Beyond the Director’s Chair: How to Use "Day in the Life" Videos to Unlock Screen Careers
Ask a classroom of 14-year-olds to name three jobs in film and TV, and you will almost certainly hear the same trio: Director, Actor, Writer. Ask them who a Gaffer, Script Supervisor, or Colourist is, and you’ll usually get blank stares.
However, the UK screen industries employ over 200,000 people across hundreds of specialised roles. Bridging this awareness gap doesn’t require rewriting your entire scheme of work, it just requires bringing real-world industry practice into your starters, research activities, and homework tasks.
Here is a practical guide to five free video and audio resources, along with easy classroom strategies to help your students see the full picture:
1. The Video & Podcast Libraries
Having a go-to library of authentic practitioner content makes it easy to inject career literacy into everyday lessons:
Universal's Role the Credits: Fast-paced, high-energy video clips breaking down technical roles on major film sets. (Watch Playlist)
Netflix's Day in the Life: Behind-the-scenes profiles looking at the intersection of creative storytelling, tech, software, and engineering. (Watch Playlist)
RTS Working Lives: Deep-dive practitioner interviews perfect for Key Stage 5 and vocational research units. (Read RTS Series)
Samina Kiyani’s How To Get Into TV & Film Series: Video interviews with media professionals working in film, TV and radio aimed at young people, with a focus on first steps into the industry. (Watch Playlist)
CrewHQ Out of Frame Podcast: Candid audio discussions exploring crew culture, freelance realities, and practical set workflows. (Listen on Apple Podcasts)
Media Careers Podcast: Practical advice on entry routes, runner positions, apprenticeships, and networking for emerging talent. (Listen on Apple Podcasts)
2. Three Easy Classroom Activities
Activity A: The 5-Minute "Credit Roll" Starter (KS3/KS4)
Resource: Universal Role the Credits
How it works: Kick off a practical session by looking at a clip highlighting a lesser-known (e.g. Assistant Location Manager or Second AD, both in Episode 1). Have students complete a quick 3-point check on mini-whiteboards:
What hardware, software or tools do they use?
Who do they report to or collaborate with on set?
What is one unexpected skill mentioned?
Activity B: The "Who Fixes This?" Emergency Challenge (KS5/FE)
Resources: Netflix Day in the Life videos and RTS Working Lives interviews
How it works:
Students read the Sound Recordist article from RTS Working Lives and watch some of the 2nd Sound Assistant video from Netflix’s Day In the Life series:
Put up a production crisis on the board, eg:
The filming location is an old house with creaky floorboards. The scene involves the characters talking and whilst pacing back and forth, and the creaking is drawing out the dialogue.
Give student pairs 5 minutes to write down three specific answers for each scenario:
The roles: Which member(s) of the sound team would be involved in identifying and solving this problem? What would each person / role contribute?
The tools: What equipment would they reach for? Why would it help?
The handover: Who else on the production might need to know about the sound problem? Why? (As this perhaps makes it clearer that the two sound roles are different).
Activity C: The Podcast Elevator Pitch (KS5/FE)
Resource: CrewHQ Out of Frame or Media Careers Podcast
How it works: Set a short podcast episode as listening homework (these are around half an hour). In the next session, give students 60 seconds to pitch that guest’s career path to the class, focusing on:
How they got their foot in the door (e.g., runner, trainee scheme)
The biggest myth about their job
Their #1 piece of advice for young people entering the industry
Why This Matters
Bringing industry reality into the classroom inspires students who don't see themselves as "writers" or "directors" to realise there is a fulfilling, highly skilled place for their technical, organisational, or artistic talents in the UK screen sector.
How do you introduce screen roles in your classroom? Have a favourite video starter or guest clip we missed? Join the conversation over on the Film & TV Educators Network LinkedIn page!
