The 'Perfect' Interview

Work experience applications

CV & Covering letter

Showreel

Skills Analysis

8.5 b) Qualifications, career development and skills.

Education and Training.

Full Time 

Full time education consist of learning taking place in a classroom environment, during normal school term time. Full time education would also contain a minimum of 12 hours per week.  

 Full time education is a generic term, it can range from GCSE courses, to university MA courses, an example in particular would be, taking an A-level course at Chadwell Heath Academy, in Media studies, run by OCR.
By achieving a high grade in A-level media, it can open a range of things, for someone to go and do, whether that is to go on to further education and study a particular area in Media eg Post-production, or perhaps go on to do a apprenticeship.

In terms of my position, i have achieved a GCSE grade b in Media studies and went on to take it as Dual award BTEC as one of my A-level choices. I further plan to continue in to a university course, to further my knowledge of the industry and to be better qualified for when i try and move in to a job within the industry.

My skills and knowledge of the industry are continuously growing, from learning many of the conventions and practical skills to the production and post production stages of Film making, Which of course would help in the 'real world.' In terms of improvements, there is still much for me to learn, i feel that in the current times perhaps i need to improve on my editing skills. Whilst i am competent at the skill there is still a lot that i can learn.  

Part Time

Part time education however, may be carried out as a mature student, someone who works as well doing the course, for example if they attended a night class. Part time education whilst it does lower the hours that are completed each week it does mean that the length of the course is extended. 

An example of Part-time education would perhaps be a mature student in further education on a Masters course, whilst still in full time work. Photographic studies an MA course at Westminster university, which is an evening part-time course. 

This course would widely be useful in TV and Film, as it would be largely respected to have such a good level of learning in Photography. Whilst the person would still have to start at the bottom they would be greatly respected once they did reach the top. 

In my position, i am currently in full time education and working at a much lower level then a masters degree at this current time. Perhaps during my career in the industry i may feel to go back to university and acquire an MA level degree, but at this current time this type of course is too far in the future for me.

The capacity of my skills will only expand till A-level in terms of the theory based learning about the industry, from a technical aspect i would like to think that i am very good at using different types of equipment, but i certainly dont have the knowledge an MA student would have. Potentially i could look at an Ma course but there are many variables that control whether that becomes an option for me. 

Levels 2 & 3

This issue would consist of the different qualification levels, which range from an entry level to level 8. Level 2 solely concerns qualifications that someone would receive after secondary school, GCSE's & BTEC's. Whilst level 3 is a further education and concerns it self with A-levels and BTEC courses, which amount to level 3 diplomas. 

An example of a Level 2 course would be Media studies GCSE which is offered at Chadwell Heath Academy, a 2 year course starting in Year 10 ending at the end of year 11 and is open to anyone who has a passion for cameras, filming, photography etc. An example of a level 3 course would be an extension of Media studies, Chadwell heath offer a BTEC single and dual award for a level 3 diploma. This would Start at year 12 and end at the end of year 13, this is a 2 year course and for me personally is 100% coursework, however that is being changed to an 80%, 20% as of next year.
In terms of how important these qualifications are within the TV and Film industry they act as stepping stones, achieving a high grade in both keeps unlocking a number of opportunities each time.

My situation would be that i have already achieved a B grade at level 2 GCSE media studies, and currently im doing well on the Dual award BTEC Media Studies level 3 diploma, where my current grades are 2 distinctions, indicating that i excel in this subject.

I would certainly have many attributes that would benefit the TV and Film industry my knowledge of conventions and the theory side of the industry is boosted massively by my practical skills and creative ideas. Something i wish to improve on is first to maintain this high level of work on my course, so i can come out with the best grades possible, but also id like to focus on getting better at editing through various software's, that the Industry will use.

Graduate

Graduate course are essentially university courses, they are levels upwards of 3, which have many pathways, eg a foundation course, undergraduate, postgraduate, masters, and PHD. The course specifically focuses on your chosen subject unless you have decided to do a dual course.   

A graduates course would be Digital Film Production undergraduate (BA Hons) at Ravensbourne university. This is a 3 year course, that mainly focus on making/producing films and looking at the directors side of things. This would be opposed to the Editing and Post Production undergraduates course, that Ravensbourne also offer.
To do one of these courses or something similar at a different university is a massive boost on the CV and you will look a lo more desirable to the employer if they see a degree that focuses on the industry already. Of course doing an apprenticeship may have given someone 3 years of experience that you don't have, but the degree will still add to your whole package and look exceptional to some employers.

For me whilst i'm still a sixth form student, i still need to think about what course suits me the best and what university suits me as well. I need to look around and explore all the different options, but defiantly be thinking about the prospects of going to university during this year.

The main course i have been looking at was the Digital Film Production course, it really appealed to me in terms of the directing side of things, whilst as a whole making various short films constantly really appealed to me. The two main things i would really need to improve on before hand would be to get as much work experience as possible in the industry and to learn how to edit on the software's that they use (premiere pro) 

Sector Skills Council 

The sector skills company is, a none government run company that is privately owned. They strive to help everyone that works within the industry to constantly improve their skills, which in turn would help to further their careers. 

For the TV and Film industry Creative Skills Set would be the company that cover everything, from helping people to get university placements, to entitling what every job requires and actually does in TV and Film.
A web based company like this is massive to the industry as they are helping to put the right people in the right job. They are able to offer people so many different routes and opportunities in to the industry that perhaps didn't seem plausible, which is fantastic as they are generating more people that are enthusiastic about the possibilities of their new job. 

My relation to this issue, is i can use this web site to look at various jobs and what they entail, i can look at many different routes in to the industry and what one is best for me. So i can use the company as another resource for me to learn from to give me the best possible chance in to the industry. 

Creative Skills Set largely benefits me in the sense that i can use them as another resource for help and from this my knowledge of the industry will constantly grow along with my education. Perhaps the improvements come from actually knowing how to use this resource to the best of my ability and making sure that i get as much as i can from this extra web site.  

Trade Unions

Trade Unions are in place to defend the employees rights, and protect employees from any physical & psychological harm in the work place.

Belonging to a trade union means that many employees are allowed to voice their opinion on pressing issues and they are allowed to safely say what needs to change within the industry they may also fight individual cases too. A trade union may do more, which would include training courses for its members and will also offer a large amount of information about ways into specific jobs. A more specific example of a trade union would be BECTU.

Trade unions are needed significantly in the Tv and Film industry as they give the employees a voice. Whilst that may be typical of any industry someone works in, TV and Film are especially known for constantly mistreating and using employees as it is a fierce industry that you will need 'tough skin.'

Whilst at this current time i don't have a big relationship with BECTU and im not in any position to become a member yet. I can use their website much like Creative Skills Set to my advantage in the sense that i can gather as much information about the industry as i can from BECTU. I am in a position where i can add them as another resource for me to feed off of.

