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

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

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

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

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 In the case of Elizabeth is Missing, the story came in the form of an unpublished manuscript.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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Posted on Sep 18, 2020

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Posted on Aug 7, 2020

This week we were be joined for our Thursday Thoughts session by Satmohan Panesar, ITV Commissioning Editor of Factual Entertainment and Bradley Cumberbatch, Creative Access alumni and Senior Producer and Director of Celebrity Gogglebox.

Sat began by introducing his role commissioning shows on channels including ITVBe and ITV4, which he has done for the past five years. , Sat grew up in a very traditional Indian household where he was expected to go into medicine, and he “never actually thought about working in television.” He did a science degree and then worked in a shop in London for a while before deciding to do work experience in TV which he loved. Though he looks back on his journey now through rose-tinted glasses, there were “lots of bumps” along the way. He “wasn’t part of any elite grad trainee scheme” and was quite out of his depth. Though, Sat said “what I did know is I really like doing what I was doing and I had really good work ethic.”

Bradley then gave an insight into his upbringing and career journey, which began pre-uni when he was involved in the theatre as a teenager. Also coming from a traditional family, Bradley studied Business Management at university, before later securing a role in BBC comedy as a runner through Creative Access.

When asked about how much work experience they did before, Bradley said that with his first role being through Creative Access, he “didn’t go the traditional route” and “carved his own experiences within the BBC.” Sat, who did do the traditional work experience, just carried on going in after finishing. In his words, “you’ve really got to make yourself noticed.” When speaking of BAME people in particular in the industry, Sat said that often they “don’t want to rock the boat” which is in fact “doing us a disservice… you’ve got to get stuck in and get yourself noticed, give your ideas and opinions, try and get involved.”

Sat was the only Indian on this team when he started out, and found himself “constantly walking around with iImposter syndrome.” Though, diversity is needed everywhere, particularly in industries like television. In Sat’s words, “in creative industries we’re all gunning for the same thing… a diversity of voice and thought can really help.” Likewise, Bradley was the only Black person in his team when he started, and was “always second guessing” himself. He said you need to “throw away your pride… shame and pride will keep you back.”

Sat and Bradley then gave career-specific advice, regarding getting ideas and pitches considered. Sat said that “in order to pitch an idea, you have to do your research.” You need to think about how your idea serves the channel’s needs, regarding things like demographic and style. Sat reassured that “ideas don’t have to come in from an established production company or someone experienced”, as they “want to hear ideas from everyone.”

Bradley then asked Sat about the impacts of COVID-19 within the industry. Sat said that it has changed and will continue to change the industry in many ways, hurting the freelance community more than anything. But Sat remained positive, as “out of adversity comes opportunity” and he’s “hoping that something good does come out of this that can redefine television.”

After a couple more questions, the two spoke about the pressure “to be great all the time”, that is particularly faced by BAME people in the industry. Bradley described it as a voice in head saying, “there’s not many people that look like me in this industry… if I mess up, I’m messing this up for the next person.” Ultimately, “you can’t be great all the time” – and that is completely okay!

After then giving their respective career highlights and lows, Sat and Bradley gave their thoughts on putting your ethnicity on your CV, as asked by an attendee. While there isn’t a strict yes or no answer to this, as it is ultimately a personal decision, Sat said that it’s important to “use everything to your advantage to get that job”, and “if being BAME is what gets you to the front of a queue, grab it and get to the front of that queue.”

The session wrapped up with both Sat and Bradley being asked to give one top tip based on their experiences working in the industry. Bradley’s is to “be resilient”, and “if you’ve got an idea, stand by it.” Sat’s is to “be ready to be knocked down, and then get yourself back up… don’t give up, work hard and be honest in your intentions and what you want to say!”

A huge thank you to both Sat and Bradley for delivering a very entertaining session with very useful and inspiring words of advice!

Catch the full session on our YouTube channel here

For this week’s masterclass, we were delighted to be joined by Yasmin Qureshi, MP for Bolton South East and Shadow International Development Minister, who was interviewed by Communities Reporter and CA alumni Sabbiyah Pervez.

Beginning with an insight into the early foundations of her life, Yasmin spoke about the inspirations and motivations behind her political journey. She became an active Labour member at just 16 years old, and later chose to become a barrister, as she wanted to “change the world”, and “if you want to make a big change, entering politics is the best way.” She was selected in 2007 and won the election in 2010, which she described as a “dream come true.”

Yasmin spoke about an array of difficult topics, the first being the challenges for BAME people and women to get involved in politics. As Yasmin informed, even in Labour’s all-women shortlist, it wasn’t until 2010 that the first BME women were selected. When asked why it took so long for women like Yasmin to be elected, she responded with “they weren’t ready for a BME woman all those years ago.” Touching on biggest the contributors to her success, Yasmin spoke of her detailed CV, experience and simply how she comes across as a person. She had “learned a very valuable lesson about how to fight a selection.”

