Film and TV jobs: where your studies could lead you

If you’ve lost yourself in recent hits like Heated Rivalry or Marty Supreme, you’ll know that great films and TV shows can deliver a sublime viewing experience. And while the on-screen talent often gets much of the recognition, there are hundreds of film and TV jobs that exist behind the camera and far beyond, helping to create the magic.   

Animators, editors, colourists, critics, production coordinators, broadcast technicians, presenters, VFX artists, directors – they all contribute to the creative industry of film and TV, and help make the great entertainment we all love. 

Do you have big dreams of joining the industry, too? If landing a job in film and TV sounds like your ideal future, the good news is that there are dedicated courses to help get you there. Let’s take a look at the study pathways for film and TV careers – and the dream roles that might await. 

Studying film and TV: the pathway to an epic career   

The road to a film and TV career often starts with studying – as producer and Deakin alumnus Anna Charalambous can attest. These days, Charalambous produces high-profile documentaries, with recent credits like Spreadsheet Champions, Ellis Park and Australia’s Open – all well– known films that have shown at prestigious festivals like SXSW and Hot Docs. 

Like so many other industry pros, Charalambous started her journey with a Bachelor of Film and Television at Deakin (now the Bachelor of Film, Television and Animation). She describes her experience of the degree as ‘a chance to really explore your creativity’ and remembers benefits like hands-on experience, career-tailored subjects, and the chance to build a network of peers.  

Your complete guide to film and TV jobs    

Charalambous’ story is just one example of how studying film and TV can lead to a fully-fledged industry career – in her case, TV and film production. Whatever your ideal job, a degree is a valuable place to start. From there, the industry is full of specialised and generalist roles at all levels of skill and experience.  

Entry level film and TV jobs for graduates 

While industry professionals like Charalambous recall starting their careers working for free making tea and coffee on set, paid entry level jobs are certainly available in film and TV.  

They may not be the most glamorous jobs in the film and TV industry, but it’s normal to start out in entry level roles like a runner (which mainly involves odd jobs around production) or an office/admin assistant. If you’re looking to get a foot in the door of the TV and film world, entry level graduate jobs  are a great way to do it – especially while you build up a network of contacts. 

Film and TV production jobs   

Depending on the budget, a film and TV set can have anywhere from a handful of all-rounders to dozens of specialised crewmembers. In film and TV, the major production jobs like the director and producer are the most important – besides the on-screen talent, of course. 
 

• Producer: The producer is usually the driving force behind a production, helping to take it from an idea to a (hopefully) successful release. Their role isn’t so much creative as administrative, and a producer’s job might include finding and pitching the script, securing funding for the production, and appointing key roles in the production crew and on-screen team. Every day is different for a producer.
   
• Director: The director is the creative gatekeeper for a production, driving the visual storytelling, script interpretation, and guiding the work of both the production team and the acting talent. While producers ensure all the administrative wheels keep turning, directors touch just about every aspect of a production’s creative side, making all the big decisions and, ultimately, being responsible for how a story comes to life.
   

Besides the big two, there are endless specialised roles within a production team. Larger productions will often have a range of line producers and production coordinators reporting to an executive producer, with each taking responsibility for areas like budget, shooting schedules or office admin.   

Directors, too, will have a fleshed-out team on larger shoots. This can include assistant directors (1st AD, 2nd AD and 3rd AD) who are responsible for tasks like organising call sheets, directing less important scenes, and keeping a production on schedule.

Film and TV crew jobs   

Directors and producers might be the most high-profile film and TV jobs behind the camera, but they’re far from the only ones. 

In film and TV production, the crew’s jobs are usually divided by their role or specialty: 

• Camera department: The cinematographer (also known as the director of photography) is the most senior member of the camera department, and is responsible for visually interpreting the director’s ideas and capturing the elements that make each scene look great – like shot composition and lighting. Cinematographers don’t usually operate the camera themselves, though, which means the camera department will include camera operators, and other assistants for pulling focus and loading film. 
• Lighting department: If you’ve ever heard of a ‘gaffer’, this is where they fit in. The gaffer is the lead lighting technician, organising the equipment to light a scene. Then there are lighting technicians, generator operators and other specialised roles.
• Sound department: When sound is recorded live on set (rather than overdubbed in post-production), it’s the responsibility of the sound department – led by the production mixer or sound recordist. Specialist roles here include the boom operator and sound assistant.

Film and TV art department jobs  

All the stylised elements of a film or TV production – those lacy period costumes, the shiny sci-fi sets, the gruesome zombie makeup – come from art department specialists. These are some of the most creative and impactful roles in the production crew, and are great options for those with hands-on artistic aspirations within film and TV. Film and TV art department jobs include: 

• Makeup artistry: The key makeup artist is the head of this department, and they are usually responsible for designing character/actor makeup plans. The key makeup artist is assisted by a team of makeup artists and special effects makeup artists.
• Set design: If you’ve ever watched a series like Downton Abbey, you’ll know that the sets are meticulously crafted. The show may have been shot in a real castle, but it took a senior set decorator and set dressers to fill each scene with historically-correct props. Jobs in TV and film set design are all about creating immersive and believable settings for the action.
• Costuming: The costume designer is the lead role in the costume department and, especially in highly stylised films (like anything from Baz Luhrmann), it’s a very important role. Costume designers are assisted on-set by wardrobe supervisors. 

Writing for film and TV   

All those plot twists, iconic catch phrases and series-long character arcs come courtesy of screenwriters. These are the professionals whose job it is to either create original scripts or to adapt existing works into screenplays. Screenwriting is a highly specialised role that requires an understanding of character development, plot, direction, pacing and all the other elements of crafting a story.  

Writers can work across the full spectrum of film and TV, from writing scripts for 30 second TV ads to feature length films, – which can be well over 100 pages long.  

Landing your dream film and TV job 

Whether your ideal TV and film job is directing a major Hollywood production or holding the boom on the local news, it hawe all haves to start somewhere. And while everyone will chart their own course to their career goals, studying a Bachelor of Film, Television and Animation is a great way to begin. Here, you’ll get a broad understanding of the film and TV industry, learn what it takes to make it in their ideal role, and receive hands-on training and real experience in getting there. It means that, with some specialised study and the dedication to make it in the industry, a dream film and TV job might be just around the corner.