Factual Fast Track
Following on from the success of its first edition in Scotland and Northern Ireland, Factual Fast Track is returning for its 2023 edition.
Factual Fast Track is a reputation-building career development programme that fast tracks established, ambitious, Producers and Series Producers to move up the career ladder and work on larger scale and higher budget productions.
The scheme provides networking opportunities to help raise the Producers’ profiles, training sessions to extend their skills, and mentoring support to build their confidence to help them become business winning Series Producers for Scotland and Northern Ireland. Crucially, the programme also includes an industry placement in a stretch role which will help develop their career.
Factual Fast Track 2023 has now ended.
If you are interested in hearing about any future editions of Factual Fast Track, please register your interest below.
Factual Fast Track is now recruiting for its second cohort of participants in Scotland and Northern Ireland to ensure factual production goes from strength to strength in these regions and continues to flourish.
Successful candidates will benefit from:
- Top flight industry training
- Paid production placements
- Commissioner and industry mentors
- Insight into commissioning processes and priorities
- One-to-one support
- A chance to be a part of a cohort of outstanding producers
This programme is funded by BBC, Channel 4, Screen Scotland and Northern Ireland Screen,
Please see the full list of FAQs about the programme below.
Factual Fast Track is a development programme designed to accelerate the careers of Scotland and Northern Ireland’s most talented and creative factual Producers. The programme features paid placements, training opportunities, commissioning insights and the chance to be mentored by industry leaders.
Factual Fast Track will run throughout 2023.
Factual Fast Track’s purpose is to build confidence in and raise the profile of Scottish and Northern Irish factual production talent who are ambitious to work on larger scale and bigger budget productions. To apply, you must be working in the factual sector in Scotland or Northern Ireland. To be eligible you will:
- Have a strong track record in factual production and have at least 3 years’ experience at Senior Producer level across a range of factual output, or have Series Produced regional productions.
- Be working in any factual genre. This includes but is not limited to specialist factual, factual entertainment and daytime. We are particularly interested in those with experience in factual entertainment.
- Be a stand-out programme maker with editorial and creative flair.
- Be passionate about and/or have experience of creating production teams with a broad range of voices and backgrounds.
- Have the potential to be a strategic leader with the skills and resilience to lead collaborative and creative teams.
- Be able to arrange for the provision of a supporting statement (200-300 words) from a previous or current employer or an Executive Producer.
- Be able to participate in this development programme taking place throughout 2023. You must be available to accept an appropriate placement and commit to attending between one and two training or commissioning events every month.
We are looking for diversity of voice, insights, and experience. We encourage applications from under-represented groups in the TV industry, including those from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, people with disabilities, people from lower socio-economic backgrounds and returners-to-work.
Priority will be given to freelancer Producers and Series Producers who meet the appropriate criteria.
Successful candidates will benefit from:
- Curated production placements in a stretch role on productions that will raise profiles, expand networks and develop professional and personal skills.
- Two mentors: a commissioner from a stakeholder broadcaster offering strategic and industry advice to inform career trajectory and an expert production mentor in the role and genre in which the participant is placed to offer operational support.
- Exclusive access to commissioners at stakeholder broadcasters
- Continuous one-to-one support
- Being part of a supportive cohort of peers working in factual production in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Targeted training with industry experts such as:
- Understanding formats and how to create returnable formats
- Storytelling and scripting
- Creative leadership, managing people, negotiation and communication
- Personal impact and resilience
- Pitching and presentation
Applications for Factual Fast Track Scotland and Northern Ireland are now open.
To apply, please fill out this form before Monday 5th December 2022.
If you have any further questions, please email projectmanager@trcmedia.org
Factual Fast Track will take place throughout 2023.
The programme will feature 1-2 training events every month (mainly online) as well as up to 20 weeks of placement throughout the year. The length and timing of the placement will depend on the individual productions available throughout the year.
There is no cost to the participants for Factual Fast Track. In addition, there will be up to 4 months of a full paid placement. The length and timing of the placement will depend on the individual productions available throughout the year.
If you have any further questions about the programme, please email projectmanager@trcmedia.org
Jeannot Hutcheson, Raise The Roof
“Factual Fast Track is hugely valuable to the independent sector in Scotland. Finding the right talent with all the key skills and experience we need for senior roles on productions is challenging. FFT aims to alleviate these issues and has produced a new raft of senior, experienced, and trained talent that we can work with in future.”
Gerry Costello, IWC
“It is vital that careers and talent develop in our industry. It is all the more important in a production community like Scotland/Northern Ireland where a critical mass of skills is required to make bigger and bolder productions viable and ensure sustainable, significant growth in the sector.”
Rob Butterfield, Ricochet
“It is vital that careers and talent develop in our industry. It is all the more important in a production community like Scotland/Northern Ireland where a critical mass of skills is required to make bigger and bolder productions viable and ensure sustainable, significant growth in the sector.”
