Work Placement & Commission | Research ~ PP

Work placements are when someone who is wanting to go into the industry, goes to a company and assists them in their work for free. This gives them the experience they need to get a job and helps them gain the different skills that they'll need throughout life.

When applying for a placement on your own, not through university, some companies may have a requirement for you to complete a formal online application detailing what you could bring to the role. Even though work placements aren't proper jobs, applying for one can still be as competitive as applying for a permanent job. Before applying it is key that you thoroughly research the company and the role, in order to be prepared for the interview and the job itself.
If you apply for the placements outside of uni, it is still a good idea if you write about the learning process you have gone through in a personal/professional development portfolio (PDP). This will then possibly help through future interviews.

Why a work placement?

• Make your career goals clear
• Gives you an insight into the way companies operate and the challenges they may face
• It will increase your skills and knowledge
• It will provide you with networking opportunities
• It'll help you understand a particular job/role or the industry itself

https://www.prospects.ac.uk/jobs-and-work-experience/work-experience-and-internships/work-placements

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Commissions are when different companies or organisations wants a video made for promotion videos or something similar, and freelancers apply to create those videos for them. This gives them the experience that many workers in the industry will go through, which means that they'll know the process when they go into the industry. Similar to a work placement, the commission will be done for free, if said otherwise. 

Some of the things that will be important in a freelancer job role are:

• Being self motivated
• Setting your own deadlines and sticking to them
• Being organised and knowing your priorities
• Working alone
• But also sometimes working as a group
• Meeting and working with new people
• Networking and generating work
• Communication skills

One way to get a commission and to get some work for yourself, as a freelancer, is through your own contacts. Through doing commissions for companies, you'll meet new people and get new contacts. Meaning if that company wants another video, they might come to you, or they might mention your name to other companies who are in need of a freelancer to create a video for them. 

Social media is also a good way to get some work, and online sites. 

It's also good to promote yourself through social media, blogging and online profiling. This can get you work while also getting yourself known in the industry.

When starting a commission, you need to establish a good relationship with the client quite early on. Through a briefing meeting you must know and be clear as to what they want from you, you will need to know:

• Timescale
• Budgets
• Target Audience
• Platform
• Any Content Requirements
• Any Style/Branding Requirements
• A Specific Duration for the Video

The work needs to be based on what the client wants, not what you want. You can advise them and give some ideas of your own, but all in all it will be their video not yours. Plenty of time should be spent throughout the development and planning stage of the project through content, scripts, contributors, locations, props, costumes, etc. Early on you should also pitch your idea to your client producing a mood board or a storyboard for them to see, this will make them feel more confident in you and the work you will produce.