Post Production Trainee (West Midlands)

BBC Studios; Birmingham; On-site; GBP 29,000; Full time

Job description

About BBC Studios

BBC Studios is a world-renowned content studio and channels & streaming business, powered by British creativity, with a reach that touches audiences in every corner of the globe.

We work with outstanding creative talent who are responsible for platform-defining shows from Strictly Come Dancing to Bluey, EastEnders, Prehistoric Planet and Planet Earth III.

The range and quality of our content is unsurpassed, creating critical and commercial successes and global phenomena.

From BAFTAs to RTS Awards, BBC Studios is Britain’s most awarded production company and the only producer with three of the top ten shows on IMDB; we’re the home of bbc.com, the widest-read English language news website in the world; and the UK’s largest distributor of British content.

About BBC Studios Drama Productions

BBC Studios Drama Productions sits at the heart of the UK as our slate of award-winning soaps and dramas continue to bring audiences together week after week.

EastEnders, Casualty, River City and Pobol y Cwm remain a constant source of gripping entertainment, with addictive storylines and loveable characters year on year; as well as award-winning crime drama Silent Witness and our fabulous cosy crime shows Father Brown, and Shakespeare & Hathaway: Private Detectives.

At BBC Studios Drama Productions, we’re passionate about developing and nurturing a creative and diverse workforce. We pride ourselves on providing some of the most supportive, hands-on editorial and production training opportunities across the whole of the UK.

Following the unprecedented success of our West Midlands training scheme last year, we're excited to hear from talent in the region for the 2025 scheme across our award-winning shows, Silent Witness and Father Brown.

In January 2025, our primetime, high-end TV drama, Silent Witness, arrived in its new home in Digbeth, alongside our sleuth busting cosy crime series Father Brown.

Last year we created 17 trainee roles in the West Midlands, offering entry-level talent the invaluable opportunity to kick start their careers. Due to their hard work and the commitment of their mentors, many of these trainees have already secured their next contract and are on their way to a successful career in TV drama.

THE ROLE

The Post Production Trainee undertakes a range of operational duties and they assist Editors and Post Production workflows. They will establish and maintain good management of media, operational and technical standards.

This is an entry-level role and we’re looking for new talent based in the West Midlands as we continue to build our teams.

What are the Post Production Trainee’s Main Responsibilities?

• Assisting with digitising rushes and importing sound and reporting any technical problems to the appropriate edit assistant/editor.
• Assisting in daily and weekly assembly play outs.
• Assisting in creating play outs, Open Media Framework Interchanges (OMFIs) and Edit Decisions Lists (EDLs) at the end of each block.
• Helping to identify equipment defects, errors, problems, abnormal operating conditions and where possible, suggest or take remedial action.
• Assisting with creating and keeping a library of sound FX, music, outtakes and useful archive footage.
• Assisting with creating and keeping a library of clips from episodes to be used in show reels.
• Assisting in editing web clips, cast web interviews and in-house show reels.
• To act as the first port of call for clients using the facility by giving them a warm welcome and greeting.
• Other duties and projects as may reasonably be required by Post Production.

WHAT DOES IT TAKE?

To be successful in this role, you must have the following:

• Demonstrable knowledge of post-production programme making techniques.
• Demonstrable keen interest in all of post-production, particularly all aspects of audio for screen.
• General knowledge of programme making process and edit workflows.
• Demonstrable willingness to learn, and examples of a pro-active attitude leading you beyond your primary duties.
• Experience of establishing and maintaining effective relations with a wide range of contacts, utilising your strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Experience of working in a pressurised and stretched environment.
• Ability to consider and propose new ways of working to improve existing processes.
• Demonstrable strong organisational and planning skills and managing conflicting demands to meet deadlines.
• Some knowledge of Pro Tools would be desirable.
• Passionate about BBC Studios Drama Productions.

Eligibility Is a Requirement Of Our Funding And Means We Are Able To Offer Paid Placements. Please Ensure You Meet The Following Criteria Before Applying:

• Must be resident in the area of the West Midlands Combined Authority.
• Aged 19 years or over.
• Not currently in full or part-time education.

LIFE AT BBC STUDIOS

Here, we champion an inclusive culture aligned with our Pledge, fostering an environment where you can freely unleash your creativity, in the pursuit of bold content. Collaborating with some of the industry’s brightest talents, you’ll have the chance to leave your imprint on millions of viewers worldwide. What’s more? There’s plenty of opportunities for growing your career with us too, nurturing and developing talent is ingrained in our DNA – we’d love for you to be part of it.

We don’t focus simply on what we do – we also care how we do it. Our values and the way we behave are important to us. Please make sure you’ve read about our values and behaviours.

The BBC is committed to building a culturally diverse workforce and therefore strongly encourages applications from underrepresented groups. We are committed to equality of opportunity and welcome applications from individuals, regardless of their background.

BBC Studios puts sustainability at the heart of everything we do both onscreen and offscreen, including delivering against the BBC Group’s science-based Net Zero targets.

We are proud to share that we are a Level 2 Disability Confident Employer and we strongly encourage applications from disabled people. If you meet the minimum criteria for this role and declare that you are disabled, we will ensure to advance you to the next stage (minimum criteria above).

If you require any reasonable adjustments in order to apply please contact us on [e-mail].

Package Description

Contract: 6 Month FTC / Attachment
Band: A
Salary: £28577
Preferred start date: ASAP
Location: West Midlands

What will you gain from working for BBC Studios?

• We offer a competitive salary package.
• Parental leave for new parents, regardless of gender, of up to a year with 18 weeks fully paid.
• 26 days holiday (plus an additional day which is a Corporation Day) with the option to buy an extra 5 days.
• A defined pension scheme and discounted dental, health care, gym and much more.
• A comprehensive Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
• Excellent career progression – access to courses, webinars, workshops and the opportunity to work in different areas of the organisation.

Next Steps

We appreciate your interest in this position and understand how important this opportunity is to you. Due to the high volume of interest we may need to close the application period earlier than anticipated. This step is necessary to ensure we can provide a high level of attention and service to all applicants. Thank you for your understanding.

To be considered for this role you will need to be at least 18 years of age at the commencement of your employment.