Again much like Creative Skills Set they are benefiting me, as they are giving me so much extra knowledge about the industry. And what is needed of me is to know what is the best possible way to use this extra resource and maximize my knowledge. 

Careers Services

A government run scheme, which aims to play an advisory role in helping people, on the right career path or help further someones career.

An example of a Careers service would be the National Careers Service, and through the filters and subdivisions on the web site, you are able to condense it down to just the TV and Film industry.
Much like Creative Skills Set, National Careers Service is able to help many people in to a career within the industry. They can help to give someone a future or help to change someones whole career pathway. The main thing about National Careers Service is that everyone would have heard about them, whereas Creative Skills Set would only be known to those that have connections in the media sector. 

Personally i can use the National Careers Service to start looking at potential jobs or apprenticeships that i could do after i finish my A-Levels. It could give me another option instead of going to university, so it is something that i should be considering.

My qualifications at GCSE level 2 and hopefully my qualifications at A-Level (level 3) would all help to put me in work or get an apprenticeship, from that point i can certainly hope to impress with my technical skills while on the job. The improvements that i need to make though would be first to finish sixth form with good grades and to think about what are all the different options i could explore and choose the best one for me. 

Career Development

Training on the Job

Training on the job, is where an employee may be trained on the job, as opposed to learning in a classroom environment, by other workers or put on a course and trained by a professional trainer to help improve their skills in their line of work.

An example of this would a be runner, as this is an entry level job, typically employees in this job have little or no experience working on sets of Films, and need constant help with some of their day to day tasks.
As a career in the industry this is typically where everyone will start, the very bottom, however it is still needed in the industry just to help speed certain parts of the production along, just by sending messages quicker etc.

For me, this is a job that i hope to do during my summers in sixth form, so before i go to university or apply for apprenticeships i would have already gained that experience and gained some contacts which will look more desirable to the university/ employer.

My strengths of being able to work well and perhaps know when to be more reserved in my actions and words, would be a real benefit in this job. Of course this job is running around after people which is not for everyone but i feel i would be competent in dealing with tasks that may seem insignificant. To really improve my self to become better at this job perhaps is to just gain experience and do as many jobs as i can. That can only enhance my performance each time and make me a better runner.

Continuing professional development

Continuing professional development is typically more classroom based. Involving the usual question answer based learning, and constantly being in discussion. These classes would help tom improve the students knowledge about different theories, styles and conventions as opposed to practical work. 

There is not one specific example for this, CPD will be carried it at any institution employees work for, the duration and times per week it is done of course will always vary.
CPD is massively needed in the TV and Film industry not only is it a chance for people with less experience to constantly learn and improve themselves, But it allows for everyone in the crew to voice an opinion they may have or learn more about a new software etc.

Of course i am not in work yet, But CPD  for me would be in class, we are all learning about many different aspects of the industry and it gives everyone a chance to ask various questions that may help to further peoples knowledge about particular scenarios.

I would like to think that one of my strengths is the questions i ask, and even if im the only person that doesn't understand i will still ask for help. Perhaps an improvement i need to make upon self evaluation is changing my approach to some work. Perhaps sometimes i come across as too laid back which i know will effect others in the class too. 

Self-Training

Self-training is completely a choice, the learner makes the decision to learn more to help improve themselves for their work. Typically self-training may be done through home research, tutorial videos, or perhaps shadowing a more experienced worker.  

Self-training much like CPD has no one specific example, there are plenty of different methods for self-training, whether that's watching tutorial videos on Youtube, doing some online research or even just practicing different techniques with a camera at home and seeing how they come out. Doing all these things in your own time will constantly improve your knowledge and skill base.
Of course self-training is not compulsory, but it is used widely in the TV and Film industry, cinematographers may be experimenting with new ways to shoot a film, actors may try new techniques to bring out different types of emotions.

For me this issue is very important, to make content on my weekends will only improve my skills practically, whether that's finding new techniques with the camera itself, or its learning different things on different editing software's. By creating as much as i can i will always be improving. 

I've noticed that i'm constantly gaining new strengths, especially with the camera. I'm vastly learning new ways in which to film certain things which is vital in the industry. Whilst i'm making massive strides in editing, i still need to improve that skill and learn how to edit on the various types of software as various ones are used by various companies. 

Transferable Skills

Commitment

Commitment is a matter of dedication, to show commitment to your work involves the amount of hard work and effort you put in to the job. 

Whilst commitment is something that everyone should have in any job, it has now become a desirability as often now people will leave for more money typically. TV and Film is an industry that relies on commitment, the employers are very dependent on the employees to stay and finish the project. Whilst they can bring someone else in, that will hinder the work progress as they will have a different creative direction, and then the project is not moving forward any more.

I think that commitment is something that has to show through my coursework in school. I need to show that i'm committed to the subject and to getting high grades, and i can do this by producing pieces of work to the best of my ability. 

I think that my commitment has been tried and tested, ive been involved with the media department in school for a number of years, even before i took the subject as a GCSE. Perhaps the improvement comes from the fact that its easy to get caught up in how much someone is offering you to do a job and its important to take a step back and realise why i wanted to work in this sector from the start and not about what money an institution is offering me.

Efficiency 

Efficiency mainly deals with how much work can be done in a certain amount of time. Efficiency is the work to time ratio and the quality that is done.

Within the TV and Film industry efficiency is instrumental to a project. Deadlines are set and the work has to be completed, employers perhaps are near desperate for the work force to be as efficient as possible in order for the work to be done and to a high standard.

I felt that efficiency is especially important in school life, there is an enormous amount of work to get completed. There are deadlines to be met and the work needs to be at a sufficient standard.

I dont feel that you can measure efficiency in one person, perhaps it is something that either a person has or they dont. I think that the strength comes in the awareness of how efficient i am being upon self reflection. The improvement comes from continuously working hard to become as efficient as possible, which lightens my work load and improves my quality of work.

Reliability

Reliability very closely links to commitment, the issue concerns what kind of reputation the employee has. If an employee shows desire, and dedication to their work then to others they will build a good reputation and seen as reliable.

Different to commitment, reliability is now about how well you can trust a person, and to what standard they will finish the work at. Of course this is big the the TV and Film industry because everyone realise on each other, whether that's to edit a section of the film on time, or for camera operators not to call in sick whenever they want to. If there was no reliability in the industry then nothing would ever get finished, for the industry to survive there has to be reliability within a crew.

I think that reliability is something that i can show through the practical projects we do, if i can show i can film whenever is needed then perhaps that shows i am reliable and trustworthy.

I feel that reliability is a strength of mine, and the various people that i've worked with on different projects i think would agree. The improvement comes in maintaining it, not to let all the work pile up, if i'm constantly on top of things and i know when im doing work then i know when i can come out and help.

