Guest Posted February 12, 2009 Posted February 12, 2009 Hi, without giving too much away I might have the opportunity to appear in a documentary about childcare - no not the whistleblowing kind - more to do with men in childcare. My role would be to be the manager of a nursery overseeing some men working in it alongside nursery workers. My boss and I will be going to a meeting with the production team. I have many many many questions and concerns as you might expect; the main one being that it must portray nurseries, me and my employers in a positive light; there has been enough negative publicity to do with nurseries and as a passionate professional I really don't want it to have a negative outcome! What are your thoughts and what questions would you have? Many thanks Quote
Guest Posted February 12, 2009 Posted February 12, 2009 I would think about the ethical side, what are they trying to show? What is it that they are trying to prove? Therefore will children be put at any risk or in be put in situations which they wouldn't normally. I dont think for one minute that thats what would happen if men were working with chidlren but I am just trying to figure out what they hope to prove (if anything). I think I would try to find out more as it sounds interesting. Quote
Guest Posted February 12, 2009 Posted February 12, 2009 Qu: Will you have a say in the 'editing' process? Qu: Will there be a focus on the 'stereotype' of men and child safety, if so how will they ensure that the focus doesn't exascerbate this steroetype.? Qu: Will the programme portray a broad age range of men? ie; maturer males (but not just in management roles) as well as trainees? Peggy Quote
Guest Posted February 12, 2009 Posted February 12, 2009 How very exciting but please be very careful. The production company have their own agenda which will not be yours. They will want exciting and controversial television. Who will choose the male employees and will they be chosen to be diverse, controversial, useless, wonderful etc. Once filming starts things could very easily move out of your control. Quote
Guest Posted February 12, 2009 Posted February 12, 2009 Thank you all so much for your replies and questions to ask. I am very much in 2 minds; am I setting myself up for a fall I wonder? My Ops Manager will be coming with me and he is very level headed, we are very much going to the meeting with our eyes open and not committed to anything! Quote
Cait Posted February 12, 2009 Posted February 12, 2009 Well keep us informed. It does sound a bit uncomfortable, if you know what I mean, I think you need to make sure of all your criteria first and IN WRITING Quote
HappyMaz Posted February 12, 2009 Posted February 12, 2009 Quite an opportunity, janny1960. I would do my research on the production company, and the proposed director very carefully. What have they done before? How do you feel as a viewer watching the programmes they have made? Did the programmes generate negative press and if you can, ask to speak to the people who have taken part so you can find out if they feel they were fairly portrayed and treated. What are their lives like now the cameras have stopped rolling and the initial reaction to the films has died down? It is a great opportunity to show how good you are and there may be fantastic spin offs for you both personally and professionally. However there are also pitfalls and we all know how things can spin out of control sometimes and so there are inherent risks too. My initial reaction remains one of excitement for you though, janny1960 - so let us know what you decide, and how things proceed. Do you have a blog? That would be a great place to record your thoughts and feelings for us to share! Maz Quote
Guest Posted February 12, 2009 Posted February 12, 2009 Once again thank you for all your advice -I knew I could rely on my "online sisters". We are meeting them on Monday so the more questions and concerns I can take with me the better so please keep them coming. 1 thing I am certain about is if they have not consulted with Ofsted or have them on board then I'm not doing it, at Maz says there is a life after tv and I dont want to ruin mine! I am extremely lucky in the fact that I do work for a larger company and we do have our own media people, my ops manager is speaking to them for advice/inside info etc. I'll keep you all up to date.......................... Quote
Guest Posted February 12, 2009 Posted February 12, 2009 Wow all sounds very exciting, do keep us informed... Quote
Guest Posted February 12, 2009 Posted February 12, 2009 MrsW I answered you but not sure I did it right, please email again! Quote
Guest Posted February 16, 2009 Posted February 16, 2009 Well just to bring you all up to date. I spoke with the production company on Thursday lunchtime and asked a few more questions etc and arranged to meet up with them this afternoon armed with a list of even more questions as long as my arm. I was in a meeting most of the day Friday. I asked my Administrator to email them and say that we (my ops manager and I) would be there about 2pm Monday (today). They emailed back 2 hours later to say the programme had been postponed indefinitely as they are looking for a bigger nursery. To be honest after alot of thought over the weekend I dont think I would have done it anyway. So - phew!!!! Quote
