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Graduate excels behind the scenes at Birmingham 2022

A Media Production alumnus gained invaluable experience of his chosen industry when he landed the dream job at Sunset+Vine, the host broadcast of Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.

Tom Greenfield, who graduated from BCU in 2020, worked as a Trainee Production Coordinator for over a year at the broadcasting company, before becoming an International Broadcast Centre Coordinator at the NEC for when the games got underway.

We caught up with Tom to find out more about his job at Sunset+Vine.

How did you get your role at S+V?

I received an email from BCU Careers+ with a weekly update of new job opportunities. This was one of those opportunities!

What did you have to do on a daily basis to prepare for the Games?

I began the role in July 2021. Overall, it has been an amazing experience and an important gateway into the industry. Working in this area of television and especially within a major event like B2022, I've developed an appreciation of how much work goes into delivering a broadcast from a personnel and logistics perspective. I've developed a variety of interpersonal skills along the way through the tasks I've undertaken as part of this role.

As a Trainee Coordinator working at the B2022 HQ office in Brindley Place, I would organise travel and accommodation for Sunset+Vine crew coming to work at the office for a few days. I also produced call sheets and helped to coordinate the broadcast site surveys at all the B2022 venues. General office runner tasks were also a big part of this role. During these preparation stages, my role within the Support Services Team was to help with the arrangement of catering, travel, accommodation, and accreditation of nearly 2,000 crew members for games-time.

When we moved to the IBC, I became an IBC Coordinator. This consisted of keeping on top of any issues that arose, whether to do with crew travel bookings, hotel arrangements and crew accreditation. Also, I was needed to help with logistical tasks by delivering items to the venues and keeping on top of any issues that could arise.

As well as work on B2022, other opportunities came up with S+V such as helping out as a runner at an Arsenal vs Leicester Premier League match and at a Channel 5 Boxing match too. I was also a Production Coordinator on the Diamond League meeting at Alexander Stadium, which was used as a test event in the run-up to the games.

I was also a volunteer runner on ITV's Concert for Ukraine at the NEC with Livewire Pictures. This was an amazing experience, and it gave me a great insight into live prime-time television. It was also very rewarding to be a part of. 

What was it like to work at the Commonwealth Games?

Being from Coventry, these games felt like they were in by own back yard. It was a very rewarding and memorable experience. It felt surreal to be a part of at times as it was such a significant event which will be remembered for years to come, by not just people in the Midlands and UK, but people all over the world.

To work on the biggest event the Midlands has ever hosted felt quite special, especially being based at the Games HQ office, it felt great to be in the midst of it all. Getting to see different sports live and being at the IBC gave me a fantastic insight into how these events make it to our television screens.

The Closing Ceremony was very poignant, especially the flag handover as it felt like a long and significant journey was coming to an end. Working on B2022 and meeting so many industry professionals has given me determination to work on an event like this again.

What advice would you give to those now studying your course at BCU and your fellow alumni?

Don't give up. Keep pushing to try and secure that first role in your chosen industry. If you keep going and grafting, it will come. Make sure you follow your passion. Try as much as you can so you can determine where your passions are. Don't wait around for anything or anyone to come to you and offer you opportunities, you need to make the first move and go out and find those opportunities for yourself.

Also, make sure you utilise your time in the most effective way. Whether that's making a podcast outside of teaching hours by using the university radio and TV studios, or as a graduate doing volunteering roles within media.

I would also say, during modules, in particular production ones, don't settle for being a passenger. Challenge yourself and go for the roles like producer and director roles, that you may have been fearful of undertaking. If you put yourself in comfortable situations all the time, you'll never achieve your potential.

Keep talking to people as well. Talk to your lecturers and tutors as much as you can during your time there. Don't just see them as people who teach you during teaching hours and that's it. Book meetings with them, show them what you've been doing and talk about your CV to them. Let people know what your ambitions are, and they will help you get there. This will enable you to stand out from the crowd.

What are you doing now and what are you hoping from the future?

My contract has recently come to an end with S+V on B2022, so I'm currently updating my CV, LinkedIn and other employability materials so when I look for new opportunities within this industry, I will be doing so in the most effective way. I'm also in contact with the Careers+ team for help during this process.

But in the meantime, I’m making content of my own too. A huge passion of mine is wildlife and landscape photography, so I intend to build a much more expansive personal media portfolio.