TV trends and data: What it means and why it matters

As part of the Mind Your Business strand, we're offering training in a range of areas related to business management & development, production finance, legal & business affairs, rights, and compliance, giving individuals the tools needed to thrive in their chosen field in unscripted TV. 

Curious about how the latest trends and data can help you navigate industry challenges and spot new opportunities?

This session is for anyone working in unscripted TV who wants to better understand and harness the power of trends and data. In an industry facing budget constraints, increased competition, and shifting audience behaviours, staying informed is more crucial than ever.

By exploring the key challenges affecting unscripted TV today, we’ll demonstrate how data can provide valuable insight - not only into the problems the industry faces but also into the opportunities available for freelancers and companies alike. This session will give participants the knowledge and tools to use industry trends to their advantage, helping them to make informed and strategic decisions.

Through discussion and interactive exercises, you’ll learn where to find the data, how to interpret it, and how you can use it to refine your creative and business strategies.

Who it's for

This session is designed for all professionals in unscripted TV who want to stay ahead of industry trends and make data-driven decisions in an evolving market.

The majority of the USF online short course offering is for those at early career stage and above. As a result, we generally require applicants to have at least 3 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.

What it covers

• The biggest trends currently shaping unscripted TV and content creation
• How financial shifts and audience behaviour are impacting the industry
• Where to find and how to interpret relevant industry data
• Strategies for adapting to competition and evolving viewer demands
• Using trends and data to identify new opportunities and revenue stream

Trainers:

Sophie Morgan is an experienced content creator, screenwriter and development consultant with over twenty-years working as an award-winning head of development, commissioning editor and BAFTA-nominated producer. Sophie has worked in the UK and US to develop and exec produce hundreds of hours of TV content including Britain’s Next Top Model, RuPaul’s Drag Race, London Ink and Jade. Sophie is founder/director of creative consultancy Pontariva Media.

Perjit Aujla is an executive producer, development executive and former head of development who, in her 15-year career, has worked at a senior level across development and production and has a proven track record of securing commissions for major broadcasters. Beyond her production and development expertise, Perjit has contributed to nationwide training initiatives, focusing on development and leadership.

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 course is supported by ScreenSkills, by the Unscripted TV Skills Fund 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.