DV Director (Blue Peter) Talent Pool

BBC; United Kingdom; Remote; GBP 30,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading media company is seeking experienced self-shooting Directors for their film team. Candidates must be skilled in scripting, producing, directing, and editing engaging stories that resonate with young audiences. This role demands creativity under tight deadlines while adhering to high production values. The position offers unique opportunities to work on innovative projects like Blue Peter and requires proficiency with professional camera equipment and digital content creation.

Qualifications

• Experience as a self-shooting DV Director or similar role.
• Confidence in using professional camera equipment.
• Ability to develop stories for TV and online.

Responsibilities

• Develop engaging stories for Blue Peter's brand.
• Script, shoot, and edit content under time pressure.
• Manage crews and ensure adherence to guidelines.

Skills

Self-shooting

Storytelling

Camera operation

Editing

Content creation for digital platforms

Tools

Camera equipment

Editing software (Photoshop, After Effects)

Job description

JOB DETAILS

CONTRACT TYPE: Talent Pool

DEPARTMENT: BBC Studios Kids & Family (Blue Peter)

LOCATION: Salford

PROPOSED SALARY RANGE: Market rate – depending on relevant skills, knowledge and experience.

WE ARE BBC STUDIOS

A globally renowned media company borne of the BBC. We make and distribute the world's most sought‑after TV, audio and digital content.

Our ambition is to be the home of the most powerful, entertaining, and inspiring stories for people all around the world.

PURPOSE OF ROLE

First broadcast in 1958, Blue Peter is the world's longest‑running children's show, loved for its presenters, pets, competitions, campaigns, and iconic crafts. The Blue Peter film team create short‑form VTs for the show, shot across the UK and delivered against tight deadlines. We look for experienced self‑shooting Directors who are confident scripting, producing, directing, and editing. We also, specifically, look for candidates who are digitally native, and able to emulate styles familiar on platforms like YouTube while maintaining high production values and adhering to editorial guidelines.

WHY JOIN THE TEAM

The Blue Peter film team consists of 2 x Researchers and 2 x Directors who work from our offices in Media City, Salford.

Blue Peter Directors are adventurous, accomplished storytellers and filmmakers who share the show's passion for excitement and discovery. From spending a night in a haunted house with Danny Robins, to unearthing dinosaur bones in Canada, and racing supercars at breakneck speed, they bring bold, high‑stakes content to life every week.

YOUR KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND IMPACT

• Develop engaging stories that reflect Blue Peter's brand identity and captivate young audiences on TV and online, especially YouTube.
• Skill as a self‑shooter, confident with cameras, lenses, gimbals, and complex shoot setups, including legal and safety coordination.
• Script, shoot, and edit short‑form content under time pressure, ensuring compliance with BBC editorial guidelines and diversity standards. Ensure content achieves its stated aims across all platforms.
• Promote a positive, inclusive working culture. Manage crews on location, nurture junior team members, and oversee schedules, budgets, and resource coordination.
• Work closely with Producers to take content from proposal to final delivery, ensuring quality, safety, and adherence to all guidelines.

YOUR SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

ESSENTIAL CRITERIA

• Experience of working as a self‑shooting DV Director, PD or Shooting AP; creating short form content for broadcast, from concept to delivery, ensuring compliance with editorial and diversity guidelines.
• Confidence and proven ability to use professional camera equipment including various cameras, lenses, gimbals & minicams.
• Proven ability to develop engaging stories that work both on television and stand as impactful online features.
• Awareness of younger audiences, and experience in shaping content for online platforms as well as TV.
• Experience of writing scripts and paper edits for short form content.
• Experience taking content through the edit.
• Experience working on and setting up complex shoots, often involving liaising with Insurance & Safety teams.
• Experience of managing crews and junior team members and overseeing schedules and budgets.

DESIRED BUT NOT REQUIRED

• Working knowledge of editing software and other post‑production tools like Photoshop or After Effects.
• Experience working with children.

BBC STUDIOS TALENT POOLS

This talent pool is an opportunity for us to reach out and engage with freelance Directors who want to work in our film team. Those successfully selected for the pool will form a database of talent for us to refer to when opportunities come up on Blue Peter. Unfortunately, being in the pool doesn't mean you'll be guaranteed to work with us. When we have opportunities we may hire directly from the pool if someone has the exact skills and experience required. If it's a more general opportunity we will reach out to the pool and invite expressions of interest.

If you're not available, don't worry, we accept this is going to be the case and you can just submit interest the next time something comes up.

There may be occasions where no one in the pool is suitable or we want to advertise more widely, in which case the role will go out to market. If this happens you are welcome to apply.

DISCLAIMER

This job description is a written statement of the essential characteristics of the job, with its principal accountabilities, incorporating a note of the skills, knowledge and experience required for a satisfactory level of performance. This is not intended to be a complete, detailed account of all aspects of the duties involved.