TV Tip: Be ProActive

Being pro-active is good. But sending your CV and showreel to over 1000 TV Production Companies in the UK is a waste of time.  Watch the video to find out how to be SUCCESSFULLY pro-active.  For more TV Tips and insight, come along to one of findaTVexpert's free, online seminar. Click here for dates and details.

Testimonial: Be Pro-Active. It works!

I am a mathematician, a Senior Lecturer at the University of Sheffield.

You might think that mathematical breakthroughs don't hit the news very often, but earlier this year a new prime number was discovered, the biggest ever with around 13 million digits! This appeared on a few online news sites but I thought it deserved TV or radio coverage, with a mathematician talking about it, ie me. I asked Claire (TV producer and founder of www.findaTVexpert.com), and she said I should definitely BE PROACTIVE. She advised me to write to the Today programme, BBC news, Sky news, and Woman's Hour. She said to keep it short, say why I thought it would interest their audience, and include a link to my Find a TV Expert profile.

I sent these off at about 10pm on a Thursday evening. I got a call from Sky News at lunchtime the next day and half an hour later I was on my way to a live interview on the evening news! Fired up by how well this went, I did it again two weeks later when I heard an item on Today about under-achievement of British children at maths. I sent my email to the same four places, and Sky News responded again: this time within an hour, and I was booked for a live interview on the lunchtime news. My third attempt was when a report was published saying only 6% of UK maths professors are female. This time it was Woman's Hour who responded, and I was interviewed on the programme this week.

That makes a three out of three hit rate I've had by following Claire's advice to be proactive! And you don't have to be Einstein to work out that's 100%... The producers at Sky News and Woman's Hour have said how pleased they are that I contacted them, and that they're keen to have back. So I think the message is clear: be proactive - it works!

Free BBC Media Training Day for Female Experts in the North

findaTVexpert is helping the BBC Academy search for female experts who want to take part in television and radio programmes that are made in the North of England.

The BBC Academy in conjunction with BBC North is holding a FREE training day for women with particular expertise who are interested in appearing on television, on radio and online as contributors or presenters.

This is the culmination of a season of BBC North events designed to support the development of on-air talent. This event helps boost the representation of women in the media and follows on from Expert Women’s Day events held by the BBC Academy in London.

Do you have industry-recognised expertise in any of the following areas?

Sport
Politics, Economics and Business
Islam
Science, in particular Medical Science, Space Science and Pure Science;
Gadgets and Consumer Technology
Crime and Security

If you do, and you can be in MediaCityUK, Salford, on Wednesday May 1 2013 – then the BBC wants to hear from you.

This free day is being held to help boost the representation of women in the media in these particular areas of specialty.

For more information and how to apply - follow the link to the BBC Academy website: http://bit.ly/ewdnorth

NB The deadline for applications is the 7th of April. (It was originally the 31st of March but it's been extended to allow for the Easter Break.) 

Female Builder & International Rugby Player found on findaTVexpert.com



Female Builder & International Rugby Player Philippa Tuttiett was found on findaTVexpert.com and signed up to present DIY Tips with Philippa for UKTV's online site. And she's now writing a book to accompany the series.

 

New findaTVexpert.com website gets the thumbs up from the TV industry

"Can I just say that your website revamp is completely splendid - the layout and functionality should be held up as an example of how to all website creators. I'm currently looking at drink historian Jayne Peyton for a UKTV project I'm developing, and I think I'll be on the site for hours!!"
John FitzGerald, MD - Meerkat Productions

Experts Catching the Eye of the TV Industry

Congratulations and good luck to all the experts below who were found on findaTVexpert recently. They've been contacted by a cross section of the industry including Love Productions, UKTV, PeakTime TV, JA Digital TV, Cineflix, Blackstar TV, Leopard Films, Cause a Scene Films, SpunGold, Angst Productions, More magazine, Real People, BBC Radio Sheffield, BBC WM, BBC Five Live, BBC Radio Cumbria and Tangerine PR. Some had introductory chats and screentests - which will hopefully become commissions - and others were booked and filmed for TV appearances, radio interviews and press opportunities.

