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  • Do you have 5+ years’ Film or TV experience in any genre?

  • Are you looking to Step up to HOD and/or lead your team?

  • Are you aged 19 or over and a resident in the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA)* region?

If you answered yes to these questions, then this FREE training course is for you.

*This includes residents of Birmingham City Council, Coventry City Council, Dudley Metro Borough Council, Sandwell Metro Borough Council, Solihull Metro Borough Council, Walsall Council and City of Wolverhampton.

We are looking for West Midlands based industry professionals working in craft, technical, editorial or production roles across scripted (Film, HETV or continuing drama), unscripted, animation or post-production and who are looking to step up and lead their teams.

Stepping up to lead a team can be daunting. As a leader and manager, your approach and thinking needs to develop as you take on extra responsibility.

Led by Mission Accomplished CEO, Alison Grade, with guest speaker sessions from a range of exciting industry experts, this training course is designed to support you as you Learn to Lead in Film and TV and Step Up to HOD.

Mission Accomplished is particularly keen to receive applications from traditionally excluded groups especially those from: 

  • People from racialised identities
  • People that are (d)Deaf, Disabled and/or Neurodivergent
  • Those who are care-experienced.
  • People from a refugee or disadvantaged migrant community
  • Those from a Gypsy, Roma or Traveller community
  • People from LGBTQI+ Communities
  • People from a working class/low-income background (or if you have identified as such in the past)

We welcome applications from all individuals. If you would like support completing the application form and/or would like us to send it to you in an alternative format, please email training@mission.guru

THE COURSE WILL COVER:

  • What does stepping up to lead your team involve?
  • Understanding team dynamics and personalities
  • Managing budgets and schedules
  • Inclusive recruitment, working practices
  • Dealing with conflict and managing performance
  • Health and Safety considerations for leaders and manager
  • Looking after ourselves and our teams
  • Pitching myself to take on an HOD / leadership role

By the end of the course, participants will have practical and actionable leadership and management strategies to build a vibrant, motivated and resilient creative team, as well as having developed their confidence in taking on a new challenge and thriving in a leadership / HOD role.

The course will be delivered as a mix of in-person monthly training sessions interspersed with online masterclasses from working leaders / HODs. The training will be offered at weekends and evenings to ensure that it is accessible to working freelance crew in region.

  • 5 x 4 hour monthly in-person workshops in Central Birmingham
  • 4 x 90 mins online masterclasses
  • 4 x 60 mins HOD mentoring including opportunity to shadow mentor on set
  • 2 x 60 mins CV/employability support

KEY DATES

  • Applications closed.

Interviews (online)

  • Friday 18th, October, 2024
  • Monday 21st, October, 2024

Notifications

  • Monday 23rd, October, 2024

COURSE OUTLINE

Date Session time Course Content
Session 1 – in person 

Saturday 16th November 2024 

9:30 – 14:30 What does Stepping up to lead in film and TV involve?

  • What does success look like? What role is the goal to step up to? And on what size/scale of production? (which band / time slot / channel?) 
  • What is leadership and management? And expectations 
  • Why delegation is important 
  • About me: Mentor Research 
  • About me: Skills audit – what skills do I have for stepping up / what skills do I need to develop? 
Masterclass 1 – online 

Tuesday 26th November 2024 

18:30 – 20:00  Working with Line Producer, Series Producer, Producer and Director – Dealing with and planning for changes

Session 2 – in person 

Saturday 7th December 2024 

9:30 – 14:30 Recruitment, inclusion and team dynamics 

  • Building inclusive and diverse teams / building cultural awareness and sensitivity 
  • Inclusive and good hiring and working practices 
  • Ensuring content and practices are culturally sensitive 
  • Knowing and motivating my team    
  • About me: Building a CV for Stepping Up
  • About me: Budget and schedule exercise 

Masterclass 2 – online  

Tuesday 7th January 2025 

18:30 – 20:00  Make a Move, Agents and gaining representation 

Session 3 – in person 

Saturday 11th January 2025 

9:30 – 14:30  Managing budgets and schedules

  • How do you create a department budget and schedule? 
  • Estimating labour and materials 
  • Tracking and forecasting costs 
  • Contingencies 
  • Relationship with Production Accountant and Line Producer 
  • Negotiation fundamentals – rates/industry standards/labour/material 
  • About me: Building networks 

