South Korean survival horror show Squid Game captivated audiences worldwide on its release back in 2021, featuring a dramatic contest between regular people it felt ready to be adapted for reality TV. Fast forward to 2023 when Studio Lambert brought the idea to life with Squid Game: The Challenge, featuring the largest cast in reality TV history and a record-breaking single cash prize of $4.56 million USD (now showing on Netflix). 

At the Creative Access masterclass in December 2024, we heard from experts at Studio Lambert, the very production company that had a hand in its making. The panel shared what it took to bring Squid Game: The Challenge to the screen, insights about working in unscripted TV, and nuggets of wisdom from their own career journeys so far. 

• Stephen Yemoh, executive producer: Responsible for overseeing the creative vision, from selecting games to driving casting decisions. 

• Anna Wood, line producer: Managing logistics, ensuring that over 800 crew members and nearly 500 contestants were housed, fed & moved safely across the sprawling set. 

• Esme Holliday, games researcher: Designing and testing games that would balance playability with visual and dramatic impact. 

Bringing the tension and drama of Squid Game to reality TV is no mean feat. Executive producer Stephen nicely summed up the production’s all-in approach when it came to staying true to the original: “Be bold. Don’t try and cheapen it; do everything you can to make it feel exactly like what people have seen in the drama.” 

In practice, this meant implementing an incredible level of attention to detail across all elements of production. Games researcher Esme remembers this forensic creative process well: “We counted thousands of marbles used in one of the games to ensure consistency. “We tested cookies to make sure they were the right level of brittle and would stay that way over the day.” In terms of designing games, there was a level of direction from the drama’s visuals, but a core focus of Esme’s role was to make these into fair and entertaining games that people could actually play. On two occasions they ran games tests with 456 supporting artists! 

The ‘squid’ technology (a pun on the usual ‘squibs’ designed to imitate blood) that provided a clear visual cue for when contestants were eliminated was another element that had to be iterated again and again. The nozzle designed to deliver the ink was redesigned at least thirty times before it behaved exactly as needed on set. Even choosing t-shirts that the ink would easily show through was essential in making this element look right. Stephen points out that the ‘squid technology’ was one of the many things that made the drama feel real for contestants, a key part of creating highly watchable reality TV. Unlike their actor counterparts in the drama, contestants reacted with shock to eliminations because of a sudden effect, versus post-production VFX added after in the editing suite. 

Esme spoke about both intense pressure and memorable fun moments on the show, like adjudicating the Red Light, Green Light game: “I remember telling creative director Tim Harcourt and Stephen Lambert himself to be quiet when we were doing Red Light, Green Light because I was logging eliminations from the game in real time which production were then using to book people’s flights home! I said, everyone in this room please be quiet, I’m trying to concentrate! Of course, not realising our creative director and owner of the company were behind me.”

The masterclass underscored how varied and unconventional career paths can lead to TV. Anna Wood was candid about sharing her snakes and ladders career path prior to TV: “I’ve had six jobs before TV – from hospitality to corporate work – but every experience taught me something useful.” Starting later than many of her peers, she leveraged her transferable skills to build a successful career. 

Esme echoed this adaptability, describing her early roles in production: “I’ve done eight researcher jobs now, and every one taught me something different. Keep sending your CV out, take opportunities, and nestle into companies that help you grow.” Esme grew up in a tiny village in Cumbria and always knew she wanted to work in media but didn’t always know what that meant. Now she feels like she’s done almost every role there is to do at Studio Lambert. 

For executive producer Stephen, TV started with a dream of becoming a footballer as a younger teenager. After it was clear his talents on the pitch wouldn’t give him his career, he started thinking: why not work on football instead? He was at a Sky Sports live recording where someone on the production team joked to the audience that “we’ll get the work experience to do a dance for you” during an ad break, and later worked right into the production office and asked: “How do I become the dancing work experience person?” Amazingly, this became his entry point into the industry. 

The key is in the name – it’s unscripted! Producing unscripted TV is unique because the cast behind its drama will behave in unplanned and unexpected ways, which sometimes makes character development a moving target. Stephen spoke about the way that his team mapped out every contestant onto a board, reacting to the evolving game to focus on characters that made for the most compelling television. They would receive a call that certain characters were eliminated and then shift their editorial focus. “It’s really annoying!” Stephen admitted. “As a producer, the one thing you want is control – but this show gave you no control.” Some of the most promising contestants were knocked out almost immediately, failing to survive tasks. On the other hand, new protagonists rose up from seemingly nowhere as the show reached its closing stages. The twists and turns of the game led to genuinely gripping drama. In Stephen’s words, “sometimes the reality gods fall in your favour.” 

Another unique part of a reality TV show like Squid Game: The Challenge is the inclusion of hundreds of supporting actors that are not trained and professional talent. The enormous cast are ultimately the ones responsible for creating the human drama that makes the show compelling. Anna described how the show was an immersive experience even for the contestants. From sleeping in shared dormitories to dining under the watchful eyes of masked guards in pink, players living in the Squid Game world for the duration of filming.  

There were casting teams in the USA and UK to find potential participants, starting with an open call for applications before a lengthy screening process that included mental health assessments and physical evaluations; given the high-pressure environment of the show and the high cash prize, it was important to watch out for people who would be particularly vulnerable. Care extended beyond the filming, with an aftercare structure to support participants based on their needs. “We had a really big system that we put in place – with a lot of time, effort, money and people to make sure that everyone who is in the show was looked after as much as possible.” 

• Leverage transferable skills: Anna’s experiences in hospitality and corporate roles honed skills like organisation, teamwork, and problem-solving, all of which proved invaluable in her TV career. She encouraged attendees to think broadly about how their experiences could apply to production. 

• We’re stronger together: The panel agreed on the importance of finding like-minded people to help you in your career Esme highlighted the importance of finding mentors and supportive teams: “You’ll meet people who believe in you, and those connections can lead to future opportunities.” Stephen pointed out that most people working in TV production started as a runner and know what it means to be starting out. 

