Schedules, audience and budgets: Decoding TV buyers’ needs

As part of our Step Up strand, we're offering training to help individuals coming back into the industry after a break, moving into a new role or responsibility level, or improving skills in unscripted TV. 

While many production companies have felt the bite of the recent commissioning freeze, conditions have been equally tough for the channels and streamers who themselves have been battling with an advertising downturn, squeezed budgets and an increasingly over-served and fickle audience. So as we move into a new year, how have the effects of these factors affected our buyers and how have their needs changed? Is there a new normal emerging within unscripted commissioning and if so, how can we futureproof both our businesses and our creative thinking to weather this change?

With plenty of practical tools and strategies plus group discussions and exercises, this 2-hour session is designed to encourage participants to think laterally about their development processes and how best to serve the evolving needs of their buyers. From incorporating new technologies within content ideation and delivery to re-thinking the sole buyer approach of traditional commissioning, this fun, informative and confidence-building session is for anyone who feels uncertain about the changing TV landscape but is keen to explore it further.

Who it's for

This offering is aimed at mid/senior level within development (eg development producers and above). As a result, we generally require applicants to have a minimum of three years experience working in development.

We generally require applicants to have at least three credits (unless working in a traditionally uncredited role). If you strongly feel you would still benefit from the training, please email USF@screenskills.com so we can assess if an exception should be made.

We are committed to ensuring all our courses are accessible to everyone. This course is designed to be as interactive as possible.

Please email the above address if you have any access requirements and we will be delighted to help, be that clarifying the form such interaction is likely to take or discussing reasonable adjustments.

Trainer:

Sophie Morgan is an experienced content creator, development consultant, writer and trainer with over twenty-years working as an award-winning and BAFTA-nominated head of development, producer and commissioning editor. Sophie has worked in the UK and US to develop and exec produce hundreds of hours of TV content for all major channels across all genres including Britain’s Next Top Model, RuPaul’s Drag Race, London Ink and Jade. Sophie is also a ScreenSkills mentor for neurodivergent talent.

How to apply

This session will take place online via Zoom. Click ‘apply now’ at the top of the page and follow the instructions to apply for your place: you must login or register before you are able to complete your application.

If you need additional support to complete your application or require the application form in an alternative format please contact USF@screenskills.com

Places on these free online courses are limited and applications are often highly competitive. To stand the best chance of securing a place, please be sure to consider the following:

• When asked to list your three most recent credits, please include the programme title and your job role.
• When asked what you hope to gain from the course, please be concise but ensure you cover the specific elements of the topic you would like to gain knowledge of and what gaps in your skillset you believe the course may address. A rewording of the course title or a general comment on career progression does not tell us much about how this course would benefit you.

If you are no longer able to attend, we ask you to please use the 'decline ticket' function on the right hand side of the page so that we can release your place. Our sessions are often oversubscribed, so we’d like to give other freelancers the opportunity to fill available spots. Thank you for your consideration.

This session is supported by the ScreenSkills Unscripted TV Skills Fund which invests in training for the unscripted workforce thanks to contributions from broadcasters, SVoDs and production companies.

This course would normally cost participants to attend, but thanks to this support, we are able to offer it to you for free. If you fail to attend, we reserve the right to request reimbursement of costs, unless your place can be taken by someone else.