We use cookies

Please note that on our website we use cookies to enhance your experience, and for analytics purposes. To learn more about our cookies, please read our Privacy policy. By clicking “Accept Cookies” or by continuing to use our website you agree to our use of cookies.

In our latest masterclass we headed down to WME’s offices for a masterclass from three of our talented alumni and former recipients of our Career Development Bursary plus a member of WME’s brand partnerships team…  

Alice Kemp-Habib, Features Editor at The World of Interiors 

Yolanda Lee, Story Consultant & Development Producer  

Ama Ofori-Darko, Head of Development at Park Theatre 

Zayanne Bako, Brand Partnerships Assistant at WME and creative careers content creator 

These creative powerhouses provided insights into their career journeys across theatre, journalism and media, sharing how they use storytelling to shape narratives across platforms and gave advice on everything from handling rejection to freelancing.  

Storytelling is the uniting thread throughout all our panellist’s roles…  

For Zayanne running a creative careers TikTok is intrinsically linked to her full-time gig at WME where she connects influencers with brand opportunties working with the likes of Candice Brathwaite and Uma from Love Island. The two roles lend nicely to each other: both require her to work alongside creatives during the messy and unpredictable journey to creating a finished product. She says, “Brand partnerships is all about building authentic relationships through creators and brands; you’re not just facilitating deals you’re watching them create something that lasts.” 

Development producer Yolanda says that although the ‘thing’ that makes good TV and film is a bit ineffable, she is always looking for a voice, someone with something to say and a unique take on the world. She says it’s vital to stay true to your own perspective in storytelling, “it’s not quantifiable but it’s obvious if someone is doing something just to make money or following trends.” 

Ama originally trained to be an opera singer and after graduating found herself working at the Royal Opera House as an usher. This exposed her to the concept of arts fundraising and development. Theatre is her biggest passion and she had a full circle moment when she went back to work as a fundraising manager at Royal Opera House in 2023. Now Ama freelances with artists and helps weave their stories into fundraising applications.  

Meanwhile, Alice is a former freelance journalist turned luxury magazine editor. Previously she was the one being commissioned, now she’s the one doing the commissioning. She says being a magazine editor means you have to develop a visual literacy because the copy and the imagery has so much synergy; you don’t have that say as a freelancer on the full visual story, but on a magazine team you do.  

Do I have to go freelance to have a creative career? 

As a recent freelancer, Yolanda is honest explaining that whilst it’s not the best time to be a freelancer in TV, she says, “you have to be brave and take calculated risks – I also work for Film Wales, so I wasn’t stepping in without a safety net”. She continues that 8 years into her career, she’s spent time building relationships and checking in on people and now has people approaching me about opportunities rather than the other way round.  

Similarly, Ama says she has made a lot of connections throughout her career so far. She encouraged our audience to reach out to people and not feel embarrassed – people love to talk about what they do! “I’ve spent a lot of time networking and reaching out to people to tell them I enjoy their work and would be up for working with them”. Echoing Yolanda, she said: “It’s really tough right now so I would recommend doing something like having a part-time perm job alongside your freelance gigs.” 

Alice says she was able to live at her family home whilst freelancing and says that whatever you decide – whether you go freelance or stay in permanent work – it’s a deeply personal decision. You have to weigh up your finances, your networks and assess what you need from your career to decide. Depending on your situation, it might not always make sense to go freelance. 

Echoing this, Yolanda emphasised that you can do a job that’s completely unrelated to your creative passion! It doesn’t take away from your creative pursuits.  

On her TikTok channel, Zayanne helps creative discover new creatives. “It’s not for me, so I was confused when I started to get traction from brands; I never viewed how much value the content until people said I found my role through your page and then that made me realise it could be important to monetise it.” She said that whilst monetising your creative side hustle is great, it’s helpful for her to have her permanent role at WME. It means that the money isn’t the ‘main focus’ and she can only promote brands and opportunities that align with her and her audience. 

On pushing your career forward… 

All of our panellists agreed that they were putting in the work for a while before things finally aligned.  

Although Zayanne is all about providing others with the hottest opportunities on TikTok, she says, “it’s important to create your own opportunities too – it’s hard to find roles. If you have the capacity to create something, then do it”. She explained that she wouldn’t have got her current role at WME if it wasn’t for showcasing her brand partnership skills on her TikTok channel: “You don’t know the value of the work you have sometimes until you go for an opportunity and get it because you’re already doing the work!” 

Yolanda recommends: “Do whatever you can to be an expert in your field until the right door opens… it might not always be the door that you’re expecting”. She told our audience to have everything ready to go for when it, for example, your portfolio and CV for when that moment comes.  

Ama is also an advocate for researching: “if you know what end goal you want, research! Get books on the topic, speak to people in those roles, send emails to people you admire and want to work with, find out what experience you need to get to get there.” She says, she is always looking at the next step once she’s settled into a role.  

For Alice, mentorship has been essential at every point of her career: “Every significant experience I’ve had has come through a mentor recommending me for an opportunity”. (Find out about our mentoring schemes!) 

How to handle rejection 

Unfortunately, getting a no is going to happen at some point in your creative career. So how can you handle these knockbacks? 

Yolanda gave frank advice to the audience: “Realise that your value doesn’t come from your career”. It’s important not to take it to heart, she says. Rejection can also just be redirection, sometimes you have to take the scenic route! “It’s only when you look back that you realise you were being led down a path that was necessary, that gig might not have been good for you and maybe you dodged a bullet.”

Ama stressed the importance of have a strong network who you can vent to. Zayanne backed this up by saying having a network or mentor can help put language to what sort of jobs/industries you should be applying for. She echoed Yolanda’s point that “you’re more than what you do” and encouraged people to find a way to get feedback so you can use that for your next application.  

Top tips for applying for funding 

First things first, we asked Ama (who writes funding applications for her *literal job*) on her top tips for creatives applying for funding…  

  • A lot of the time you really need to align with what the funder wants to fund – make sure you specifically state this 
  • Get multiple people to read the applications – does what the funding would mean to you come across? 
  • Stick to word counts!  

Our former recipients had some words of wisdom when it came to our Career Development Bursary in particular…  

  • Yolanda was travelling a lot for work and living out of suitcases, so she applied for a high-quality suitcase! Her top tip was to give evidence in your application give evidence – ‘you don’t have to apply for the full amount and I had very specific links and evidence on the durability’. 
  • Alice was still freelancing at the time and was struggling to progress or get a pay rise. She used the funding for a training course; “it equipped me with tangible editing skills and training looks like you’re taking yourself seriously on your cv”. She also says this is the reason she got her current job.  
  • Ama had taken a pay cut during COVID and was living at home. She used the funding to support paying for a deposit to help her move out. Her advice? “Be very clear about why you’re applying, how it aligns with career goals, and get someone else to look over it to see it makes sense” 

We learnt so much from these absolute creative industry superstars! Don’t miss out on our next event and register with our opportunities board here

Last week we headed to Publicis Groupe in White City for a masterclass on all things advertising featuring our friends from ad agency powerhouse Publicis London. We touched on everything from a day in the life of an account manager, to why being a strategist is a bit like being a detective, as well as understanding why TikTok can help you become a better creative, and what it takes to thrive as a producer! 

Panel: 

🎤 Guergana Stoytcheva, account director 
🎤 Prianka Ramlugun, strategist  
🎤 Pierre Lavenir, content creative  
🎤 Bea Icke, production assistant  
🎤 Ella Darlington, head of comms at Creative Access (chair) 

Want to know what really goes on behind-the-scenes in advertising? You’re in luck. Here’s the breakdown of the four key parts of an advertising agency… 

Account management

Account director at Publicis London, Guergana, has been working in the advertising agency for three years with a background in travel and tourism (talk about career-switcher inspo!). Here’s what she had to say about working on the accounts team…  

It’s all about… People, people, people 

The stakeholders when you’re in a role like this are everyone – we’re talking finance, clients, SLT, creative, strategy, and production. It is vital that you are able to build and maintain trust with both the clients and everyone at the agency.  

  • Understand the client’s business challenges and personal goals (you’re their champion and they become yours) 
  • The agency team need to know they can depend on you: if they have a different strategy idea to what the client wants, your team needs to know you’ll have their back.  
  • You’re not just the yes person for the client! You’re there to help them see the vision. 

Skills you need to be an account manager: 

  • Good communication skills 
  • Empathy 
  • The ability to read between the lines 
  • Detail oriented 
  • Presenting skills 

Final tip for aspiring account managers? 

