TV PRODUCTION WORK EXPERIENCE INTERNSHIP IN ACCRA

WORK CONTENT AND DESCRIPTION

The TV station that you will be working with is arguably Ghana’s foremost private free-to-air (FTA) television network. It is the most watched and preferred free-to-air channel in the TV station's core coverage areas among television households. As a premium family entertainment channel, the TV station has won regional and national recognition. It has revolutionized local content production to admirable levels in the broadcast industry by introducing television reality shows.

The station has been a trendsetter by producing quality local production and has caught the attention and loyalty of Ghanaians.

You are likely to work alongside the production team - from the concept idea for a piece, to the production of the model. Depending on your skills, you'll be given a project to work on. If you find that you are using unfamiliar packages, you'll be give the opportunity to learn the software before commencing work on the project. You may find that during the course of your project, you'll use a number of different tools and environments.

All your work is very team orientated so it is important to be able to work within a team. If you have a passion for multimedia and you are prepared to work hard, you'll have a great placement!

For participants who have had some media experience using cameras and editing equipment, or those who hope to gain experience, this placement presents a wonderful professional, learning opportunity. You will work within a department that will give you the full insight into dynamic media production.

You will mainly be working with the news and entertainment team. Your placement in a particular department will largely depend on your area of speciality and what experience you are looking for. Here is a list of some of the other departments that you may also be able to work in:

• Research
• Corporate Governance
• Current Affairs
• Finance
• Human Resources
• Engineering
• Information Technology
• Content Creation Group (CCG)
• News & Sports
• Brand Management Group (BMG)
• Creative Services Group (CSG)

This is a serious placement with wonderful learning potential. If the Studio deems you to be very good, you could have some of your work aired, enabling you to build up a good portfolio of work. Working in a structured Work Experience placement in the developing world, plus the experience you gain, will be an excellent entry on your CV or Résumé.

ACCOMMODATION

Your accommodation will vary depending on your work location, but will either be in a family-run hostel or with a host family. This means that you get to eat, sleep, work, socialise and generally live like a Ghanaian. This enables you to fully experience the local culture from the inside.

Many of our volunteers remain friends with their host families long after they leave Ghana and in some cases they return to the country later especially to visit their family. Sometimes members of their Ghanaian family have even gone to visit them in their home country.

The family for the past 6 weeks, the Opuku family, have been very warming to us staying there. They've cooked up some fabulous meals and have been very helpful to us when we have needed some help finding our way around. The children at the house are fantastic! They're very keen to explore your room, and sweets seems to be very high on the list. Jonathan Childs

FOOD:
Food will be local cuisine - again this is to enable you to fully experience living as local Ghanaians do. When we arrange your placement, we will liaise extensively with you regarding both the placement and your accommodation. As always, our Local Manager will look after you well and will always be on hand to help and offer advice.

My family - Lizzie and Prince are lovely. The children are very sweet, and I feel extremely lucky to have been placed with them. The house is of a Western standard in most ways, and Lizzie's cooking is excellent. I feel a part of their family already.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Got any questions? Please email us: info@travellersworldwide.com

WHAT IS REQUIRED OF YOU ... AND GHANAIAN TIME!
Like all our destination countries, the culture in Ghana is different to what you're used to. For example, the people are exceptionally friendly and helpful, with big smiles and a relaxed attitude. On the other hand, the living standard falls short of UK or Western standards. And Ghanaian time is when someone says, "See you at 10.a.m.," - what he really means is, "I'll see you sometime tomorrow" ... And then he may not turn up at all.

The pace of life is slower and more relaxed, but you'll quickly get involved in the daily life of the local people and pretty soon you'll feel completely at home - Ghana has that effect on you!

Self-reliance, independence and initiative are highly appreciated and a sense of humour when the electricity fails, or buses don't turn up, will help you to make the most of this wonderful opportunity!

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU BOOK YOUR PLACEMENT?

