Posted February 5, 2021

Hachette UK is launching a refreshed year-long traineeship programme, in partnership with literary agency Curtis Brown and bookseller Waterstones. Creative Access is working with Hachette UK to attract candidates to the programme from Black, Asian, and ethnically diverse groups, or from low socio-economic backgrounds.

Ten trainees will join the publisher in May, and will spend a year specialising in either editorial, marketing and publicity, or rights as well as in central departments such as contracts and sales.

Read the full story on The Bookseller.

BAME is the acronym that has been used in an attempt to describe people who are not from White ethnic groups. We consider whether this term has outlived its usefulness, and whether a more nuanced alternative exists…

What is BAME?

The acronym BAME (Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic) originates from, and is mostly used within, the UK. The UK Government introduced ethnic group categorisations in the 1991 Census. The original classifications were:

• White; Black-Caribbean; Black-African; Black-Other; Indian; Pakistani; Bangladesh; and Chinese

These categories are clearly non-exhaustive so there was also an option for ‘Any other ethnic group’. Since then, with the UK’s ethnic diversity increasing, BAME started to gain prevalence as the catch-all term capturing those who did not identify as White. By 2011, the most recent UK-wide census, 7.6 million people fell under the BAME category. Now, it’s about 14% of the population.

Has BAME been bad?

BAME has, to some extent, been a useful lens through which to identify and address the disparities that ethnic groups who are not White face in the UK. In our sector – the creative industries – they are conspicuously under-represented in the workforce. They are also less likely to secure permanent roles, or ascend to senior leadership positions. Addressing these issues was exactly why Creative Access was established in 2012, and we have been proudly working alongside talented creatives from under-represented backgrounds and creative organisations to redress these inequities.

When discussing the additional barriers that people faced in our sectors on account of their ethnicity, people from under-represented ethnicities were able to find strength in numbers, and band together as a larger collective under the term BAME. Using the term BAME had been important for us to articulate our mission, identify candidates, and monitor workforce data.

However, the UK is one of the most ethnically-diverse countries in the world, and London – one of the world’s great creative hubs – is even more so than most of the rest of the country. Simplifying the complexities of so many different ethnicities, cultures, and nationalities into the acronym BAME might inadvertently do as much harm as it has done good.

Over the last year, as the experiences and injustices suffered by Black people in particular have made headlines around the world, it has opened up a conversation about whether grouping all people who aren’t White together under one acronym actually undermines efforts to truly understand the challenges specific communities face. Consequently, we’ve seen a decline in the use of BAME and louder calls for a more nuanced alternative.

Why we can do better than BAME

In 2018, political reporter and Creative Access alumnus Rajdeep Sandhu wrote for the BBC about the need to move away from using BAME. Her voice has been joined by a chorus of other who cite strong reasons for doing so, amongst which are:

• It entrenches power dynamics whereby people who are classified as BAME are perpetually seen as ‘the other’, ‘the minority’, ‘the marginalised’. The reality is that those deemed ‘minorities’ are actually the overwhelming global majority.
  • Read Natalie Morris’ piece with Lenny Henry and Marcus Ryder.

• It masks deeper disparities within different ethnic groups by banding them all together under an acronym simply on the grounds of not being White. This erases the nuances that people from different ethnic backgrounds experience.
  • Read Tolu Coker’s piece on how BAME can be used to skew data

• It attaches a label to people who themselves almost never identify as such. BAME is not a race or an ethnicity, and research shows that very few people self-identify as BAME. Many don’t even understand what it means.
  • Read Zamila Bunglawala’s piece for the Civil Service Blog

• It creates confusion as White minority groups (like Irish Travellers and the Roma) are sometimes included in BAME and sometimes not. It doesn’t allow space for these under-represented communities who don’t identify as Black or Asian, and are – at least for statistical purposes – considered the same as White, but without the same privileges.
  • Read Hannah Vickers on representation of Travellers in media

What are the alternatives to BAME?

If 2020 has taught us anything, it is that race and ethnicity still plays a major role in determining an individual’s outcomes. It has also shown us that we should be more open to talking about race and ethnicity, and more understanding each other’s experiences. Therefore, there is still a need to categorise people by their ethnicity.