If you have zero experience in the field but want to get in, Guergana’s been there. Her advice for getting in without the industry experience is…  

“Be honest and highlight your transferable skills – the things that make the best account management people are rarely taught, everything technical can be learnt” 

Strategy

Our very own Creative Access alumni Prianka started off as an account & strategy intern at Publicis London and three years later, she is now a strategist at the agency. She said she always wanted to do everything and admitted to ‘applying for every positive action scheme that Creative Access had’ when she finished uni. But realised, after finding the internship, that advertising and the creative element wasn’t just something she’d like but it was a space where she could actually use the skills she had: her research abilities from her history degree and her ability to chat to people from her Saturday job.  

Brands come to strategist with business problem; it’s the strategist’s job to find the gap in the market and think about the people to help solve this problem. 

Understand your audience and how to talk to them 

  • Immerse yourself in news; polls and surveys; you’ll use market research platforms like Mintel (which Prianka calls a strategist’s best friend); you’ll analyse other products on market; and good news for those immersed in internet culture, you’ll constantly be researching on platforms like TikTok and Reddit – “if you’re going to talk to people, speak their language”, Prianka says 
  • You’ll have to research how the client can stand out in a crowded space. Some good examples are products and campaigns like Liquid Death, Heinz and CeraVe’s Michael Cera ads  
  • Working closely with the creative team, you’ll distill all your research into one line to help them bring the vision to life  

Here’s how strategy comes to life:  

Garnier came to Publicis London with the launch of a new Vitamin C daily UV. Prianka and the team of strategists found out that 9/10 brits admit to never wearing spy on their face. They realised that the SPF category is constantly talking about sun and, unfortunately, Britain isn’t the sunniest of climates. So, their strategy to help Garnier stand out in the market was to make SPF an everyday habit for British people: ‘phone, keys, wallet.. SPF’. The campaign hinged upon the idea of wearing every single day versus every SUNNY day. 

Skills you need to be a strategist: 

  • Be like a detective: find the insights  
  • Be like an architect: curate a plan of what story you want to tell and what you want them to feel 
  • Be like a presenter: zoom out and tell everyone the one thing you want to create based on all your research 

Final tip for aspiring strategists? 

Strategy is all about storytelling. She told the audience: “Remember in your applications that you’re talking to strategists so present your career journey and story for them to showcase your storytelling skills!” 

Creative

The creative team are the ideas people. They use imagination to produce the work, turning a product into memorable ideas, campaigns and activations.  

Pierre was working in marketing before he started as a content creative at Publicis London. One day he saw a beautiful Gucci x North Face ad with Francis Bourgeois that stopped him in his tracks. He felt inspired and wanted to work on bigger campaigns. He joined Publicis a year later on accounts team and then made the switch into the creative team.  

What’s it like being an advertising creative? 

  • The creative teams focus a lot on the concept  
  • You’ll work lots with strategists, account team and producers, as well as ‘the makers’: designer, video editors, film directors, photographers 
  • It’s a really varied role! Pierre says from his own experience, “one day you might work on an idea for LFW and the next you’re doing social content for Renault and the next you’re working on OOH campaigns” 
  • On that, a recent campaign for Thayer’s skincare, Publicis London honed in on a Gen Z audience who love their phones but can find them overwhelming and launched a campaign called: “Tone it down”. The campaign was a play on the fact the product is a toner and the team even got the Bimini to wear a life-size version of the bottle’s red lid at London Fashion Week.  
  • The best part of the job for Pierre?  “Sometimes you come up with really crazy ideas and sometimes they really do happen!” 

Skills you need to be a creative in advertising: 

  • You’ve got to be a conceptual thinker! 
  • A trend lover with your finger on the pulse. Pierre says, “I watch TikToks to get inspired – that’s part of my job and I get paid for it!” 
  • You need to be able to build trust with your client to help sell in the more ‘crazy’ ideas and prove to them you have the knowledge it will succeed 

Final tip for aspiring advertising creatives? 

Pierre says your portfolio is most important thing as a creative, it shows your taste and what you’re all about so get building it! He also recommends competitions and awards such as the D&AD New Blood Awards to get some practice working on campaigns, and you might even win!  

Production

Production assistant Bea always knew she wanted to do something creative and cites the Coca Cola Christmas adverts as her biggest source of inspiration to enter the advertising world.  

The production team brings it all together. They’re there for the whole ride that is a campaign: Before, during and after the shoot. 

What does the lifecycle of a campaign look like for production? 

Before an advertising shoot/campaign… 

You’ll be working within the agency, as well as exterrnally with casting, locations, art department and wardrobe and – vitally – making sure everything is within budget!  

During an advertising shoot/campaign… 

You’ll be there on shoot, making sure everyone is sticking to storyboard and that everyone is happy 

Post-advertising shoot/campaign…  

You’ll work with post-production, this includes sorting out titles and working with legal too to ensure that everything meets the brief and fulfils any legal requirements, as well as working on all the final touches with experts such as colourists 

What skills do you need to be an advertising producer? 

  • Organisation is KEY! There are so many moving parts, there’s lots of meetings with different people and emails to keep on top of 
  • And on that note, it helps if you’re a people person with good communication skills and you’ll be meeting people with all sorts of different jobs and approaches 
  • Good time management skills 
  • Project management skills 

Final tip for aspiring producers? 

Bea says that in production you’re the middleman. “Sometimes it is a really tight window and managing everyone’s expectation can be difficult… You’ve got to learn how to do this.” 

Thanks so much to the wonderful panel at Publicis London for shedding light on how everything works behind-the-scenes at an advertising agency – we definitely left feeling inspired!  

If you’ve not already registered with us, do it here. You’ll be the first to know about the hottest paid internships and jobs in the creative industries, as well as FREE events and masterclasses like these! 

From the increasing digitalisation of the industry, to environmental and financial sustainability, what the future of theatre looks like was up for discussion at our last masterclass of the summer. We were captivated by an incredible panel made up of industry heavyweights like the National Theatre (NT)’s artistic director Rufus Norris and award-winning playwright Roy Williams, whose work and influence has had much involvement in what theatre has looked like for the past twenty years.  

Equally impressive was Creative Access alumni Atri Banerjee, theatre director currently directing Look Back In Anger at the Almedia, and Minoli De Silva, production coordinator at the NT; two trailblazers in the industry who have a lot to say about the future of theatre and how to make one’s mark in it. Chairing the panel was the fantastic Rachel Twigg, head of studio at NT, who guided the panel and room through the big questions with ease (and some swearing).  

Roy Williams on the future of theatre and what about it excites him: 

“Good storytelling and good theatre can’t help itself but arrive. 

What excites me the most is the range of storytelling, of what’s already been told and what’s still to be told. Specifically, what it means to be British.  As a Black man, it’s a question I’ve been asking myself in my work for many years, and no doubt will continue to as I get older and hopefully wiser. 

So it’s those stories; the new generation of playwrights expressing how they feel about what it means to be British, whatever ethnicity, class, sexuality, and then bringing it to the stage. Those questions are important. The last few years have been uncertain and scary for all of us, so it’s interesting to see where we go from here.” 
 

Atri Banerjee on theatre’s power to transform reality:  

“It’s fair to say that there’s been a lot of worry and preoccupation of the future of theatre.  

I do feel heartened by the prospect of a new government and what it might mean to have a culture secretary who tweets about the Oldham Coliseum and actually seems like she goes to the theatre.  

But I think I’m most excited by the fact that theatre is one of the oldest and most resilient art forms we have.  

The great Brazilian theatre practitioner Augusto Boal says, ‘It should not just reflect reality but try to transform it’ and theatre has always been a space to reimagine and reconsider the future.  

We’ve been through such cultural upheaval and immense global struggle and conflict, but I’m heartened by the commitment of people towards new ethical working practices, the value of community, peer support and peer groups, rather than old hierarchical models.” 

Minoli De Silva’s thoughts on digital content theatre and connection: 

“The first thing I ever saw from the NT was a recording of Frankenstein for my A level. I didn’t step foot in and physically watch a show there until mid-pandemic. 

For me, watching those NT at homes on YouTube was how I got to know their body of work, so from an access perspective and in terms of reaching new audiences, it’s exciting.  

But the balance with live performance is really important.  

In my previous job, the show was an improv comedy show in-person at a theatre, but during lockdown it was adapted to a live streaming model. Those artists were then socially distancing in a room performing live comedy to nobody but cameramen. They’re brilliant and made it work, and so many people contacted us to say how much it meant to them and enabled them to connect with people they loved across the world watching it. 

