Creative and Media Careers
Are you considering a career in the creative industries and media but don't know where to start? We held a week of events exploring this sector from the 22-26 January 2024 and you can still access some useful resources on this page. Whether you are thinking about TV, film, radio, writing, publishing, gaming or interactive media, we can help you to explore your options.
We held the following online events, which you can view in the "Webinars to Watch" section below:
- Bookcareers Masterclass
- Job Guide: Documentary and Factual Film & TV
- An interview with Royal Holloway's Orbital Magazine and an alumni journalist at GB News
We also held three in-person events:
- Selling yourself in the Creative Industries: A masterclass on key principles of Social Media storytelling and Personal Branding
- How can we communicate about our creativity when we're stuck in the attention economy?
- How can we be heard in all the noise?
- Is there a way of doing social media well?
- Is there a way that we can build our own audiences that will help build our careers over the long term?
- This session was hosted by Chris Hogg, Lecturer in Creative Arts at Royal Holloway and looked at 9 simple steps to turn you into a social media master storyteller. Slides available here.
- nDreams and the Gaming Industry - currently the leading game developer in VR: Think Ghostbusters / Synapse / PowerWasher and Little Cities
- The team talked about their academy that opens the door to graduates looking for their first role in the industry.
- They offer a 6 month training program to train graduates up to industry standard and hopefully offer a full time contract at the end!
- Read this blog from recent graduate Leo Wynne who is a Video Editor at the nDreams Academy!
- Hints, tips and advice on getting your foot in the door in the Creative Industries, delivered by Professor Will Saunders MBE, Chief Creative Officer of StoryFutures
- Will is an independent media consultant, and executive producer. In 2018 he co-authored the DCMS “Culture Is Digital” report. As Creative Director, Digital, BBC Studios he ran Digital Development and Production for the UK’s leading media company.
- His MBE recognises his service to the Creative Industries, having spent a storied career working on a wide variety of creative endeavours, ranging from producing the Mike Flowers Pops cover of Wonderwall to writing for Graham Norton on Channel 4, running Red Nose Day online for Comic Relief and managing Digital Production for BBC Studios.
- His recent focus has been with organisations that want to understand the storytelling potential of emerging technologies.
- Slides available soon.
Discover more resources
In addition to our online and in-person events, there are lots of other ways that you can find out more about careers in the Creatives Industries. Here are just a few of them:
- Thinking about working in film/TV/screen industries but not sure what role might suit you? Here’s a fabulous e-learning course brought to you by Screenskills that will help you get started – well worth an hour of your time! Getting into the screen industries - ScreenSkills
- Interested in learning more about the Games industry? Did you know that Guildford/Surrey is home to many of the UK’s biggest and most important games companies and the Guildford Games Festival will be attended by many of them and takes place on 16 February. It’s well worth a visit and tickets are free, so register and find out more!
- Free journalism workshops - register online now! News Associates are running a series of great online workshops that will give you a glimpse of life as a news or sports journalist. Some workshops are online, others are in person, but hurry and register for your place quickly as these will be REALLY popular and REALLY useful!
There are also lots of resources on Moodle, including:
Media & Creative Industries
Working with Words
Read our resource guides:
Film, TV and Media Careers Resources
Music and Sound Careers Resources
Read this alumni blog:
The Realities of Life as a Freelance Writer
Webinars to Watch
Watch this webinar to find out about all things books and publishing!
Are you thinking about a future career in book publishing? Would you like to know more about what it entails and the skills publishers are looking for?
This event was hosted by Suzanne Collier, the founder of bookcareers.com, the independent careers service for book publishing. Suzanne has been described as THE person to speak to if you want to get ahead in book publishing.
Watch the webinar
Love documentary? Want to find out how to get your first job in Film and TV? Join Media Arts' award-winning producers Helen Littleboy and Rebecca Hayman for this Job Guide to Documentary and Factual TV.
In this session Helen and Rebecca discussed the best routes to get started in documentary film and television with details of how to find work experience during your time at university and where to look for entry level jobs, schemes and internships for soon to be graduates. This session is for anyone interested in working in factual television.
