8th - 14th October 2020

 Location: London, UK 

COVID-19 / Coronavirus Outbreak

Lockdown

The advert below came out this week and sent the internet into meltdown.

At a time when us artistic folk are feeling a bit taken advantage of and undervalued, this was the cherry on top.

The advert was ostensibly to encourage young people to think about applying for jobs in cyber but all it did was to underline the idea that jobs in the arts are frivolous and not "proper" jobs.  This came the week after we were advised by the government to consider re-training.

Without the arts, we would all be poorer - culturally, emotionally and as a country, financially.  The arts are what has kept us all going during this unending pandemic and anyone who claims otherwise is a liar.  If you have watched TV, a film, listened to music, read a book, looked at any art - you've enjoyed the fruits of someone's labour, often many years of study and hard work. The arts should never be seen as "not a viable job".

I want to give an example of just how far reaching "jobs in the arts" goes:

Think of the last thing you watched - picture a scene:

First up, we have the actor.  The actor is directed by the director who is assisted by a 1st Assistant Director and possibly a 2nd and 3rd AD.  There will be a script supervisor and/or continuity person.  The actor got there by having an agent who suggested them to the casting director before they got the part.  Once the actor has the part, they will be fitted for a costume by the costume team and will have hair and make-up done. They will be called to set by a runner.

Once on the set, designed by a set designer and built by a team of builders, carpenters, electricians and plumbers or found by a location scout, there will be props, the actors will be lit by the gaffer (electrics) and the key grip with team which includes a best boy in case you ever wondered who that was.  There will be a sound recordist and/or boom operator so we can hear the actor.  The camera will be run by a camera operator or sometimes the Director of Photography/cinematographer, they are assisted by a grip, possibly a dolly operator (if the camera is on tracks) or crane operator and a clapper loader and focus puller.

At lunch time, there will be catering provided by a catering firm and everyone might be driven to set or location by drivers.  There will be location managers and sometimes security when on location.  

Once filming is complete it needs an editor, sound mixer, colour grader, special effects, maybe a composer.

Last but by no means least there will be someone who wrote it so we have a writer and script editor, researcher, a storyboard artist, the one who put the money and clout behind it - a producer and there will be marketing and publicity and I've definitely missed some people!

So that's just one scene and a list above off top of my head, which is at least 47 roles - all people earning money to pay for their homes and food and families, paying taxes and contributing to the culture and fabric of our country.

So next time you see an actor being interviewed and dismiss them as a frivolous old luvvie or you consider buying a pirate DVD or streaming something illegally, please think of all the people above.