Punctuality

Punctuality, is about timing,  the issue not only concerns a personal timing, trying to be on time, but its more about how able the employee is to meet set deadlines for work to be done by.

In TV and Film punctuality is vital much like commitment and reliability. This doesnt stem from just employees turning up to work on time, but also the project will be set deadlines and everyone needs to working hard to meet them and get the project finished. The Punctuality can have severe effects to the project, if it doesn't meet deadlines there could be decisions on whether to stop the whole production or employees may leave and move on because they want something fresh and a project that actually is moving forward.

Punctuality for me can be seen in the number of late marks i have, (which is very low) and also how well i have done in meeting deadlines for coursework, which to my knowledge i haven't missed one.

Perhaps it is a strength of mine that my work and myself are both punctual, but i think this issue is still a continuation of how if you let work pile up you will miss deadlines, whereas if you keep it ticking over then you wont have a problem.

Self-Presentation

This issue would involve how well you market yourself and how presentable you look. Self-presentation is strongly about how others perceive you and what judgments they will make at the first interaction. 

Self- presentation and self image mainly about your actual address and appearance to the employer. This is a massive thing for if your are applying for jobs in the industry or you are actually working in the sector already. Perhaps the industry has an interpretation by the outside world that people can wear what they want and that it is a very informal looking industry. But if u think like that turning up to a job for the industry they wont hire you.

Self-presentation perhaps is different for me, whilst i don't have to turn up to school in a suit, i feel that sixth form and university is a period where its chance to freely express myself. (within reason) Of course i still need to look like a student and act like one, because that will show commitment.

I dont know if this can be a strength or a weakness. I think that knowing when to look smarter and when it is acceptable to wear what you want is the difference, the various situations are what will define this as being a strength or a weakness.  

Functional Skills

Maths, English, ICT

Functional skills are simply core subjects, eg, Maths, English, ICT which are used in everyday life.

Functional skills are, just the basics that everyone needs to be able to work and communicate, in Tv and Film various job roles will need the skills. Whether thats an editor needing ICT to be able to use software's and computers to edit a Film/Tv program, or its a Director telling people how they want a scene filmed/ in a meeting with the producers. Everyone needs functional skills otherwise the industry would breakdown, these skills are especially important in TV and Film as whether your in the management side then you will constantly be talking in meetings. Or perhaps your a crew member and you need to be communicating on how the scene should be filmed.

I think that this issue is something that will constantly be improving, whilst i may be better in one subject then the others, all the functional skills will need improving on. For me these skills are needed in class, whether im asking questions about certain aspects of the work, or im communicating to my team how a scene should look when producing a project.

For me, my qualifications show that i excel in English, maths i'm mediocre at and ICT was not a strong point of mine. But i think looking at all the work I've done, its easy to see that i'm very able to work with computers. Perhaps the improvements that i need to make, which will continue to progress throughout life experiences is communication, and how to talk to certain people. 

8.5) planning for the futre

National Press

National press, are newspapers that are produced for the whole country to read, and will specifically have their own section for jobs.              

An example of national press would be 'The Guardian' newspaper, as they are produced for the whole country and will have a section within the newspaper which advertises jobs, some of which will be for the TV and Film industry. For instance ITV may place an advert into 'The Guardian' for a new camera operator, to which many people would be able to see the advert and apply.

As a job seeker, the national press is very beneficial as jobs would be very well advertised for anyone too see them , as well as knowing that the job would be legitimate. The negative impacts of seeing the job in the national newspapers, is the fact that everyone can see it and many people will apply for it. So there will be some stiff competition for the job.

As the employer, ITV, they are able to have an abundance of applicants for the specific job. The downside to having so many applicants is that it becomes a long process to analyse everyone and many may not even be what ITV are looking for.

Trade Press

Trade press is a magazine, with a subscription fee, that is targeted specifically for the industry and various fields within the media, (eg TV and Film.)

An example of Trade press would be 'Media week' a magazine that is designed for the media industry as whole, but does have certain sections dedicated to TV, Film and potential jobs. The subscription fee does vary though, from £33 for 3 months, to £279 for 2 years subscription.

As a member of the public that aspires to work in Tv and Film or an employee for an institution, 'Media Week' can offer jobs that are specific to the field you already work in, or wish to work in. It

also lowers competition as people that aren't involved in the industry wouldn't know about the magazine. A negative though is the fact that you may not know even know about the magazine, so whilst you want to work in the industry you may not have the knowledge of it. 

As an employer, using trade press is a particularly good way to advertise a position, whilst knowing that all applicants will  most likely have some good experience with in the industry already. O f course the negative to using 'Media Week' is that there will only be a small, concentrated amount of applicants and many of them may not even be what the employer is looking for. 

Internet

These would typically be 3rd party websites that will advertise potential job positions that need to be filled by institutions. 

Mandy.com would be an example of a 3rd party as they advertise 100's of jobs in TV and Film, from advertising a 'runners' position to editors and various other jobs with in a production crew. They will advertise the full, job description including pay, length and locations. The website effectively is a search engine for jobs in the TV and Film industry.

From an already employed person or a job seekers perspective, 'Mandy.com' is very easy to use and is very specific to, the website is able to suit your exact requirements. The negative to the website though is the fact that there will be much competition, as many people will be looking for the same job.

From an institution point of view, 'Many.com' is able to reach out to a very broad range of people, so the employer will get a good response from the advertisement. On the other hand though, with so many applicants, much like national press, many will not be suited for the job,

Word of mouth 

Word of mouth mainly involves hearing about a potential job opening from a friend, who would put your application forward to their Superior. 

Word of mouth can come in almost any example, where the job seeker has a friend already working in the industry. This method would stem from, someone gaining a job in any part of the crew, through any of the production stages.

An good thing for the employee, job seeker is that this method either allows them to get a job, in TV and Film which would be their desired industry, or it is a chance for someone to get a better job, whether that's in pay or a step higher or just given the opportunity to work for a better institution. Of course a negative is black-balling, this term refers to the person having a bad reputation, which means
that nay job they apply for they might not get because perhaps someone has heard about them and said not to employ them.

An obvious positive for an employer, is the fact that word of mouth is easy, and doesn't cost them anything. Of course the referral that the institution has employed may not be good at their job and now you have some one that you cant get rid of.

Networking

Networking much like word of mouth is hearing about the job from a person as opposed to the internet, magazine/newspaper. The difference stems from the fact that everyone will be in an event or convention that already have an attachment to the industry, and from there may here about a potential job. 

Networking is used in much of the TV and Film industry. An example would be the trades fairs events that happen every year, throughout the event, many people will be talking, taking each others numbers and then using them in the future to perhaps get a job.

This method much like word of mouth is good for the 'employee' as by gaining more contacts, more opportunities are available and it creates more chances to further their careers. Of course first of all you need the contacts for networking to actually work, and the relationship has to be constant over long periods of time.