• Be persistent and flexible: Esme shared her own ups and downs: “Even as an experienced researcher, I’ve had weeks off between jobs. It’s part of the industry, but if you keep pushing, opportunities will come.” She also shared how useful it has been to turn to other work like hospitality to fill in those gaps and keep herself going. 

• Rejection is part of everyone’s career journey: Stephen had sage advice on the topic of rejections: “Don’t fear hearing ‘no.’ It’s rarely personal, and often just a matter of timing.” 

We continued the evening with networking! Thank you so much to the Studio Lambert team for having us and sharing incredible insight into the world of TV. See you in 2025!

Ever wondered what it’s like to be on the front lines of live sports broadcasting?  

Our Diary of a CA Intern series uncovers the career journeys of the latest entrants in the creative industries, placed by Creative Access. This week we’re joined by the talented trainee technical assistant Lanna Cowles. 

In 2023, a new traineeship was launched in memory of the late ITV Sport technical director Roger Pearce. That trainee is Lanna, a drama graduate from Northampton, who smiles for the entirety of our conversation and is soaking up every minute of her technical traineeship. 

Lanna joined the call with us from a hotel room in Norwich before she dashed to work on the Women’s Euro Qualifiers.  

Keep reading to find out her insights into why live TV is so exciting, why the lifestyle isn’t for everyone, and her advice for those aspiring to work in the sports TV industry. 

CA: Hi Lanna, we are so excited to be chatting with you! Can you give us an intro to your industry and where you’re placed? 

Lanna: It’s titled technical assistant, but I get to go around all of the technical departments within sports television, including cameras, sounds, VT (videotape) and vision. At the start of the traineeship, I was seeing everything and then as the year’s gone on, I’ve chosen the areas that I’m more interested in which are sound and VT. 

Whether it’s football, rugby or horse racing, I experience a real variety of different sports and it’s been great seeing stuff like the touring cars and the Euros! 

My role is to shadow and learn, to ask lots of questions and get to know lots of people. It’s just great. I get great behind the scenes insight and then also get to learn it all. There’s absolutely no pressure on my part; my role doesn’t have any direct responsibility which is good because that’s what the scheme is. 

CA: What’s VT? And why do you love it? 

Lanna: VT deals with any of the pre-recorded content. For example, it could be an interview with Gareth Southgate that has been filmed prior, or a highlights reel at the end of the show. Then they have the exciting part where they clip up any of the exciting action happening live! So when you see a replay of that goal or injury, that’s the VT department working very efficiently to get these straight to the director. I enjoy its fast-paced nature and I like that the department feels at the centre of it all, where vision and sound come together. 

CA: What’s the sports industry like to work in? Especially as somebody starting their career? 

Lanna: It’s definitely a certain lifestyle that you have to get used to – I’m in a hotel room right now! 

There’s a lot of moving around the country, being away from home, and the days can be 10+ hours. They do compensate and give me study days where I can just recap everything I’ve learnt. I love it, it just feels weird being part of something so big like the Euros, because I’m not actually that much of a football fan… It’s just so odd seeing my friends posting on their stories about the Euros and I’m like, ‘Ah, it is actually really cool that I work on this!’ 

CA: Has there been anything that surprised you? 

Lanna: It amazes me how resilient each person who works in this industry is. Whether it’s raining or freezing cold outside, whether there is a 12-hour day ahead of them –  everyone I have spoken to loves their job and they are always so enthusiastic about this industry. I never expected the job to feel so rewarding. 

CA: Have you always been interested in this industry? 

Lanna: I was always drawn to cameras and came from a photography background. Then at university, I joined the student-run TV society, where we had a similar kind of setup that was just more amateur. I just loved it so much. 

I was a runner on a few factual entertainment shows for about a year and a half and I did some production work alongside that, which I absolutely hated. I realised I didn’t want to go down that side of it at all! 

I always knew I wanted a technical role. I wanted to stop being a runner and get that step up, and I wanted to get back into live TV but I didn’t know how, and then I saw this role. It felt like all my experience and my interests aligned because I’d worked on the commonwealth games and had my first taste of sports broadcast which I really enjoyed. It felt like it was the role for me. 

CA: You mentioned that networking is a big part of your experience… How have you found making professional connections so far? 

Lanna: Like with anything at the start, it was really daunting. Everyone knows each other and at each OB (outside broadcast) I’d go to there would be new faces all the time. But once you break the barrier and ask someone what their role is or how their day is going, it’s easy from there on and I’m always interested in what they’re up to! 

Everyone is so welcoming, and they know about the scheme so I’m hoping that it will all help me in the future after this. One of the best things about this traineeship is that, after this, people will recognise me and I’ll be a familiar face, and that – networking – is a huge part of this job. I have good faith that I will continue working in this industry! 

CA: So being ‘good to work with’ is just as important as being good at what you do in TV? 

Lanna: Yeah, it’s such a ‘people-person’ job. You’re working with and talking to people all the time and they are long days, so everyone wants someone who’s got a smile on their face. 

CA: What would you say is the heart of working in the technical side of TV sport? 

Lanna: I think what I love so much, specifically for live TV, is that things can go wrong. 

Weirdly enough – I mean it’s not fallen on me obviously – but it’s quite fun to troubleshoot and solve problems. Touch wood, I’ve never seen anything go wrong while it’s live, but I do hear stories all the time of things going wrong, and it is quite fun having to think on your feet knowing that there is that pressure on you. 

People at home wouldn’t even know when there’s something wrong because there’s backups for everything. The amount that goes into it is insane, I could never have imagined the time and effort that goes into it just to get onto our screens; going up to the satellites and back. I can’t get my head around it. It’s a lot of work and a lot of money is in it too, which is why there’s so much pressure to get it live and faultless. So yeah, I love that it has to be perfect, but also if things go wrong, that’s kind of what makes it exciting. 

CA: You’re a successful young woman in an industry where female representation is quite low, do you have any advice for someone wanting to get in? 

Lanna: It’s so difficult because I’ve always said ‘I just got lucky’, but you have to want it. 

What I did was join loads and loads of Facebook groups for TV, and even if I didn’t think I was capable of a job, I still applied for it. 

