system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
How to get involved with media or big research groups in STEM?

Hey everyone, I'm currently studying in STEM (biology) and a second passion of mine is media. Ever since I was little I would see these documentaries produced by BBC, Disney, etc. Or YouTube/Netflix shows produced by research teams like Nautilus, OceanX, the people that made Chasing Corals, etc. I've realized that I would love to combine my two passions in one (along with teaching, which I love) to be able to reach a larger audience.

My question to those people in the field, how does one go about getting their foot in the door for this kind of career? I would like to somehow work production as well as be part of these research teams. I'm assuming most of them are private sector so should I get out of academia the minute I'm done my PhD and start looking at joining and applying to these research firms? Or would it be possible to do a documentary of my own research or a topic of my choosing and somehow get a company to distribute it?

I'm assuming this is an even bigger gamble than  trying to be a professor at a university but I would think it would be amazing to do. At least have it on the side as a passion project. I had a biology prof once who participated in tons of documentaries and when I asked him how he did it, he said he just had connections prior in the entertainment industry. Would this be something I need as well?
gpt
Do you want to appear in documentaries or help produce them? The prof you mention who appears probably is being interviewed for them and not making content or editorial decisions.  Different set of skills for each, though doing some work in science communication may help for either.