From an institution point of view, networking means that the employee should come with a good reputation and be very committed & skilled at the job. Of course if the same people are being employed, then there becomes a creativity issue, where as employing new people, will be fresh and provide different outlooks on the project.

Personnel Contacts

This would happen through networking, where people will talk and gain new contacts, who may be know of a job that would suit you and can put your application forwards. 

Usually to gain contacts, they come from actually working with others. Most of the time, when doing unpaid work, eg an entry level job as a runner. They can gain contacts with others from the crew, that they can later contact to see if there is any more work available.

As the runner, gaining personal contacts is vital, to be able to progress in the TV and Film industry. The struggle comes from making that first step of getting, the first job and making the contact.

Having a contact that the employer can call, means that it is an easy way to secure someone that is trustworthy and committed to the job. Equally recommendations that have been suggested may actually be bad at the job, and now have an employee that isn't up to the required standards. 

Internal Promotion 

this would simply be a promotion within the company, Typically the company has to advertise the job, but it may be that they already want someone internally to be promoted. 

An example of internal promotion would be an assistant accountant, being promoted the an accountant, by the production company. As this job is on a full time contract, it is one of very few that can be internally promoted within the TV and Film industry.

Aside from gaining extra benefits like better pay, the main positive of internal promotion for the employee is sense of security, and feeling that they are doing a good job and the institution
recgonises that. The more challenging aspect of an internal promotion are people that were at the same level as you in the hierarchy, may build up resentment as they feel that you shouldn't have got that promotion.

As an employer, the positives for internal promotion are that they know the employee well, and know that the employee is very hard working and dedicated to the job. Of course is does mean that further training may be needed, as the employee may not have the required skills for the next level up.

Trade Fairs 

Theses would closely link to networking, as trade fairs are also conventions and events, where loads of people within the industry, and involved in TV and Film can go to the event with a special ticket and can meet new contacts and may find a new job. 

Many trade fairs happen all around the world, the most recent was trade fairs event in Slovakia January 2016. This is where people involved with the Tv and Film industry come to a convention, and speak to many different people, and companies.

The trade events are good for employees or job seekers, as they help to make contacts and start networking. They can potentially help people to find better jobs and better their careers, equally they can help unemployed people that have already had experience in the industry to actually get a job. But the downside to these conventions are the fact that so many people go, that you may be lost in the crowd and not get to meet/ see any of the companies that are on offer.

From an employers view point, the trade events can allow for the opportunity to find employees not only experience and skilled at their job, but also to find people that are tried and trusted with in the industry. Equally not everyone at the event may be exceptional at their job and the institution may not find what they was looking for.

8.3b) Employment & Legal Issues in Film and TV

Health and Safety

Where employers have to put in place reasonable protection for the employees from potential harm and danger in the work place.



The Health and Safety act is a legal document in which the employer has to abide by, this is to ensure the well being of all employees. Whilst the act does state that the employer must provide a safe working environment, the employees must also ensure that their actions take into account how they may affect others around them, as they could cause harm or be deemed unsafe.
As TV and film contains harmful jobs such as the camera operator that go to extremes to get the camera shots. They go on cranes to get footage from dangerous heights to get specific shots for the media project. Another point is that some of the locations in the work place are dangerous and could cause them harm what this means is the industry have to put  protection for the camera operator because it's there responsibility. 

The positives for the Employee would be a sense of security within the workplace. The camera operator should feel safe, even in precarious positions and whilst there may be a potential risk, they should feel that there is not an increasing danger which could affect their physical & physiological health. However, a downfall may be that if the employer doesn't abide to the act, and may not put into action the necessary needs to make the place safe for them.


As an employer for example New Regency Productions, whom produced 'The Revenant,' they could potentially gain some good publicity and put themselves in a good light, if they have been able to accommodate and ensure the safety of all crew when in the production stages. Thus making themselves more inviting to many different people that work in the industry and are at the height of their professions. However the act may restrict New Regency Productions when filming as some sets perhaps are too dangerous and when amended perhaps they don't look as real or how the director had in-visioned them to be like.    

Equal Opportunities 

Where any employee is treated fairly without any prejudice in the work place that also has the equal opportunity to the job as well as being able to obtain an upper pay scale or further promotion to heighten their careers. 

Where we could potentially see this in the film and TV industry is for example when a group of people are going for the same job which could be a runner in the media industry. What the industry has to do is fairly treat each candidate the same and without any prejudice and discrimination, this would also apply throughout the duration of employment. Given each candidate met the criteria, all should be able to have an opportunity to present themselves. 

This is particularly important to potential employees applying to become a runner, as it is an entry level job. The job is something that many people will be competing for as it is the starting point to get in to the industry and gain contacts. The downside is that many employers wont stick to it, and perhaps will already have an idea of what they are looking for. 

From an employer point of view equal opportunities gives them an abundance of potential employees which makes it very competitive and allows for a better quality of choice. The downside is that the employer will have so many people applying for the job that it is a long process to find the right person suited for the job.  

Equality Act 2010

A legal document produced by the government that states the laws the employer has to abide by when hiring and through the persons employment.

The equality act 2010 is in place to outline specific characteristics that many people have, it is a law to help protect and fight discrimination & prejudice within the work place. Certain, "protected characteristics" such as, " gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership,  race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation" are believed to be important aspects of peoples lives that should be guarded when applying for work, or when already in employment.
We can see this through the whole of film and TV industry. Where we can see this in a specific job role in TV and film is the news correspondents, eg Mike Wedderburn a sky sports news presenter and the only current male presenter of a different race within sky sport news. Despite this though he has the same opportunities and should receive the same benefits as any of the other presenters.  

For Mike Wedderburn the equality act means that the employer needs sufficient reasoning for firing him, which in turn gives Wedderburn a feel of job safety. The act relieves a great deal of stress for him as it does fully protect him, he would also be allowed to take legal action if he was dismissed which continues to build on a more secure life for him. Of course there is always a risk that Sky may not abide to the act and their legal team may be able to find 'loop holes' in the act which would allow them to fire Wedderburn instantly or for a reason that may not be sufficient but doesnt technically break the law. 

For Sky, it does allow them to be more diverse in their news presentation, it could potentially make them stand out by trying to break stereotypes and conventions, which perhaps the majority of the public would recognise as a good thing, which in turn constantly gives Sky good publicity. However this could equally be a wrong decision, whilst unlikely their may be an argument for some of the public that dont like this change and would perhaps move to a competitor instead of watching sky sports news.  

Employers Liability

The employer has the responsibility for the protection of the employee at the work place as well as the overall business and the financing.

We can see this in the whole film and TV industry. An example the ITV as they have to ensure the safety of employees, otherwise they would be liable to legal action if there is an incident in the work place that was the ITV's fault. Liability is not only about the protection employees, but it can also relate to how liable the company may be in terms of its financing, whether they are making a loss. 

