So, how do you get started on a career in television? Once upon a time, you would have been told "fingers crossed, it's a lucky dip, keep applying and good luck because television work is exclusive and at the very minimum you need to know someone on the inside just to get you an introductory meeting."
The good news is things have changed dramatically and are a lot easier now.
Broadcasters and production companies all have websites and job opportunities are posted online. They tell you how to apply, the qualifications you need and how much you will get paid. All you have to do is fill in the form and wait for response alongside thousands of others.
Almost every day LA Media meets bright young people who want a career in television and based on our 45 years of experience in television production we tell them what we think. It's not ‘typical advice’ but it has worked for many. So if you want to find out what we tell them, then this is for you.
Don't put your future in the hands of others
You could always join the ‘work lottery’ by simply applying for jobs and waiting for replies. However, this can be very demoralizing, especially when your excitement is met with silence.
You need to understand that you are in charge of your future and no one else is to blame if you allow your time to slip away.
Never catch yourself doing nothing
1. Use your time pro-actively by checking out what the production companies like the BBC and independents are making.
2. Consider what you watch on television in an analytical way. Work out what you like and don't like and then understand why - this will help you gain a clearer picture of the creative path you should be following.
3. Visit production websites and get to know what they make, what they have made in the past, discover the names of the people that lead these companies, and reach out to them through the website. Ask them for a quick meeting or a short chat. Before you do, make sure you know what you want to talk about. It really helps!
4. Cameras, lenses, audio gear, lighting and editing are all areas you should study up on while you are waiting for meetings to happen. YouTube has info on anything you can think of and you should use it to increase your technical knowledge. Most importantly don't just watch one - watch hundreds and very soon you will learn to ‘talk the talk’.
5. Help yourself by building up a bigger and more informed picture of the industry you want to work in. This knowledge will let others know that you are serious about a career in television and that always goes over well when you are in conversation with people who could give you work.
What are you working on?
1. Time to spare - you shouldn't have any! If you do then use it to make your own films. Most mobile phones have a video option and there is also free editing software available online. All you need is an idea to start making your own films.
Filming your own ideas is also a great way to simply get better. You will prove to yourself what you already know and at the same time highlight areas you need to find out more about. It also provides a talking point for when you meet others in the industry as most conversations with them will start with the question - so what are you working on?
2. What's your idea? This is the fun part and yet for a lot of people, it's also the most challenging. Whether it’s a good idea or a bad idea is irrelevant, it just has to be an idea that will get you motivated to get up and get out filming.
3. Collaborate with others - it can be very lonely out there, so we would always encourage you to get some friends involved with any project you are doing. Discuss your ideas with them and even use them as your presenters, crew, or actors when required. Get onto your social media outlets and ask other passionate filmmakers to join you on your project. You’ll meet new people and get new perspectives.
4. Publish - let people see what you are making and what you can do. Don’t judge your films to the point where you do nothing with them because in your eyes they are not perfect. Be brave, put them out there on social media channels, and take the feedback. You can decide what comments you listen to and ignore the inevitable trolls that will surface.
As ever, if you have any more questions about starting a career in television or would like to learn a bit more about what we do here at LA Media, just get in touch via email at [email protected] or through the contact page on the website.
In this blog, we will walk you through the steps and considerations you need to have before you dive in and get your first studio monitor. This blog is part of a series created by our Senior Editor Michael Jameson. So far we have looked at the essential kit you will need to start making your own music. We've covered picking the right computer and how to chose the perfect headphones. Now we will do our best to help you find the studio monitor that meets your needs and your budget and you get you another step closer to completing your kit!
There are four main considerations:
1. What's your budget?
2. Do you want a near field or a far field?
3. Should you go for passive or active studio monitors?
and finally, after you've got them...
4. Where should you place your speaker to maximize its effect?
First things first, what is it exactly?
What is a Studio Monitor? No, it’s not the thing you stare at all day (Unless you have one of these… see below, in which case we wouldn’t blame you…).
Studio Monitors are the conduit through which you listen to and mix your epic masterpieces. They are like choosing a new pair of ears. Quite important then eh?
Whether you are recording, mixing, or mastering, your monitors are your primary and most important point of reference.
Genelec SAM™ Master Studio Monitors
What you're looking for in Studio Monitor
Good studio monitors should let you hear exactly what’s been recorded. In other words, monitors need to demonstrate a relatively flat frequency curve, instead of boosting certain frequencies to make music sound more pleasing to the ear.
They should also be rugged enough to withstand the demands of the project studio—providing an accurate, uncolored response at a wide range of volume levels.
Here are some basics you’ll need in order to get started on your quest to find your new ears.
Event 20/20BAS Studio Monitor
Budgets to suit everyone!
Well, they come in all shapes and sizes. Literally…
Thankfully, you don’t need to spend £10,000 per speaker. Good monitors such as the KRK Rokit RP5 G3’s can be picked up for as little £140 each.. although we'd recommend going for the slightly larger RP6’s as they don’t cost much more.
For something a little higher up the ladder, these Event 20/20BAS Monitors are very good.
They’ll cost you a bit more - not much past the £200 mark per speaker, but they’ll definitely be worth the extra investment. These are a reissue of an old classic, the Event 20/20BAS is based on the original Event 20/20bas released back in 1995.
