TV director’s valuable advice for students

Putul Verma, a television director whose work includes Master Chef and Come Dine With me, visited Clarendon Sixth Form College to talk to students about how to get into the industry.

Putul, who currently works for the BBC’s children’s service, spoke to students about how to stand out from the crowd when applying for roles in the industry, the types of work that a director/producer does and what makes someone a success in the world of television.

She also discussed her recent work on shows such as Pocket Money Pitch. The CBBC show sees young people from across the UK present a business idea for the chance to win a year’s pocket money.

The visit is part of an initiative by the BBC to help more young people from underrepresented groups and backgrounds get into the industry. Clarendon Sixth Form College students have been offered the opportunity to attend a careers open day and the possibility of work experience within the corporation.

Putul, said: “The best way to get in to the industry is to just make yourself absolutely indispensable and grow your skills over time. If you have a favourite show, take a look at the credits and see which company produces it and apply to them, then you can say you have the skills and passion to work for them.”

She added: “It was great to meet the media students at Clarendon Sixth Form College, they asked lots of challenging questions and are obviously keen to make their way in the industry.”

James Shenton, media teacher at Clarendon Sixth Form College, said: “Putul has a wealth of experience in the field of TV production and her visit underpins the students learning experience with practical advice. The students were very excited to hear what she had to say and have taken in lots of great tips for their future careers. Hopefully it will lead to new opportunities for them.”