In seeking alternatives to BAME, we must be conscious not to continue to homogenise ethnicities under a broad acronym, we must be wary of unintentionally creating hierarchies of ethnicities and relegating some of ‘other’ status, and we must try to ensure we include all the groups that we intend to under categories that feel specific enough for people to self-identify under a term that means something to them (and not just to data collectors at official institutions).

We listened to voices within the sector, including those that contributed to the #BAMEOVER campaign and to Creative Access alumni, and over the past year have moved away from using the acronym ‘BAME’ in favour of using ‘Black, Asian, and ethnically diverse’.

As conversations around ethnicity and identity have shifted since the 1991 census, we will continue to be ever conscious of how language can be used to unite and divide, conceal and reveal. Just as we are on a mission to help the creative industry move with the times, so too must we be able to lead change and start with ourselves.

To kick off our first Masterclass of 2021, we were joined by James Dale (Managing Director) and Benji Haigh (Head of Client Services) from Sine Digital, a digital marketing agency specialising in entertainment, leisure, and fashion. James and Benji gave listeners a whirlwind tour of the rise of social media and of future digital trends.

Since the language of digital marketing is rapidly changing, Benji and James started the session with a useful jargon buster section to dispel any confusion around the terms that are widely used in the sector. They explained concepts such as the difference between organic and paid advertising, PCC, display advertising, programme advertising, and SEO. James highlighted the difference between an organic and paid social reach, and explained why social media giants’ strategy of throttling organic reach was vital for their business models.

The pair then went on to describe the current trends in digital advertising. The digital advertising industry has become a part of our daily lives and will only grow going forwards. The rise of TikTok and Instagram feeds has left a trend for vertical video (in contrast to the traditional landscape orientation used for film), and have contributed to shorter attention spans, leaving digital marketers to work out how best to capture fragmented attentions in a matter of seconds.

James and Benji shared their top tips on how to impress your employer in an interview for a digital marketing role. Many large companies are not always familiar with the latest digital trends, so demonstrating you have a grasp on the following areas can really impress a prospective employer:

• The rise of growing platforms like TikTok, and the influence of tech giants popular in East Asian economies like Tencent and ByteDance.
• The feud between Apple and Facebook – Facebook-owned apps won’t be allowed to share data between them by default on iPhones.
• The working of programmatic advertising, and innovative ways to apply real-time ads.
• The growth of augmented reality (AR) apps and integrating AR into advertising.

The digital market moves very quickly but there is a lot of research you can do to show you are staying on top of the latest trends. For example, Benji recommended the Facebook blueprint certification which homes in on understanding the fundamentals of this new digital era. He also highlighted the usefulness of YouTube to find out solutions to the small details and problems that people have faced. He recommends Ben Heath for Facebook ads and MEASURE SCHOOL for tracking and another useful resource: Ad world conference. To keep up with the latest industry news he recommends The Drum, Ad Exchanger, Social media today and Econsultancy as great resources.

We cannot thank James and Benji enough for their highly informative Masterclass on digital marketing. You can watch back the full Masterclass here.

“Being a creative has its ups and downs, but, it can be a really exciting career. It allows you to really push, pull, and stretch your imagination as far as it can go.” Rohit’s dream was to work in advertising and with a bit of help from Creative Access, that dream became a reality…

I work in advertising as a ‘creative’.

My mum will tell you I’m a graphic designer.

My dad will tell you I’m not a doctor.

And my friends will tell you I’m the devil and the reason they all have Ad Blocker.

What the hell is a “creative”?

This rather pretentious sounding title is indeed a real career. The creative’s job is to solve the client’s business problems. Whether it’s creating a TV ad to increase sales or a social campaign for brand awareness, they use imaginative thinking to help the client.

Creatives typically come in a team of two; an Art Director and a Copywriter. Art Directors are responsible for the visuals and overall look and feel of a campaign, whereas the Copywriter concentrates on the written elements like writing the scripts, headlines, etc. From brainstorming ideas to working on shoots, Art Directors and Copywriters work insanely close together. We’re almost joined to the hip, like those twins from The Shining except with nose piercings and the occasional face tattoo.