Sometimes I got them on LinkedIn, or if you’re looking at the credits of a show you really love, you can find someone’s name or find the production that worked on it and search them on LinkedIn, add them and then message them if they add you back. 

It is really difficult and I do think a lot of it is who you know unfortunately, but do what you can to make connections. I was really desperate for it; I was looking every day, always on my phone refreshing those runner Facebook groups, constantly being the first to apply, because a lot of them are first come first serve, so if you don’t see it within 15 minutes, twenty people have already applied and you’ve missed your chance. 

Something that has helped me get this job was being a part of my TV society at university. I spent more time there than I did with my own degree because that’s what I loved more. If you have the opportunity to join online courses in camera, or workshops, or attending film festivals – even if you aren’t that interested – I say just get stuck in, because it’s the people there that will help you get the job and giving yourself that exposure will increase your chances.  

CA: How long had you been looking at Creative Access for opportunities? 

Lanna: Since I finished university, because I was freelance running and never really had a stable job. I was always looking on Creative Access, it’s always been one of the websites I’ve always looked on. I was on a mentoring scheme through Creative Access at university too. l knew I could get frequent opportunities from it and there’s always stuff on there, I literally love Creative Access. 

CA: Final question: how would you describe your internship in three words? 

Lanna: Thrilling. Fast-paced. Fascinating.  

CA: Thank you so much for your time, we can’t wait to see what you do next! 

Stay in touch with Lanna and follow her work on: 

LinkedIn: Lanna Cowles

YouTube

Instagram: @lannacowles 

During the 2022-23 academic year, Creative Access and Loughborough University collaborated to support Black and Asian students in career guidance and support. Through a series of initiatives, including showcase events, employability sessions, industry insights days and a mentoring programme, we aimed to enhance students’ understanding of, as we as raise awareness of opportunities within the creative industries.

Our showcase event featured a panel of successful alumni who shared insights and tips for success with 28 students. The bespoke employability session focused on portfolio development, networking, and personal branding, engaging 20 students. The industry insights day at ITV Studios provided 23 students with valuable behind-the-scenes experiences and networking opportunities. Additionally, our mentoring programme paired 20 students with industry professionals for six months, offering tailored support and guidance.

Feedback from participants highlighted the positive impact of our initiatives. Across events, respondents expressed increased confidence, inspiration, and optimism about pursuing careers in the creative industries. Specifically, the employability session helped develop crucial skills and knowledge for 84% of participants, while the mentoring programme beneficiaries spoke of: boosted confidence, industry understanding, CV and cover letter skills as well as an increased professional network they wouldn’t have otherwise had access to.

The next stop on many Creative Access community members’ career journey last week was Coronation Street, as we hosted our creative industries showcase event at ITV Studios in Salford, just above the television set experience! 

We partnered up with ITV Academy to tap into Greater Manchester’s thriving creative community and heard from a panel of professionals living and working in the area spanning TV, marketing, social, creative communications and publishing. The panellists shared insight into their career journeys as well as advice on how to find your own creative industry pathway and move up the career ladder. Luckily for you, we’ve collated some of the highlights here in case you missed out… 

Panellists: 

• Yasmin Hemmings (Chair), Acting Head of Programmes, Creative Access 
• Abdul Tahir, Support engineer, Coronation Street, ITV 
• Malyun Mohamud, Marketing officer, University of Salford (CA alumni) 
• Tierney Witty, Editor, Seven Dials & Trapeze, (CA alumni) 
• Tom Moss, Senior account manager, Citypress 
• Jahmal Williams-Thomas, Reporter & camera operator, ITV News Granada Reports 

The room was full of individuals looking to step into a career in the creative industries, and the appetite for hearing just how these panellists made it happen was high. The team at Creative Access know that the first jump into sectors such as publishing, journalism and TV can be daunting, and creatives based in the North as these are historically London-centric indsutries. But, we know that creative opportunities are opening up around the country and we heard an inspiring range of ways you can make it happen.  

 How our panel got their career breaks 

“I spoke to absolutely everyone…If I walked past someone in the hallway, I asked “What is it you do?”” – Jahmal 

Our publishing representative was editor Tierney, a former Creative Access intern and mentee. Tierney had been training to become a teacher in the pandemic, but his passion was in books. After over 150 job rejection letters,   Tierney came across the CA x Penguin Random House mentoring scheme and was connected with a publishing mentor: “I went from having nothing to having a job in six months.” His mentor helped with applications, networking, and he progressed from intern to editor in just three years.  

Tierney wasn’t the only panellist that had other careers in sight, with Tom, senior account manager in PR, having spent years as a competitive swimmer for Great Britain. Tom, a history and politics graduate at University of Manchester, wanted a career that was rooted in his love of writing, reading and storytelling. After lots of rejections and a job as a bookkeeper, he eventually rose up the PR ranks at Manchester-based Citypress, working on campaigns with Coca-Cola, British Gas and Primark. 

Marketing officer, Malyun, had dreamed of a creative career “for as long as I can remember”, but the dream of journalism quickly unfolded when she didn’t enjoy completing a diploma in the sector.  The skills Malyun acquired studying journalism transferred well into communications. She now loves her career in marketing and comms, which started with a CA internship as marketing trainee.  

Camera operator and reporter, Jahmal, told the audience: “It used to be a totally different landscape to how you get in the industry, it’s much better now with mentoring and other opportunities. I started working when I was 15, in a community group I honed craft in video, then got into the BBC and I spoke to absolutely everyone…If I walked past someone in the hallway, I asked “What is it you do?””  

Coronation Street’s support engineer, Abdul, studied media technology at University of Salford. There were pathways from that course into audio, camera work, directing, and after experiencing a variety of roles in Leeds and within the sports industry, he eventually found a role at ITV. Abdul advised “marketing yourself on LinkedIn – even things you’ve learned that you haven’t necessarily experienced yet. Connect with professionals and send them a message introducing yourself.” 