Yasmin touched upon the concept of “pigeonholing”, or the challenge of being strictly referred to as labels and solely representative of ethnic and religious origins, which can sometimes take away from other traits. She reminded us that while it may seem that you are being reduced to these traits, it is important to remember that “you are still able to offer something and change mindsets – which makes it worth it.” Later, when speaking about the challenge of navigating as a BME woman in a predominantly white male space, Yasmin’s advice given was to “believe in yourself, and have confidence in yourself… if you persevere, you will win.”

Yasmin then spoke about her key historical moments and personal achievements, including her being elected MP in 2010 (she was one of the first Muslim female MPs), and having qualified as a barrister during a time of few female BME barristers. Yasmin spoke about a few of her campaigns, mainly elaborating on her most recent one based on how religion is represented in the media. In her words, “if negativity is portrayed, that negativity transfers to how we view people”, which is “destructive to society.” Her aim with such campaigns is to bring issues to the forefront of not just the minds of the masses, but to the minds of those in power.

Yasmin’s work in the United Nations in Kosovo in the midst of a war involved helping set up safe houses for women who’s been trafficked, allowing people access to free legal aid, and setting up the Ministry of Justice to make sure that the traditional criminal law justice system runs properly and safely, which Sabbiyah described as “a legacy.” When asked if this work, as well as having been told harrowing stories by locals, impacted her political judgement, Yasmin said that it helped her “want to make the world a better place.” Yasmin spoke of the importance of challenging narratives and hatred about any group of people, because “when hatred goes unchallenged, you get neighbours turning on neighbours.”

Yasmin touched on the impacts of COVID-19. Though said she wasn’t too badly affected, she recognised its discrimination and destruction, her main concerns being economic funding in schools, and the discerning figures that show that more BME staff/people died. Yasmin wrote the first letter to Hancock questioning why more BME people have died, and has actively worked to try to resolve the funding issues. Her future tasks involve addressing these economic issues further.

One attendee raised the point that though the gender and BME minorities are starting to be filled in politics, the socioeconomic margin isn’t. When asked why those involved in politics are likely of the middle class and academics, Yasmin reassured that there are equal opportunities for all, suggesting programmes run by universities, internships run by parliament itself, and to “get involved in a political party or campaign.”

An attendee asked what advice Yasmin would give to her younger self, to which she replied, “be prepared to make sacrifices”, and to trust your conscience and intellect. She said:

The session was wrapped by Sabbiyah talking about her own experiences and ambitions: “Trust your own intellect. I love being out of my comfort zone and thrive on doing new things. I don’t want to be seen as a token brown girl but want to report on anything and everything”.

A massive thanks to both Yasmin and Sabbiyah for their time and their incredibly wise and inspiring words.

For this week’s Thursday Thoughts session, we were joined for an honest and thought-provoking conversation with Robert Peston and Kishan Koria.

Robert Peston is ITV News’ political editor and presenter of the politics show Peston. A journalist, presenter and writer, he has published four books and won over thirty awards for his journalism, including Journalist of the Year and Scoop of the Year from the Royal Television Society. As part of his work making the creative industries more accessible, Robert has worked with Creative Access for years and has also founded the charity Speakers for Schools, helping young people access opportunities through inspiring school talks and work experience.

Kishan is a producer on Peston. He first began there as a Production intern through Creative Access after graduating from the Centre for Journalism with an MA in Multimedia Journalism. Four years later, Kishan is now a Producer on the show. In his new role, he revealed that he now has more input on “what the news is, who the best guests would be and what are the issues people want to hear discussed. It’s a great job.”

Kicking off the discussion, Kishan had lots of great advice for those starting out in the industry. He explained that “the first job is the hardest job to get, I was lucky in the sense that Creative Access fulfilled that for me … If you’re struggling to get your first job don’t worry, once you’ve got there, all you have to do is be good, be keen and get stuck in, then actually you find the industry is a lot easier to navigate than you think it is.”

If there’s something that you really love and you enjoy doing, then you don’t have to make an effort to be enthusiastic about it

When Josie asked, “Do you think it matters if that first job isn’t your dream role? Can you find your journey once you’re in?” Kishan answered, “You meet people all over the industry as soon as you’re in. No matter what show you’re doing, you’ll make contacts. They become your friends and you can get an idea on what their job is like and before you know it you could be working with them.” He also emphasised that “the thing that’s been most useful for me is that I really love what we cover … If there’s something that you really love and you enjoy doing, then you don’t have to make an effort to be enthusiastic about it because it’s just what you want

to do.”