Steve H, Dog and Owner relationship exper
Phil P, Glacier scientist Physical Geographer Expeditione
Martin P, Presenter, History Broadcaster & Castle Exper
Sam F, Fat Loss Expert & Health Activist
Stephanie M,  Nutritional Therapist & Health Coac
Jheni O, Science Journalist: Natural World & Sports Scienc
Fatemeh R, Consultant Physiotherapist & Back Pain Expert
James L, Scientist: health, biology + natural history
Mark C, London Expert: History, Travel & Tourism
Nathan R, Journalist & Presenter: Weather & Consumer Affairs
Niki S, Home & Lifestyle Designe
Paul B , Pest Control: Rats, Wasps, Pigeons, etc
Becki H, The UK's People Whisperer: Human Behaviour Expert
Emma S, Biologist, Science Writer & Adventurer
Eugenia C, Snr Lecturer: Pure Mathematics
Ceril C, Style Guru: Homes, Life & Style for Less
Stuart G, Mortgage Expert & Adviser
Gina N, Private Investigator: Business & Matrimonia
Richard M, Psychologist: Trauma & Abuse Specialist
Philippa T, Female TV Builder: Building & Renovation 

To increase your chances of being found by the TV industry and contacted by a member of the media, do what these experts have done and register on findaTVexpert.com.  Use this link to get started.

NOMINATE THE EXPERT WHO INSPIRES YOU FOR A YEAR'S FREE MEMBERSHIP ON FINDATVEXPERT.COM

Who inspired you the most this year or made a difference to your life: your university lecturer? Your personal trainer? Your business mentor? Your marine biologist friend who followed their dream and encouraged you to follow yours? That doctor/dentist/designer/chef/astrologer/explorer/vet/physicist who gave a talk at an event you attended recently? Your boss? A work colleague?

Could their knowledge, expertise and passion inspire other people? And do you think they’d be great on TV?

If your answer’s yes, www.findaTVexpert.com, the online database of experts for TV and the Media, is giving you the chance to nominate them for a year’s free membership (worth £175) on findaTVexpert.com.

Simply email the following to info@findatvexpert.com by 6.00pm on Monday, 31^st of December 2012*:

1. A couple of paragraphs explaining how the expert you’re nominating has inspired you or changed your life – and why you think they could inspire others and be great on TV.

2. A copy of your nominated expert’s CV.  Or a link to their professional online profile. (The expert you nominate must have the skills, qualifications, training and experience to prove they’re an expert in their field of business.)

3. Your contact number – and a contact number for the expert you’re nominating.

The nominations will be judged by Claire Richmond, TV producer and founder of findaTVexpert.com and the winner will be announced w/c Monday, 7^th of January 2013.

Terms and conditions:

1. The competition closes at 6.00pm on Monday, 31^st December. Nominations received after that time will not be considered. 
2. To be eligible, the expert you nominate must be an expert in their field of business with the skills, training and qualifications to prove it; over 18 and a UK resident. And they must not have any previous criminal convictions.
3. Proof of age and eligibility of the expert you nominate may be required.
4. All eligible nominations must be received via email and contain a couple of paragraphs explaining how the expert you’re nominating has inspired you or changed your life; why you think they could inspire others and be great on TV; your contact number; a contact number for the expert you’ve nominated and a copy of their CV which outlines their employment history and the training/qualifications that prove they’re an expert in their field of business (or a link to their professional online profile which has the same information)
5. One nominated expert will be chosen as the winner by findaTVexpert.com founder Claire Richmond and contacted w/c 7 January 2013.
6. If the nominated expert accepts the prize, his or her details will be announced w/c 7 January 2013 on the findaTVexpert twitter page (http://twitter.com/findatvexpert); the findaTVexpert blog (http://findatvexpert.blogspot.com); the findaTVexpert facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/pages/findaTVexpert/169485362343?ref=hl) and other online media.
7. findaTVexpert bears no responsibility for entries which don’t make it into the competition because they’ve been blocked or identified as junk email, spam, etc.
8. findaTVexpert will not acknowledge receipt of any nomination that is sent in and will only contact the winning expert.
9. Nominations that fail to meet the eligibility criteria or otherwise fail to meet these terms and conditions will not be entered into the competition.
10. The prize is a year’s free membership on findaTVexpert.com, which gives the nominated expert the chance to create a searchable Profile & CV and be promoted to the TV industry.
11. The winner will have until the 31^st of January to register their details on www.findaTVexpert.com. Failure to do so will result in forfeiture of the prize and findaTVexpert reserves the right to award the prize to the runner up.
12. There is no alternative prize or cash equivalent and the prize is non-changeable and non-transferable.  
13. By entering this competition you agree to comply with these terms and conditions.