Masterclass 3 – online 

Tuesday 21st January 2025 

18:30 – 20:00  Commissioning, financing and grants 

Health & Safety for leaders – in person  

Saturday 25th January 2025 

10:00 – 16:00  First Option: Risk Management of Production course 

Session 4 – in person 

Saturday 8th February 2025 

9:30 – 14:30 Managing performance, challenging situations, giving and receiving feedback 

  • Dealing with conflict  
  • Managing team performance   
  • Giving feedback and delivering bad news   
  • Making difficult decisions  
  • About me: Interview and pitching preparation 

Masterclass 4 – online  

Tuesday 25th February 2025 

18:30 – 20:00 Alumni Stepping up stories 

Session 5 – in person 

Saturday 8th March 2025 

9.30 – 14:30 Pitching and looking after ourselves, our people and our planet 

  • Building resilient teams and becoming a resilient leader 
  • Dealing with imposter syndrome 
  • Mental Health for you and your team 
  • Creating a safe space 
  • Sustainability in Industry
  • Environmental impact and the role of HODs in promoting sustainability 
  • About me: Preparing for your leadership / HOD interview 
  • About me: where do I fit in the WM landscape and work opportunities 

MENTORING AND COACHING

Supporting the participants’ development will be their mentors, who will be leaders / HODs within their department with experience of the role they are stepping up into. Each participant will be matched with a mentor from their department to support them with departmental specific skills as they step up. Participants will have 4 x 60 mins (likely online) sessions with their mentor. They will also be encouraged to meet their mentors in-person and shadow them on a current production (access funding is available to support this activity).

In addition, each participant will be offered 2 hours 1-2-1 bespoke CV / employability support to help them identify the role and production they are looking to step up to and assist them with their CV, pitch and interview skills.

By the end of the training course, participants will:

  • Understand the role and responsibilities of a leader / HOD
  • Have the skills and knowledge to step up to leader / HOD
  • Have developed knowledge of budgeting responsibility as leader / HOD
  • Know themselves and what they bring to a team
  • Have developed Leadership and Management skills needed for the role
  • Understand the Health and Safety responsibities of a leader / HOD
  • Have strategies and tactics for managing a team
  • Feel confident to pitch themselves into a stepped up position as HOD and/or team leader

Alison Grade | Course Director

Alison founded and runs Mission Accomplished. The company regularly delivers training courses for ScreenSkills. Alison is an experienced Line Producer and Production Manager as well as a Nesta Accredited Creative Enterprise Trainer. She regularly delivers training that enables creatives to take their careers to the next level. Alison is the author of Penguin published book, The Freelance Bible and offers many workshops and training programmes to support freelancers.

Caroline Ball smiling

Caroline Ball | Guest speaker

 Caroline Ball is a Line Producer, based in Northern Ireland, who is  known for being the driving force behind productions and bringing editorial vision into practical reality. She holds a Masters Degree in Production Management and has over 20 years’ experience working in the production office. Caroline has worked across numerous genres in television, radio and online, most recently working in scripted tv and film. She has experience of designing and delivering training courses. As a Training Executive for eircom, she was responsible for training new and experienced staff in a range of skills, including communication, time management and dealing with others. In the BBC, Caroline planned and delivered workshops to staff with a view to improving ways of working and increasing collaboration among teams.

Sarah McCaffrey | Guest speaker

Sarah has extensive experience delivering training programmes for ScreenSkills. She founded independent mental health and training company Solas Mind in 2019. Sarah is a fully qualified psychotherapist and offers mental health services including counselling and training in the film and tv industry. Sarah regularly runs mental health workshops, leadership and management training for ScreenSkills and Solas Mind supports the trainee finder trainees.

Delivery team

Our Funders

This programme is delivered by Mission Accomplished, with the support of the BFI, awarding National Lottery funding, and The West Midlands Combined Authority.

Details

Start:
November 16
End:
March 8, 2025
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Venue

Minerva Works
Minerva Works Warwick Bar, 158 Fazeley Street, Digbeth
Birmingham, B5 5RS United Kingdom
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Other

Experience
Head of Department, Returning to Work
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