Students in Music and Media were given an insight into the television industry when Dialogue Editor, Tom Williams visited King James. He spoke in both departments about his job, having worked for over seven years on shows such as Whitechapel, The Musketeers and Golden Globe winning Downton Abbey.

Tom's career started in advertising but eventually moved on to television, where he is responsible for assembling and editing all dialogue spoken on set. If there are any unusual or unnecessary background noises, he must call in the actors to re-record their lines and synch them up with the film.

Mr Williams, who has a degree in Music Technology from the University of West London, was invited to King James by Mr Smith, our Director of Learning for Music. During the day he visited three classes, answering questions from both Music and Media students in Years 10, 11 and Sixth Form. He spoke about the what the job entails, the positives and negatives of the industry, where he works and the actors he has worked with. The students thoroughly enjoyed the Q&A sessions, gaining valuable knowledge about the industry as a whole, university options and the importance of deadlines and responsibility.

Written by Craig R, Year 12

Student views:

Simon P. - BTEC Level 3 Music

"I found Tom William's visit to our Music lesson personally very inspiring. He told us how he became a Dialogue Editor and talked about some of the actors that he has worked with, such as Samuel L. Jackson; this has played a big part in inspiring me to want to become a Sound Technician."

"Other than talking to him about his career, we also asked a little bit about his life and what it's like to live in London as the majority of jobs in the sector are likely to be located in the capital."

"I really enjoyed talking to him and finding out how to get into his line of work. Sound production is such a diverse industry and there are so many more opportunities than I had originally thought. After seven years in the industry he still speaks with passion and loves his job; he has made me want to pursue a career in the sound production industry. He is such a friendly and enthusiastic person; I think he would be great to work with."

Niall F. - BTEC Level 3 Music

"I am so pleased that Mr Smith organised this visit for us. Mr Williams was interesting, honest and extremely easy to talk to. He was happy to answer our questions and gave us lots of advice about the many different job roles available in the sound production industry from TV and film to music and theatre."

"I didn't realise how often dialogue has to be re-recorded, edited and synchronised to make sure that sound quality is consistent throughout a programme, or because inappropriate sounds need to be removed, such as aeroplanes overhead on period dramas like Downton Abbey."

"He also talked about the importance of meeting tight deadlines, which made me think about my own time management skills. It was really good to meet him."

Jack L. - BTEC Level 3 Media

"Last term, I interviewed professional journalist, Duncan Leatherdale and now I have questioned professional Dialogue Editor, Tom Williams; the treats just keep on coming. Mr Williams visited us to talk about the sound industry and to speak to anyone who might be interested in following a similar career path."

"As Sixth Formers, we joined a Year 10 Media class for an opportunity to find out more about what Tom's job consists of and how to get into the industry. He talked about the ins and outs of working in dialogue editing and even gave us some advice about university and career choices."

"You don't actually have to go to university," said an honest Tom. "You could get a job in a studio and work your way up, although a degree will certainly give you an advantage over unqualified applicants."

"It was interesting to hear him talk about what it is like to work on shows such as Downton Abbey and to work with Hollywood stars like Samuel L. Jackson."

"When we have to get actors back into the studio to re-record their speech it usually takes a few attempts to get it right", he said. "But when he (Samuel L. Jackson) came back in to the studio he did it again in one try, which shows how good he is."

"Overall, it was a fascinating insight into the industry and a great opportunity to meet an industry specialist. I really enjoyed it."