According to the Event website - “The very first pair of 20/20bas speakers were used by Francis Buckley to mix Quincy Jones’ Q’s Jook Joint album for which he won the 1996 Grammy Award for Best Engineered Album.” - so they work well then.
For the home studio, the next and probably highest step I’d go to for near field monitors would be to around the £500 mark per speaker. A fantastic example in this bracket would be the Genelec 8030BPM. Costing almost exactly £500 per monitor, you’ll be very pushed to find a better near-field monitor in my opinion. Generic is well known for high-end studio monitors and these certainly don’t disappoint.
Genelec 8030BPM Studio Monitor
If you’re feeling extra flush, you could match them with a Genelec subwoofer to get those extra lows… Either the 7060BPM or the older 7050B would be ideal here.
Near Field vs Far Field
What the difference? Well, far-field monitors are designed to be more than 6 feet away from the listener. These are what you’ll find in larger acoustically treated studios. So not for us then eh!
Near-field are where we want to be. Meant for listening within 6 feet, these are the mainstay of home studios - Simples?
Passive vs Active
Ultimately we want Active speakers here. Passive monitors are powered externally and generally require more grief setting up. With cabling, choosing the right Amp (with the right power) and speakers to match, you are better going down the Active route as they have built-in, matched amplifiers.
Speaker placement
This is key. Every room will sound different.
For this most important section, we turned to Avid (the people behind Pro Tools and M-Audio) to get their thoughts on Studio Monitor placement.
“Strategic monitor placement is one of the most important factors in getting your sound right—and it’s simpler than you might think. Proper placement means choosing the best possible arrangement for your desk, speakers, and other studio equipment." - Avid
Image by Avid
When it comes to monitor placement, you’ve probably heard a lot of talk about the “sweet spot.” This refers to sitting in the middle position between the two speakers, where the stereo image is optimised.
The sweet spot lets you hear a true representation of the music so you can make accurate judgments while recording and mixing.
When positioning your monitors, observe the following guidelines to maximise the sweet spot and enjoy better performance from your monitoring setup.
Image by Avid
Align your speakers in an equilateral triangle from the listening position
When mixing, it’s important to sit as close as possible to the centre of the sweet spot. Select a comfortable seating position and angle each monitor to accurately face that position. The “toe-in” angle of each speaker should be carefully arranged in an equilateral triangle to the listener.
Place monitors symmetrically within the room
Try to achieve symmetry in the room when setting up monitors. For example, if the left speaker is three feet from the back wall and four feet from the sidewall, place the right speaker the same way (if possible) in order to give each speaker a similar acoustic environment.
By entering the listening position along a wall, your system will maintain better low-frequency clarity. In a rectangular room, the best sound can be obtained by orienting the console and loudspeakers into the room’s long dimension. This gives the low-frequency waves enough time to develop before hitting the rear wall (see figure 1).
Distance from the back wall should be different than distance from sidewall
It’s always better to place the monitor a different distance from the back wall than from the sidewall. In other words, if your monitors are two feet from the back wall, make sure they’re not also two feet from the side walls.
When positioning your monitors, observe the following guidelines to maximise the sweet spot and enjoy better performance from your monitoring setup.
Image by Avid
Place monitors vertically (or “right-side” up)
Although it may be tempting to place your monitors on their sides, this can significantly degrade the stereo image. Place the monitors vertically to get the best stereo representation (see figure 2).
Use monitor stands whenever possible
When you place speakers on a mixing console or desk, sound waves bounce off the flat surface before reaching your ears—degrading the tonal balance, clarity and image localisation. Placing monitors on stands will prevent early reflections from interfering with your mix. (However, if this isn’t practical, it’s generally acceptable to carefully position your speakers on the desk or mixing surface.)
Tweeters should be at ear level
It’s important to place the monitors so the tweeters are at the same height as your ears (see figure 2).
Avoid placing monitors in corners
This helps prevent bass buildups that occur naturally at boundary and corner locations.
Place monitors at least 8-12” from the wall
This prevents sound waves from bouncing off the wall and reflecting back towards you (see figure 3). When using monitors that contain bass reflex ports, make sure there is enough space to prevent airflow obstructions.
Whether you’re a seasoned pro or just starting out, monitors are an important part of your studio setup and can make or break the quality of your mixes.
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Visit our website lamedia.co.uk and if you have any questions, e-mail us at [email protected] or give us a call on 0131 622 0220
Here are some behind-the-scenes pictures of a recent shoot at The Cook School Scotland panto for the King’s Theatre Glasgow. The theme of this shoot was Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs meets the Great British Bake Off. It’s a pie-off between Hector the Henchman, the Wicked Queen, and Muddles: with Snow White and Prince Lorenzo as the judges. Justin, our director, enjoyed an unexpected drama school reunion with two of the panto’s stars: Juliet Cadzow as the Wicked Queen & Gregor Ficher as Hector the Henchman. You may know these two from Balamory and Rab C. Nesbit. Lots of pies and puns were had all around: this was a fast-paced but enjoyable shoot.
If you want to see the bravest panto o’ them ‘aw you can buy tickets online
http://www.atgtickets.com/shows/snow-white/kings-theatre/#overview_tab
Visit our website lamedia.co.uk and if you have any questions, e-mail us at [email protected] or give us a call on 0131 622 0220