As an employee in an accident at work they have the right to exercise legal action against their company (ITV) so its a relief for the employee to know that the employer will be making the working environment as good as possible. A negative though is that even if ITV were liable and the employee did follow through with a court case, the company will have extremely skilled lawyers, so you might not even find justice.  

For the employer ITV, its very much allowing for a positive, happy work force. If they are feeling relatively safe, then they will be more motivated and get more work done on a day to day basis. Employer liability is a very large spectrum and its not as simple as having insurance among other things. The company can be potentially liable for many things, so good structure within the company is vital.

Employee Rights

There are legal and legitimate entitlements that are wrote in the employees contract which are dependent on their age.

Employee rights stem from legislation's produced by the government, that are seemingly trying to help improve the life of an employee in their place of work. Rights are in place to help the employee manage their work life and personal life at one time.
Where we could see this being used in the film and TV industry is the actors in the which are seen in the film industry they have the right to do what they feel is safe and say no to the things that the industry is telling them to do that may harm them in the production stage. If it is something that they feel uncomfortable doing they could get rights to disclaim it.

As an actor employee rights mean that they can feel more comfortable with work, whilst they are normally only on a fixed term contract, the rights still allow them to not be over worked and forced in to things. The downside to employee rights much like the equality act etc. the employer may find certain situations they can manipulate to dismiss the employee. 

As an employer though, employee rights allow for a much happier work force, which in turn would give some extra motivation and focus on the project. The problem though is perhaps some employees may use the rights too much an exploit them, which the employer may not be able to do anything about the situation.

Belonging to a trade union

Trade Unions are to defend the employees rights and physical and psychological harm in the work place.

Belonging to a trade union means that many employees are allowed to voice their opinion on pressing issues and they are allowed to safely say what needs to change within the industry they may also fight individual cases too. A trade union may do more, which would include training courses for its members and will also offer a large amount of information about ways into specific jobs.
An example of a trade union in Britain specifically for TV and Film would be BECTU. The main aims of BECTU are too protect the jobs of their members, offer advice and representation for the employees rights and equal fair treatment in the work place. They work hard to ensure that all employees that also are members of this union are not receiving any discrimination, prejudice and have a safe & healthy working environment. 

A member of BECTU is able to express themselves more, they arent as worried about being dismissed because of the legal acts etc. But the employees are able to voice their opinion if they feel unfairly treated or felt that they haven't had an equal chance to gain a promotion/ higher pay. The downside to a trade union, is perhaps sometimes you dont always agree with the union. It may be that the employee is very happy in their job and BECTU are campaigning for something which could affect them.

For the employer in this case BECTU they are helping to create a better, healthier working environment for everyone. They aren't working for profits so their main aims, when they are achieved become the benefits of this company. When they have fought long and hard for something and won, thats the benefit for them, its almost a personal gain.
A negative would be the power struggle, as the government has brought in many legislation's against trade unions BECTU are now very limited in their campaigning and their actions, in comparison to 20 years ago.

Intellectual Property

To shelter their assets, original and creative ideas and to prohibit the imitation of any work.

Intellectual property is the contents of an idea/ multiple ideas that have potential to be produced into blockbuster Films/ Tv series. 
They can be seen in TV and Film through an institution such as Walt Disney pictures as their creators may have fresh, unique ideas that can potentially be turned into very profitable films. These ideas would be intellectual property and would be in Disney's best interests to protect them to stop the other big Hollywood Institutions from copying them.

From an employee perspective if the idea is exclusive to their crew, along with Contract exclusivity, means they have 1 project to work on. If they only have one main focus to produce then they wouldn't be at risk of being 'burnt out' as they can focus much of their energies on one project as opposed to multiple which may stress them. The problem for the employee/ creator of the idea, is that if the company (Walt Disney) then they cant sell it to various companies and cant make as much money.    

For Walt Disney Pictures the protection of their intellectual property means they can produce exclusive content that none of the other big Hollywood production companies will have. Thus making more profit and continuously growing bigger. The downside is that some employees may leak the full idea or aspects of the idea, which potentially other companies may try to produce something very similar first.

Copyright, Trademarks 

It is a physical, legal document that can be purchased to stop any replication of the original idea.

Copyright and trademark, are used in all content produced for TV and Film, it is a document that is used for legal reasons to stop other companies from stealing creative ideas & concepts. It is used to protect the intellectual property of production companies/ creative ideas possessed by any one person.
Copyright can be seen in the film industry through the production companies obtaining copyright and trademark on their new films and new ideas which are in the production stages. An example would be Dreamworks animation producing a new film 'Trolls' which already a release date of November 4th 2016, as this animated film was going through the stages of production, Dreamworks would have been trying to secure copyright so no other institution could try and copy it and claim it as their own film.

As the person with the creative idea/concept, trademark is a major positive for them as they would be able to go and sell their idea to various production companies around the world, and make a lot of money. An example would be John de Mol who had the original concept of  'The Voice' was a big success back in The Netherlands to which he was able to sell the idea globally. But no one was fully able to own the concept as he has put copyright on it.

As an employer/ Production company, (Dreamworks) copyright does allow them to keep their films and creative ideas mutually exclusive from any other company, they are able to produce films that are very fresh and new which again relates back to Dreamworks making more profit. The downside which is hard to track, is that copyright can not stop a leak, which would lead to copying the idea.

Other forms of intellectual Property 

A physical product or aesthetics that any other person or institution that can not copy when a patent has been placed.

This differs from intellectual property as it is more to do with the legal issues and a more physical product as opposed to a creative idea. The patent is much like copyright/trademark however it is used for my visual items.
This could be seen in the Star Wars font, which is something that perhaps could have easily been copied by other institutions during the time of creation. However as Walt Disney were able to put a patent on the text, that therefore legally stopped any others trying to steal the idea.   

An advantage for the employee/creator is much like copyright they would potentially be able to protect their own product and sell it on to make a lot of money. This could however reverse and become a negative if the creator is an employee at a production company. Walt Disney has taken the product and placed a patent on it for themselves which meant the creator couldn't sell it to anyone and couldn't make any extra money.

As an employer/ production company in this case Walt Disney Pictures, they have been able to use a patent on the 'Star Wars' typography which keeps it very exclusive to them. As it was very desirable and unique the patent stopped  any other company from using it.

Passing Off

It's when a person or institution attempts to emulate a product when truly it is another's.

Effectively Passing off is to copy, its not necessarily about a leak which is then stolen, Passing off can also be about one production company content has many similar elements that another has and its who tries to say the original idea was theres. 
As an example Passing off was hard to find, many TV programs e.g. sitcoms and animated sitcoms are very similar and many seem to copy each other. However it seems that the same production company copy their own work in  a slightly different style as it was a success the first time. An example would be 'friends' and then some years later 'the big bang theory.' Perhaps that can't be described as passing off because it is the same company trying to rebrand the same idea slightly to gain more profit. 

