Film student Elizabeth Penny volunteered at the BBC’s recent Talent Ticket project in Bristol which aims to give young people a look at careers in TV.
“I am currently in my final year of studying Filmmaking and Creative Media at UWE and as the end is nigh I have started to look back at how I got here.
The truth is that the reason I am here, studying film, is because I just so happened to be in the right place, at the right time. While I was waitressing - I encountered a customer who was working on a film. I then managed to talk myself into a running job, and I have never looked back.
It occurs to me on a daily basis that if fate hadn't intervened - I would probably still be that waitress who talks too much.
The issue for me is that the concept of a career in television is not often made accessible to young people.
A young person’s career path into the industry should not be left to fate. This is why when I heard about the BBC Bristol's Talent Ticket Road Show - I immediately knew that I had to apply as the scheme aims to inspire the next generation of the media industry.
Talent Ticket is designed for year 9 students across 10 of the most disadvantaged schools in Bristol, and the aim is to present students with an alternative career path.
The point that was never stressed when I was at school is that you don’t have to be academic in order to succeed.
Children who are chatty and lively can often underperform in your standard teaching set up as their attention span can waver, but their enthusiasm never does.
Throughout the Talent Ticket Roadshow we encouraged our chattier pupils to present on camera and commentate, but we also aimed to inspire confidence in shyer pupils by assisting them as they stepped out of their comfort zone. Our mission in Talent Ticket is to prove that in the media there is a role for every personality type.
The workshops that Talent Ticket provides include; Animation, Make-Up, Sports Journalism, News Presenting, Production, Radio, Natural History, Dance and Drama (film).
The best or most improved students then received a certificate in assembly, so students who have worked hard are able to feel a sense of pride and achievement at the end of the day.
The top three in the year then receive a BBC goodie bag. It is amazing to see the pride on the faces of the pupils who exceed, and gain recognition for their hard work. It is also a great feeling to realise that I may have inspired a teenager to consider a career in television.
Whilst out filming a mini documentary with the production workshop, one pupil made a great remark, which reminded me of the importance of Talent Ticket.
He said ‘wow, you get to film stuff every day - you’re so lucky.’ He was so right, I have been lucky – but with the help of schemes like Talent Ticket he can be too.”
