If I was starting out on a career ladder, I'd be willing to work as much / many hours as possible (a la Spike). Paintball in comparison to your working life is an irrelevence! In my first job, I used to work 7-7 and often at the weekend too. Not too mention being on call 24hr's a day. Sure the work life balance sucked, but the worst thing ever is an 18-23 year old with an air of entitlement! The more you present yourself as willing to work hard, learn and try your best the more you will get on; regardless of career you choose.
Even if you struggle with some academic issues, a can do attitude and being willing to put yourself out for work go a long way with employers. Maybe a little luck helps, but for the most part (especially in your working life), you make your own luck.
Good on you NSKLad for getting interviews and thinking about jobs to start. Either position has it's pro's and con's but at least you will be getting valuable experience! Once you've got a job, the best thing you can do take ownership for tasks / issues and manage them to resolution. People whom have teflon like tendencies in the workplace very rarely get on. Even if financial reward is not your main working motivation, responsibility has it's own benefits.
Snax, I think you need to do some serious thinking on your priorities in life. Sure you might only be 16 or 17 but time flies, and decisions you make now will be with you for the rest of your life. You should also think very carefully with regard a career in media especially without a proper degree (i.e. English, not some Mickey Mouse subject). No matter what you want to do in life, I'd seriously advise people to always keep their higher education choices in the more traditional subjects; it gives you options unlike a First in Soap Opera Relationship Dynamics.
As for me, I got expelled from school when I was 17 so had to sit my A Levels at the local tech. I did alright (two A's and a C) in Economics, History and Politics. I went straight to work as a jnr clerk in the back office of an Investment bank but worked my nuts off. At 20 I was given my first team and was then more senior than any of the graduate intake. I did as much on the job and additional training as possible, lived in the US and Japan (and a brief spell in Moscow, mostly in the back of an armoured Mercedes) and am now taking over the Management of the banks Equity Markets & Derivatives trading business. I'm not a trader per se (so I don't make bonus's the size of Liberia's GDP), but for the role compensation is in the region of telephone numbers. There is no substitute for a hardwork, ever. The harder you work in the beginning, the easier it becomes later in life. I'm retiring from City life at 40 (4 more years), either to the golf course or to a French Cider farm I've got my eye on.