Watch the webinar
Join Olivia, Editor-In-Chief of The Orbital Magazine, along with Deputy Editor Beth for a conversation with Bridget O'Sullivan, a Royal Holloway graduate who now works for GB News.
Bridget talks about her time at university and what her working life is like. She discusses the challenges of her role, career highlights and more! She will also offer advice for those of you looking to pursue a pursue a career in journalism.
Webinar available soon
Hear from alumni working as freelancers in the creative industries, discover the pros and cons, and how to make a success of it:
- Callum McCartney - Freelance Producer/Facilitator for theatre performance/community projects and live events (BA Theatre)
- Natasha O'Neill - Freelancer / Lead Creative Producer and Co-Founder, EDNAEDNA (BA Drama, Theatre & Stagecraft)
- Liam Fleming - Freelance Actor (BA Theatre and Creative Writing)
- Ashleigh Wilmot - Freelance Producer / Reporter (BA English and Drama)
- Nabs Aziz - Director at Cilantro / Actor (BSc Economics, Politics & International Relations)
- Sam T - Freelance comedy writer / voice actor (BA Media Arts)
Watch the recording here
Many of you tell us that you love writing and would love to make a career out of it.
In this session we heard from alumni who are doing just that. Discover how they got started, what their jobs entail and what advice they have for those of you wanting to do something similar:
Kyle Hoekstra - Writer / Product Executive at History Hit
Ellie Ajao - Freelance Author and presenter
Ffion Enlli - Freelance Writer and Editor
Alice Barnes - Brown - Freelancer / Currently Acting Senior Features Editor, loveEXPLORING
Watch the recording here
Hear from alumni panellists:
- Rhiannon Simmonds - Assistant Producer, Supermassive Games Ltd
- Ben Howard - Senior Vice President, CBSi Games at CBS Interactive
- Alexander Horowitz - Game Developer, Audio Specialist, Composer
- Crystal 'Vinny' Lai - Events and Community Executive, One, Esports
- Jason Tzaidas - Senior Gameplay Programmer , Splash Damage
Watch the recording here
Guided practical session led by Careers Consultant Jo Edmondson, with freelancers from the film and television industry. Speakers:
- Adam Barber - Production Manager, Air TV
- Faiza Hosenie - Freelance Line Producer
Watch the recording here
This session provides top tips and advice on how best to get into the entertainment TV industry (behind the scenes). Presenters:
- Lauren Evans, Talent Manager for ITV Entertainment
- Sacha Wells, Talent Coordinator for ITV Entertainment
Watch the recording here
A great session for anyone interested in working in the TV, Film and broadcast industries. Panellists:
- Rhaya Barton - Broadcast Journalist, BBC Breakfast
- Keith Wallace - Senior Producer, BBC
- Mia Harvey – Aspiring Documentary Maker – training at NFTS (formerly Researcher)
- David Mackie - Director of Photography
- Freya Dane - Freelance Production Secretary / Junior Researcher
Watch the recording here
If you’re looking at getting into writing, then this is the session for you! Panellists:
- Julia Armfield - Fiction Author
- Kat Harty - Copywriter
- Tanyel Mustafa - Freelance Lifestyle Journalist
- Ben Golding - Creative Lead at Fox & Hare
Watch the recording here
An overview of the immersive sector and introduction to StoryFutures. Panellists:
- Will Saunders, CCO, StoryFutures
- Olivia Hinkin, Network and Outreach Officer, StoryFutures
- Kim-Leigh Pontin, Creative Director, Nexus
- Dr Ivan Isakov, CTO, Valkyrie Industries
- Frances Dennis, Client Development Director, Brandwidth
- Tupac Martir, Creative Director and Founder, Satore Studio
Watch the recording here
Listen to Rhaya Barton - Broadcast Journalist, BBC Breakfast in this podcast, as she talks about her career journey from Royal Holloway to BBC Breakfast.
Discover your Prospects
Prospects is a useful website where you can explore the different roles in a sector. From Broadcast journalist to Video Editor and Radio Producer check out the many roles they have listed.
Another useful resource is the ScreenSkills website, which has some excellent short courses and also lists vacancies.