found on the powerpoint)

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Alright so this is just going to be a quick rundown of all the research I've conducted into entering the music industry as a singer, over the course of Unit 3.
[NEXT]
We're going to start out by looking at the legal responsibilities that both performers and employers need to follow.

We'll just start with the performers here. [NEXT]

So as a performer, or an artist in general, one needs to [NEXT] respect intellectual property laws. These include things like [NEXT] copyright, and trademarks. It also involves getting performance licenses, just general things to that effect.

A performer is also required to respect health and safety legislation. This includes things like operating appropriately on stage - not doing anything that might bring yourself or others to harm or damage any equipment etc.

And finally, a performer needs to be conscious of and adhere to the terms of the contract they signed with their employer.

And now from the perspective of the employer.

The employer is also required to adhere to health and safety legislation. While the performer needs to respect their environment, it is the responsibility of the employer to make sure that the environment is safe and appropriate for performance, to ensure safe operations for all concerned.

Employers are also required to treat employees adequately. By this I mean paying an adequate wage, providing appropriate working conditions (which kind of overlaps with the part about health and safety).

Moving on, we'll talk about the ethical responsibilities in the music industry.

Similarly to any other industry, a degree of honesty is required. Being honest with colleagues and employers is not only the key to a smooth working relationship, but it can also neutralise a lot of moral/ethical issues. Such as conflicts of interest, to give an example.

Confidentiality can be more of a legal thing, especially if non-disclosure agreements are involved, but it's still an important ethical responsibility.

BULLETPOINTS

Equal opportunities
Race, gender, sexual orientation

Child protection
DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service)
Music projects might involve children

[NEXT]

OfCom
Regulate explicit content. Might limit creativity.
BPI
Explicit content parental guidance
APRS
on screen

Online portfolio
Singing videos recordings of my performance
A picture worth a thousand words

Personal statement

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Detailed notes critically analysing Part-Time contracts

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Detailed notes critically analysing Part-Time contracts

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Part time work benefits to the individual:
Part time workers work under 30-35 hours per week meaning lots of free time
And flexibility.
If the employee is young part time work would probably be the most suitable option
Particularly for a teenager.

Part time work drawbacks:
Less pay than a full time occupation.
Less job stability than when in full time employment, as a part time employee is usually easier to replace or less of a necessity to the company.

Businesses within media that use part-time employment:
- Businesses that use social media hire employees on a part-time basis quite often.
- Editors and production staff are often hired for TV and Film on a part-time basis.
- Newspapers
- Publishing companies
- Magazines
General firms and establishments may look for part-time staff within media sectors to work for them, for example a doctor’s office may be looking for a designer or so on and so forth.

Benefits/drawbacks to the company:

Pros:

Lower salary costs

Lower overtime costs

Attract more potential employees due to being family friendly/suitable for students

Attract a lot of skilled, flexible people.

Cons:

Recruitment costs may be higher than taking on a single part time worker

Managers would need to spend more time/energy managing 2+ workers when they could be managing one

Pension costs may increase

Part-time contract
You are considered a part-time worker if you work less than 30 – 35 hours per week
Work is in shifts and you remain on call while off duty and during annual leave

Personal qualities / skills required
Flexible
Punctual
Work to deadlines

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Rough notes about different kinds of contracts

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Rough notes about different kinds of contracts

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STRINGER
Journalism. Type of freelance. They contribute reports and photos, but are only when they are hired to.

Business:
News agents. Loose relationships, they hire them in when they need to. Beneficial because it costs less than paying a salaried employee.

Not fixed pay, invoiced, flexible.

Drawbacks:
Work on their own payments, not taken out automatically
Work isn't guaranteed.skills:
Time management
Confidence
Reliability

FREELANCER.

Own boss
Independent contractors
No contracts (incorrect. Not hired as employee, still has contract.

Editors
Graphic designers
Etc

Earn more money as they can take on more work, flexible hours, flexible careers.
Lot of skills, lot of clients

Lot of different areas
Must have the responsibility to find own work

Benefit to company:

Flexible employee
Don't need to find multiple people strong in a lot of areas, one freelancer is enough
No equipment costs

Qualities:

Organised
Deal with multiple jobs

CASUAL WORKERS:

Work for specific businesses
Under supervision or control from a manager or director

0 hour contract. Housing council tax benefit.

Shape it around your own time

Because you are working when you're needed. No regular work. No organised life, NO FUTURE.
Freedom.

Work

Skill:
Organise time

Extras etc

FIXED TERM
Work has to be handed in by a date set by the client
Contract can be terminated if it's for a good reason

Hired for agencies
Magazines
Newspapers
Photographers

Individual benefits
Informed about vacancies
The same pay as employed staff.