But I do always think of that when discussing how we balance live performance with digital, and how we preserve that theatre is a live art form and the beauty of it is the connection that you have in the room.” 

Rufus Norris on how the NT is embedding sustainability into its processes 

“There are three areas to look at: the work you make on stage, the buildings that you make the work within, and touring.  

I’ll talk about making the work. We’re signed up to the Theatre Green Book baseline standard, so from this year onwards, in every show you see on our stage, 50% of it has had a former life and 60% has to have a future life.  

What it comes down to is reusing things, focusing on people instead of stuff, and thinking about it in the beginning of the process.  

Allow it to be a useful restriction – it makes you work earlier and that is never a bad idea. Any of you that have made a theatre show, tell me of a show where you didn’t run out of time… it just what happens. 

I think it makes the production better, because most shows, the simpler they are, the better they are.” 

…And that was just a snippet of the riveting panel discussion! It was followed by networking between the panellists, the National Theatre team and the Creative Access community.  

Thank you to everyone that joined us, we’re taking a short break for the summer and will see you in September. 

Did you know that 89% of people listen to the radio each week? And it’s a growing sector with podcasts and smart speakers rapidly gaining in popularity. In our latest masterclass, we headed up to the BBC MediaCity offices in sunny Salford to dive into the world of audio, hearing all about the wealth of roles on offer and the skills you need to succeed in the industry!  

Panel: 

  • Dean McCullough (host) – radio presenter, BBC Radio 1 
  • Priya Matharu- assistant producer, Hits Radio  
  • Rohan Sethi – producer, BBC Sport (Creative Access alumni)  
  • Rebecca Gaskell – head of production, Reform Radio  

First things first: How do you get in? 

Our panelists all stressed that the best place to start is by gaining some experience though community or student radio, after all, this is how they all cut their teeth in the industry!  

For Rebecca and Priya, they both fell in love with radio at university. Whereas Rohan had been volunteering at community radio from the age of 14 before he broke into the industry via a Creative Access internship, and Dean has been a presenter everywhere from Riverside Radio in London to Gaydio in Manchester.  

Priya’s biggest tip is to always follow up with any connections you make. She works at Hits Radio’ local breakfast shows across the West Midlands, Staffordshire and Cheshire and has covered on BBC West Midlands and BBC Radio 1. Her route into her job at Bauer (Hits’ parent company) came after taking part in Kiss Summer School, when she contacted the person who ran the summer school and said, “I’m based in Birmingham, do you have any roles coming up in the area?” and they had positions at Hits. Priya assured our audience: “There’s no harm in asking – the answer is always no if you don’t ask”. 

Dean couldn’t agree more explaining that he literally knocked on the door of Gaydio’s offices when he first moved to Manchester in 2018 whilst in the building to meet a friend working on a different floor. He told our audience that if you are going to try this method, make sure you research before you approach the organisation, but ultimately, he said the most important thing is to: “Believe that you deserve to be sat at that table” 

What key skills do I need? 

Rohan is currently a producer at BBC Sport but has worked in different departments at BBC, including 1xtra, since he started as a Creative Access intern at Five Live in 2015. He loves his job because it’s so varied, telling us that just a couple of weeks ago he was in Saudi Arabia at the Fury vs Usyk on the ground chasing current and former boxers getting social media content. His focus has always been on social media and the digital world and advised our audience to think about what their strengths are when pursuing a career in radio; “There’s so many more jobs than just presenters and producers and you can always switch once you’ve got your foot in your door”. 

Dean echoes this point and tells our audience that his boss and current head of Radio 1, Aled Haydn Jones, started out as the tea boy for Chris Moyles!  

Speaking with over 15 years’ experience in specialist radio, Rebecca said that what really matters is that the employer can see you’re trying to build these skills versus necessarily having direct radio production experience. She said: “You want evidence that people are dedicated and have demonstrable experience in content creation, even if it’s making Instagram videos, it shows me they can edit and they can tell a story – both of which are transferable skills” 

Priya also added that there’s a misconception that you must be ‘naturally creative’ to work in the creative industries, “it’s a learnt skill!”. She said nowadays it’s easier than ever to learn the skills you need to be a producer. You can literally use your mobile phone to record and edit a radio show, or practice editing on TikTok, she advised.  

What’s something no one tells you about the industry? 

With news dropping recently that only 8% of people working in TV, film & radio are from working-class backgrounds, our audience were keenly aware of how tough it is right now to break into the industry if you’re from an under-represented background. Our panelists were honest about their own struggles juggling full-time paid work and volunteering at community radio stations to gain experience. Whilst breaking into and succeeding in the radio industry takes hard work, our panelists all agreed that it’s worth it once you get there and there are creative ways to navigate the more difficult parts of the industry. 

Rohan had a word of warning about short-term contacts, which are really common in the media industry. He said personally he hadn’t been expecting that when he started out, but on a positive note he said, “it did force me into other jobs and now my CV is so varied.” He recommended to always apply for jobs before your current contract has finished and said that you can learn so much from interviews, so don’t be afraid to put yourself out there and apply.  

And because the industry is competitive, it pays to be kind to your colleagues! Priya emphasised that radio is a small world explaining that someone she knew from student radio is now in the office at Hits with her. Dean told our audience: “Make friends with the production team and editors as they’re going to help you get your next job!”.  

Rebecca chimed in from the perspective of working at the independent Reform Radio: “Indies are on tight budget sand don’t have loads of time to look for new people. So, if you’re there sticking your hand up a lot and saying you can help that’s going to get you a shift and then, hopefully, more regular work”.  

Priya also had an amazing tip for anyone who’s feeling frustrated during the job hunt. She told our audience write down all your achievements so “you can reflect whenever you feel down or like you’ve not achieved enough, and you’ll realise you’ve actually done so much”.  

Why is diversity so important for the future of audio? 

All of our panel are based outside London and it felt fitting to emphasise to our audience in Salford that this a really exciting time for the audio industry across the UK and there are some incredible opportunities in other cities like Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds. Dean wanted our audience to know that “you don’t have to move to London… it’s not the be all and end all”.  

While regional and accent representation was certainly on the agenda for a panel, they also told us why it’s so vital to make audio more diverse and inclusive of different audiences. Rohan summed it perfectly: “The mainstream needs diverse content because diverse content is authentic and entertaining. It’s lacking in mainstream but isn’t lacking on social media. The content is stronger if you’ve got a diverse team… So, back yourself if you’re going into these rooms, they need you!” 

Meanwhile, Priya said that whilst there’s currently not enough South Asian voices on air and behind-the-scenes, she’s hopeful that change is coming. She said: “You go where you feel seen… if you’re not reflecting, you’re cutting out a big portion of listeners. The big thing with radio is to think about how you can be real and engage new listeners”.  

For Dean being a white gay man on radio, he’s aware of his privilege but said it’s his mission to ‘uplift other folk in my community that really need it’.  

All of our panel wanted to express to our audience that they deserve to feel confident about their careers and encouraged them to harness their unique skills and experiences. Rebecca ended the conversation by explaining: “The next generation of people coming through are going to shape the future of radio, I’m absolutely listening to what young people have to say so don’t be afraid to tell us what you think”.  

A massive thank you goes to our amazing panel for all their honesty and insights into navigating the world of radio! And of course, a big shout out goes to BBC and Radiocentre for hosting us and our audience in Salford for being so engaged and bringing such great questions and stories to the conversation.  

Keep your eyes peeled on our opportunities board for our next masterclass! 

For May’s masterclass, we visited the book-lined London offices of Pan Macmillan, tucked away down a charming side street of Farringdon. Pan Macmillan is the publisher responsible for literary works by the likes of Tennyson, Hardy, H.G. Wells, and contemporaries such as Adeyemi and Donaldson. Unveiling the innerworkings of publishing and how to get into the industry was top of the agenda for our incredible panel featuring professionals from Pan Macmillan who shared their career journeys and advice. We learnt about the realities of their roles, the importance of persistence in forging a path in publishing, and the biggest mistake you can make when writing an application.   

Meet our panel 

Chaired by Ella Darlington, head of comms & marketing, Creative Access 

Andy Joannou, audience development director 

When the breadwinner in Andy’s family was no longer in the picture, he was 17 and needed a job – fast. Andy skipped university and went straight into the working world in magazine publishing. He shared how his early experience as a community manager there – before the age of social media – helped him develop crucial people skills. “People are scared of the digital sphere, they don’t understand it or are frightened of it. Sitting people down and explaining the reason why we do something or the benefit of it is crucial,” Andy explained. His role now involves overseeing Pan Macmillan’s digital media, ensuring their books reach as many hands as possible. 

