Following on from the success of BBC Academy's TV Fast Train, the free training day is heading up north to MediaCity in Salford, on November 20th, with sessionsand masterclasses for media freelancers in digital, radio and television. Tickets for the first batch of tickets are almost sold out, but with two subsequent ticket releases taking place at 10am on 6 November and 9pm on 13 November, there's still chance to get in on the action.
The Talent Manager's Creative Director, Sarah Lee, will be amogst some of the key talent execs and commissioners taking part in Speed Dating sessions, offering one on one advice in the Careers Corner.
There are two pages of booking links on the Eventbrite site: one for training sessions and masterclasses, and one for the careers corner. Follow the buzz on twitter at #FastTrain.
Here's a bit more about what you can expect from Fast Train North...
The free one-day training event for delegates who work in the TV, radio and digital industries will also feature writer Tony Marchant (Garrow’s Law, Great Expectations), who'll be unpicking the art of screenwriting with fellow BAFTA-winner Danny Brocklehurst (Shameless, Exile) in one of 14 masterclasses.
ITV producer Kate Oates (Coronation Street, Emmerdale) is delivering a masterclass on continuing storylines and characters, and as part of the event's 200 scheduled sessions there'll be training in everything from HTML5 to intellectual property and second screen. Delegates can also go 'speed-dating' with commissioners, talent managers and key execs from ITV, C4, BBC, Shine North, Crewing Company, and many more.
The BBC Writers Room (many of whose ‘discoveries’ have gone on to work at BBC dramas and soaps like Doctors and Eastenders) will provide a three hour special seminar on screen writing.
Other topics covered in sessions include: working with smart phones, production management, developing and monetising apps, self shooting, editing, top tips for series producing, setting up a radio indie, an introduction to sports journalism, and a gaming workshop.
Delegates will also get the chance to play a part in ‘Fast Train Live’: a magazine TV show produced in conjunction with Salford University and broadcast live at MediaCityUK. Here participants can take on the studio and production roles involved in the preparation and broadcast of live television.
Exec producer Louise Blythe from the BBC Academy said: “This is a collaborative effort between the organisations based at MediaCityUK and beyond. Everyone involved is committed to supporting and developing the talent pool here and it shows in the quality of the content which Fast Train North can offer.”
Kate O’Connor, deputy CEO of Creative Skillset which co-produces Fast Train with BBC Academy, said: “The range of sessions on the programme and the collective expertise that represents is very impressive. We expect demand to be high so we’re releasing tickets via the Creative Skillset and BBC websites and across three dates to maximise the chances for freelancers to guarantee themselves a place.”