How to creative opportunities in the North-East 

“This wasn’t the plan, it wasn’t my dream…there aren’t many people from Merseyside that I know in this industry.” – Tierney 

A hot topic of the night were the opportunities, or historically lack of, outside of London. The panellists all have experience in building successful careers in Greater Manchester, and noted that the industry is diversifying, so to pay attention to companies with offices based in the North or which are expanding. The panellists also emphasised how important virtual networking is. For publishing enthusiasts, Tierney said: “Publishing is on Twitter, not LinkedIn. Every publishing house will have a Twitter so follow them and send a message.” 

Attendees were also advised to be pragmatic, and explore the possibility of breaking into an industry through alternative pathways to the most popular, so if you want to become an editor, look at roles in areas of that sector like design, sales or art. Jahmal advised an aspiring director in the audience to look at the many brilliant independent production companies in the North.  

Six brilliant career top tips for creative industry roles 

Straight from the professionals’ mouths: 

“Have your work ready at a moment’s notice, so that if one day you’re in a lift and you hear someone in a say, “I really need more crew on my production” you’ve got a business card, a website, a portfolio, ready and can say “Hi, here’s my information!”” 

“I will respond better to a DM saying ‘Alright mate? How’s it going’ than an email with loads of unnecessary words. You just need to be casual and say ‘Here’s what I do, I would love if you could look’. Be specific about what you’re asking of them and spell names correctly!” 

“Speak up. Ask to get involved in big projects. If you don’t see progression opportunities with your current company, look for one that does.” 

“Experience is the buzz word isn’t it. How can I get experience? Blogging, podcasting, anything that showcases your skillset…If I went to a gig, I’d review it. It shows passion.”  

“Be a sponge. Be ready to do everything and learn something from every person you interact with. You’ll build yourself up made from skills you’ve learnt from a million people around you.” 

“Imposter syndrome doesn’t just happen to people early in their careers, it happens to my colleagues that have been here 20 years. Look back at your career and what you’ve achieved. You’re here for a reason, so back yourself.” 

Finally, ITV Academy’s Sonny Hanley spoke to announce a very exciting ITV cohort of traineeships across Manchester and Leeds, that will be going live on the Creative Access website soon. Make sure you’re signed up with us to be the first to hear about it! 

The evening continued with lots of networking, LinkedIn connects and spring rolls. We want to say thank you so much to our panellists, our host at ITV Salford and everyone in our community that came. Until next time! 

ITV Academy and Creative Access to host October showcase at ITV’s MediaCityUK Studios, Prolific North reports.

Diversity social enterprise Creative Access is tapping into the thriving creative community in Greater Manchester and partnering with ITV Academy to host its next creative industries showcase event in person at ITV Studios in Salford.

On October 12, attendees can hear from professionals living and working in the Greater Manchester area spanning TV, marketing, social & creative communications and publishing. The panellists will share insight into their career journeys and advice on how to find your own creative industry pathway and move up the career ladder.

Read the full article here.

12-month scheme to offer broad range of career development support 

Banijay UK has partnered with Creative Access to offer a bespoke, year-long professional development programme aimed at TV freelancers from historically underrepresented communities who have previously worked at Banijay labels.

The scheme, which is aimed at mid-level freelance staff progressing through the creative industries, will offer training, networking, support and workshops. 

During the twelve months, focus will be on areas including: developing leadership skills, owning mistakes and building confidence, building resilience & managing work life balance and financial literacy. Successful applicants will also be mentored by a senior industry professional for six months. 

Bella Lambourne, Director of HR & Operations for Banijay UK, said: 

“It’s an incredibly challenging time for the TV freelance community, and we are acutely aware that people from historically marginalised communities are often at a particular disadvantage. Banijay UK is committed to providing support and opportunities to those in the industry who need it, and we very much hope the scheme will help people develop invaluable skills and gain further experience.”

Bibi Hilton, CEO Creative Access, added: 

“We’re thrilled to be teaming up with industry powerhouse Banijay. We all know that freelancers in the broadcast industry are all too often the lifeblood and the lifesavers of TV and film organisations. They’re the flexible extra resource we bring in when the workload suddenly increases and there’s no time (or budget) to hire; bringing with them incredible specialist skills to transform output, they’re the crew on a TV production set who make mind-blowing, award-winning work and in a lot of cases are quite literally the entire workforce. And yet, as our data shows, many employers are not treating their freelancers in this way. Access to career development programme such as this can and should be transformative for.”

Key info:

• Closing date: 24th September 2023
• Duration: 12 months
• Start date: November 2023
• Entry criteria: You must be a freelance professional with prior work experience at a company within the Banijay group. This opportunity is only open to individuals from a group that is under-represented in the creative industries. This includes, but is not limited to Black, Asian and ethnically diverse candidates, or people from any ethnicity who belong to the following under-represented groups: disabled people, those undergoing gender reassignment / transitioning and individuals from lower socioeconomic backgrounds.

Find out more and apply here.

In our latest edition of creative industry trailblazers, we’re speaking to Creative Access alumni and member of our Steering Group Nitin Rishi! Nitin started off as a technical runner for TV and radio production company, Somethin Else in 2015 and now works as a freelance producer and director. He work has been broadcast across all major UK broadcasters and he’s produced programmes at major global events like the FIFA World Cup Final, as well as directed commercials for brands such as Porsche, D&G and Christies.

Here he gives his advice on the skills you need to break into the role of producer/director, and how you can move up the career ladder in TV and film too, as well as what inspires him creatively…

My first foot in the door was working as a technical runner for TV and radio production company, Somethin’ Else. This was through the Creative Access paid internship scheme, and it provided an invaluable foundation to build my skills and network.  

I tried to learn as much as I could about cameras and post-production and eventually progressed to in-house camera operator and editor.  

After two years full time, I went freelance as a shooting assistant producer to get more experience in the editorial aspect of production. I jumped between various editorial and crew roles to eventually work my way up to a producer / director in TV, whilst also maintaining an active presence in lighting, shooting and editing for both independent and commercial productions. 

A solid understanding of filming and post-production processes and techniques is essential. This includes a certain degree of technical knowledge so you can clearly communicate with your crew to ensure a seamless production process and a polished-looking finished product. 