Samia Gundkalli, CA alumni and editor (Macmillan Children’s Books) 

With a history degree and initial aspirations for journalism, Samia found her way into publishing through a Creative Access internship at Society of Authors. Now, she develops novelty books for children aged 0-5, from ideation to print. She’s noticed a major shift in right direction of representation in recent years: “Part of the reason that I’m in this industry is because I wanted to make the books I didn’t have growing up. Books from creators of colour that explores race and culture, and looking ahead, the goal is for people to just be writing their own stories.” 

Laura Marlow, senior audio editor 

Laura shared her journey from a third-year student at Goldsmiths to her current role. It was the initial setback of not securing an editorial assistant position (the most in demand of all the divisions), that led her to finding a place in the audio department. “I advise being as open-minded as possible because there are so many areas of publishing,” Laura noted. Her daily tasks include casting and production for audiobooks, one of the fastest growing parts of publishing, and a great way to meet stars like Olivia Coleman and Bill Nye.  

How to stand out in the application process 

All three panellists offered their experience and valuable advice on making your application stand out in such a competitive industry, and we heard what the red and green flags in an application are! 

Number one red flag? Andy cautioned against using ChatGPT for writing applications. “No.1, don’t use ChatGPT. We can read straight through it; it doesn’t convey the sense of passion and desire to work here,” he said. Instead, he named his green flag; applicants showcasing their love for books in their cover letters. 

Laura highlighted the importance of transferable skills over direct publishing experience: “I’m more interested in your transferable skills, whether that be running a university newsletter or working in hospitality. Make your application really specific for the role, because it stands out when a candidate has put a lot of effort into it.” 

Samia advised applicants to let their personality shine through: “Don’t be afraid to put your personality into your cover letter. Publishing is a really fun place to be, so put your sense of humour and self into it.”  

Leveraging networks  

Networking and mentorship were two key points brought up when discussing how individuals can advance their publishing career.  

Samia emphasised the value of mentorship, recounting her own positive experience with a mentor assigned through Creative Access: “Find your personal cheerleaders. I really valued having a mentor and I still remember the advice she gave me”. 

Andy pointed out the importance of asking questions and building a network: “The industry is not very transparent, and there’s lots of acronyms and confusing terms, so asking questions is crucial. I’m in a lot of Facebook groups of people that want to enter publishing and you can ask questions that way”, he shared. 

Laura echoed this, noting that chance conversations at events significantly contributed to her career progression: “Building your network at events, that’s how I progressed.”  

There’s a world outside of editorial! 

“The dream is always to be in editorial, it’s the most in-demand. But don’t be tied to one particular team. If you have skills in audio, sales, marketing, use those to get your foot in the door”, Andy advised.  

Samia agreed, telling the audience about colleagues who had side-stepped in the publishing industry having tried sales or rights and moved laterally to editorial or marketing. If you want insight into what someone’s role is like, Samia said: “Don’t be afraid to reach out to someone already in that role and ask for a coffee.” 

Laura pointed out that audio production often intersects with other fields, such as music and sound editing. “Look at what skills you can bring to the business that someone might not have if they’re already in,” she recommended. 

The impact of digital and social media 

In recent years, technological change has altered the publishing industry forever; with BookTok and audiobooks on Spotify we’re observing the power that digital has to dramatically boost sales of books and whole genres. What does our panel have to say about this transformative digital age and the publishing industry? 

Laura’s particularly excited about the potential changes in the audio market with platforms like Spotify entering the publishing space: “It’s going to change a lot of things in audio and open up audiobooks to non-traditional book buyers… The experience of listening to an author or celebrity reading their own book is a separate experience to reading it. Both here in-house and industry is very excited about it.” 

Andy described how social media channels are used to test marketing strategies and reach broader audiences. “We can test shout lines on social media. I don’t think anyone can question the impact of digital when there’s BookTok. TikTok has helped people that were always there find their voice,” he said. 

Wow! Another successful masterclass! We couldn’t have done without the fantastic team at Pan Macmillan and our amazing community, who asked brilliant questions and networked after. See you at the next one! 

In our latest masterclass, we were joined by a panel of three talented writers from our own alumni community who have pursued different types of careers across the creative industries. From journalists to screenwriters to novelists and copywriters for advertising campaigns, here’s what they had to say about navigating a writing career and finding your voice…  

The panel: 

  • Aniefiok ‘Neef’ Ekpoudom, a freelance writer & storyteller who has just released his first book, ‘Where We Come From: Rap, Home and Hope in Modern Britain’ 
  • Isabella Silvers, a freelance lifestyle journalist who has written for the likes of Cosmo, Elle, Women’s Health and Digital Spy 
  • Katrina Smith-Jackson, screenwriter and lecturer, who has written for Hollyoaks and Waterloo Road and is also part of the Regional Breakthrough Writers programme 

How do you find potential writing opportunities? 

“Be discerning and set intention about what kind of writer you want to be” – Neef 

Izzy who, alongside freelance writing, writes her own newsletter Mixed Messages, emphasised that you have to be proactive: “You need to actively put yourself in those places”. You can use social media to your advantage and join Facebook groups such as No. 1 Female Media Women and Lightbulb; follow commissioning editors on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram; sign up to Sian Meades’ & Jem Collins newsletters; and use platforms like JournoResources. Following on from this, Izzy said “I post a lot about what I’m doing because you never know who’s looking.” But her top piece of advice? “Aim for rejection – if you aim for one ‘no’ a week, at least you’re putting yourself out there, and one day that ‘no’ will be a ‘yes’.” 

For Neef, it’s all about being intentional from the outset. He told our audience to think about: What kind of opportunities do you want? What are you looking to write about and where do you want to write it, and what style do you want to write it in? What editors and places can help you best communicate what you want to write? He recommends checking out the landscape first and to read *a lot* to “find the places your work can exist in”.  

Neef also told our audience: “Don’t be afraid to be annoying! I emailed The Guardian every week to follow up on a pitch and about 3 months later, an opportunity to interview came about from it. It’s never personal if someone hasn’t responded right away, they’ve probably just received 100 emails that day. So be persistent”. This persistence is vital and Neef also recommends emailing your favourite writers to ask them for advice on landing a piece; they might even introduce you to the editor! 

As a scriptwriter, Katrina mainly finds her opportunities through her agent, but prior to that she echoes Izzy’s recommendation of being active on social media. She often finds opportunities via WhatsApp groups like Black Women in Scripted and the Creative Access TV groups, and especially on X (formerly Twitter),but, she said, you have to be following the right people! Because so much of the industry and finding work is from word of mouth, Katrina explained it’s vital to make short films or web series to get your name out there: “It’s about connections. When people know your name, they’re going to bring it into the room”.  

On freelancing 

“Be annoying, chase up and follow up on all the recent connections you’ve made and see what projects they’re working on and if they have any work going.” – Katrina 

We all know that freelancing right now is especially tough, however within the media, TV and writing industries freelancing is a career choice that you often can’t escape. And while our panel have varying levels of experience in full-time freelancing, they have all been doing it long enough to have picked up some valuable tips for others as they navigate the world of self-employment.  

Izzy is a full-time freelancer as of six weeks ago, having worked in branded content at Hearst for eight years alongside freelance journalism. Branded content wasn’t the route she thought her career was going to take, she knew that she’d be working with the editors at Hearst Magazines such as Cosmo and Elle and her attitude was to “take the opportunity as you never know what you’re going to get”. She did her job part-time alongside freelance journalism to satisfy her creative side and explains that going full-time freelance wasn’t like “jumping off a cliff” because she’s been planning it for two and a half years.  

Whilst Izzy planned her jump, Neef decided to go freelance on a whim. However, he did advise that people should analyse their situation and see what needs to be covered first; for him he was living at home and was able to take the risk. “It’s difficult to make all of your money just via journalism”, Neef said and explained that he does a lot of work to supplement the book writing and his journalism, such as working with agencies writing on campaigns for the likes of Nike and Adidas. He shouts out his Creative Access internship at The Marketing Store for introducing him to agency land. He continued, “Doing other work gives me the freedom to write what I want to write about rather than having to write about everything anything”.  