A plus for the employee is they get many tv programs and films that they enjoy. Whilst many are very similar they were all previously loved, and now the slightly newer versions will also be dearly loved. The obvious negative to this though, is the repetition. For some people it is easier to spot the repetition and its easier to get bored quickly as it feels like your constantly re watching something. 

From a production company perspective, they know that the film/tv program will be successful, they know that the audience will love it, so they will continuously get more money. Not for doing anything new or creative but just by re-selling an idea, just slightly updated. The one negative though,is the people that comprehended the repletion will stop watching and that will decrease profit which is something none of the companies want to see.  

Race Relations Act 1976

It is an act that protects the public against prejudice on racial grounds and the communication between the public of other racial groups. Racial grounds is seen as race, ethics, colours and nationality.

The race relations act is in place to stop racism and racial abuse, this works closely with the sex discrimination act 1975.
This would relate back to TV & film much like the equality act, in the sense that both try to give fair and equal opportunities to everyone when all are applying for the same job. As well as trying to protect employees in the work place from any racial abuse. An example would be Kate abdo a sky sports presenter news presenter, who is the only presenter that is not belongs to a different race. However under the race relations act it protects her in the work place from any discrimination in perhaps an unfair dismissal or comments of prejudice.

A positive for Kate would be how the protection of the act does allow her to feel safe and allow for legal action to take place if she was ever fired for an insufficient reason. Of course like other acts the negative is that the employer Sky may not abide by the act and fire her nevertheless.

For the sky much like the equality act, to have more diversity in the presenters, which essentially are the face of sky sports news, means they can be seen in a better light as they try to break stereotypes. The negative is also this sense that some of the public perhaps are not ready for change and sky would lose viewership.  

Broadcasting Act 1990

A government produced document that allowed to loosen regulations, which in turn helped to create a healthy competition. Thus allowing for consumers to have a much broad choice.

The broadcasting act was something that allowed production companies to expand, whilst still abiding to the act they were able to produce more content and allowed for more people to start new companies. This in turn allowed for the consumer to have a variety, and choice what what entertained them.
BBC films was founded in 1990 after the act was released, the act allowed the BBC to create a new branch and produce more entertainment based films such as 'Salmon Fishing in the Yemen' although a more recent film, BBC films were able to continuously produce content, and continuously better themselves in which this particular film was nominated and won many awards.

As a consumer the act perhaps was revolutionary, in the sense that so many options have become available. Much of the the film and TV industry have been able to build and grow by this act being introduced. Which can only be good for the consumer to constantly be given more and more choice. Perhaps one downfall to such a vast expansion of the industry are consumers in the present. We are increasingly dependent on visuals, as we have a need to see what should happen. Every film will manipulate the audience into feeling certain emotions and today that's something we criticise when its not done well.

In terms of a Production company, BBC films, the company itself have been able to constantly grow and expand, whilst they were exciting times to be able to produce such different content, ultimately its about how much profit they can make. Specifically for the BBC whilst they are government funded its not something that drives them particularly, but it is the main benefit that drives every other company. 

Obscene Publications Act 1959

A law which strives to protect consumers from obscene and derogatory media texts and institutions that will otherwise cause a great ordeal to those who exhibit content made by the institution. The content may be deemed as 'obscene' if in any shape has degraded those who have worked in the production of the content.   

The document states how there should be no content exhibited which would be, "deprave and corrupt" meaning many films, may have too many explicit or horrific scenes which are too graphic to be exhibited by any one.

An example of a film that broke this act was 'The Human Centipede' a film in which was originally banned for being to graphic, much of the content had to be deleted and re-worked in order for it to be accepted. Even now it is still a big debate on whether it should have been released, due to some of the scenes the film features.  

A plus for the the public, is a protection, the act guards us against many things are unnecessarily graphic. Whilst we continuously push extremities, this act allows for a boundary which is needed especially for the protection of children. A down side to the act is What really classifies a breach in the act, 'The Human Centipede' was eventually allowed to be shown. Yet it still was perhaps to intense, imagining what the original cut was like, there is perhaps an uncertainty for how graphic a film can get before it is banned. 

For a production company, the act does restrict what they can produce. Whilst films are not typically so graphic, their is the restriction for how expressive the production company can be as they cant breach the act. Perhaps though the act does make the production companies explore other ways in which they can still evoke the same emotion. 

British Board Of film Classification

It is a non government management that controls and labels films into seven classification section include U, PG , 12 , 12A, 15, 18 and R18.

The BBFC helps to rightly classify films, they are a non profit driven organisation, which would imply that they wish to do their job correctly as opposed to quickly to gain more money.
An example of the BBFC in relation to a specific film would be 'The dark Knight rises' which originally was given a higher rating, however upon another reviewing it was brought down to the 12A rating.The fact that the film doesn't, "dwell on detail" and can only contain "occasional gory moment" meant that the rating was able to be brought down.

From an audience perspective to have a rating system much like the obscene act, is a safe guard for children. It is in the essence to keep a childs innocence and not expose them to such graphic scenes that films can contain, which they are not ready for. It perhaps though does cause an upheaval, For instance 'the dark Knight rises'" rating under scrutiny, perhaps in some eyes it was wrongly classified, so the guidelines aren't black and white.  

From a production company perspective in this case Warner Brothers they will want to push for the lower ratings to gain more viewers and make more profit. However they have to find ways in which they can portray the same emotion and atmosphere but with less graphic scenes. If a film can do that then the rating goes down but the money increases. So there is a constant battle between the production company and the BBBFC on their review.  

Ofcom

It is a corporation that helps the UK population to get the best out of their communication services as their control the TV, mobile, radio services line telecom, postal services and wireless device services.
Effectively of com are a third party organisation which helps other companies e.g. Sky to deal with their customer services. They help to deal with any customer complaints or directory help etc. 

As the public Ofcom is good as it does provide us with a good service all of the time. Whilst we still complain about having to wait the speed at which we are answered and dealt with is constantly getting faster and faster. The negative towards ofcom is they may not treat some people in the best possible way. They are a profit driven company so for them as long as they are getting a big deal they don't care if a minute amount of people aren't dealt with greatly.

For Sky they can delegate work to of com and not have to employ people to do the same job, they get the job done and less hassle. However moving back to the point about of com not treating customers correctly, that in turn negatively affects Sky and so more people may be inclined to not renew their subscription and instead move to a rival like Virgin. 

8.3 a) Contractual & Ethical Issues

Contractual Issues 

Full time Contracts

Full time contracts are typically 35 - 40 hours per week minimum, as they are also considered a career pathway full time jobs are also payed better then part time contracts. Full time contracts also come with added benefits such as sick pay and annual holiday leave which other contracts will not receive.

