Commercials
“Commercials are fantastic. It is just a shame they interrupt them so often with television programmes.”
(Delegate to Banff Television Festival, Canada)
This statement may be rather harsh on the television industry, but it makes a good point. Commercials are amongst the most highly skilled and effective pieces of filmmaking anywhere. They aim to have a significant impact through sound and vision on the emotions and thinking of the viewer, and to be pleasurable to watch over and over again.
Commercials should be wonderful pieces of filmmaking. They should be effective. They are usually made with very high budgets, the best of them spending more per second on screen time than even the biggest Hollywood movies. They also employ the best and the brightest writing and filmmaking talent. They also are usually shot on film, whether 35mm or Super 16mm, one of the few remaining guaranteed training grounds on film. Many people who aspire to working on feature films begin on Commercials, if they are lucky. Many also do move onto feature films in the UK and abroad.
Commercials Facts
Commercials people live the filmmakers' dream. They are very well paid for concentrated periods of intense work.
Read MoreSkills and Training for Commercials
People from all kinds of educational and cultural backgrounds work in Commercials. Once in the sector, people do tend to work for one or a few agencies, but they can move around, and the majority find work through contacts and word of mouth.
Read MoreJobs in Commercials
There are three main areas of work in the commercials sector, and there are different types of people, skills, training routes and career paths for each.
Read MoreMedia Speak - Commercials
Learn the langauge of the industry with our guide to Commercials and other media terms.
Read MoreRunners in Commercials
Commercials are sometimes described as 'mini feature films' and working in this area can be a valuable training ground for people who want to go on to work in films.
Read MoreMoney in Commercials
The Broadcast "Rich List", published annually, shows that a small minority of people still make a vast amount of money out of the Commercials industry. Inevitably it is the owners of Agencies, or Senior Executives who earn the most.
Read MoreFirst Jobs in Commercials
Establishing credibility, and being useful, is essential for anyone hoping to gain relevant work experience or work in the Commercials sector.
Read MoreThe Commercials workforce
Commercials is one of the smaller sectors in the industry, with a workforce of 3,500 people.
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