With this, Neef suggested: “Don’t feel like all your income has to come from freelance writing, often it involves doing other work on the side.” Our panel wanted to reassure aspiring writers that lots of people do work that’s completely unrelated to writing to supplement their creative work and that it’s important to keep hold of your dream and your reasons for writing.  

Katrina continued the conversation by telling our audience: “We all have rent and bills to pay” so it’s best to get prepared before you make the jump She said that while you’re never ready, you can assess your situation, which may involve working a salaried job and saving a few years to get into the right financial position to make the leap. This financial cushion can also prepare you for low commissioning months. Katrina also emphasised that you have to remember why you’re pursuing writing as a career; “always hold on to why you’re doing what you’re doing, I know there’s nothing else I’d rather do than writing.”  

How to stay motivated 

“Find your people who can be there for you” – Izzy 

On the theme of staying motivated, our panel had some incredible practical advice on structures and routines that keep them going. Having reached out to the author Paul Canter for advice, Neef was told take time out of his day and copy inspiring writing into a word document. He explained that this process “gets you used to technical details that you’ll almost absorb the practices through osmosis”. And the proof that it improves your writing is there: “I did this every day and within 6 months, my writing shot up to a different level. This helps a lot with writer’s block; once you get into a routine with writing it almost becomes like a faucet of a tap that you can turn on and off.” 

Katrina suggested that you need to find out how you work best whether that’s your work environment or the time of day where you produce your best work. For her, distractions become too much in her flat, so she heads to her local library. For other people it might be a cafe or working with a friend. She also made clear the importance of a balance between ‘work and play’: “If I work on a script all week, I’ll be miserable. I have to find time to see a friend for lunch or go to the cinema.” 

For Izzy, staying motivated is all about having a clear vision with good people around you to pick you up when rejections happen. She says that she can visualise her book on the shelves of Waterstones and has broken down the steps she needs to get there. In moments of feeling frustrated that things aren’t moving quickly enough in your career, she recommended that the audience “keep hold of any moments of praise and be proud of yourself, even just by going to events like this, you’re taking more steps than others might.” 

For even more pearls of wisdom from our panel, watch the masterclass in full: 

Thanks so much to Izzy, Neef and Katrina for joining us and sharing their stellar advice and a big thanks also to our audience for being so engaged and asking brilliant questions! Keep your eyes peeled on our opportunities board for our next masterclass. 

Have you ever wondered who chooses the music for Love Island or how an artist gets noticed by A&R? Or how you could jump from a career in accountancy to looking after new business and strategy in music? Creative Access found out just that as it joined forces with Warner Music Group for its latest masterclass, delving into the dynamic careers available and sharing advice on how to navigate the music industry maze. 

Spanning recorded music, music publishing and artist services, Warner Music Group is a global entertainment powerhouse representing artists and songwriters including Burna Boy, Fred Again, Mahalia, Dua Lipa and many, many more. Beneath the white-tiled wall which replicated the Pink Floyd’s iconic ‘The Wall’ album cover, was a stellar line-up of speakers from across the business whose expertise covers areas including A&R (artist & repertoire), sync (more on that below), business development and marketing. They shared what’s involved in nurturing musical talent, why going viral on TikTok doesn’t mean everything, and the variety of ways you can kickstart your career in the music industry! 

Panel: 

  • Marcia Fray (chair) – head of diversity, equity and inclusion for EMEA and Emerging Markets at Warner Music Group 
  • Wuraola Atanda – creative & licensing executive at Warner Chappell Music 
  • Josh Gunston – junior marketing manager (dance marketing) 
  • Renee Weeks Wilson – senior manager, new business & strategy, Emerging Markets 
  • Susie Woodridge – A&R manager, international at Warner Chappell Music 

Making waves: charting your career path in the industry 

Renee, senior manager in new business and strategy, always wanted to work in the music industry. Her first role in the business was as a chartered account, but she wanted to move on from this technical role into a commercial role. Her top tip for those wanting to move from one area to another: build organic relationships across the business whenever you have the chance. In her previous role, she managed the finances of a colleague who is now her line manager. She mentioned that professionally nurturing relationships like that one meant when an opportunity arose, she had an established relationship to build upon. 

Dance marketing manager Josh didn’t get any accepted onto any internships when he applied, but that didn’t stop him from taking matters into his own hands. He emphasised the importance of starting your own projects to gain experience – starting his own record label – and suggests that whether it’s an events night, a label on SoundCloud, or working with an artist around you, it’s much easier walking into a company like Warner Music with experience under your belt that you have cultivated than none at all. He honed his administrative skills (he mentions spreadsheets and Canva) whilst running the label, which caught the attention of Warner years later; “I can’t do Photoshop for instance, but I will find a way to do everything that is done on it another way, using some other platform.” 

Creative & licensing executive Wuraola studied at Guildhall School of Music and Drama and similarly advised getting out there and networking in industry spaces (music events, friends’ gigs, etc.). For International A&R manager Susie, music wasn’t always the plan as she completed a biology degree, but she worked her way up from a temp contract in the royalties department, then called ADA, to her role now where she works with producers, artists and writers.  

TIP: Panellists also recommended reading Music Week and Music Business Worldwide for both opportunities and information to stay up-to-date on the industry! 

Mixing it up: exploring diverse roles  

Our brilliant chair, Marcia, tells the audience that there’s a huge variety of roles which scaffold the music industry as we know it. You can’t have companies like Warner without departments such as sync, A&R, communications, HR, rights management, marketing, finance, and many more. So, if you’re keen to work in the music industry, familiarise yourself with the different departments and see what your skills align to.  

Renee is in the emerging markets team and is a key player in the deal-making process across A&R and mergers & acquisitions. The dynamic emerging markets team covers Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East and North Africa, the Indian subcontinent, the Eastern Mediterranean and Eastern Europe. Our masterclass audience was captivated as Renee discussed how markets have changed in recent years, citing Nigeria and India as countries with huge revenue growth and a rise in domestic artists: “Nigeria was listening to a lot of US hip-hop years ago, but now there’s a lot of artists coming out of Nigeria itself and we’re seeing huge growth…India is set to have one of the most amount of annual streams soon, where the growth outpaces Anglo markets.” 

Wuraola works in sync, pitching music for TV and film. She usually gets a brief, which could be ‘songs from 1982-1985 with XYZ mood and length’. On her first day, she found out she would be working on Love Island, and she highlighted having secured so much music on there as a huge achievement, particularly as she placed so many artists that needed exposure on there.  

Key notes: how to stand out as an artist 

The artists in the room paid close attention to the advice given by Warner’s A&R Susie, who said she’s looking for qualities in an artist which naturally stand out, a kind of uniqueness and authenticity that an A&R team can sense. How to do the impossible? She advises finding your creative vision because “it stands out when you don’t have one [for the wrong reasons], and it stands out [for the right ones] when you do”. She also points out that both an artist’s ‘data’ and attitude as important; ideally there’s data that backs up their engagement (trending sounds on TikTok, reel views) and a defiant spirit which makes an A&R person think,“are they willing to work really hard for this?”. 

Unlike Susie, whose job it is to find the next big artist, marketing manager Josh helps get an artist noticed. Whether it’s through elevating their online presence on social media or engaging the public through events and collaborations, Josh thinks artists should focus on generating an authentic, sustainable fanbase. The last time Creative Access visited Warner Music Group, TikTok was somewhat shiny and new and on the tip of everyone’s tongue, but Josh now takes it with a pinch of salt: “An artist will go viral, or blow up, then you’ll sign them and work with them, and sometimes that’s the end of the artist. Who’s your audience? Who are your fans? What are you building here? It’s more exciting when an artist comes in and they’ve got heat, real engagement – albeit 1k or 5k followers. We’ve seen people come in from the TikTok wave, and they’ve almost gotten viral too early, because they’ve blown up overnight before building a solid fan base. Someone goes viral, you go to their gig, and they’ve only got 4 fans and a load of A&R people.” 

Breaking barriers: best pieces of advice from panellists  

Wuraola: Trust the process. You may feel like you’re not where you want to be but trust that you’ll be where you want to be if it’s your passion. It’s important to have teams of people that want the same thing and bounce off of that. It’s not easy to land a role in the music industry, it can takes years and years so go to other people going through the same thing. 

Susie: Have patience because everything is a journey and you learn so much along it. Everything I did from my biology degree to working in royalties – all my experiences added up to what I’m doing now. 

Renee: Hone in on your skillset and what can set you apart, know your strengths and sell them the best you can. There’s a place for you somewhere in the building. 