Individual drawbacks
Travelling

Company benefits
Employees Learn from the new employee's skills

Company drawbacks
Worker might not do the work to a high standard

Personal qualities
Trainees
Need skills
Motivation
High quality of work

Full time:
40hoursish
9-5 5 days a week

Pro:
Steady monthly income
Pension fund covered in contract

Types of business:
Managerial positions, films directors
Editorial roles
Creative roles
Sales and marketing

Pension plan
Retirement plan
Days off
Cons

Little time to spend with family
Hard to change jobs
Too comfortable with the job, can't develop talent

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What is a traineeship? How would it help you?

A traineeship is similar to an apprenticeship, with the main difference between the two being that a traineeship is unpaid. As such, a traineeship acts as work experience, which is beneficial as it allows you to gain experience in the workplace, and ultimately allows you to flesh out your CV.

What are the things that you need to consider if you are moving on to another course -- progressing on to the next level or going to another course. What do you need to prepare for the application?

When preparing to apply to another course, one must prepare a CV and personal statement.
When progressing to the extended year of the UAL diploma, a range over other criteria are required, including:
Acceptable grades
Good track record of meeting deadlines
Minimal yellow cards

Payscale - explore the field you're going into.

According to payscale the average income for "Musician or Singer" is £20,769.

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6 methods of gaining employment
Nepotism
Finding job advertisements through various avenues (indeed etc)
Job fairs
Networking
Word of mouth

3 routes of progression into your dream job
Take vocal studies courses at a conservatoire to develop to a professional standard
Gain experience with people in the music industry to start building a network
Get an agent, start looking for work

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I used to work as a freelance journalist for CoinBuzz.com, and part of my job involved reviewing Bitcoin-related products. There were several instances where the people behind these products offered me monetary compensation for these reviews, and in the interest of objectivity and journalistic integrity I declined these offers every time. I'd say that this level of honesty is extremely important in the media sector, and I make a point of adhering to it religiously.

I was also elected as a class representative at Harlow College. I displayed commitment to this position by attending each and every rep meeting punctually and contributing valuable feedback to the college based on interactions with my class. I believe that my election as class rep is also a testament to my ability to make a good impression on people

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I've been singing for more or less my entire life. I was interested in singing from a very young age, but I only really got deeply into it when my parents introduced a piano to the household. I used to spend hours learning to accompany myself on songs that I liked at the time. When I was around 8 or so I also used to spend a fair bit of time writing songs, though now of course I deem them to be excruciatingly embarrassing and hope they never see the light of day.

In the more serious sense, though, I've been studying singing "for real" for just over 6 years, beginning in 2009 at the age of 11, with private singing lessons at a local music school called the "Vallé Academy" (located in Cheshunt). At one point during my time there, I had the opportunity to pursue a career in musical theatre, but I opted to decline, feeling that I was too young to undertake something like that at the time. I feel like this was the right choice, as being able to be more relaxed about my singing lead to me enjoying it a lot more, allowing me to develop as a musician organically.

In 2010, I joined a choir called "The International Voices of Enfield" with whom I have performed at various  prestigious venues, including St. Paul's Cathedral (in the presence of Princess Anne, no less), and the Royal Festival Hall. I've traveled with this choir all over Europe on tour - visiting countries like Wales, Italy, Germany, and Bavaria, as well as attending numerous music seminars at locations like Leiston Abbey and Eton College. On multiple occasions, I have taken part in recording choral CDs with the choir's patron and esteemed composer John Rutter CBE. Unfortunately, due to other obligations, I am no longer able to attend this choir, but I am still invited back from time to time to perform as a guest.

Finally, in 2013 I started attending the Centre for Young Musicians, a division of the Guildhall and a centre of excellence in music located in Lambeth, which I still attend today. I consider CYM to be where I've made the most progress as a performer. I attend a stagecraft class there, in which I am frequently taken out of my comfort zone, which has helped me expand my repertoire and subsequently my technique. As a result of attending this class, I have become much more comfortable with things like acting and movement, and other areas of performance which I had either neglected to develop, or had simply avoided due to being uncomfortable with, prior to starting at CYM. I also attend the CYM Chamber Choir, where I sing as a tenor.

As for achievements outside of music: I was home educated up until September of 2014, when I started a GCSE course. At this point, my only experience with curricular education was at CYM, so having to suddenly come in to college every day was a shock to the system (to put it lightly). Despite this, I managed to come out the other end at the top of my class with a decent set of grades. I mention all of this because I believe it's a testament to my adaptability that I was able to do this, considering how alien the environment was to me at the time.

With my GCSEs in hand, I progressed to a media course at Harlow College. While at this point I knew that I wanted to pursue a career in singing, I felt like having a qualification in media would act as an adequate "Plan B", especially considering I have previous experience in the field, having worked on and off as a freelance journalist. I'm nothing if not thorough, and I deemed it unwise to enter a field as difficult to tap into as music without having some sort of failsafe.

