Since its inception in 2021, the Unscripted TV Skills Fund has invested in a wide suite of training programmes to address industry skill shortages that have been identified as a priority by the unscripted TV industry through our research and by employers on the Unscripted TV Skills Council and industry working groups.
Compiled here, for your convenience when on the lookout for the best new talent, are the profiles for alumni of completed training programmes to date.
On their profiles, you’ll be able to find out more about them including their CVs (with contact details), the regions they are available to work and other training they have completed.
Development researcher – 21/22
Delivered by Mission Accomplished, this programme trained a new group of development researcher talent across the breadth of the UK with the aim of ensuring a pipeline of diverse, skilled and formally trained individuals in the role in unscripted TV.
Edit assistant/Technical operator – 21/22
Delivered by The Pipeline, this programme was designed to build the technical, creative, professional and personal skills needed for the roles of edit assistant and technical operator, among a group of existing postproduction runners, new entrants and transferers to unscripted TV across the UK.
Production coordinator – 21/22
Delivered by Media Career Advice, this programme covered key areas of the role, from setting up shoots and creating call sheets to copyright clearances and managing teams, preparing a group of new entrants and transferers for a career in production management. Individuals on the programme benefitted from multiple production placements over 12 months in a variety of genres in unscripted TV.
Producer – 21/22
Delivered by Gritty Talent this programme gave those working at AP and PD level the personal and professional skills and knowledge to take on more challenging projects with confidence.
Shooting assistant producer 21/22
Delivered by Directors UK and DV Talent, this programme was designed to equip existing researchers across the UK with the technical, editorial and people skills needed to take the step up to shooting AP.
Shooting producer/director (PD) 21/22
Delivered by DV Talent, this programme was designed to empower newcomers to self-shooting to film and direct with confidence, while also building confidence and addressing skills gaps within the existing self-shooting community.
Junior editor 22/23
Delivered by The Pipeline, this programme was designed to equip existing edit assistants across the UK with the technical, creative and professional skills needed to take the step up to junior editor with 6 months of work-based training.
Production manager 22/23
Delivered by DV Talent, this UK-wide programme was designed to equip delegates with the practical skills needed to be a successful production manager, as well as personal skills when managing a team and working harmoniously with executive/series producers, and broadcasters.
Series producer 22/23
Delivered by TRC Media, the sixth year of this flagship programme was focused on those working outside of London and the South East and was designed to give delegates the knowledge, skills and network to make the move from producer to series producer with confidence, and to develop the next generation of showrunners who will become the cornerstones of UK television.
Development producer 23/24
Delivered by Mission Accomplished, this programme was designed to build creative, diverse and fully inclusive development teams who are better able to deliver successful pitches, create a slate of ideas and win new business.
Production Manager
A training programme to give delegates the knowledge, skills and confidence to take the step up from production coordinator or junior production manager to work on more complex, long-running or returnable programmes.
Development team
A training to support everyone working in development teams in Unscripted TV – from junior researchers all the way through to heads of development. The suite of training helped build creative development teams who are commercially aware and better able to deliver successful pitches, create a slate of ideas and win business.
Junior Editor
A workplace-based training programme for edit assistants ready to step up to junior editor with each delegate assigned to productions to edit and learn on the job, allocated real tasks and working to an agreed training plan for approximately six months.
As part of our junior editor programme, we helped post-houses across the UK backfill the role of edit assistant vacated by delegates on the programme. The new edit assistants received in-house training with a post house on everything from ingesting footage, how to maintain an edit suite and more.
Series Producer
The popular recurring programme to give delegates the knowledge, skills, and network to make the move from producer to series producer/series director with confidence and to develop the next generation of showrunners who will become the cornerstones of UK television.
Production Coordinator
Production management offers an exciting career path in TV and high levels of employability. The production coordinator holds a dynamic and challenging role which requires key skills and industry training. This interactive programme covered key areas, from setting up shoots and creating call sheets to copyright clearances and managing teams, that helps to develop a career in production management for unscripted TV.
Development Researcher
A training course to develop the next group of development researcher talent from across the breadth of the UK and ensure a pipeline of diverse, skilled and trained development researchers is created to work in unscripted TV.
Production Secretary
Funded by the TV Skills Fund, this was an opportunity for those new to the industry, or with transferable skills, to begin their career in production management for unscripted TV. The training programme offered bespoke training, an industry paid placement and networking opportunities.
Producer
A programme funded by the TV Skills Fund for industry talent working at A/P, P/D or producer level working in any genre of unscripted TV, who are ready and wanting to learn how to brilliantly manage teams. The training gave people the missing links in their personal and professional skills and knowledge which were holding them back from being able to take on more challenging projects with confidence. The course built a cohort of producers who understood and adopted good management practices, who know how to communicate effectively and create a healthy work culture.
Edit Assistant
Exploring the complex and fast-moving post-production pipeline through the lens of the edit assistant and technical operator roles. The training built technical, creative, professional and personal skills for those interested in stepping up, those with transferable skills and new entrants with a demonstrable interest in this area.
Researcher to shooting AP
Making the step up to being a confident and competent shooting AP requires a developed editorial sensibility as well as strong technical knowledge. Taught by award-winning filmmakers, this course provided highly practical face-to-face training. It was delivered across the UK, in the key unscripted production hubs outside London – and supplemented with online sessions (legal and compliance, working on location, career development) and mentoring. Trainees learned how to set up and operate current broadcast cameras (FS7s), principles of shooting, building sequences so their shots work in the edit, and the grammar of filmmaking.
Shooting PD
The programme aimed to empower newcomers to self-shooting to film and direct with confidence, while also addressing skills gaps within the existing self-shooting community.
Step up to development producer
The aims to build creative, diverse and fully inclusive development teams who are better able to deliver successful pitches, create a slate of ideas and win new business.