Josh: I could get quite worked up if something went wrong at work, and my manager always said to me: “We’re not saving lives.” I wish I had learnt that 9 years ago! 

The evening continued with drinks, snacks, and networking. Thank you so much to Warner Music Group for hosting us and sharing so much with our community. And, thank you to everyone from our amazing community who attended – see you next time! 

Interested in attending our next masterclass? You can sign up to our opportunities board to spot upcoming industry events and read our back catalogue of masterclass events. 

The Creative Access team travelled to Bristol last week for our creative industries showcase, hosted by the BBC Natural History Unit at BBC Studios, to highlight all the creativity and exciting roles on offer in the area. We were joined by a panel spanning curation, TV, animation, publishing, theatre and PR who demystified the sectors they worked in, offering up their advice for our audience on how to break in. 

Lorna Harrington, senior designer at Aardman Animations 

Senior designer Lorna knows how disheartening rejection can be when you’re first starting out. Whilst now she’s at her ‘dream workplace’ and her day-to-day looks like creating Shaun the Sheep pyjamas for a high street brand to designing posters for Aardman Animations movies, it wasn’t always the case. She had a tough time finding a role post-university as an illustrator but didn’t give up: she decided instead to teach herself Photoshop and go down the designer route.  

“Don’t give up and keep trying. If you’re a designer or filmmaker or photographer, don’t get disheartened and feel pressured by other people’s successes. Make sure you present yourself online and shout about your work so that people notice you”  

Lorna stressed to our community that whilst it’s easy to compare yourself to friends and peers who seem like they have the ‘dream’ job and you haven’t got there yet, to keep trying. For any budding designers, she says that even things like designing a super creative CV can be what makes you stand out for the crowd, and in fact, this is what she cites as helping her get the job at Aardman.  

“Use free online websites like SquareSpace which is easy and cheap. I think Instagram profiles are a great way to display your work too. It doesn’t have to be this big thing; it doesn’t matter if it gets one like, it’s important to get it out there and you have something to show” 

Saphia Abrahamovitch-Venner assistant curator at Spike Island 

Like Lorna, Saphia also studied illustration, however became interested in collaborative work whilst helping organise exhibitions during her degree and realised that’s what she wanted to do. Saphia completed an internship at Bow Arts and Christies via Creative Access in 2018. She explains that “being able to talk about curation because of my projects at university helped me get my first gallery roles”.  

So, what does a curator do? Saphia’s work at international contemporary art centre, Spike Island, involves everything from coordinating the centre’s artist development programmes to curating public workshops. She explains that traditionally a curator at an art gallery or museum would have a specialist knowledge of a particular era or art movement, however in contemporary visual arts spaces, the job is quite similar to producer roles in other arts organisations.  

“Curation takes commitment and patience – it’s quite common to be in a more junior role for a long time e.g. 5 years before you become a senior curator. So, keep patience and focus. Attend training and develop your skills to prepare you for the next level.” 

Saphia says that it’s a very hands-on role where she facilitates about four events a month both in person and online. She loves the practicality of working with artists and producing events combined with the administrative jobs that go alongside it.  

Her advice for our audience is that unfortunately, a lot of jobs will come through someone you know, so make sure to develop your networks!   

Zulekhá Afzal, assistant editor at Baskerville, John Murray Press, Hachette UK 

Zulekhá has been working at the crime and thriller publisher behind authors like Mick Heron, Natalie Marlow and Rose Wiling for two years now – ever since Hachette opened its Bristol office.  

Although Zulekhá really wanted to get into publishing, she struggled to find a book publishing role in the South-West (although she does say there’s lots of cool magazine publishing opportunities in the region!). So, she worked in marketing for eight years instead, however when she saw that Hachette was opening offices across the UK, she said she ‘basically refreshed the page for a year’ waiting for a role to come up… and it did! 

But how did she manage to switch careers and make herself stand out in an industry she hadn’t worked in before? Zulekhá said relying on her transferrable skills was key. Because the imprint was new, it was operating like a start-up, she used the fact she’d worked in lots of small companies before to show she worked well in these environments.  

This ability to work on multiple projects across a small team clearly came in handy as in her role as assistant editor, Zulekhá liaises with both author and agent and the book going to print, as well as provides copywriting, editing and proof-reading, she also helps out with social media, drawing on her existing experience in this area. She also tells our community to consider roles other than their ‘dream job’, for example if you want to be an editor, you could look at marketing and publicity roles in publishing as well. 

Here’s her advice for any publishing hopefuls in the South-West: 

“Put yourself out there. One thing I struggled with was finding internships. But Bath has wonderful festivals that you can volunteer at and flex that muscle, network and communicate with people in the industry you’re interested in.” 

Chase Mnatzaganian, assistant producer at BBC Natural History Unit  

Fellow Creative Access alumni Chase starts off by telling our audience, “I always say my career began in my grandma’s garden when I was 10 just filming everything that moved, including my cousins impersonating Steve Irwin.” Despite the long-time passion Chase had for documenting animals and nature, they never thought they could do it as a job because firstly they didn’t know anyone who actually had that job and secondly, they never saw themselves on TV in those roles.  

Chase ended up doing a zoology degree instead and whilst doing an MA, they started researching into roles in the TV industry. This is where they found Creative Access who they cite as “demystifying all the different role available in TV, making me realise it wasn’t just camera operators.”  

“Be yourself. I don’t mean that in the cliché way. It’s important to know what your skills are and bring them to the table. I’ve not done any formal camera training but my creativity came out a lot more in writing stories and drawing storyboards. Sometimes the skills you don’t think are important, turn out to the be the most useful even if it’s totally different.” 

Chase started at BBC Natural History Unit at Springwatch in 2017 via Creative Access and hasn’t left since. Assistant producers, they explain, does a bit of everything. From beginning of production, to calling scientists and thinking about what stories will be compelling, to working out how the story can be brought to life, right through to budgets and how you can bring it to the screen. From there, you work with logistics and safety teams and even help out directing on location. Because animals can do anything, and the storyline may have to change, Chase says that you have to make dynamic decisions: “Producing on location is 90% problem-solving.”  

Chase was also keen to reassure our community that TV & film is slower at the moment, but it won’t be forever; it’s good to be aware of so that you don’t feel disappointed if you’re not getting a role as quickly as you think you should. But for any aspiring wildlife filmmakers or producers, one positive is that more and more streamers and platforms want to make natural history content!  

Sunita Ramani, account manager at Greenhouse Communications 

“I really didn’t know I wanted to do this before I did this – if that’s you that’s ok, you will find something you love even if you don’t know what it is you’re looking for” 

Like Chase, Sunita was always passionate about the environment however didn’t think that the climate space was something she could build a career in. However, she cites Creative Access as a ‘gamechanger’ for introducing her to an internship at her current company, environmental agency Greenhouse Communications. 

At university, Sunita did lots of climate activism, however graduating into the pandemic meant frantically looking for jobs in an unstable market and applying for everything. Having done lots of part-time admin work throughout her time at university, she secured an admin assistant traineeship at Greenhouse Communications through Creative Access and from there became an account exec and has worked her way up over the past three years to now. She says: 

“Be open to not the exact role you’re looking for. Through working in the admin side, I got to work with everyone and met everyone on the team. By the time I came to the comms role, I had a thorough understanding of how the company worked.” 

A day-to-day role in PR and communications can involve creating media lists, writing press releases, pitching stories to journalists, drafting social posts, supporting with the website and managing client relationships. Sunita’s key tip for breaking into the world of PR and comms is to research the company you’re applying for! She says even if they don’t ask in the interview about your thoughts on their client list or their company ethos, you can use this information as a chance to shine and ask them.  

Nancy Medina, artistic director at Bristol Old Vic 

Our final and most experienced member of our panel Nancy shared the story of how she became artistic director at Bristol Old Vic and had some incredible tips for anyone in the theatre space and the arts more broadly. Hailing from New York, Nancy is from a first-generation family from Dominican Republic. Although she didn’t come from a family that went to the theatre, growing up in New York there was so much art and funding for young people to access theatre which resulted in her joining a youth theatre group in high school where she learnt her craft.  

Nancy was clear to tell her audience that, although she loved theatre because it allowed her a vehicle for her thoughts, she didn’t have network available to her to study theatre and further on, couldn’t pursue theatre a full-time as a full-time career. She worked many jobs such as bartending to make a living and prop up her theatre projects over the years.  