Working at Ogilvy

I work for Ogilvy London as a Junior Copywriter.

It’s not a bad place to call your office. Situated by the River Thames, the view alone is absolutely gorgeous.

I mean, it’s easily better than my current office, working from home in a house share of six tenants and one working toilet.

But make no mistake, the office can be a very dangerous place. Like Ogilvy, most ad agencies are notorious for being dog friendly so make sure you’re ready for any of these fluffy hounds trying to maul you into a 15-minute belly rub.

Here’s a picture of me next to a dangerous beast I’ve managed to overpower with my bulging muscles and fearfully intimidating energy.

How I got into advertising

Ironically advertising is one of the least advertised careers out there, so it was only once I started my psychology degree at university where I finally stumbled upon it. And by that point, I was in so much student debt it made no sense to drop out.

My journey into advertising was long. Instead of spending more money to go to Ad school, I started a well-balanced diet of poorly paid internships and sleeping on as many friends’ floors and sofas as possible, whilst slowly assembling a portfolio. It was a friend who recommended Creative Access to me and Anoushka from the Creative Access team kindly prepared me for some of the internships I was applying for.

I was desperate to become a creative in advertising because, in all honesty, it’s a very fun career where you are literally daydreaming silly or thrilling ideas and thinking of new innovative ways to get people to listen to you. Here’s an example of some work we created for Argos. We made these Spotify ads that targeted what type of music you were listening to, which fortunately won us an award and got us featured in Campaign Magazine.

Diversity in advertising

Advertising is an amazing industry filled with the most talented people you’ll ever meet. However, when it comes to diversity, particularly within creative departments, we’re very much behind. Luckily the industry has recognised this and now there are more schemes trying to open the doors to people from different backgrounds. One of these is ‘The Pipe’ from Ogilvy, which is a brilliant way to fast track your career into the ad industry.

Getting into advertising

Being a creative has its ups and downs, but, it can be a really exciting career. It allows you to really push, pull, and stretch your imagination as far as it can go.

Your qualifications really don’t matter in this job, what matters is your passion to solve problems with innovative thinking. After all, it definitely beats staring at a spreadsheet all day (ew).

You can follow Rohit on Instagram: @rohittharakan.

Posted December 4, 2020

We are so thrilled and proud that both our CEO Josie Dobrin and our Chair Stephen Page from Faber and Faber are included in the Bookseller150 list of most influential people in publishing, alongside so many of our friends and colleagues. Special mention to our former intern, the brilliant Clarissa Pabi from Acast. You can see the full list here.

Diversity and representation in publishing is something that has long been a topic of conversation. More recently, the representation in children’s books has been reflected on in the media. Creative Access caught up with author and founder, Jasmine Richards, who specialises in children’s publishing, to find out what more can be done to address the issue, as well as discussing Jasmine’s own projects…

Q: What is your current role / tell us a little more about Storymix?

I am an author and the founder of STORYMIX, which is a children’s fiction studio that focuses on inclusive representation and fabulous storytelling. We create young fiction series for publishers and work with authors and illustrators from BME backgrounds to create those books. It is one of the key ambitions of STORYMIX that our writers and illustrators will also go on to secure their own publishing deals and thus meaningfully change the makeup of the publishing landscape.

Q:What is a fiction studio, and how did you get into it?

So you might have heard of book packagers – companies that essentially put together books for publishers by pairing up the right talent with the right ideas. This is essentially what STORYMIX does, but I am not a fan of the word packager. It sounds too manufactured to my ear, when a lot of love and care goes into what is actually created. I really like ‘book incubator’ as a phrase. As the founder of Storymix I come up with a commercial and high-concept idea and then find a writer and/or an illustrator to bring the project to life. Packagers do a lot of younger fiction, so in that 5-7 or 7-9 space, but will also do middle grade and YA (Young Adult fiction).