Treat everyone you work with or alongside with respect and kindness and don’t burn bridges. You never know where your next project might come from. For example, the runner on your set today might be the executive on a show hiring you later down the road, so be a nice person and stay in people’s good books. 

When I first started freelancing, I was one of the camera operators on Sky Art’s ‘Brian Johnson’s Life on the Road’ I got to work with rock legends such as Led Zeppelin’s Robert Plant, Pink Floyd’s Nick Mason and, of course, AC/DC’s Brian Johnson himself. I’m a huge fan of rock music so this was a special project for me to be involved with.  

If you want to have a dynamic, varied career where you get to travel the world, work creatively to tell stories through pictures and sound, and temporarily immerse yourself in different worlds and subcultures, then you’ll be really well suited to this line of work.  

There are a few things I’d recommend: 

1. Make sure you always nurture and focus on your passion for filmmaking; always be learning and upskilling. Whether it’s refining your soft skills, like leadership and organisation or your hard skills, like learning how to use new cameras and mastering editing software.   

2. Ensure everything you do is executed punctually, properly and enthusiastically, no matter how menial the task. People will take notice and begin entrusting you with greater responsibilities.  

3. When you’re starting out always be prepared to go the extra mile. Work on as many different projects as you can but be conscious about taking on more than you can handle.  

4. Build and maintain a strong network in the industry; be sociable, helpful and be that person that connects people.  

Filmmaker and director Asif Kapadia: Every generation has a filmmaker that is able to bring documentaries to the mainstream and Asif Kapadia has been able to do this with his exceptional films like Senna, Amy & Diego Maradona. 

His films are accessible and meticulously put together, but also have a raw authenticity to them.   

We are also both British South Asians from North London so for me to see him break through the glass ceiling to become one of the most celebrated directors of his generation is very inspiring. 

Read more of our creative industry trailblazer series here.

Want to know what’s it like working for an immersive theatre company? Did you even know that you could? In the latest blog for our series ‘jobs you didn’t know existed’, former #CAIntern Jessie Francis talks us through her very exciting role as a creative assistant at the trailblazers of immersive experiences, Secret Cinema…

This is always a fun question, to answer. I am a creative assistant at Secret Cinema – an immersive theatre company that brings beloved films, television franchises and even occasionally music to life. In our shows, the audience are not passively watching the narrative unfold, but actively find themselves in the story, uncovering deeper layers of character motives, backstories, mysteries and secrets. Essentially, it’s a bunch of people creating the most elaborate fan-fiction you have ever witnessed.  

Being in the creative team, we are responsible for ensuring our shows encompass cohesive and innovative storytelling or world-building across the narrative structure, the set, the performances and some marketing assets. I also bring additional skills to the role through my illustration and video editing skills – so it’s wonderful being able to contribute to the creation of our shows through my many multi-hyphenate interests. 

Any part where I get to dive into story, or a character, or world development. I adore how research can inform a narrative and create a story that audiences can logically follow and understand; which then enables us to push the boundaries of surrealism and theatricality. So, whether you’re faced with Regency Lady Gaga performances, epic scale alien battle sequences or intimate conversations with characters in rooms, where you have no idea how you entered (or even where they are), the roots of the story and world are always grounding you and driving your experience.  

I will always be grateful to Creative Access for pushing job roles and careers that I never knew existed, because I didn’t go looking for this job at all. I didn’t even know to look for this job.  

I graduated from university in 2019 with a first in animation, and when asked what I wanted to do, I didn’t have a specific vision; but I knew I wanted to work in a story department, or in a writers room, or in story or character development. I was like Lily Allen in the beginning of her LDN music video: ‘Um I’m just wondering have you got any like sort of punky electronica grime kind of like new wave grime but kind of like maybe more broken beats like kinda dubby broken beats but a little bit kind of soulful… do you know what I mean?’. No one knew what I meant (I don’t think I did either.)  

I started off in 4Creative – Channel 4’s in-house creative team – on a 3-month traineeship (courtesy of Creative Access) where I edited and wrote scripts for trailers. I then went on to work as a scene build and prop design artist for Blink Industries x Netflix’s charming, spooky, queer animation series Dead End: Paranormal Park. I was job hunting for my next role prior to my contract ending, and on a whim, I applied to a Secret Cinema creative assistant role that was advertised on the Creative Access opportunities page. It turned out that many of the skills I possessed, and was interested in pursuing, made me the perfect fit for a company where everybody wears many different hats and brings so many varying abilities to their roles.  

It would have to be Secret Cinema presents Bridgerton. It was my first show, and I remember sitting in the writers room surrounded by talented creative directors, performance directors, actors and writers and just wanting to absorb all the knowledge everyone had, whilst simultaneously wondering how the hell I had got there. It was surreal and amazing.  

My only real advice would be to not limit yourself to what you believe you are qualified for. I read somewhere once that men apply for jobs even when they are underqualified, but women only apply if they believe they are overqualified. This has stuck with me, and so I applied for anything that caught my interest and didn’t get caught up in the details of what I had studied or been trained for. Skills can be transferable, softwares can be taught – YouTube and google are your best friends.  

At my core, I knew I wanted to be a storyteller and artist, and so although editing trailers, designing props for animation and creating immersive theatre all seem vastly different, they all share the core function of visual storytelling. So don’t limit yourself, and don’t feel embarrassed or flaky for career or industry pivoting. Everything you try and everything you learn will inform and equip you for whatever you do in the future – no matter how disparate it may seem from where you came from. I still adore animation, and would love to return to it one day, but I’m thoroughly enjoying my time in theatre – a medium I was so interested in as a child, and never thought I was talented enough for. And who knows, there’s probably a world in which both can be combined. 

Check out Jessie’s illustration and editing work here, and her blog here.

Sign up to our opportunities board and find your creative role here.

Ever heard someone’s job title and thought: “Wait, you can do that as a job?!”… This month, we’re highlighting all the coolest jobs happening behind-the-scenes in the creative industries that you never knew existed. In today’s blog former Creative Access intern, Ayodele Ogunshakin fills us in on her time working as a storyliner on one of the UK’s longest-running soaps, Coronation Street.

