How common is job share?

Job share became more widespread over the last five years. Nowadays the reasons people job share are numerous and can include:

• Parenthood
• Caring for a relative
• To manage a neurodiversity
• To manage or recover from an illness or long-standing health condition
• To work sustainably and avoid burnout
• To manage a secondary income (since the pandemic and the US strikes, more crew run their own ‘side-hustle’ and rely less on film and TV as their primary income)

The law

In recognition of the growth of job share, UK law has changed, but it still does not cover freelancers. Bectu is campaigning to change this.

UK law for full-time employees:

• https://www.gov.uk/flexible-working
• https://www.gov.uk/flexible-working/types-of-flexible-working

ReelTime Media

ReelTimeMedia.co.uk matches crew with potential job-share partners and can guide them in job share best practice.

ReelTimeMedia can advise HODs and productions on the legal and bureaucratic sides of job share, as well as how it can benefit the department and production.

Among the resources available from ReelTime are job share templates and job share contracts, for employers to use.

What does a job share look like?

Most job shares are two people doing three days each, with one crossover day.

Currently crew have access to ScreenSkills funding to cover the extra cost of the crossover day.

ReelTimeMedia can help secure this funding. It’s available once per crew member.

The result is that the production gets six days of work for the price of five.

Other advantages of job share for the production and HOD

The combined expertise of two professionals - a broader combined skillset.

A fresh pair of eyes and fresh energy coming in mid-way through the week.

Holiday and emergency cover.

What roles can job share?

Any role can job share. ReelTimeMedia has supported job shares for all grades of crew up to Directors.

Successful job share is less about job title and more related to the two professionals making it work together.

Many HODs job share, in all departments (although currently by far the most job sharers are in Art Dept, Set Decoration and Graphics).

Each job sharer should be able to manage the job on their own. The other person must be able to switch off - that’s the benefit of job share.

Can Juniors job share?

ReelTimeMedia has organised job shares for Juniors, including two Runners. 

Having Juniors job sharing probably means more management input from the HOD.

For people starting out in the industry, job sharing can allow them to keep doing a part-time job outside film and TV, while building up their film and TV work. This enables employers to hire from a more diverse talent pool and makes the industry more widely accessible.

Job sharing Juniors can support each other and gain confidence from each other.

When and how to bring it up

Be open about your intended job share from the start.

Don't apologise -  a job share request does not signify a lesser commitment to the job. You're in fact offering the HOD and production more than you'd be able to offer alone. Explain why it is to their advantage to consider this. 

Go in with a plan - a list of what you both bring, plus show how you'll share the work. Key is a clear explanation of your handover routine - ie how you'll ensure nothing is missed and that two pairs of eyes are better than one! 

Rates

There's no reason to accept a lower rate than you would individually.

Job sharers should be on the same rate as each other.

Sometimes job sharers negotiate a rate together, or they agree a ‘lowest rate’ and the person who got the call does the negotiation. 

In rate negotiations, saying “thankyou for the offer, let me check with my job share partner” can be a useful stalling tactic, while you consider a response. 

Appreciate the position of the HOD - TV and film is a pressured environment and recruitment often has to be done quickly. Make it easy for them.

The ideal job share partner

• Same experience and level as you
• Same rate as you
• Not competing with you professionally
• Able to respond constructively to feedback about their own work
• Able to give you objective feedback about your work
• Happy to relinquish control
• Someone you trust to represent your combined role (eg, presenting your work to the HOD) while you’re not there
• Someone you trust to hold the fort, so you can switch off while you’re not in the office
• Someone who will reply to occasional messages while they’re off, to keep things rolling

Many people job share with friends or colleagues who they have already worked with. ReelTimeMedia can pair crew with other potential job sharers.

ReelTimeMedia can train first-time job sharers and help them navigate around the common pitfalls.

Job share gives you someone to bounce ideas off, to chat with about the job, to help you work through challenges. The best job sharers support each other. You often learn from your job share partner and grow as a professional.

It’s useful to have more than one potential job share partner.

Budget

In film, job share is sometimes easier on a bigger budget production with longer prep time, compared to a smaller budget where things can be more ad hoc. Job share can work well on a long-running TV series, where the crew often becomes like a second family. Job share has been shown to work successfully in daytime TV - scripted and unscripted - as much as in HETV and Major Motion Pictures.

Credits 

A job share counts as a full credit. Both job sharers will have a credit, with their names listed alphabetically. Sometimes the listing will show “Co-Art Dept Coordinator” rather than simply “Coordinator”.

Portfolios

When deciding what to show in your portfolio, be fair and honest about what you were responsible for - and ask the other person if you’re in doubt.

Admin

Shared files are a must - eg GoogleDocs and GoogleSheets - plus you’ll want to agree processes, systems and a file-naming convention that you both adhere to!

Handover

All job sharers stress that a good handover is the key to success, for yourselves and for the production.

It can pay to include your HOD in the handover, at least initially, to establish trust.

Communicate where necessary with other team members including juniors, so they know what's going on, but at the same time, never make it their inconvenience.

Resources

www.reeltimemedia.co.uk

Downloads including flexible working contracts and job share templates for HODs. ReelTime will also match crew with other potential job sharers and guide them in job share best practice.

https://www.mcbowser.com/accessibility

Set Decoration crew member Mairi Claire Bowser’s map, showing job-share groups and organisations, plus many other resources for job sharers and those seeking to work flexibly.

https://crewhq.co.uk/crewhq-job-share-programme/

A job-share training programme for Feature Film and HETV drama.

https://bectuvision.org/support/flexible-working/

Promotes job share within the Scottish film and TV industry.

www.sharemytellyjob.com

The organisation has ceased but the website remains, with useful resources available for download, including advice on who to choose as your perfect job share partner.

www.filmbase.uk/WhatsappGroups_Art

Filmbase Job Share and Flexible Working WhatsApp group, available for Filmbase members in Art and Set Dec