Editor

Editors are a vital part of any media production, their work is based in the post-production section and they are responsible for piecing together the numerous video clips of a production. Editors use their expertise in any section of the media, more or less any media production requires editing afterwards. They edit a film together to create a unique way for the story to unfold, the way a production is edited can have a big impact on the final film and the way the audience sees it. They have the responsibility to choose which clips they think look best and which order to put them in order to tell the story the best way. The editor works closely with the director and uses their editing skills to help create the director's vision. Editor's have to work long and unsociable hours but once a production is finished they may not have to do any work for a while, they spend long hours sat in an editing suite or cutting room and quite often have to work under pressure which is something you would have to be able to deal with. Editors are quite often employed on a free lance basis mainly based on experience, previous productions and their skills. Skills would include things such as knowing the editing techniques, things such as jump cuts, cross cutting, quick cuts and slow cuts and how it affects the outcome of the final film. Being an editor is a highly creative job and a difficult one but is a very rewarding one in the end, they are one of the most vital members of a film crew. Editors also have a say as to whether the clips being used are of a good enough standard, looking at things such as the actors performances to decide whether to use them or not. Generally the clips they have will not be in the sequence intended for the film so it is helpful for the editor to start from the end and slowly work back to the beginning but they must have the ability to maintain a good sense of the story. Another main thing an editor is edit clips down so that all we can see is what should be in the film, quite often there may be things at the start or end of a clip that shouldn't be there or for things such as quick cuts, cutting down is very useful. They will probably spend hours on end cutting down the same number of clips to get it perfect. Editors will also work with people during post production especially with things such as soundtrack and sound effects, they will probably work with experts in that department to make sure they get the best soundtrack possible for the film and also to make sure the sound effects are good enough. Quite often they will use visual effects, usually to represent somethin, for example if they are showing someone who is drunk, they may use blur effects or slow down a clip to make the audience feel the effect.

Quite often an editor will begin as a trainee or runner and then slowly move up towards being a second assistant and assisting the other editors which will give them the experience and knowledge to become a main editor. In today's film industry, second assistant's are only being employed for big budget films to make sure they are perfect, there aren't as many around today. Trainees with some experiences may get the chance to work on a fairly low budget production as an assistant which again is experience towards becoming a main editor. Editors must have a wide knowledge and experience of the post production process, also they need to have a lot of computer skills with lots of different softwares because editing is all done on computers in the modern day film industry. They would need a good knowledge of story telling and how the pace of a film affects the way the story is told, they need to be able to create rhythm and tension. The main skills an editor requires is being able to work in a team, usually as a team leader, patience, attention and be well organised, good communication skills for things such as working with the director, able to work under pressure and they must have a good knowledge of Health and Safety legislation and procedures. No specific qualifications are required to become an editor but there is a lot of training couses and apprenticeships that would definitely be preferred and give an editor more experience and better understanding.

Actor

An actor is a person who portrays in a character in a movie/tv show/play/radio show etc. They have to bring the character to life using their acting skills and really make the viewers/audience feel like they are the character. Actors are generally the most popular part a film crew, because they are noticed much more than people such as the director or the editor, so they are quite often used to promote a film. Certain actors are usually associated with a certain genre of film, for example Seth Rogen or Paul Rudd and well known for playing in comedies, you wouldn't really see them venture into an action movie or sci-fi. Bruce Willis and Arnold Schwarzenegger are well known for playing in action films, they have played in other types of films a few types but generally have been as successful as in their action films. Actors must be able to adapt to the requirements of playing a character, for example they may have to wear a costume that looks stupid or they may have to do a different accent but they are expected to do it once they have agreed to play a certain character. An actor may have to carry out some research into the character they are playing in order to play the role as best they can. They will work mainly with the director who tells them how to portray the character, in some cases the director may want a character to be different to how they were in an older film and the actor will have to adapt to that. An actor must be able to learn their lines quickly and be able to perform on camera, actors in film will have many chances because they can just do a retake but in a play it requires an actor to be at their best the whole time because it is infront of live audience, they are allowed minimal  mistakes and they must know their lines off by heart. They also need to be able to respond to the other actors lines and know when to reply and use them to know when they have to start speaking. They will need to suggest ideas and be able to improve their own performance and assist other actors in improving their performances. Quite often a certain actor could make or break a film, for example if there was a new Batman film, the actor playing Batman would have to be at his very best because that is the main marketing point and a poor performance would generally make the film less successful. Actors begin their careers in all different ways, some will start in theatre and will learn the trade as part of stage management and will eventually go into acting themselves, others may audition for roles in tv series or movies and gradually work their way up to bigger productions.