I come from an IP (intellectual property) development background and my formative editorial years were at a packager called Working Partners, who developed Beast Quest and Rainbow Magic. I learned so much about the craft of editing and story structure there. I also worked for OUP Children’s and ran the in-house development team which was called the Creative Kitchen. For me, the packaging seems like an obvious strategy to bringing more and better representation into children’s books.

Q: Tell us your perceptions of the children’s publishing industry when it comes to diversity of representation in the books themselves?

I would love to see a move away from ‘issues’ books. They are important, but they are only one part of the story. Young people from all backgrounds have the right to see themselves in all kinds of stories!

Mystery stories, horror stories, sci-fi stories, and funny stories.

I think children’s publishing needs to feature books that reflect all parts of our society. A diversity of setting and characters are the fuel needed for really engaging storytelling. I’d love to see more stories in translation or really unusual re-imaginings of traditional tales from around the world.

Ultimately, it’s not just about doing the right thing in celebrating all children – it’s about doing the right thing for storytelling, giving readers the richest possible tapestry of characters, experiences, and places. It’s about encouraging curiosity about the world and the people that live in it.

Q: Do you think that is shifting?

I think children’s publishing has shifted in recent years and there’s been some brilliant, inclusive books that aren’t issues-based, but there’s still a long way to go. I want to see more fun, representative children’s stories at the younger age range, so for 5-7 or 7-9-year-olds, as there really seems to be an aching lack of representation there. We need to focus on giving all children the spotlight from the start, so that they can all see themselves and not feel excluded from reading.

Q: What more needs to be done?

Change needs to start with publishing itself – the staff, at all levels, need to be more representative of the society we live in. I hope Storymix might become an incubator of editorial talent from BME backgrounds as well as writers from these backgrounds as the business evolves and grows. I signed the open letter to the industry as part of the Black Writer’s Guild, where we outlined how publishing needs to give all backgrounds and viewpoints a seat at the table. As we’ve seen from the PRH ethnicity pay gap report, staffing within publishing still has a long way to go to be fully equal, but even the existence of an ethnicity pay gap report is a start.

You can view Jasmine’s STORYMIX website here.

You can also follow Jasmine on Twitter: @storymixstudio or @jrichardsauthor

To mark this year’s #workinpublishing week, we were thrilled to be joined by Stephen Page (Creative Access Board Chair and CEO of Faber & Faber) and Silé Edwards (CA alum and an Agent at Mushens Entertainment) for our latest masterclass. We could not think of a better way to brighten the gloomy November afternoons!

Creative Access CEO, Josie Dobrin, opened the session by welcoming the audience and reflecting on the success of Creative Access in the publishing industry: “We’re proud to be bringing in and nurturing more talent from under-represented communities than ever before; this year alone we have supported recruitment for over 250 roles for more than 35 book publishing companies. Many of our alumni are rising up through the ranks, reaching more senior ranks and having a huge impact on all aspect of the publishing industry; from marketing campaigns, to books commissioned, to acting as ambassadors to those considering pursuing careers in the sector.”

Stephen started his career working in a bookshop in London. Reflecting on his own journey into publishing, Stephen admitted that “knocking on a door and getting in is hard in publishing. But having said it’s hard, it is still is possible”. What makes the publishing industry such an exciting industry to work in is the ever-changing environment. Silé started her career in publishing by undertaking internships in the sector (as well as an entry-level role with Creative Access at the Publishers Association) and working her way up to an agent at Mushens Entertainment.

Responding to a question from a listener about cover letters, Stephen said he looks for a good strong, economic letter that shows that the candidate really has understood and researched the business and someone who can demonstrate the skills and outlook they can bring to the business. He reminded listeners, “you’re writing to get a specific job, not just any job in publishing”. Silé followed by sharing her thoughts; “the best cover letters are when people know this is the job they want to do” and if someone gives examples of how they are engaging with the industry. Silé really appreciates when candidates can effectively show their transferable skills in their cover letter.

Silé shared her top tip of how she started to engage in the publishing industry using the power of social media. She followed many influential people from the publishing world on Twitter and almost intrinsically, she picked up the language of the publishing world. To take the first step to act on Silé’s advice you can follow Stephen and Silé on Twitter! Silé added that LinkedIn is a great tool to connect with people to see their business side.

