The future of films and television depends to a very great extent on the talent, training and commitment of new entrants.

Robert Angell has, over the years, given advice to literally thousands of young people wanting to ‘get into film or television’. In this most recent edition of his book he consolidates that advice based on his many years as a documentary producer who started in the cutting room and progressed through many different areas of production.

His book is as timely and welcome as when it first appeared, and I’m certain it will prove useful to future generations of professionals in an industry to which Bob and I have devoted our lives with almost manic obsession!

When the first edition of this book was published, it was addressed primarily to people in the United Kingdom who were keen to take up a career in films and/or television in their own country.

In the intervening years, however, international production in all parts of the media has increased enormously and with the continuing growth of cable, satellite, multimedia and interactive forms of communication on discs or via the Internet, people should theoretically be able to train and work anywhere in the world. Some restrictions on complete freedom of movement do, of course, exist, imposed either by trade unions protecting the employment of their particular country’s members or by immigration laws, work permits and so on which do not apply purely to film and television.

The actual business of making films and television programmes varies only marginally in different countries. Techniques may change slightly according to equipment used while names given to technical jobs and practices may not always be the same everywhere. For examples, ‘Rushes’ in the United Kingdom become ‘Dailies’ in the United States, while a ‘Tracking Shot’ becomes a ‘Traveling Shot’.

But wherever you live and want to work, one thing is a common factor: getting your foot on the first rung of the ladder is equally difficult and competitive whether you have no training and elect to get in doing any job on offer and go for ‘on the job’ experience or have graduated from a film school or university in Britain, California, Warsaw or Manila. Whether you want to work in Europe, the United States or Australia, the overall advice which forms the theme of this book is still valid.

But first, it is suggested that you acquire knowledge of the structure of the industries, the techniques involved and what different jobs entail.

This book, therefore, gives detailed descriptions of how films and television programmes are actually made in Britain, irrespective of the method by which they may finally be shown. It deals with feature films, commercials, documentaries, animation, multi-camera shooting and recording, OBs, events and news programmes with possible starting points in each area.

It also provides extensive information about training and practical advice about where and how to set about looking for a job.

Employment in film and television is open to everybody regardless of sex but some of the more physical jobs concerned with cameras, lights or building, for example, still attract very few women. Some of the job descriptions such as ‘cameraman’ are traditional but in Britain, the BBC, for example, has agreed that this term applies equally to men and women thus avoiding the cumbersome ‘camerawoman’ or worse still ‘cameraperson’. If therefore in any part of this book, such titles as cameraman occur or there is any reference to ‘he’ as opposed to ‘he’ or ‘she’, there is absolutely no sexist insinuation intended and it should be stressed that all jobs are open to anyone regardless of sex, colour or background.

I am extremely grateful to a number of friends and colleagues in film and television for the help they have given me in writing this book, checking texts and providing material for illustrations.

Specifically, I would like to thank Paul Bradley, Siân Parry, Gillean Dickie and Freddie Korner of Merchant Ivory Productions; Ralph Sheldon; Ray Marshall, Michelle Durler and Linda Mattock of World Wide International; Marc Samuelson, Simon Shore, Jessica Parker and all at Samuelson Productions; Dan Zeff for features; Ash Wilkinson and Mark Leese, designers; John O’Driscoll of Paul Weiland Films; Mike Saunders and Geoff Edwards of Resolution and Oily Wade for commercials; Bob Godfrey and Brian Stevens for animation; Alister Campbell and Jez Gibson of Visions for video post-production including Harry; Ray Galton, Alan Simpson and Douglas Argent for TV comedy; Steven Minchin for OBs and John Moulding of BBC News and Current Affairs for news programmes; Dave Dowler of Rank Laboratories for laboratory work; Roland Brinton of Partnership Films, and Ray Townsend of World Wide Pictures for documentaries; Alan Joy of Video Communications Consultants; Mike Bennett; IVCA; Oliver Dumas and Lucy Scott of Stage One Storyboards.

Finally, I would like to thank many schools and training organisations all over the world, particularly Stephen Bayly, Karin Farnsworth and Elizabeth Hardy of the NFTS; all at Jobfit and FT2; and Fiona Russell, John Raymond, Roger Hammett, Polly Burlingham and their colleagues of BBC Training and Development.