Nancy moved to Bristol and learning about the cultural landscape of theatre in the UK. Despite not feeling academic, Nancy went on to gain an MA in theatre directing. As an older student who had children, she says she was laser focused on her degree. She said: “I realised I know how to tell stories but I lacked the sophisticated vocabulary. But this was a good thing to know – that my intuition was right but it’s helpful to have the academic lens to use when I need it. Nancy explained that the MA opened up the door to finding opportunities, awards and grants, and networking programmes. 

“Remember: no one can set the value of your work. For artists, it’s messy because our identity is so tied to our work. I try to remember that the system I’m operating in wasn’t designed for me so where are my entry points and how can I bring value?” 

Nancy was balancing directing at lots of theatres in London and teaching theatre direction in Bristol when her current role came up at the Bristol. At first she didn’t want to apply however after some encouragement from friends in the theatre world she did. Her role is split between artistic director and joint CEO. As artistic director she takes care of the theatre’s programme, oversees the engagement work it does, as well as creates partnerships in the city as well as across other regions. As CEO, however, her role is more taking care of the day-to-day finances and strategising the theatre’s output and future. 

She says that she thinks a lot about pathways, explaining ‘mine has been such a long and winding road – how can I help that become easier for people?’. 

Register now with Creative Access to find out about exclusive events and opportunities in the creative industries. 

We were delighted to join ITV Academy at ITV’s White City space to hear from a panel working across the world of TV production, from editorial to production management, working in both scripted and unscripted, as well as two seasoned Creative Access ITV alumni sharing their insights.  

Our panel: 

  • Amrit Kaur Bassi, social purpose manager at ITV (chair) – Creative Access alumni 
  • Modupe Aluko, post-production manager at Potato 
  • Verina Burt, head of news features at Good Morning Britain 
  • Kishan Koria, editor of Peston at Multistory Media – Creative Access alumni 
  • Sophia MacKay, production manager, Scripted at ITV Studios 

Here’s what we learnt… 

“No two days are the same” 

With live TV, things can change whilst on air. This is something Verina knows all too well: with 25 years experience and having worked her way up doing all sorts of production roles, she now runs the team who organise the daily debates, producing the participants, as well as big campaigns and national surveys at Good Morning Britain. Verina said everything is reactive to what’s in the papers that day – you must think on your feet and adapt to what’s happening in the world around you.  

This is something Kishan, who started off as an intern on Peston seven years ago via Creative Access and has been there ever since, agrees with. As editor he works out who’s on the programme and how the show runs, as well as being in the ear of the presenter.  

He explained that things change a lot, despite Peston being one-hour long ep a week and said that the biggest change he experienced whilst on air changing the format of the show was when the Capitol was stormed in 2022. He told the audience that keeping the format fresh is key: “If you want to make good current affairs TV you need to move with what’s happening, so it feels live.” 

Fellow Creative Access alumni Amrit also started off as a trainee at ITV in the social purpose team and is now a manager in the department. She works internally and externally supporting ITV’s missions around mental well-being, diversity, equity and sustainability, and helping the next generation of TV talent. She said: “I find it so difficult to describe my job because it’s so varied”.  

Meanwhile, Sophia explained that because her role is an overview, she is involved at every stage: doing everything right from the beginning such analysing the viability of a production (whether it can even be made), to pre-production, script breakdown, helping the team crew up and liaising with all the in-house teams. She then supports the team on the ground during the shoot and supports a smooth transition into postproduction, and even organises press screenings.

The main differences between scripted and unscripted  

Sophia, having worked across both areas, says essentially the script means that there’s actors, bigger budgets and longer schedules as well as planned sequences (versus impromptu scenes that happen in unscripted).  

Although there are also ‘loose’ scripts in unscripted TV… Modupe, who works mostly on The Chase, told us that the researchers dig into the contestants’ interests and backgrounds and relay this to Bradley Walsh so he can build a rapport. So, in unscripted, the script tends to act as a way to lay down the basics for natural conversations to unfold.  

Sophia recommends that if you want to make the crossover from scipted into unscripted you shoudl try and upskill and learn about concepts such as screenwriting and lighting techniques. 

Passion is everything!  

If you’re interested in TV, you probably know by now that it often requires long days. Modupe explains that as a production manager “you’re the first to be there and you’re the first to leave” and that you’re often the person everyone across the team comes to for help. Modupe said that she tends to record 3 shows a day, starting very early and finishing quite late.  

However, Modupe explains that her love of organisation means the long hours are “very rewarding” and she was keen to tell the audience that you do get that time back. She recommends that people wanting to break into TV utilise their transferable skills and passions to help them find what they want to specialise in.  

Kishan said: “Nothing is more important than love of the area you want to cover”. He explained that it’s difficult for people to respond well to a programme if the people behind-the-scenes making that programme don’t love the subject matter, continuing that all his team are politics-obsessed. 

TV is a fast-paced environment and mistakes can happen. Kishan says your team is there for you to rely on when things go wrong, or you need help: “The key thing is to know you’re part of a team – there’s meant to be a support system in place. The worst thing is to cover it up, the best thing you can do is talk to your team and ask them how you can fix it.” 

As always, we asked our panel… 

What’s the one bit of advice you would give to someone starting out? 

Verina: “It’s such a varied career, don’t be afraid if you don’t know what path to take yet. It’s never too late to change direction. 

Use your transferable skills, career paths are changing whether you’ve got a degree or not doesn’t hinder you. If you’re really inspired email people and get the name of the show right! Watch the shows you love that you want to work on. You could even create a YouTube or Tik Tok channel to help build experience.” 

Modupe: “There’s only one you. Whatever you like doing – use that! For example, I was the organiser in my family – I didn’t know that skill could mean I’d become a coordinator, find that skill and run with it” 

Kish: “Persistence is key. I’ve never received an email from someone who loves politics and wants to learn about TV and not been really flattered by that. It’s ok to follow up and say ‘hey, sorry if you’re busy can I follow up on this’. It does lead to things, even if it doesn’t lead to a job.”  

Amrit: “Normalise making mistakes!”  

Sophia: “Be proactive – don’t wait until you’re asked to do something. Try and pre-empt what your colleagues need. People will recognise that and think, ‘yes I want them on my next production.’  

Be kind and talk to everyone! Confidence comes with experience so just ask questions. You’ll be surprised what you find out”.

 

Creative Access partnered up with media and publishing giants to deliver the final masterclass of 2023 for our community of creatives. Two back-to-back panels featured industry experts in journalism and publishing working at News UK, HarperCollins UK, Wall Street Journal, Financial News, The Times, The Sun and Dow Jones. They discussed everything from what the future of the creative economy, in particular media production & publishing, will look like, as well as the latest trends, and what these brands are looking for in a candidates’ applications. Keep reading to find out their top tips and stay up-to-date on the latest insights from senior leaders and diverse voices! 

 class=

First panel: The future of the creative industries

Speakers:  

Will Payne, Director of Digital (Editorial) at The Sun  

Shruti Tripathi Chopra, Editor in Chief at Financial News & Private Equity News  

Ken Wilson-Max, Publisher at HarperCollins Children’s Books  

Josie Dobrin (chair), Co-Founder & Executive Chair at Creative Access 

“Anyone who says they know what the industry will look like in a few years time isn’t telling the truth. We are at a significant changing point.”

Will Payne

For those curious about the changing landscape of digital media, journalism, and publishing, this panel hits the spot. The panellists are senior leaders in these industries and navigate topics like AI and diversity every day in their roles. Senior figures in journalism, The Sun’s Will Payne and Financial News’ Shruti Tripathi Chopra, discussed how they are adapting their business strategies to fit the world of news with advancements such as AI rolling in. 

Challenges bring change

Payne predicts that amongst the AI-produced low-quality, high-density content flooding the internet, there will be a growing hunger for high-quality, in-depth content that utilises digital and podcast forms. He also thinks that this gives publishers and writers the opportunity to mark themselves out. An important bit of advice here from the man who essentially deputises The Sun, a newspaper which digitally reaches 25 million readers per month. Chopra said that the strategy at Financial News (which is behind a paywall) is to make their mark by keeping it simple: “Understanding your reader and treating them like a human being, keeping it simple and keeping it interesting”. Her advice for budding journalists is: “Ask ‘How would you explain it to your nan?’ We say it as it is, and I encourage you to always question why you are writing the way you are.”

We touched on the impact of AI on publishing too, with food for thought shared by HarperCollins’ Ken Wilson-Max arguing that there may be blurred lines on the issue of ownership in the future: “Who owns the content if AI created it? And will the audience notice? Or care?”