When asked by a listener if publishing is a fulfilling career, Stephen responded that even though there can be frustrations, he finds it a very fulfilling career. All aspiring publishers and agents have to be good at dealing with failure. Generally, publishers release more new content than other creative industries such as film and music. According to Stephen, the longer you are in publishing the more fulfilling it is, as you have more of a chance to get involved with social issues linked to publishing. Stephen talked about his own experience, meeting with an array of different writers with the Publishing Association.

When reflecting on her own experience, Silé admitted that she was very lucky to find out early on in her career that she wanted to work for publishing. She shared how she made the most of her internships to learn as much as she could about the publishing trade, “I found what I wanted to do by listening to other people who have been working in the industry for years and I asked them what they want and can do for the industry, and seeing where I fit within that.” Silé was most attracted to the business side of publishing, which is how eventually worked her way to becoming an agent. She added, “I like making money and I like books – agenting is the perfect marriage of the two.”

In the last few years, transparency in publishing especially around wages has become clearer, for example, Faber and Faber pay at least the London Living Wage for all staff. Publishing is not built as a business – some parts are slow – particularly the editorial side where there are few vacancies. Stephen highlighted the importance of understanding the full scale of the jobs available in publishing, there are an array of different jobs other than editing. Silé commented on the slow process of getting a book ready for the shelves, “it can take a year or eighteen months to get a full book, you have to sometimes wait for the book to be completed to be able to show your work to move onto a promotion.”

When talking about the future of publishing, Stephen and Silé were nothing but optimistic. Like all media, publishing was challenged by the digital revolution. Stephen shared, “in the last 5-10 years it became clear that publishing has weathered the digital revolution – there is more confidence in investing in publishers and writers. It’s a very optimistic time to be looking at publishing as a career.”

On the topic of Masters degrees, Silé raised the important issue that a Master’s qualification is not necessary for those wanting to get into publishing, there are other ways to get into the industry. More internships are becoming available in publishing and the industry is trying it’s best to become more inclusive. Silé highlighted The SpareRoom Project that aims to make London roles more accessible for people who live in other regions. She encouraged everyone who is interested in publishing to go for a role in the industry.

Finally, the hosts tackled the big question about the book that has made the most impact on their lives. Silé chose The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas as the book that had the most impact on her career. It was thanks to Thomas’ book that Silé started to see a shift in the publishing industry in reaching out to a wider range of readers. Choosing a book that really got Stephen into reading, he selected the French literature classic Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert stating that he found “all of life in the book”.

Silé finished the session with valuable advice to anyone wanting to get into publishing, “you should be able to talk about books confidently, practise on your family and friends!” Rounding off on a positive note, Stephen expressed his optimism for the industry he works in, expressing his confidence in the next generation, “never in my career have I been optimistic about the career I work in and for the next generation that will reimagine publishing.”

You can watch the whole masterclass on our Youtube channel here. With huge thanks to Stephen and Silé for sharing their wealth of knowledge… We hope this masterclass sparked some motivation and inspiration for all our aspiring publishers and don’t forget to check out our current publishing roles here.

Posted on November 11, 2020

Arts Professional was among the first to report on our exciting new board changes.

Creative Access has announced the appointment of Dr. Zoe Whitley, Director of the Chisenhale Gallery, and Ameet Shah, a Strategy Director and Management Consultant, as new Non-Executive Directors. They will help Creative Access continue with its mission to make the creative sectors as diverse and as inclusive as possible.

You can read the full article on Arts Professional.

This month we were joined by Sarah Brown (Creative Director, Drama) and Claire Armspach (Head of Drama Development) from STV Studios – a leading independent television production company – for a deep dive into Drama Script Development.

Sarah and Claire worked on the script development of the BAFTA-winning drama Elizabeth is Missing. During the masterclass, they revealed what happens behind the scenes during drama development for the small screen and shared a host of invaluable tips for the audience.