As a storyliner, I worked as part of the Coronation Street story team to pitch, develop and write storylines. The team comprised of an assistant storyliner, storyliners, senior storyliners, story editors and a story producer.  

I really enjoyed attending story conferences; as nerve-wracking as it was, I loved pitching my ideas and writing them. It was also great to work with such a talented and encouraging team, and I always found it surreal to see plot lines we talked about and developed just months earlier, brought to life on screen by the editorial teams and the fabulous cast and crew.  

What is a story conference? This is a space to meet and network with other storyliners, script writers and editors AKA any roles involved with story and script developments on soaps. They usually consist of workshops where writers can work on pitching, testing out and sharing ideas to ultimately help them create and develop their skills.  
 

The team at the famous British soap, Emmerdale, organised a storylining workshop in Media City and I was really curious because I had never heard of the role before. After attending the session, I realised it was the job I had always wanted but didn’t know existed. We were all given storylines to write after the session and I received helpful feedback.  

Years later when Creative Access advertised a storylining workshop being run by Coronation Street I went along with a better understanding of what a storyliner does. Having learnt from my experience attending the Emmerdale workshop, I put the feedback I received into practice and secured an interview which led to a role as an assistant storyliner, and eventually a promotion to the position of storyliner. 

If anyone is interested in becoming a storyliner, I would encourage them to look out for workshop opportunities as they provide incredible insight into the role and what you can expect when working as part of a story team.  

I recently moved to Canada and have been learning a lot about how the industry works here. I love writing and creating characters, so I plan to continue doing that and I hope to have my personal projects and scripts produced soon too.    
 

Read more of Ayo’s advice from when she was a panelist at our creative industries showcase in Leeds here. 

Looking for your next role in TV? Check out our opportunities here.  

It was brilliant for the Creative Access team to be back in one of our favourite UK cities Leeds for our northern careers showcase at ITV Yorkshire, with a fantastic panel of speakers including Rawan Elsa, archivist and publishing assistant at Peepal Tree Press, Rhianne Deans, editorial/clearance co-ordinator at Emmerdale, Shamima Noor, communications co-ordinator at Fuel Theatre, Sonny Hanley, controller of content services at ITV and Ayodele Ogunshakin, story liner at Coronation Street, hosted by Ian Cottrell, director of channel operations at ITV.  

Ian introduced sharing how he started out at ITV in 1999 with a degree in IT and was the first person in his family to go to university but didn’t know what to do next. Fast forward to 22 years later and he is now in a senior position at ITV Yorkshire.  

Meanwhile, Sonny knew what he wanted to do from the age of 9 – he wanted to grow up and make films. Luckily, he grew up in Leeds and felt that pursuing a career with ITV Yorkshire was a perfect fit for him. He shared how he started out making programmes and then switched into technology before moving into operations. He’s had three careers at ITV and has been at the organisation almost as long as Ian, for 18 years!  

Rhianne works on Emmerdale, one of ITV’s flagship shows filmed at ITV Leeds. The show has been going for over 50 years and we were even lucky enough to have a tour of the studio after the event. Rhianne’s role includes writing synopses of the scenes for press or for actors, collaborating with script editors and making script changes to ensure the scripts fit within allotted time. She got into the industry through an internship at Arrow Media through Creative Access, and before joining Emmerdale, she worked on Channel 4’s All Creatures Great and Small.  

Leeds local, Shamima works within theatre communications. She has been working in theatre for 5 years after starting her career with a traineeship through Creative Access in 2017 at Leeds Playhouse, after which she then worked for a few dance and theatre companies. Shamima grew up in Leeds, studied there and stayed on in the area to develop her career, proving that you can live outside London and develop a rich career in the creative industries. She works for a London based company and goes down to London about twice a month.  

Rawan is currently undertaking a PhD, alongside her work as an archivist and publishing assistant. She has a fascinating role and has spent the last few years archiving letters, documents and manuscripts for Peepal, an independent publishing specialising in African literature. She describes herself as wearing many hats, as she also runs an online book club making literature accessible to people beyond the UK.  

Ayodele worked at a summer camp in the US after university. She initially thought it was a bad decision, but the experience of working with children proved critical in her getting a role at Blue Peter. From there she moved up to studio assistant and after going to a Creative Access workshop on how to become a storyliner, she got her first break as an assistant storyliner on Coronation Street. She describes being a storyliner as an “odd position”. She works in a team of other storyliners, answering to the producer.  

“What have you done that’s outside the box? Utilise that!” – Rawan  

Our panel all cited the importance of transferable skills and experiences when trying to break into the creative industries. Shamima explained that in her first internship at Leeds Playhouse, they were mostly looking for passion for theatre and good personal skills. She’d worked on her student paper, been a student outreach officer, written a lot outside her degree, and handled the social media channels for societies she was a part of at university. She was able to marshal these skills into a CV and cover letter, which then got her the role.  

Rawan echoed this explaining: “experience is invaluable”. Even though her degrees are important and she’s enjoyed her academic journey, it was the internships and volunteering at places like Elizabeth Gaskell’s House that displayed her passion for history. Alongside this, she states that she identified people she admired and spoke to them on twitter, went to careers fairs and networking evets – all of which helped her land her roles.  

When it comes to specific roles, such as storylining, Ayo recommended watching lots of TV as ‘research’. She took on a runner role to expose her to the innerworkings of the TV industry, but she says: “Don’t discount the non-TV experience you have”. Lots of TV work is about teamwork and that can come from university, volunteering and roles outside the sector.  

“When people are open to a chat, they might be open to helping you find work, so take those chats seriously” – Ayo  

Networking is a key skill for finding work, mentors and even likeminded peers within the creative industry. Rhianne empathised that networking can be awkward, admitting that she used to be really bad at it, but she told our audience that they’d be surprised by how many people want to share their knowledge. People are busy so you shouldn’t feel worried about following up and reminding them. She also advised the audience to not confuse being formal with being professional – you can be jokey and show your personality which can then engage people and make you stand out.  

