What skills do you have in relation to your professional practice?

In my line of work it helps to know a bit about everything. So I've managed to obtain a vast number of general skills which have definitely been to my advantage. On the other hand some people may say that specialising in one particular area can have more of an advantage. But I've found in this day and age that budget is always a problem and everyone looks to reduce theirs at any cost, and one of the ways that is done is my hiring multifaceted crew’s. Back in the day when the unions have the upper hand it was unheard of one person doing more than one thing. But times have changed, technology has aloud everyone to get a piece of the pie, broadening the average persons knowledge of the broadcast process, exposing them to the process of an expert skill of a professional that where otherwise secret. This drive has caused industry professionals to broaden their knowledge so as not to be left be hind. But the skills I have obtained are editing video, camera directing, sound engineering, lighting, cameraman, and producing.

What were critical incidents in your development and experience, in relation to your current skill-set?

The drive I have to make programs has driven me to make them for my self. I have attempted to make a few of my ideas with varying degrees of success at this point in time. Some are still on the drawing board others are halfway done. But I would say this Masters course is the most recent critical incident with a discernible change. It has had a great impact on my life and working practice. And also has within a short period of time enhanced my skill by helping me look at my work in a different way. The introduction of theory in the form its presented has help, as I would have a theory in my head but did not think about hypothesising it and/or trying it out. This particular unit, “Personal development - reflection”, has done what it's set out to do and making me think about what my future holds and what plans I have to make in order for my business to succeed.

How do you know you've got those skills?

Well…. I use them every day. Other people have highlighted that and in order the do the things I do and want to do in TV I have to used the same skills they use. That is a good indication that you’re doing something right. I'm a very hard judge on my self, so I would not be the best person to make a fair observation of the knowledge of my skills

How do you gauge the extent of those skills?

It’s very hard to gauge or judge your self and give your self a brownie point to mark your self worth. It’s the same thing as the last question, I think you need a mediator to judge without prejudice, someone who is more skilled and has more experience than yourself.

Skill is measure in worth how much am I worth? I think that one can only measure ones worthy by how much one is required, or not as the case maybe. Well, that can be miss leading at times, but it is a common way of thinking when things don’t go your way. That is a conception that I judge my self with all the time.

It is important to get validation where possible, to keep on track and not in a world of your own as it is commonly said “No man is an Island”

How are your skills valued by your colleagues/boss/clients?

Not to blow my own trumpet, but my skills have a high value, and I try to aim higher. I always aim to get a smile on someone face when watching back a project that have commissioned me to do, and so far I have never had a bad reference, just useful feedback. But overall I’ve had very positive things said about my skills in all my involvements over the years.

How do you gain validation for your skills? Who validates you?

The ultimate validation for anyone’s work is the acknowledgements of one’s work by someone of more experience, or by a wide audience, possibly the target audience you set out to aim for. I see no other way to do this as it would be very difficult to self validate. Going on raw internal feeling may not be the best thing to do especially on a new venture. With anything that you have to measure the competence their needs to be a comparative marker in order to compare what your doing and what has gone on before you. The measure is an ever increasing one, as someone reaches the top there is always another ready to stretch the boundary even more that the last. So this can sometimes be an ever-impossible task but the thing that keeps me going is everybody started somewhere so the possibility is within your grasp.

Personally I try to aim as high to the top of the measure as possible, and in doing so look for the validation for the ultimate source, the customer.