Script developers usually only see a small percentage of their work make it to the small screen. Although this can be disappointing, Claire’s tip is to love the process, “You have to see the show as a bonus!” Elizabeth is Missing was the drama that allowed Sarah and Claire to achieve most scriptwriters’ dream: to get to see their work on the small screen. They started the masterclass by retelling their journeys of how they reached this level of their careers. Sarah landed her dream job after working as a researcher, Assistant Producer (AP) and producer in factual TV. She realised her dream role was in scripting for television. She had to work as a freelancer before she started her script development journey through an entry-level job at the BBC, where she was able to build her career. In the small team at STV Claire is the Head of Development. Claire knew she wanted to work in television and as a child, she dreamed of being a drama developer. She soon realised her heart was in development rather than production, so she took the advice to “take any job you can” and started work at the BBC where she was able to take a script development course. From there, she built up her experience working on different shows such as Holby City after joining STV around 11 years ago.

Sarah and Claire started by sharing their experience of where they find their ideas. Script developers usually get their ideas from three main sources:

• Writer generated
• In-house generated: this means watching trends or other drams for inspiration. A piece of advice that has stuck with Claire is to “notice what you notice” when watching other dramas on TV.
• Pre-existing intellectual property: This is when the format is bought from writers in other formats such as books. In the case of Elizabeth is Missing, the story came in the form of an unpublished manuscript. Claire and Sarah decided to option the script based on their own taste and judgement. (A decision they thanked themselves for later – no doubt!)
  

Sarah then introduced the next step in the script development process: choosing a project to take on. She let the listeners know that it is essential to love the material – as developers will be looking at the script for a very long time! When choosing scripts, she often asks herself fundamental questions about how well she connects to the characters, whether the script will move audiences and whether it will sell. If you’re looking to get into the industry, you have to familiarise yourself with what is being made and what has been made previously – “most broadcasters want something that is the next turn of the wheel – not the remake of something that has already been made.” Using the example Elizabeth is Missing, Claire and Sarah felt that people would fall in with the characters but watch for the mystery – and they wanted to be the one’s to bring the book to the screen.

The producers then covered how to choose a writer to work with. Sarah and Claire look for writers with individuality; writers that have their own voice. Sarah gave valuable advice to budding writers to never “waste your time trying to say something that has already been said”. Being a writer is difficult but it’s important to be open and engage with notes, “it’s important to not lose your compass or lose who you are.” When discussing and answering questions about presenting work in the industry, Claire and Sarah both agreed that although other writing programmes are useful, they would recommend Final Draft as it is the programme the industry works in.

The next decision lies with deciding on a format. When trying to develop a script, the aim is to get the project into formal, paid development. When working with a book adaptation like Elizabeth is Missing, it is important to recognise what has to be changed and what has to stay the same. You have a responsibility to the audience and the author to deliver the story they are familiar with.

Sarah and Claire then shared their expertise on being a ‘loyal opponent’ or a good editor. Sarah offered great advice to remember that “editing is like being the midwife at the birth – not giving birth yourself” – it is a supporting role. The key to success is being honest about the problems of the script. While editing, Sarah has found herself in the role of a mentor, sounding board and councillor. She told listeners “the main thing is to remember to be human and that you’re all on the same team – with one goal of making this show the best it can be.” The drafting process can be long and take a lot of work. Claire added that the editing process can be a lengthy one, “script editing is like chiselling a rock to let the statue emerge.”

If you’re wondering how to get started in the script development industry, Sarah optimistically told listeners that there has never been more of a choice in getting into the industry than there is today. The UK is home to over 300 drama indies who are looking for staff. A good way to get your foot in the door is becoming a Development Assistant – it’s the perfect way of getting the experience and the contacts! Claire gave listeners fun advice to watch lots and lots of TV but watch it critically, and question which shows are working well and whose work in particular you admire. She encouraged listeners to look at work they admire and learn from it. Both Sarah and Claire shared their thoughts about how the script development scene in 2020 is very different from when they joined the industry. They acknowledged that there are now fewer opportunities at the BBC; there are more indie companies out there hiring and looking for new, diverse talent.