An example of a Full time contract in TV and Film may be in the financial sector such as an Accountant, this is because they do not need any specific experience in Tv and Film, all they have to do is manage the budget and they can do this across multiple projects. Mike Aichholz who has been an accountant for the 'planet of the apes' series films, as well as the TV series 'Alcatraz' has been able to work across multiple projects with a constant line of work on his contract.

For Mike Aichholz he has been able to have a sense of security with his job, he hasn't had to worry about finding new contracts much like fixed terms. As a first assistant accountant on many of the projects he has worked he will also be building a good portfolio of his work and soon be able to become a head accountant as opposed to an assistant. There is though a risk that the job may become boring as it is easy to be on a full time contract and be comfortable in his current job role as he has that added security, and it may become apparent that he hasn't furthered his career as he would have liked too.
From an institutional point of view there is also a security as they do not need to advertise and hire someone for each project, as they will always have an accountant to do the task. What perhaps is a little more frustrating for the institution is the fact that they have to continuously pay them even if there are no current projects for Mike Aichholz to work on. Also because of the type of contract he is on it makes it harder for the institution to fire him, as they need sufficient reasoning behind it.

Part time contract

Part time contracts are normally jobs that are less then 30 hours per week. however Teachers who will work under that are still on full time contracts as they work a scheduled Monday to Friday. Part time contracts will normally work on a rota system with shift work, to continuously fulfill the job role.

A runner would be considered a part time job, as they often do little odd jobs for different sections of the crew. The producers/director will need you for only a certain amount of time each day or may only need you to work for a couple of days per week. The job of a runner is considered as an entry level job and the employee is only needed as and when required.

Working on a part time job means that the employee is entitled to all of the benefits that full time workers get. Employees are on a Pro Rata which means the amount of hours the employee works will relate to the amount of benefits they receive. The difficulties for the runner on part time contracts are that they may not get many, if any, hours a week which means they wont get paid. Also part time employees, (runners especially) perhaps may be seen as lower down the hierarchy and will receive jobs that no one else wants to do, which cane make work very frustrating at times.
For the institution, runners are a way of employing someone as and when needed to do jobs that no one else wants to do and can be used fairly extensively for the little pay they receive. However there is a reliability issue with employees on part time contracts, people are able to leave fairly easily which generates a high turnover of employees. Whilst its easier to fire them, institutions may find that people on part time contracts perhaps may do the bear minimum as the pay i not particularly good.

Fixed term contract 

A fixed term contract is typically the duration of the contract in which it will end upon completion of a specific task or a certain date. Moreover, when working with fixed term contracts it means that the person is self-employed and can chose when they want to sign a new contract of work. Fixed term contracts are usually more frequent in the film industry, sectors such as editorial or management etc. The majority will all work on fixed term contracts as certain people work on certain stages of production. Furthermore, there's not a constant flow of films being produced, so people are hired when a film starts and will leave when the end product has been completed or their contract has just run out.

brent white, editior of Anchorman 2

Editors who will work on fixed term contracts, will be able to fit work around their personal life. The amount of time that they work in a calendar year is very flexible, also they have a sense of security as they know they have a stable flow of work for certain periods of time. But, work is not always guaranteed as films are not constantly being made.  Brent white, is an example of working on fixed term contracts as he edited 'Anchorman 2' for 'Dreamworks Pictures' then moved on to edit the '40 year old virgin' for 'Universal.' This shows that he had a continuous stream of work, editing films every year.

Furthermore, for the institution (Dreamworks) they were able to hire Brent for the time it took to edit the film and then could release him. They only had to pay him for the time needed and don't have to continuously pay people when they aren't even needed. Although flexibility in the work force

can be seen as a major positive it does cause a concern during the near completion of a film. If the contract has run out and the employee moves on, the institution are left with a incomplete film and will need to hire another person which potentially might not be as good.

Agency Contracts

Agency work is a contract that you have with the agency in which they will find you work with a separate institution that is suitable for your specific requirements. This would connote that as the employee they have no rights, however the employee is entitled to the benefits after 3 months of work. Also if the employee has done an exemplary job then the employer has to pay a fee to the agency to secure the services and almost the rights to keep the person on a permanent basis, which would then release the employee from the agency.  

Agency contracts are something that aren't particularly used in the media industry, many institutions will employ different people on different contracts directly not through an agency. An Agency that does specialise in employing people for the media sector is Aspire, perhaps not specifically in TV/Film but are one of very few that are for the media sector. However Agency contracts can be seen mainly through the administrative jobs. Where people will work for the agency but perhaps used in the more business sectors as they can do the day to do work to keep the business running smoothly, (taking calls etc.) and they don't have to be paid that much. 

For people that do work through Agencies, they do perhaps have a feeling of no stress. They have the reassurance that the agency will find them work and will be a continuous stream of work. The negatives to Agency work is the fact the the employees rights are very limited, the most the agency has to provide is a safe working environment, also the employees benefits are limited to non existent. Which perhaps is taking advantage for the employee, of course is the major downfall to this issue.
For an institution such as BluePrint pictures as an example of a small production company, if they did use an agency it is easier for them as they will always be able to find an employee. However there is a big risk that that the candidates given to BluePrint may be very poor and disinterested in the project, which is something that no institution will want to have in their crew.

Contract Confidentially 

Contract Confidentiality is a clause in an employees contract that entails the privacy of the project that is being produced. Until the release date of the film/tv program the employee is strictly not allowed to give details about any aspect of the project. The employee may still be under this clause even though their contract may have expired because the project has not been released. If caught leaking information about the project, the institution have the right to sue as you have breached the clause in you're contract.

Nearly everyone that works in the TV and Film sector will all have this clause in their contracts, this clause would perhaps effect everyone equally, director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu would have had this clause in his contract when producing 'The Revenant' a film that was supposed to be very big. He would have had to be careful about what things he could say when being a guest on talk shows much like Leonardo DiCaprio would have only been allowed to say certain things, (which would be very few) before the film was released.

For Alejandro Inarritu of course to even his friends he couldn't tell them anything about the film, so being very secretive can be very hard at times, it perhaps can 'spill' into his personal life which would become very difficult. However on a personal level perhaps it does allow for great success, as when the film is finally released the public & critics will be very amazed by the worked he has produced.
For the institution in this case New Regency Pictures (production company) & 20th Century Fox (distribution company), confidentiality does mean that none of the other big 6 Hollywood companies may steal their idea, and allows for legal backup if someone in the production crew was leaking information and breaching their contract. The difficulties with this issue is it would be hard for the institution to find the culprit that leaked the information, and in general people aren't reliable/trustworthy to keep the secret.

    

Contract Exclusivity

Contract Exclusivity is an agreement that ensures that the employee strictly works for one institution and can not sign a contract to also work for another rival institution. A non compete clause may also be added into the employees contract, where the person is not allowed to work for any rival institution for a 90 day period after their contract has already expired.

