Moving from TV to YouTube

As part of the Mind Your Business strand, we're offering training in a range of areas related to business management & development, production finance, legal & business affairs, rights, and compliance, giving individuals the tools needed to thrive in their chosen field in unscripted TV. 

With commissions and opportunities dwindling in broadcast TV, YouTube seems the obvious new place to go for TV freelancers.  But how can you make the leap?  Which of your existing skills are transferrable and which new ones must be learned? And how can you actually earn a living from YouTube? 

Who it's for

This session is aimed at anyone working in unscripted TV who is interested in finding out more about the producing opportunities for TV freelancers on YouTube - whether you want to make and front your own content, produce unscripted docs or formats for YouTube, or work for a production company that makes YouTube content - come to this session to find out more.

The majority of the USF online short course offering is for those at early career stage and above. As a result, we generally require applicants to have at least three credits (unless working in a traditionally uncredited role). If you strongly feel you would still benefit from the training, please email USF@screenskills.com so we can assess if an exception should be made.

We are committed to ensuring all our courses are accessible to everyone. This course is designed to be as interactive as possible. Please email the above address if you have any access requirements and we will be delighted to help, be that clarifying the form such interaction is likely to take or discussing reasonable adjustments.

What it covers

Three former TV producers with very different backgrounds will share their journeys and current new roles, which all earn them a living via YouTube.  They'll reveal their hard-earned insights, trials and tribulations and explain that whilst YouTube won't earn you money overnight, there are routes in and ways to make it work for those with content production skills and a lot of determination.

 Hosted by TV Exec, Jo Woolf, the speakers are:

The YouTuber:  Rory Griffin (aka Astrobiscuit) trained as an Editor at the National Film and Television School.  After many successful years as a freelance editor, he moved across to producing and directing, specialising in Science and Engineering shows. Eight years ago, he left the world of broadcast television to set up his own YouTube channel, Astrobiscuit.  He posts his own videos which he produces, directs, films and presents himself, all on the topic of Astrophysics.  Rory will explain what it takes to make a career as a Youtuber, the advantages it brings over TV production as well as the challenges.

The Head of Content:  Serena Jones is Head of Content at The B1M, the world's number one YouTube construction channel.  Her role involves managing a content production team of 14, commissioning and overseeing two long-form productions for YouTube a week and analysing the performance of all existing content on the channel.  Serena will explain what roles are available in smaller digital production agencies for those with content production skills and how to access those jobs.  

The Managing Director:  Alex Hryniewicz is Head of Network Social Platforms at Little Dot Studios, a digital content agency and media network. Alex oversees a division of 30 staff members and is involved in acquisitions for their multiple YouTube channels, as well as a small amount of commissioning.  Alex will explain what YouTube channels such as the ones owned by Little Dot are looking for in terms of commissions and will also explain the digital strategies required to make money from your YouTube content.

How to apply

This session will take place online via Zoom. Click ‘apply now’ at the top of the page and follow the instructions to apply for your place: you must login or register before you are able to complete your application.

If you need additional support to complete your application or require the application form in an alternative format please contact USF@screenskills.com

Places on these free online courses are limited and applications are often highly competitive. To stand the best chance of securing a place, please be sure to consider the following:

• When asked to list your three most recent credits, please include the programme title and your job role.
• When asked what you hope to gain from the course, please be concise but ensure you cover the specific elements of the topic you would like to gain knowledge of and what gaps in your skillset you believe the course may address.
• A rewording of the course title or a general comment on career progression does not tell us much about how this course would benefit you.

If you are no longer able to attend, we ask you to please use the 'decline ticket' function on the right hand side of the page so that we can release your place. Our sessions are often oversubscribed, so we’d like to give other freelancers the opportunity to fill available spots. Thank you for your consideration.

This session is supported by the ScreenSkills Unscripted TV Skills Fund which invests in training for the unscripted workforce thanks to contributions from broadcasters, SVoDs and production companies.

This course would normally cost participants to attend, but thanks to this support, we are able to offer it to you for free. If you fail to attend, we reserve the right to request reimbursement of costs, unless your place can be taken by someone else.