Employee Training Programme - Success Story
The Creative Alchemy course was one of many different programmes supported under Skillset's Employee Training Programme initiative which enabled those working within the industry to benefit from professional development to either change direction within the creative media industries, learn new skills or to keep up with new technology. These subsidised courses across post production, camera skills and interactive enabled freelancers to access affordable training and address the requirements of small and medium enterprises who are growing in number due to the growth in the number of channels and the downsizing of major broadcasters.
Matt Taylor who co-runs his own agency in London was one of the beneficiaries of the scheme.
Matt Taylor completed a BA Hons degree in Mix Media Arts at Westminster University where he learnt a variety of disciplines before setting up a web design agency called Fat Beehive. The company has recently started to develop a corporate filming side to the business.
Matt says "I thought the course would be a good opportunity to gain some knowledge in an area that was unfamiliar and also to see how it could tie in with the corporate filming aspect of the business. The interactive red button is becoming an increasingly integral part of the television industry with multiple digital platforms and I need to keep up to speed on how it is used and its future importance from a technology point of view and also as a source of revenue. "
Matt adds "Small companies like Fat Beehive are generally unable to finance employees to attend training courses to keep abreast of all the new technology on offer. The generous funding offered by Skillset enables freelancers and small businesses to keep up with new developments on high quality courses and at a highly reduced rate."
The four day Creative Alchemy course offered by 01zero-one and BBC Training and Development looks at cross platform and interactive programme making. The red button or the mouse is a rapidly emerging tool for involving viewers in programming and is an increasingly important component when it comes to commissioning new programming. The course focuses on the creative development of interactive projects for multiple digital platforms that are commercially and technically viable and can benefit future employment.
Matt says "The course was very interesting and well designed with very knowledgeable tutors. It gave me a good overall understanding of what is possible with the current set up of digital interactive TV and on how to structure a pitch to win this sort of work. It also allowed me to see behind the scenes at the new BBC centre and see the practical 'nuts and bolts' of how interactive TV is put together."
"Having this overview of the television industry is invaluable when looking at the bigger picture and investigating ways of taking programme or business ideas forward into an interactive era and would benefit anyone who is involved within the visual industries."