Much of the employees that work in the TV and Film industry will work on an exclusive fixed term contract. Stephen Mirrione an editor who has worked on 'The Revenant(2015)' also 'Birdman(2014)' both have been produced by New Regency Pictures, which would illustrate how he has constantly had contracts with this specific institution, showing his exclusivity with New Regency Pictures.

A positive for Stephen Mirrione would be that it does show complete dedication and focus on the projects, perhaps something that the institution may recognise and continue to offer him contracts to continuously work on projects. However it does restrict his work, he is not able to work on multiple projects even though he may be capable, which in turn would restrict the amount he potentially could be paid, if this clause was not in place.
However for New Regency Pictures it does allow them to have fully focused and energised employees, as opposed to employees that may be tired from the workload of too projects or perhaps they arent putting in the effort or meeting a sufficient standard that is acceptable. Perhaps this clause does make it harder to recruit, but it does allow for better working environment as perhaps the employees want to work for them and are more humble to have the opportunity, which others that are working on many different projects wont have.

Ethical Issues

Codes of Practice

This is a law that clearly outlines rules that employers must follow when in the process of hiring, as well as abiding to it through the entirety of the employees stay.

The equality act 2010 is in place to outline specific characteristics that many people have, it is a law to help protect and fight discrimination & prejudice within the work place. Certain, "protected characteristics" such as, " gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership,  race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation" are believed to be important aspects of peoples lives that should be guarded when applying for work, or when already in employment.

An example would be news presenters, there is a stereotypical view point, where by it is common to see a younger, attractive women alongside a white middle aged man. The Equality act has been able to stop this stereotype and allow for all females/ males to become presenters and have a fair chance of employment.

As an employee the act allows for them to have a sense of security and protection in their job, now that the employer must have sufficient reasoning for firing. It also allows for the employee to have the right of fair and equal opportunities perhaps in trying to achieve a promotion, now any one has the chance to gain it. The downfall though is that there are 'loop holes' within specific parts of the act that the employer can use to their advantage, whether that's on a hiring & firing basis or in treatment of the employees within the work place.
For the employer the act means that there is more of a happier mood in the work force. If everyone knows they are being treated equally then they are all much happier in their job role. It does mean though that the decisions the employer makes have to be very precise as if they aren't careful then they are liable to a lawsuit.

Agency policies & procedures

This is a series of documents that are produced by the institution to clearly outline their code of ethics, much like The Equality Act 2010, but it has been produced by the company instead of the government.

The BBC's Code of Ethical Policy is a document that is used as explicit framework in how the BBC conducts its self for workers to have, "safe working conditions" as well as "protection of workers right" which spans from the whole of the BBC as a business and their, "suppliers" which are in turn other institutions/ any other that the BBC has purchased from or uses their services.

Anybody who works for the BBC would come under this policy, as it deals with every employees safety and wellbeing, an example would be James Harding, a director of news and current affairs at the BBC. He would be ensured that his environment was safe and that he his protected against any discrimination, however this would all be the same for any of the employees at the BBC

James Harding is able to be protected by both the BBC's policy and the equality act 2010, perhaps what is a big positive for him is the fact that he has much legal documentation that he could potentially use if he was every wrongly dismissed. A major down point would be that the BBC would indefinitely created this document with 'loop holes' to ensure they could manipulate it and whilst legally abiding by their policies they are still able to do what they want.
For the BBC thought they perhaps are able to gauge some very good publicity by having this legal policy in place. This policy may bring them into a good light with in the media which would make them seem like a better company, rather then their rivals such was ITV etc. A negative for the BBC is now they have to follow at the policy says, perhaps before this document was created it was very easy for them to do what they wanted with their work force. Now they have to have many sufficient reasons behind every decision they make. 

Emerging social concerns & expectations

These are concerns that the public have which are now more pressing in today's society, as opposed to the society of 30 years ago. They are emerging social concerns such as disabilities, psychological health & gender orientations. 

Social concerns which the public are now becoming increasingly apprehensive about would be things such as, gender orientation, various disabilities and others. What the act does entail would be how many of these pressing issues are in fact already, "protected characteristics" that the act has accommodated for. The act is very extensive as to who qualifies under the acts, "definitions," however many people will qualify as the act is very broad asit tries to accomodate everybody. 

An example of this issue could be seen in the tv program 'The Last Leg' exhibited on channel 4. this program consists of the presenter, Adam Hills who does not have a right foot and Alex Brooker who also has various disabilities. The program can bee seen as an example of  social concerns as now people with disabilities are now being hired and shown more on TV which would imply that the Equality Act is doing its job.

For the employee whilst social concerns are constantly changing and as the public will always have high expectations, under the act the employee, much like codes of practice has this sense of job safety and security. Employers are now being forced to treat employees with disabilities equally and not to abuse this is something that employees never had a decade ago. However the employees do find them selves at risk, some employers may simply choose to just not abide by the act and in some cases there is no evidence etc, and so the employee finds themselves with no job and no case to sue.
From an employer side though, as they are now forced to look at everyone, perhaps they have found that people with these disabilities are very capable and good at the job they do. Certainly through 'The Last Leg' the public almost loved the fact that Adam & Alex were able to run the show which can have only improved channel 4's viewer rating and brought in more profit. 

Representation. 

Representations of social backgrounds that employees have are protected from prejudice and discrimination. Employers have to abide by the legal documents to consider everyone whatever their background may be. 

The act broadly covers many different social backgrounds which again are protected by the act from any discrimination and prejudice. Many things like religion, race ethnicity are all, "protected characteristics" the act covered the fact that any one no matter where they originated from has the, "guarantee of freedom of thought, conscience and religion." The act largely covered many different social backgrounds, it was not all about race & religion but also about sexual orientation and gender reassignment. 

Within TV an example could be seen in Kristin Digby a presenter and director for the BBC who was open about being homosexual. The BBC seemed to support him and  allowed him to present the program , "to buy or not to buy" (his most famous work) whilst dieing at a young age, Digby was able to influence much of the media industry by being open about his sexuality and encourage more people to continue their pathways into media despite their sexuality. His work has been recognised, thus allowing for the equality act to recognise this concern and add it to one of the protected characteristics. 

For employees being able to have a sense of freedom in the work place and feel comfortable means a great deal as only a few years ago being open about sexuality would not have been an option. A downside though is perhaps there is still not enough being done, perhaps people are still being discriminated against in the work place as well as employee's feeling they can't be open as they might attract prejudice.
From an employers point of view to have a more diverse cultural work force may be a real positive. Perhaps it allows for a more focused and comfortable working environment as everyone feels safe, and if the work force is happy then more work will actually get done. However if an institution is employing some people that are different perhaps existing employees may not like this and it could create massive amounts of tension leading to potential risks of abuse which is an issue no employer wants to deal with.