The future of publishing

For the publishing hopefuls in the room, we were thrilled to have publisher Ken Wilson-Max, who set up Kumusha Books, HarperCollins Children’s Books first imprint. Its globally focused list is a strong mix of inclusive and commercial storytelling from underrepresented voices. 

“I look out and see potential in this audience, and think wow, this is great. When I entered more than thirty years ago this audience wasn’t here in the same way. For every book that has been published, there is an inclusive alternative version waiting to be created. We can find the good stories and retell them.”

Ken Wilson-Max

How does Wilson-Max make sure the books he publishes are reflective of his readers? A brilliant answer on Diversity Equity & Inclusion (DE&I) strategy: “It’s actually not that hard, but it has many steps. You have to treat everyone the same, and really listen. I sell stories to the world, but try to bring stories from around the world. Keep it simple and do it well, repeat, repeat, repeat.”

Tips for candidates in publishing and journalism

 Chopra: Put your hand up, send that email, go talk to people, no one is expecting you to know everything, everyone is winging it. Be relentless about trying. 

Wilson-Max: I would look for someone who is very curious, who could take creative risks, take criticism, and still have a smile on your face and come back tomorrow. Technical skills I’m not so worried about, because the level is high, but the attitude of the person is so important.

Payne: Hardwork and determination always resonate. If you’re prepared to put the hours in, dedicated, and creative. A creative spark will set you apart. 

Second panel: Starting your career in the creative industries

 class=

In this panel, three incredible industry professionals answered burning questions all about how to kickstart your career with top tips galore. Khurana entered publishing via an advertising apprenticeship and emphasised the transferable skills between these two industries (take note career switchers!), Mukuru was a business journalist in Kenya and came to the UK to study finance journalism, and Khalique-Loonat got in through a graduate scheme having been inspired by some inaccurate sports analysis he saw on TV.

Speakers:  

Hamzah Khalique-Loonat, Football reporter at The Times and The Sunday Times  

Simran Khurana, Senior Sales and Marketing Executive at HarperCollins   

Miriam Mukuru, Reporter, Credit Markets at The Wall Street Journal  

Advice for starting out

“You sort of apply for the first few, and get rejected. Then you apply for some more and hmmm, don’t worry. Apply for some more, but it seems personal now. But you sometimes just need a little luck, so persevering is key. Brilliant people can spend a long time looking, but if you persevere you will get it.”

Hamzah Khalique-Loonat

Mukuru: “Don’t aim for perfection. I read a lot of journalists’ work and compare it to my own, and then think ‘I cannot publish this!’ but you have to start somewhere. If you don’t then you’ll have nothing to show when you’re trying to get the internship and they want to see some of your work.”

Khurana: “Research is very important. It can be hard to get your foot in the door, but it’s easy to move around once you’re in. Whether it be editorial, marketing, design, do your research on their websites, as well as Twitter and Facebook groups. Social media is a powerhouse where you can gain experience and see what jobs you can apply for.”

Tips for networking

Khalique-Loonat: “Often when people do internships they will network in a way that’s very formal. We have people join us and the ones that make the biggest impressions usually let themselves be themselves. Networking comes with connotations of formal engagement, but building lasting relationships is through knowing people better so just try to do that.”

Mukuru: “I reached out to journalists virtually a lot, and they really helped and guided me, so I recommend doing that.”

Khurana: “Recruiters often go on TikTok and give advice – honing in on those platforms is key so make sure you’re building a brand for yourself and establishing a social presence.”

Lots of audience questions on career highlights, how to avoid burnout and diversity followed, until the networking session started and LinkedIn search bars were popping off. To make sure you’re signed up with us to hear about the next masterclass in 2024! 

A BIG thank you to our host News UK, alongside Dow Jones and HarperCollins, the brilliant speakers and of course our fantastic community for coming.

Last night, we entered the Publicis Poke offices in Television Centre for a masterclass on all things advertising. Publicis Poke is a 160-person strong ad agency that has worked on campaigns for the likes of Google, Renault and Morrisons.  

Our panel included: 

  • Prianka Ramlugun – strategist 
  • Mollie Milton – strategist 
  • Emma Tacon  – account manager 
  • Khalil Orrett – producer 
  • Kate Bly  – business lead  

Our community were welcomed by Creative Access alumni Prianka, introducing us to Kate who gave an insight into agencies back in the day (think Mad Men, Kate said) versus agencies now (thankfully, there’s much more diversity but there’s still more to be done). Kate talked us through the different departments helping us understand what it’s like to work in strategy, creative, production, and as a business lead.  

We were then lucky to get a behind the scenes look at a case study of their client Tourism Ireland’s ‘Fill Your Heart With Ireland’ campaign. Mollie, Emma and Khalil pulled back the veil on exactly what goes into a high-profile campaign from the level of research needed to help discover the concept, how long pre-production and post-production takes and of course, its delivery (plus then even more research afterwards to see how well the project has worked!). You can see the fruits of their labour in this advert with cast members of Derry Girls here… 

Throughout the masterclass we gained a deep insight into the nitty gritty processes that help make advertising work. However, our panel also made our audience aware of the skills needed to break into the industry and propel careers forward. Here’s the top three things we learnt… 

TIP 1: Embrace your unique experiences 

Many of our panel spoke about their ‘unconventional routes’ into advertising. Out of all the panel, only Mollie studied marketing at university. Khalil actually studied law and worked as lawyer for a couple of years but hated it. He got into advertising via a Bartle Bogle Hegarty scheme which didn’t ask for a CV, experience or a relevant degree, and recommended keeping an eye out for this sort of internship. Khalil also advised our audience to hone your interests outside academia and work; whatever your passion is (doesn’t have to be related to advertising!) can make you stand out from the crowd.  

Kate has also had a ‘squiggly career’, working on and off in advertising for 20 years. In that time, she took 10 years out of the industry to raise her 2 autistic children and work as a wedding florist. She said: “My attitude now is totally different compared to if I’d stayed in advertising – you can use your life experiences to your advantage.” 

Meanwhile, Prianka found her start in advertising via a Creative Access internship at Publicis Poke two years ago. She said she used her history degree to her advantage:  

“The process before getting my internship was horrible as I graduated and then it was lockdown and I was stuck. I used my history degree to sell myself: creating a story, my research skills, what I do in my free time, what work I love. This industry is about selling yourself, it’s not about having a particular skill or experience” 

TIP 2: Good advertising makes you feel something 

Prianka’s route into the industry shows the power of storytelling in advertising. Ultimately, advertising is about making the audience feel something. In her intro, Kate used the example of the Snickers’ tagline “you’re not you when you’re hungry” as a statement which really makes you think about your feelings and is emotive.  

Mollie recommended that any aspiring advertisers do their research into brands they like or products they’ve bought and to bring their learnings to a job interview or into their role: “Have a look at what brands inspire you and how you can bring that into your role. What led you to buy the thing that you bought recently? Analyse that process.” 

Kate stressed that the industry has changed, it’s not as hierarchal as it once was; “A good idea is a good idea, and it can come from anywhere or anyone”. This means, if you have an idea you believe in then back yourself. Emma says learning this skill will come in handy when receiving push back from clients.  

TIP 3: Kindness goes a long way  

And finally, whilst advertising is a very fun industry, it can also be difficult if a client is unhappy with the campaign, putting your team under pressure. This is why Khalil wants to hire people who ‘when we’re in the trenches, we can rely on you.’ Kate echoes this highlighting that skills like tenacity, teamwork, and simply being a nice person are what she looks for when hiring new talent: “If you’re in an edit suite together at 6pm on a Friday and the client has threatened to pull the ad (when it’s due out on a Monday), you need someone with you can trust and get on well with”. 

When dealing with pressure, Mollie says that kindness will help you take a step back and remember it’s only advertising.  

Ultimately though, being friendly will also help you build up your network as you work your way up the career ladder. Khalil explained that: “It is a tough industry with a lot of nepotism, but those who have to try harder or network more will have actually worked out whether you really want to do the job or not”. He recommended the audience to keep finding their own network as his network helped him get back on his feet and find a new job during the pandemic.  

Emma assured the audience that there’s no need to be intimidated when meeting industry contacts exclaiming: “We’re all a friendly bunch so get out there and have a chat!”.  

A massive thank you to the team at Publicis Poke for welcoming us into their offices and arming us with the behind-the-scenes intel on how the industry works, what it takes to create a campaign, and why our audience should enter the sector! Find roles in advertising here.

Keep your eyes peeled for our next masterclass in November…  

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!