Actors should have a good knowledge of what is required for auditions, they should know a lot about the role they are auditioning for and be well prepared to perform infront of others. A good short term memory is generally to make it easier to learn lines and someone who is quite forgetful wouldn't be too successful. They should be able to learn new lines and be able to adapt to changes to a script or characters quickly. Sometimes an actor will have to look a certain way in order to play a specific character, this may require a character to bulk up or lose weight in order to be the correct size. For example, Tom Hardy had to bulk up quite dramatically to take the role of Bane in The Dark Knight Rises. For some productions, singing and/or dancing skills will be required, particularly for musicals. They should be able to deliver lines at a specific pace and with the correct tone to fit the character and to make a scene run as the director had planned. Their body language must constantly be monitored to make sure they are making other believe that they are a certain character. They must be aware of how their performance may change based on where certain equipment is positioned, they may have to speak louder or look in a certain direction. One of the main skills required is to be able to deal with the press, to deal with rumours, to be enthusiastic in interviews and make sure they appreciate their fans. Most actors in the film industry have been trained, there are academies and classes all across the UK to help people improve their acting skills, also actors can learn from others actors, ones they have been in a production with or even famous actors. Training is more or less essential for somebody who wants to far in their acting career but as a part time hobby they may not require training.

Director

A director plays a central role in the making of a movie, they basically take a script and make it a reality in the most creative way possible, they must visualise and have a defining style which suits the style of the script they have to look at. Their main duties include casting, script editing, shot composition, shot selection and editing but their main role is to make a film their own creation. Some director's are well known for their specific style and in each film they have done you can see elements similar to that of their other films. The financial aspects are left mainly to the producer but the director  must be aware that there is a limited budget and must stick to it. Sometimes a director will also take on other responsibilities and could also be a producer or a writer along with their director responsibilities. Director's can sometimes a write a film's script or commission it to be  written or they will be hired after a draft script is complete, it is then their job to visualise it. Director's will have to make decisions such as who will play certain characters, they have to look at an actor and see if they are suitable for that specific role and if they will improve the quality of the film, they also make decisions on things such as locations, sound, lighting, design and special effects. During post production, the director will work with the editor in order to help convey his ideas into the editing department of the film and they help oversee the final edit for the film. Another main role for a director is to motivate every member of the crew and make sure they are working hard and not having any problem. A director will  sometimes take an existing film or group of films and remake it using their own style of directing. For example, recently director Marc Webb took Sam Raimi's Spiderman trilogy and remade it (The Amazing Spiderman). He implemented his own style on the remake and made it a much more teenage based movie, using popular young actors Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone in order to make it much more appealing to a young audience.

A director requires a certain set of skills, which mainly involve creative ability, they need to have a very artistic vision to help make a film their own original creation. They would need big commitment and passion towards film making and have to be able to act as a leader. They have to make key decisions almost every day but will have to listen to the suggestions of others when making those decisions, also you would need to be very good in terms of communicating with others. The director must motivate his crew to help him produce the film. A director needs to have a very good understanding of everything involved in film making and they would need to be able to work very long hours and be able to work to the best of his ability under pressure. A director does not neccessarily require any formal qualifications although sometimes they may be preferred, there are plenty of training courses available to help with directing. You would require quite a lot of experience in the film making industry and you would have to have made films before and have extensive knowledge of techniques and equipment, the ability to work with actors and other crew members is also essential. Director's often start just from being a runner and working their way up, it allows them to observe director's and take in what is required for the job and allows them to learn the techniques required over a period of time. Being a director is a challenging but reward job which is one of the most important in the media industry, it isn't too difficult to become a director but it takes lots of time and practice become a top director.

Financial

Financial jobs are very important to media because without them there would be no budgeting and lots of companies would end up in severe debt. They basically look at what is involved, what they will need to make a film and see if they can afford everything they need, if not they will have to cut down. A payroll clerk looks at the salary of the actors, makes sure they can pay them and if not they will have to look for different actors. Accoun executives speak with the companies funding the film and may borrow more money from them if neccessary. Like marketing jobs, they require you to be fairly and intelligent, in particular when it comes to maths and require you to be able to make big decisions.

Legal

Jobs in the legal side of the media sector involve dealing with factors such as defamation, slander, data protection, copyright laws and discrimination. The main legal job roles involve looking at something before it is aired on tv or in the cinema to make sure that it doesn't breach specific laws. There have been plenty of breaches of these laws and many controversial episodes of certain TV shows have been aired, and in the end have either been taken down or the channel have had to apologise for any offense that may have been caused. For example there was an episode of Top Gear where the hosts described Mexicans as being 'lazy, feckless, flatulent and overweight'. In the end the episode was cleared and removed of controversy by Ofcom. Ofcom are basically the people who look at programmes/films before they are aired and are the main company in terms of legal jobs.

Administrative

Administrative jobs in the media usually making some major decisions in terms of the product being created. It would most likely require leadership skills because they have a say on a lot of what happens to a product and obviously have to make some big decisions, they would have to be hard working and quick thinking. It basically involves organising people and resources in order to help the goals be achieved quickly and easily. They could oversee things such as location, casting, health and safety, transport and more.

Managerial

One of the main job roles in the managerial sector is the director, the director basically oversees everything and has the final say on most aspects of the film. They control most aspects during filming and make a film their own creation, deciding on things such as camera angles/shots, cast, editing choices and script editing. They look at a shot and decide how to set it up in order to make a creation their own and some of the most successful directors have developed their own trademark style. Project managers roles is to ensure the project is completed to a good standard and on time. They also have to make sure that the project is completed within the allocated budget. In order to be an effective, you have to use all your resources to ensure a product is completed to a good standard.