Shamima agreed explaining that these events are nerve-wracking, but you find your own rhythm. “Ffrom the start it was clear to me taking part in events was going to be key. After-parties after each event you should go to show you’re committed.”  Similarly, Ayo recommended thinking of networking as ‘connecting’ with people instead, which takes the pressure off the interaction.  

“You’re not just there because of luck. You’re there because you’ve excelled. If you trip up, pick yourself back up again” – Rawan 

On this note, our panel then began to discuss how imposter syndrome can manifest itself and how they overcome it. Rawan had some wonderful advice for our audience, she explained that she looks in the mirror and recites positive affirmations about herself to reassure herself. She suggested writing them down and even sticking them around your room when you’re feeling low.  

Rhianne and Sonny both work at ITV and have both found their networks within the organisation a great source of comfort when they have been feeling insecure in their positions or have had a bad day at work. Sonny told our audience to remember: “They chose you! If you don’t believe that, just go ask your manager.” 

Ayo actually did do this once during a period of low self-confidence at work. Her line manager told her that she was doing well, despite thinking otherwise. She told the audience to remember that that’s what your line manager is there for.  

“The perfect candidate doesn’t exist” – Sonny  

As for moving up in your creative career, Sonny said it is vital to step outside your comfort zone. “No one knows their job 100%, I’ve been here for 18 years and I still don’t know anything”, he said. He continued that therefore, when he’s hiring, he always hires 80% – he knows that no one is going to have every single skill needed but if the confidence and passion is there that will see you through.  

Rhianne agreed and explained that of course knowledge and skills are important, but the most important thing is how you fit into a team. If you work within an organisation that has many teams and you want to take a sideways step, Rhianne recommended utilising the network you have within the company and getting to know the roles and the team dynamics to help you. 

“There’s no set time frame! If you want to do it, it’ll happen” – Rhianne 

Finally, our audience asked our panel about the age-old problem of rejection. Rhianne stated that unfortunately, rejection is part of the industry and you do have to grow a thick skin however, she continued, there are lots of people who want to help you so make sure you keep making those connections. While Rawan suggested that “rejection can help you take a step back and reassess what you really want.” 

Thank you so much to our wonderful panel for their insights into their respective fields and highlighting the breadth of roles on offer in the creative industries in the North, as well as to our audience for coming along and asking such important questions!  

If you don’t have many contacts in the creative industries, mentoring is a great way to gain expert advice for getting ahead in your career. Former ITV x Creative Access mentee, Wakai Muganiwah talks about how her mentoring experience shaped her career aspirations and helped her gain confidence and the skills for applying to internships and roles in the TV industry.  

For a very long time I have known my desire to work within the media and communication industry. Yet, as a University of Leeds journalism student, I had been confused on where to start my journey and how to begin filtering towards my dream career.  

While I had known about Creative Access for years prior to my mentorship, I had never truly looked at the incredible opportunities it had to offer. I was slightly lost in an abundance of career aspirations and goals, so when I came across the Creative Access mentoring scheme in the summer of 2021, it felt like a perfect opportunity to get clarity on where I was going in life and when I was allocated Paul Moore, the Group Corporate Affairs and Communications Director at ITV, I was ecstatic. I was surprised at how perfect the pairing seemed. A communications director who had been in a variety of disciplines would be extremely helpful in guiding me towards narrowing down the career I desired.  

Initially, I had been extremely nervous to begin this mentorship scheme, but the ease and the support I received throughout the process, from both my mentor and the Creative Access team alleviated all of my preliminary anxiety. Over the six months of mentoring over zoom, I can truly say the advice and guidance I received was invaluable. We completed a variety of tasks and exercises that helped me begin exploring my passions more in order to compact them into tangible careers.  

• We completed CV workshops, where Paul guided me in improving my CV to entice employers and capitalise on my skills and work experiences. Through these workshops I can truly say my CV improved immensely and helped me acquire some of the incredible placements and internships I have today.  
• Practice/mock interviews were extremely helpful in preparing me for future interviews. We practiced under the guise that I was interviewing for a role in media and communications and my mentor acted as an employer in a well-known media organization. After the exercise I was given constructive feedback on ways to improve my interview techniques.  
• Guidance on how to write a cover letter, something that I can truly say became one of the core elements to the success of my applications. I had previously not recognised the significance of cover letters when submitting job applications, particularly paired with a tailored CV.  

It goes without saying how lucky I was to get this help in the aftermath of the pandemic. Like so many in my position, finding such incredible placements felt intangible because of the socio-economic effect of the pandemic. Several months on, I have two 3-week placements and a year internship with Discovery – a role that I applied to through Creative Access. I would not have had the confidence to apply for the amazing opportunities I got had it not been for my mentor’s encouragement, from his help with my CV and cover letters to the interview exercises.  

I applied for this mentorship with the aim of guiding me into the right direction to begin starting my career and guiding me on what else I can do alongside my studies to begin my career, yet I got so much more. I honestly cannot express how much of an incredible opportunity it was to talk to and get guidance from an industry expert. These schemes are important because they allow students and young people like me the opportunity to be seen!  

Despite applying the scheme on a whim and not expecting too much, I received so much more than I could have asked for. Not only did I acquire an incredible contact, but I gained an extremely enriching experience. I never understood the value of having a mentor to help guide you through the extremely confusing industrial work. It is not easy to start a career in the creative industry, but I was fortunate enough to get such an amazing advisor.  

The Creative Access mentoring schemes have created an enormous difference to my personal and professional life. It has given me insight and advice that I would have otherwise never acquired and it has cemented Creative Access’ determination to help people like me.  

Creative Access’ latest Masterclass coincided with Mental Health Awareness Week (9th – 16th May), and we were joined by a brilliant panel to discuss all things related to mental health, wellbeing and putting yourself first. The official theme this year was loneliness, and how it can produce feelings of depression, sadness, and isolation, especially after three long years of being in and out of lockdowns. With this masterclass, we aimed to raise awareness, encourage initiative, and invite discussions that might be uncomfortable to hear, but necessary to have. Yasmin Hemmings, our programme manager, sat in conversation with Kamilah McInnis, a senior journalist at BBC News podcasts, as well as Sam Bickley, TV consultant, exec producer and welfare executive, and began the conversation we hope many of you will continue in within your family, friends, and workplaces.  

