How First Break gave new entrants their first taste of high-end TV production

When the new series of Sky TV’s comedy drama, Brassic, airs this autumn, there will be four members of its audience particularly eager to tune into episode one.

The Calamity Films production has won over audiences with its regional charm and blend of heart-hitting drama and knowing comedy and on its new fifth series, became home to four aspiring new entrants who got to experience their first taste of TV production on the show via ScreenSkills First Break programme.

The initiative, funded and delivered by the High-end TV Skills Fund, aims to provide a vital early experience of working in the TV industry by offering paid production placements to candidates across a range of behind the camera roles. The on-the-job work experience is combined with informative events, bespoke support and ‘need to know’ training days to demystify entry into the industry.

The programme’s blend of industry insights and practical hands-on experience was exactly what Jonah Jarrald was hoping it would be. “Working on the set of Brassic series five was a perfect chance for me to gain first hand experience while being surrounded by industry experts who each have decades of knowledge and were willing and excited to answer any of my many questions.” He secured a placement working in the location and camera departments on production, an experience that proved invaluable to his development: “I have always wanted a career in television but didn’t have the industry contacts, formal education or knowledge to get my first foot in the door.”

It was a similar story for Victoria Ramsden, she said: “Discovering ScreenSkills and subsequently being a successful First Break Brassic applicant has been like finding gold amongst a pan full of rocks.” She spoke about how useful the bootcamp sessions proved among the learning process: “Within half an hour of the bootcamp presentation I was hooked and had to get my name on one of the four paid work experiences placements with Brassic. While the Bootcamp covered a lot, it was very easy to consume and covered everything from job roles, set protocols, ‘How, Why, When’, hierarchy, tips for being great on set, insights and shorts like a ‘typical day on set’, and how to find work.”

By focusing on specific productions across the nations and regions, First Break promotes opportunities to those based within those areas, benefitting both locals hoping to enter the industry and the production company by building a nearby workforce. Following First Break iterations in Leeds, Farnborough, Cardiff and Cornwall, the latest programme was based in Manchester, allowing local production company Calamity Films to support those within the area when it came to shooting Brassic.

Tessa Pemberton, Head of Production (cover) at Calamity Films, said: “Calamity Films was delighted to be able to offer paid work experience to the four local people based in Manchester who were recruited through the HETV Skills funded First Break community outreach activity. It was important to us and to Sky to help nurture a workforce based close to where our production was shooting and help find and support behind-the-camera talent of the future coming from a range of different backgrounds who may not have had the opportunity otherwise.”

One of those four candidates was Oliver Bradshaw who landed a placement working in locations and standby props roles. For him, the support by the production and the wider First Break programme was a huge bonus. He said: “My ScreenSkills coordinator, Belinda Peach, was ever-present and supportive, there to handle any queries or problems were they to arise; not that any significant problems did. All of those I reported to and worked alongside at Calamity Films, including the line producer, locations manager and the stand-by art director. All were fantastic colleagues, giving me enough responsibility to feel as though I could functionally gain real industry experience.”

Jamsranjav Byambatsogt was the fourth to receive a placement, joining Oliver on the locations department while also getting a taste of life in lighting a camera roles. It quickly became a speedy learning process. “I have learned that there is a lot of planning and research that goes into filming on location – going to the possible location and taking pictures, talking to the owners, traffic control, where the trucks are going to park and things that might affect filming on locations. A lot of this stuff, I wouldn't think about when filming on location and how it affects the production and how to deal with it and it was a great opportunity to get an insight and learn.”

For each of the four, their time on First Break gave them the knowledge and confidence to look forward to future opportunities within television. Jonah said: “I feel extremely grateful to have been given this opportunity and on such a kind, welcoming set with such a great crew. A special and huge thank you to Sky and Calamity Films for giving me this great opportunity. I definitely feel this is the right industry for me, so here’s to finding the next work!”

For Victoria, that work may come sooner than she had imagined. She explained: “The day before my final day of First Break, I got a call from the Line Manager, Lloyd Elis, who not only gave me great feedback on my efforts, attitude and hard work during First Break, Lloyd invited me back for a further three weeks as a location assistant trainee - I was ecstatic and so proud to have yet another golden opportunity come my way.”

All episodes of Brassic 5 will be available on Thursday 28 September on Sky and on streaming service NOW.