Upon completion of this course, I will leave with the equivalent of two A Levels - the required entry grade for many conservatoires. I sincerely want to progress to full-time study of music in some capacity, as I consider it to be the most fulfilling subject I've ever studied. Moving forward, I'd like to pursue some sort of career in singing, although this point in my life I am unsure of the precise route I'd like to take. I'm hoping that by entering full-time music education, it will make it easier for me to make up my mind on the matter.

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How effective have you been in achieving your targets?
It's been a little bit rocky. I go through periods of time where I'm extremely motivated to complete work (generally this is the production phase), and other times where I end up lacking motivation to complete work (paperwork, pre-production, etc..).

When I am motivated, I find myself to be quite productive. I assumed the role of producer in the production of our eBook, and I think I did a pretty good job of organising and distributing the workload.

How will you ensure you meet assignment deadlines for UNIT 3, 5 & 6?
Again, for all units I made effort to construct action plans. I've been okay at sticking to them, although there have been some bumps in the road. Especially when I fell ill last week, rendering me unable to focus on completing the work, and subsequently having to catch up. Also sometimes I won't do all of what I specified on the action plan, meaning I have to reshuffle it - this is an issue I'm still working on addressing.

What areas of planning have you improved since last term?
I still find planning to be quite difficult. For example in Units 5 and 6 when we were tasked with producing a production schedule encompassing the entire 3 weeks of production, I was unable to schedule for the entire span of time. However, I have gained a lot of skills in planning that I didn't have before, such as writing agendas, keeping minutes of meetings, etc..

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What were you good at?
I responded with detailed, thought out answers.
I was engaging throughout.
I was confident and spoke positively about myself as much as possible

Where do you need to improve?
My answers were riddled with filler words, and I stuttered at times.
I wasn't quite as prepared for some questions as I would have liked

What has impacted on your achievement / completion of work?
I think that over the course of Unit 3, my biggest issue has been staying motivated to complete the work. Admittedly, I haven't found a lot of the assignments as engaging as I might have found more creative projects, and as such haven't had the same motivation to complete them. This isn't entirely a bad thing, though - it's been required of me to think about areas that I've neglected to consider thus far, such as progression in education, finding work, etc..

How will you achieve deadlines?
We were given an action plan sheet, which I have filled out and intend to adhere to, in order to achieve the deadlines in a timely manner.

What do you need to improve to achieve your target grade?
As with many other classmates, I need to improve on my critical comparison. I think I've been okay with it so far, it's just a case of keeping a consistent ratio of description and explanation in my written work.

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To recognise the nature and benefits of work experience

To identify job roles and career progression opportunities

Start thinking about what your work placement may be and what career you may go into.

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Diary Entry 1 - Reflecting on Units 3, 5, and 6 so far.

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Diary Entry 1 - Reflecting on Units 3, 5, and 6 so far.

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i. Attendance/punctuality to lessons

So far my attendance has been perfect: haven't missed any lessons yet. My punctuality has been perfect as well, though that is likely to stop being the case once the buses inevitably mess up. Unfortunately this is out of my control, as there's no other way to get to college.

ii. Research and analysis skills

We haven't done much research yet but what we have done has been very fruitful so far. For Unit 3 we researched different job types which was a surprisingly fun activity. It also gave me some very useful insight into potential job opportunities, something which has been on my mind for a while now. For units 5 an 6 we've started researching stuff for our animated eBooks, such as focus groups and studying existing books. My ability to write questions was very useful in the focus groups, and gave us vital data for the development of our book.

iii. Confidence in verbal and written communication

My verbal communication in class is relatively strong. I definitely need to work on it outside of class though -- my teammates in Units 5 and 6 are Kat and James Frost. I've been good about communicating with Kat over Facebook, but haven't been talking to James. I think we need to set up a group chat where we discuss everything about the project, so we'll sort that out eventually.

iv. Organisational skills / achieving deadlines

I completed my homework this week for the most part but for a lot of it I've neglected to upload it to Padlet. I need to get into the habit of doing this again, and I intend to sit down over the rest of the week and sort through my work and upload it all.

v. IDENTIFY WHAT YOU NEED TO IMPROVE THIS WEEK

Again, I need to sort out my data storage. I also need to set up that group chat with Kat and James so that we can communicate about the project outside of the class.

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SCRIPT DOWN HERE Alright so as part of Unit 3, I'm required to produce a video assessing my work and final presentation for Unit 2. So uh, here it is. The first bulletpoint I need to cover is my attendance and punctuality.

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Thom you have not finished all the work that was needed in the lesson - please ensure you are in college 9.30 Monday to complete the work by Wednesday

TO BE DONE: HOMEWORK EXPAND RESEARCH
•5 different Job roles in 3 different media sectors identifying skills and qualifications required •Work experience opportunities – contact name and email evidence of communication with employer for March work experience •Research Volunteer for Local Charities