Cait Posted February 16, 2009 Posted February 16, 2009 That's kind of a relief! Perhaps they thought you were too aware of the potential pitfalls and are looking for someone a bit less savvy! Quote
HappyMaz Posted February 16, 2009 Posted February 16, 2009 Well just to bring you all up to date. I spoke with the production company on Thursday lunchtime and asked a few more questions etc and arranged to To be honest after alot of thought over the weekend I dont think I would have done it anyway. So - phew!!!! Things happen for a reason, my mum used to say. Perhaps this was just not meant to be! It will be interesting to see what happens to the project though - and I guess its only once you've watched the programme that you'll know whether you had a close shave or missed out on a good opportunity! Maz Quote
Guest Posted February 16, 2009 Posted February 16, 2009 It is the same production company that are doing the "Boys and Girls Alone" programme at the moment and which there is alot of controvesty over at the moment. Infact there are calls for the last 2 episodes not to be screened! I wonder if that is the real reason it was "postponed" at the 11th hour? A close shave I think! Quote
HappyMaz Posted February 16, 2009 Posted February 16, 2009 A close shave I think! Abso-blooming-lutely! Quote
MrsWeasley Posted February 16, 2009 Posted February 16, 2009 Although, if it goes ahead with another setting it will obviously be a huge success.. and you'll wish it had been you. But if it had gone ahead with your setting it would have been a nightmare. Sod's law and all that.. Quote
HappyMaz Posted February 16, 2009 Posted February 16, 2009 Sod's law and all that.. Language, Timothy! Quote
Guest Posted February 16, 2009 Posted February 16, 2009 It wasn't going to be in my setting - it was in a nursery in London; not sure if it was a real nursery or a "big brother" type environment, they wanted me to go there and be the Manager for 2 weeks. All of my life I have reacted to my "gut instincts" and they weren't good for this; however felt I needed to make an informed decision which is why I requested the meeting. Because it has been postponed indefinitely and I've now told them I won't be interested if it does happen, I'll never know, but will happily watch it if it does happen!! Quote
Guest Posted February 21, 2009 Posted February 21, 2009 Sounds like you had made the right decision by asking soo many questions.. When I lived abroad and was looking to return to the Uk I saw an ad looking for someone with nanny experience for a tv show. I thought what the hey and applied, unfortunately i couldn't make the interview as I was still abroad when they took place otherwise i could have ended up being supernanny!!!!!!! Lucky escape for me too I think! Quote
Cait Posted February 21, 2009 Posted February 21, 2009 I can't abide that woman! Shame - I'm sure you'd have made a much better job of it! Quote
Guest Posted February 21, 2009 Posted February 21, 2009 It is the same production company that are doing the "Boys and Girls Alone" programme at the moment and which there is alot of controvesty over at the moment. Infact there are calls for the last 2 episodes not to be screened! I wonder if that is the real reason it was "postponed" at the 11th hour? A close shave I think! I'm actually finding the Boys and Girls Alone programme quite interesting, I watch it with my eldest 2 boys (12 & 14 yrs) and we discuss the childrens various behaviours etc. I haven't decided yet whether the children / parents are being exploited, but I can imagine that many future students doing dissertations regards gender for example will be using this programme as part of their research. Peggy Quote
Guest Posted February 21, 2009 Posted February 21, 2009 It wasn't going to be in my setting - it was in a nursery in London; not sure if it was a real nursery or a "big brother" type environment, they wanted me to go there and be the Manager for 2 weeks. All of my life I have reacted to my "gut instincts" and they weren't good for this; however felt I needed to make an informed decision which is why I requested the meeting. Because it has been postponed indefinitely and I've now told them I won't be interested if it does happen, I'll never know, but will happily watch it if it does happen!! I think that the fact it would be managing a 'new' setting and not your own would have thrown up lots of challenges that may not have been portrayed in a positive light, how could a managers true skills be portrayed in what would be a 'storming' environment in terms of group team development? Peggy Quote
Guest Posted February 21, 2009 Posted February 21, 2009 Yes Peggy you are right, then throw into the mix new staff, new setting, new children and a film crew; these were my main concerns, how could everything be shown in a positive light?.....definitely a recipe for disaster I think and definitley a lucky escape. I can't abide Super Nanny either!!! Quote
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