What You Can Become. Career Prospects.

Almost 60% of film studies graduates went into full-time employment in 2009. Of those, 12.5% found jobs within the art/design/culture sector and, within the film industry itself, 2.1% became directors, 1.2% video/film recorder operators and 1.4% broadcasters. Some 34% found work in retail/catering, perhaps as a temporary measure and an indication of the competitive nature of the industry.

The focus of your degree is an important factor, says Margaret Holbrough of Graduate Prospects. “Careers within the film industry are fiercely competitive and opportunities to pursue a technical or practical career will depend on the graduate’s experience and the content of the degree, and whether it focuses more on hands-on film production skills as opposed to the appreciation, analysis and interpretation of films and film genres,” she says.

Within the film, TV and video industries the roles may include film/video/television editor, camera operator, photographer, art director, TV or film producer or production assistant, runner, location/props manager or programme researcher.

In addition, the publishing industry, including printed newspapers, magazines, online publications and websites, may offer opportunities to write about films as a journalist, content manager or editor, or to work in film and picture research and archiving.

Some business areas, such as advertising, marketing and communications, may also utilise the creative and analytical abilities of film studies graduates in roles such as art directors, account managers, copywriters and market researchers.

Teaching and lecturing are also potential career options and require a postgraduate teaching qualification.

Of those who graduated in 2009, 6% went on to study for a higher qualification. There are many masters and postgraduate diploma courses available in film studies, providing an opportunity to specialise in areas such as scriptwriting, directing, producing and final editing. Some jobs require a postgraduate qualification, such as teaching or journalism. There is also the chance to do postgraduate research in film-making.

No matter how high up your film school is in the rankings, one piece of advice often given to students of film and digital media is to not rest on the laurels of having a top-notch degree under your belt but to be prepared to “hustle”: to make and keep contacts within the industry, go after the company and position of your dreams and demonstrate your unique selling point in order to get a foot in the door of this highly competitive and ever changing industry.

And this applies of course more to those students keen to join the industry itself in some capacity than those more interested in studying or researching or teaching about it.