Once you have applied for a placement, we'll contact you and send you our Welcome Pack. You'll also receive Log-on details and password for our Volunteer Extranet where you'll have access to all the documentation and information which we've put together to facilitate preparations for your adventure! Your Project Co-ordinator for your country will liaise with you throughout the arrangements process, as well as while you're on your placement and on your return home.

The documents you'll have access to also include a Country Factfile, Safety Guide and any manuals that may assist you on your particular programme (e.g. Teaching Guide, Sports Manuals, Enrichment Suggestions for Animal Care, etc.). We do all we can to make your stay one that you'll never forget. This is a truly awesome, elegant and beautiful country.

OPTIONAL ADD-ON ACTIVITIES:

Make the most of your time there! To help you do that, we've put together some exciting activities, courses and tours that you can add to your itinerary. These are designed to be fun, but also to enable you to learn, and expand your personal and professional development enjoyment ... but mostly for your enjoyment! :-)

LOCATION | SIGHTSEEING:

Ghana is a wonderfully welcoming country and the people are overwhelmingly hospitable and friendly. They love their music, dancing and socialising, and this, together with lots of glorious open African country and sunshine, contribute to making your travel adventure to Ghana very special.

ABOUT ACCRA:
Accra, on the coast of the Gulf of Guinea, is both big-city hectic and African laid-back. There is something else this African city has that makes up for lack of planning and fancy buildings. It is a wonderful city to experience. It is full of character, has a warm feel, is extremely friendly and feels very safe. It also has some great beaches!

It is a city that is young, wild and full of soul and here you'll sample the true African spirit. During the day, the streets are full of market stalls and vendors where you can browse and buy mouthwatering foods, colourful Kente cloth, beads, or baskets. Don't forget to practice your haggling. During the night the city comes alive with the traditional Ghanaian ‘spot’ bars and the sound of live drumming music in the warm night air. Village-specific festivals and events occur throughout the year.

Accra itself is fascinating, very different from home. Very noisy, dusty and hot, but really colourful and vibrant. Particularly impressed by the palm trees, amazing variety of little stalls and shops and the women balancing huge bundles on their heads! We've felt very safe so far - very little hassle from people, most of whom have been really welcoming. Caroline Allen – Law Placement

TRAVEL:

Read about Travel arrangements and what happens when you arrive in your new country.

HOLLY MCGRATTEN
British
TV Production Work Experience Internship in Accra

What experience do you feel you are gaining?
The whole TV studio set up and production of it both practical and theoretical, learning to eat soup with your hands..., learning about the country and the Ghanaians way of life, and adapting to the amazing culture shock.

What is the best thing about your placement so far?
I've been lucky to meet another female intern (from Nigeria) and we help each other out and we teach each other and take lunch together and has helped me settle in brilliantly.

Would you recommend this placement to anyone else?
Definitely would, especially females as me and my intern friend are the only female camera women so it feels pretty good to take control of a programme together.

What type of person do you think this placement would suit?
Who has to listen, be very patient before using a camera, inquisitive, sociable, have initiative.

What, if any, improvements could be made to the placement?
I was initially put with journalism which took a whole day of me sitting in HR waiting for them to print off one piece of paper and take me to the correct place.

Was there anything that you weren’t told before your departure that you think future volunteers should know?
More emphasis on smart dressing .

Can you describe a typical day?
6.15 wake up and breakfast, tro tro to work, morning programme until 10, small news 10.30, break until 12 for news until 1, lunch, usually close at 1.30-2 come back to hostel and explore city or nap after the exhausting journey home.

MARIA MISSAS
Colombian
TV Production Work Experience Internship in Accra

I'm gaining some much needed perspective on the world. The fact that i'm also from a "third world country" gave me a bit of background on the kind of life that I would lead, but Ghana is a whole different ball-game.

I'm loving the markets and the beautiful women carrying everything on their heads, I'm interacting with people I would have never even talked to back home and it's the best.

I love the commute. It's a weird thing to love but the truth is I'm stuck in an office working on other peoples' stories half the time and the only moment I get to actually see what life is like is during that hour on tro-tros and on foot.