Robert kicked off by talking about his love of journalism: “The obvious thing about being a journalist is that you do have to love it. I’ve always loved trying to understand the world, I’ve always loved meeting amazing, interesting people, which is part of what you get when you’re a journalist. Historically, I’ve loved trying to get scoops.”

He reflected on the best and worst parts of his role, including bumping his head during an interview with Michael Fallon MP and being frustrated by politicians who refuse to answer this questions.

When reflecting on reporting on the current pandemic, Robert also shared: “The last few months have been exhausting, but I’m bloody lucky to do what I do … Trying to make sense of it is fascinating.”

He spoke about the challenges of starting a career during a pandemic, with Robert reassuring the audience that “when everyone else is scared, that’s the moment to build. It’s a lesson for all of us as individuals; stand your ground and you’ll get noticed.”

When Kishan asked how he started out in the industry, Robert explained that he “did the odd bits and pieces for our school newspaper and uni magazine but there genuinely wasn’t a big plan to be a journalist … though after some work experience I realised I didn’t want to do anything else.” He also pointed towards the opportunity in creating your own content: “The great thing about doing news or creative stuff in the media is that … there’s an enormous amount you can do on your own with technology to improve your skills. It was one of the things that didn’t exist at all when I started out, the ability to self-publish blogs, videos, audio or podcasts … I’m not trying to minimise the challenges but there are amazing opportunities for young people.”

“Fairness is desperately important, and we’re a long away from having a society that is fair.”

When the conversation then turned to his work with Creative Access, Robert answered, “As a matter of principle, I’ve devoted a bi

g chunk of my life to a particular form of encouraging opportunity … Anything I can do to help any talented person get on, on the basis of merit. Background shouldn’t be a factor, where you come from shouldn’t be a factor. Fairness is desperately important, and we’re a long away from having a society that is fair.”

When Kishan said he was grateful to Creative Access for joining his show, Peston told him that, “you’re an absolute foundation of the show, just to be absolutely clear, we’re not taking people who are less talented. Kish is one of the most talented people I’ve ever worked with. All we’re doing is making sure we’re seeing the world properly and seeing talent where it really is.”

“I’m optimistic about the future of television and the media. The need for it is greater than ever.”
Finally, when looking to what’s next for the media industry, Robert revealed that, “I’m optimistic about the future of television and the media. The need for it is greater than ever.” He emphasised the importance of media representing different experiences on how people to see the world: “Its not always easy to talk about broadening your vision, which shows the importance of organisations like Creative Access. The great thing about what you do is that you bring people into the studio and workspaces where I am, people with a completely different set of experiences, who are there in a very positive way to challenge me.”

With huge thanks to Robert and Kishan for their time and wise words.

You can view the whole conversation on our YouTube channel here.

For this week’s Thursday Thoughts, we were thrilled to be joined by British television presenter, children’s author and wheelchair basketball player Ade Adepitan and Raj Sandhu, Westminster Correspondent for BBC Scotland.

An international athlete (his team won the bronze and gold medal at the Paralympics), Ade then made his debut on the screen presenting the Games on Channel 4 in 2012. Since then, he has gone on to write several successful children’s books, Ade’s Amazing Ade-ventures, featuring a black, disabled protagonist at the forefront – making a huge impact in the sporting, television and publishing world.

Raj – a former Creative Access intern at HarperCollins – was in publishing for two years before realising that her heart was in journalism. Raj went on to win a place on the prestigious Gareth Butler trainee scheme before joining The Nine, a channel covering stories across the globe from a Scottish perspective.

Raj launched the conversation on the various careers Ade has had so far. Ade responded that, ‘the idea of being a one career person is over … It’s quite exciting because it means you have an opportunity to try so many different things throughout your life.” When reflecting on his work from being a Paralympian to currently working on a climate change documentary, Ade admits, “I don’t often take time to look back and think look what I’ve achieved, I try very much to stay in the moment … yes, it is probably a lot, but I’ve never really thought about it!”

When making the transition from sport to television, Ade revealed he was “lucky to meet a few people who got me and understood I had more to offer than just sport”. Raj stressed the importance of having “a cheerleader team behind you, it’s not just about you and being resilient … you also need a team of people behind you, and when you’re in your down days, they can lift you up and tell you, no you need to keep going.” Ade agreed, saying, “You need enablers who believe in you, and sometimes believe in you more than you believe in yourself.”

After initially feeling embarrassed to get an agent because he believed he wouldn’t get into the industry, Ade was approached by an agent when his television show Tiger, Tiger ended. Raj then asked whether Ade had any advice for those aspiring to get into television today: “How do we get more enablers into the industry that can bring in people who aren’t the norm?” Ade’s answer was in the opportunities around today’s technology and platforms: “You no longer have to rely on TV as the only way to get into the media industry … you can make your own stuff” such as livestreams, videos and blogs. He encouraged this as a great way to enhance your own skills for future roles during lockdown.