This session was very informative and we learnt so much about the script development process. We want to say a great big thank you to Sarah and Claire for sharing their knowledge, we know our community will benefit from it! If you haven’t already watched it, don’t miss Elizabeth Is Missing.

You can watch the whole masterclass in full via this YouTube link.

Posted on Sep 18, 2020

We were thrilled to partner with Radiocentre – the industry body for commercial radio – for the fifth time, but the first time in a virtual world!  The event was hosted by radio and TV legend, Margherita Taylor. She was joined by KISS FM’s AJ King, BBC Asian Network’s Pria Rai and Podcast producer and consultant Leanne Alie.

Margherita Taylor, Smooth Radio and Classic FM presenter, introduced the panel, asking them about their journeys into the audio industry. AJ King told listeners how he’d dreamt about being a radio presenter for KISS since he was 10 years old. He took every Wednesday off from his bank job to record a radio show and realised his dream after winning the KISS Chosen One competition. Leanne made her way into the audio industry by working on the Podcast Awards and approaching podcasters with her services. Pria, coming from an academic background, summed up the “beauty” of the industry by saying there is more than one way of getting into the sector.

The questions kicked off with a range of listeners asking how to get into the audio market. The panel all agreed that the journey starts with an internal feeling of confidence and self-belief. Leanne gave listeners an insight into how networking and putting herself out there really made a difference to her career; “I was going to all the different audio events, the awards, the festivals, everything!” She went on to give anyone wanting to get their foot into the audio space valuable advice to “use everything that lands on your plate. Use the tools you have to your advantage. Make your own podcast or reach out to independent podcasters to see how you can help”, recommending the audience to look at Quality Audio Pact as a resource to find people in the industry who are looking to make a difference. She highlighted the importance of finding or creating experiences to benefit your career as she urged listeners “if the space isn’t being created for you, create the space yourself”

The panel went on to cover the sensitive topic of imposter syndrome and rejection. AJ King told listeners that rejection is going to happen but you just have to “keep it moving”. He spoke about the importance of changing their thinking into a “learning mindset” and gave his own example of taking a job in Harvester in order to overcome his fear of speaking to a big group of people. He advised the audience to “be aware of what’s happening; be technologically minded and learn skills. Be inquisitive and ask questions.”

Pria told listeners to “back yourself” because the worst thing that could happen is that you learn a lesson. She gave listeners an insight into her own story, telling them that she worried she sounded too young when she started out, but she focussed on the skills that she did have rather than what she didn’t have to give herself confidence. Leanne told the audience, “do not ever doubt yourself again” describing how she used positive affirmations to give herself confidence.

The panel went on to give their best tips on how to ace an interview. Margherita told everyone that research is key, to make sure you fact-check and know who you are interviewing: “Listen to what your guests say. In that moment they may give you a scoop. If they like you that’s when they tell you things…”

AJ King added that you need to develop trust with the interviewee and make them feel comfortable. He likes to do this by chatting with the interviewees before the interview. Pria gave an insight into how she has aced very important interviews by remembering that the common denominator is to be human and always remember the audience, as they are the reason for the interview.

We hope every single one of the listeners felt inspired and learnt some valuable lessons on how to kick-start your audio career. Thank you once again to our amazing panel, our host Margherita Taylor and to our friends at the Radiocentre for yet another brilliant masterclass. We’re looking forward to the next one…!

You can watch the whole masterclass in full via this YouTube link.

Posted on 8 September, 2020

Creative Access CEO Josie Dobrin, along with our interns Adam Warburton-Brown (who we placed at the Climate Group) and Danielle Koku (who we placed at Apple) speak with the Financial Times regarding virtual work placements in the current climate. You can read the full article here.

Posted on September 6, 2020

The jobs market for new graduates is tough in general at the moment, but is even more challenging for BIPOC graduates, Leonie Annor-Owiredu reports, highlighting Creative Access’ coronavirus report, which revealed that “since the crisis, 85% of current trainees say they are either not being kept on after their internship or are unsure if they will be. Before Covid-19, 90% of trainees moved on to full-time work at the end of their positions.” Read the full Creative Review article here.