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The UK’s official graduate careers website
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In the UK television industry, production designers are employed (usually on a freelance basis) by the main terrestrial broadcast companies (BBC , Independent Television (ITV) , Channel 4 Television , Five TV ) or by independent production companies making programmes for these and other broadcasters. There are also openings in cable and satellite companies, though these have limited in-house production design opportunities of their own.
According to industry estimates, there are over 1,000 independent companies making programmes, the majority belonging to the Producers Alliance for Cinema and Television (PACT) trade association. Their output is varied - from children’s television through to light entertainment, soap opera, natural history and costume drama - and all offer a variety of opportunities for designers.
The UK film industry is small, with correspondingly fewer opportunities. The principal organisations responsible for developing the UK film industry are the UK Film Council , the British Film Institute (BFI) and 12 regional screen agencies. Check the Film Council and BFI websites for more information on filmmakers.
Theatre designers work for national theatre and opera companies, in regional repertory companies based mainly in large towns and cities in the UK, and for smaller theatre or dance companies based all over the country. There may be occasional opportunities to work as a resident designer in national or repertory companies. Rare, but prestigious, opportunities arise for designers to work on West End productions and musicals.
Search graduate jobs on this site.
Traditional recruitment agencies will not handle vacancies, although work may be notified to designers' agencies. Theatre designers who work regularly as assistants can add their details to the Register of Assistant Designers, which is distributed to all members of the Society of British Theatre Designers
See also job hunting tips and applications, CVs and interviews.
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