LO2: Task 3: Career Pathways

 LO2: Task 3 - Career Pathways 

Independent: This work would involve self-employment (freelance) which would therefore, require organizational and communication skills so that you can interact and negotiate with your employer as well as selling your services to them; this is in conjunction with managing multiple projects with different employers at the same time. An example of a freelance employer for screen/script-writing that is currently available would be on Upwork (Looking for Film/TV screenwriter to write short form scripts for YouTube – Freelance job in Content Writing – US$300.00 Fixed price, posted 8 March 2024 - Contract to hire – Upwork) to write short (1500-3000 word) scripts for a YouTube channel which will culminate into 10 scripts total for a fixed payout of $300. Due to the lower payout as a freelancer within the pay to work ratio, multiple contracts with other employers would have to be sought out for extra earnings and further experience therefore, requiring organizational skills to balance those projects and the workload required to meet their individual deadlines. 

Voluntary Sector: Volunteering as a screen/script-writer would provide valuable work experience to get your foot in the door of the media industry and work with other companies to produce work with well-known names in the industry. An example of a volunteering for script-writing would be with Industrial Scripts (Volunteering Opportunities | Industrial Scripts | Film & Editing) who have worked with producers such as Robert Jones (The Usual Suspects) and Caryn Mandabach (Peaky Blinders). Volunteering with Industrial Scripts would require communication skills to keep in contact with the company to understand what work they're requesting and to give feedback on what script work you create for them. This would also therefore, require the skills needed to be a screen/script writer such as media knowledge and awareness as well as English/writing skills. 

Employment: Employment would be the gateway into working as a screen/script-writer: working with an established employer under a salary and contract, likely working on similar media content such as type (i.e. film) and genre. An example of employment that could get you into the industry and gain experience would be as a junior copywriter in Manchester (40 content writer jobs in Manchester, England, April 2024 | Glassdoor). This work would require (as is consistent with script-writing jobs) organizational, creative and communication skills as well as being able to meet deadlines and manage vast workloads which include researching the topic your copywrite is based on. 

Work Based Training (Apprenticeship): An apprenticeship (similarly to voluntary work) is a method of introducing yourself to working in the media industry under the guidance of an employer however, alternatively, this work is paid. An example of work experience for script writing would be within the application for 'content creatives' in Manchester (Content Creatives - Greater Manchester - 2024 for Channel 4 (248580) (getmyfirstjob.co.uk). This work (as with most other media apprenticeships) contains a variety of media related work, involving script/content-writing however, due to this, skills required involve more than media and English capabilities such as art, photography and graphic design. This is also including research ability, pitching (communication) and handling your own tax and accounts as this involves freelance work. 

Further Education (College): College (as part of further education) allows for script/screen-writing skills to be developed through creative media coursework and A-level English language and literature courses to further writing capabilities, understand more about the writing and development seen within other literature and media, gaining the skills to disect, understand and be influenced by it. An example for this would be the Creative Digital Media Diploma at UTC Sheffield (Creative and Digital Media - UTC Sheffield City Centre) which allows for media skills, including script-writing, to be developed. This is in addition with other features of the course such as advertising for a real client which can develop communication and organizational skills which are vital as a freelance (or employed) screen/script-writer.  

Higher Education (University): University (similarly to college/further education) allows for further study into the media industry to refine your skills within a media sector you take interest in and for script/screen-writing this would be the English and film course at Salford University in Manchester (BA (Hons) English and Film | University of Salford). Similarly to college, the same skills will be required however, this is in a focused course of study which means English, creative and media knowledge/analysis skills are essential. This course includes understanding literature and film in critical analysis of their creative and contextual creation; this including the writing of the media analysed. This allows for influence from understanding studied media to shed light on your own writing so that it can be refined and taken into employment or freelance.