Prioritizing your mental health isn’t always easy. Sometimes it may come as a shock that you might be struggling, but 1 in four adults experience issues with their mental health, making it a lot more common than you might think. When asked about their top tips on how to put your mental health first, Kamiliah, currently working on the podcast “If You Don’t Know” which focuses on informing young black adults of politics, culture and much more, spoke of the importance of knowing when to say no. Often, with those who have just begun their career in the creative industry, there can be a desire to try hard to prove their worth with their new company. This could involve staying after work hours, not taking adequate, full breaks, or simply saying yes, when really you should be saying no. It’s vital to understand that none of these things will be sustainable in the long run, and will certainly leave you burnt-out and unable to do your job to the best of your ability. Sam agreed, advising taking walks, as well as regular breaks away from computer screens to calm the mind and reset your focus.  

When discussing mental wellbeing, there can often be a one-size-fits-all approach on self-care. Lighting a candle won’t always fix everything, and our panel spoke about finding what works for you. Sam herself is an advocate for “self-care in the day, and self-care in the week,” sharing how important it is to find things you enjoy that can fit around the diary. Maybe the candle will work for an evening and keep you going till a fantastic new play you’ve booked to see that weekend, or a day trip you have in a fortnight – it’s important to set things up for yourself. In addition to this, Kamilah adds that it’s important to “take holiday every few months!”, a right we are all entitled to, but many forget. A few days away from work can do the world of good, helping you get back to your normal self. Communicating this need to your workplace can be daunting, but is better than the alternative. Your manager will really appreciate your honesty about your capacity. “No” doesn’t mean you aren’t capable, it can also mean yes, but I will get it done tomorrow, which is just as good.  

For those who are still job searching, we understand what a tiring process that can be. It might seem like you are getting nowhere, but you can’t give up. When speaking about the strength in kindness, Kamilah shared a sweet story of her days as a BBC multi-media trainee (a role secured by Creative Access!), and how when her contract came to an end, she felt anxious about her next career move, and whether she would find anything at all. As she wandered outside her offices, trying to clear her head, she looked down and saw some free flowers, a sign to persevere that in a roundabout way, lead to her next role. Although the lesson here is rooted in goodwill, it is also a testament to not giving up, and even more than that, to taking your breaks! Sam also added how useful it is to “think about your network,” doing things together and bouncing off each other’s ideas can really propel your applications. Especially for freelancers – get a friend’s opinion, or even a mentor, who can offer their advice and guidance. It can be easy to apply for everything, but really hone in on what you want from your work, what kind of industry you would like to go into, and that passion and determination will jump off the page in your applications.  

Networking is nerve-wracking for people already struggling with anxiety. For this, our panel spoke of the power of preparation. Kamilah, when really struggling, tells herself to just “go for an hour” to an event. Once the hour is up, you can leave, but you might just find yourself having so much fun you’d like to stay. You can try and prepare conversation starters and do some research on who will be there, and the work they have done is a great place to start. However, if you are really not well, don’t force yourself to go, instead perhaps draft a message explaining that you would’ve loved to attend, but were unable to, and try and connect with that person via LinkedIn orother appropriate social media. Sam said it is also completely fine “to let people know you’re feeling a little nervous,” because there is a lot of strength that comes with that honesty. Yasmin added how useful joining networking groups like “Young People in the Arts” was. Rest in the fact that you are amazing, and not meeting someone, or going to an event does not mean the end of your career – you just might need to get a little more imaginative about how you strategically place yourself in that important person’s line of view.  

When asked how to bring her best self to work, Kamilah had loads of top tips. “We are all works in progress,” she says smiling, before admitting that she still has down days, but with experience, time, and counselling (which she recommends), it becomes easier to deal with. The 4-7-8 breathing technique is great for calming yourself down during those sudden panic bursts, or just before a big meeting, as well as the book Feeling Good, by David D Burns, which discusses numerous coping techniques, including how to rewire those negative thoughts. More often than not, you can feel an episode brewing, Kamilah warms to pay attention to this, and let your team know. Yasmin encourages a routine with exercise, and Sam journaling, as “being a companion to yourself” can provide a sense of clarity that can be beneficial. “You control how your day looks” she continues, set boundaries with your workplace, for example mentioning that your workday must finish at a certain time, and you can’t exceed that. Other tips included writing lists, breaking down tasks into chunks and always keeping your managers in the know.  

There is so much more support now for those dealing with mental health struggles. Sam notes how the younger generation’s openness about something once seen as taboo is breaking down barriers for those in the industry ahead of them. As a welfare executive, Sam’s role is proof that after tragedies within television, such as those on Love Island, and Jeremy Kyle, companies now understand more than ever the importance of aftercare. As someone who has always cared about her contributors and advocated for their needs, this change is needed and welcomed by Sam. Many workplaces now have mental health policies, and if you are curious about whether yours does, Yasmin says you are well within your right to ask. If there is not one, and it’s something you would like to help create, make this known too! Kamilah is part of a wellbeing group that is actively trying to change work culture, and often has executives sit in on meetings so they know what more they can be doing to support their workforce. It’s not a job that can be done by an individual, but it does take that one person to begin the conversation. Mental health is no longer a taboo; Be upfront with those who need to know. 

People are willing to listen; don’t be worried about signposting useful information to your managers. Kamilah advises speaking to your colleagues and joining initiatives and groups. If you are a journalist, the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) is good at providing any information you might need. Sam adds to research dignity at work responses, which are quickly improving in comparison to five years ago. Above all, listen to your body, navigating mental health can be difficult, but you are not alone in this. Reach out and speak out if you need help.  

Please do watch a recording of this masterclass here.  

You can also read our resource on how we support our team’s mental wellbeing here.