The conversation then closed with a discussion on the Black Lives Matter movement, tackling systemic and institutional racism, and what the industries can do to change. When Raj asked what Ade’s experience has been as a black man in the media industry, he answered honestly:

“Complicated. It’s been difficult because there’s always been preconceptions and misconceptions about who I am, what I should present and whether anybody would watch what I’m on … It’s really important for people coming into TV, and this isn’t just about your cultural background, this is also about your class, you have to fight for the right to be you. Don’t try to modulate who you are to fit into TV and try to be someone else. You have to be yourself. I hope the hard graft and work I’ve done will make it easier for other people like to come in because I’ve shown it can be done.”

With huge thanks to Ade and Raj for their time and wise insight.

You can watch the whole discussion on our YouTube channel here.

We were thrilled to be joined by the team behind the new standalone BBC drama Sitting in Limbo for this week’s Thursday Thoughts session.

Written by novelist Stephen S. Thompson, the drama is based on the experiences of his brother Anthony Bryan who was wrongfully detained by the Home Office and threatened with deportation. This shocking and powerful insight into the Windrush Scandal will air on Monday 8^th of June at 8:30 pm on BBC One.

The discussion was chaired by Creative Access CEO Josie Dobrin and included panel members Stella Corradi, Stephen S. Thompson and Patrick Robinson. An award-winning director, Stella has directed acclaimed work, including Trigonometry and Through the Gates, which was nominated for Best Single Drama at the BAFTA’s. A leading writer, Stephen’s novels include Toy Soldiers and No More Heroes and is currently a Senior Lecturer in Fiction and Creative Non-Fiction at the University of Winchester. Playing the lead, Patrick is an eminent figure of British television and theatre and has been on screen in Casualty, The Bill, Strictly Come Dance and Mount Pleasant. We are in awe of all their work!

Each of our guests had important things to impart on the industry and representing this deeply troubling part of British history on screen. Reflecting on playing the part of Anthony, Patrick shared that, “you don’t need to act … you feel what you experience.” He revealed that “when I saw the script and read it, I was in tears by the end … I knew I wanted to be a part of the production.” After meeting the team, he became part of a “fantastic story that needed to be told for the whole of this country to hear and to see.”

Stella shared that she wanted to direct Sitting in Limbo as soon as she came across it: “it was a hard job to get, it was a really great script.” She discussed the responsibility a director has when looking out for her cast and crew. She ensured the cast were kept uplifted outside of the heavy drama they were filming as she revealed, “we laughed a lot.” Stella also emphasised that the director is part of a much wider team: “As a director, you need to be clear in communicating your vision to every head of department so they can filter it through their individual teams. It requires a lot of trust.”

Stephen spoke about his personal highlight of the whole process: “Overall seeing the very first cut, when it’s all stitched together and seeing the whole thing come together.” When discussing the nature of Sitting in Limbo as a story, he stressed the importance of diverse storytelling: “Too often diversity is associated with race racism, and the challenge for the broadcasters and the industry is for us to go beyond that. This is obviously an important story for us to tell, but we want to be able to tell stories beyond this as well.”

Lastly, when Josie asked for one line of advice for people who want to direct, act and write, the panellists offered the following:

• Stella advised directors to “try and get on set and see how it works, try and figure out all the roles and understand what everyone does, that’s the biggest education you can have.”
• Patrick said, “Just do it! Use your imagination and just do it, use your phone and make something.”
• Stephen advised aspiring writers to “write everyday. Try and make the writing the centre of your being, your existence and your daily existence. Practice, practice, practice.”

A huge thank you to Stella, Stephen and Patrick for their brilliant and inspiring discussion and to the team at IJPR for organising the session (especially to our brilliant former Creative Access trainee Nicole Campbell). 

You can watch the session in full here.

Q&A with Yamin Choudhury and Stephenson Ardern-Sodje

We were delighted to be joined by Yamin Choudhury and Stephen Ardern-Sodje for this week’s Thursday Thoughts on theatre!

Yamin is Artistic Director of Hackney Empire, a renowned theatre that has seen a score of talent come through its doors over its one-hundred-and-twenty-year history. Yamin first joined the Empire in 2003 and has a background of work in inclusive theatre spaces such as the Haringey Shed and the International Village in Australia and China. An award-winning arts practitioner, he has been instrumental in catalysing the careers of the next generation of talent with his Creative Futures programme. The programme encourages young artists to immerse themselves in the world of theatre and build their skills and confidence, regardless of their ability or background. We love his work!

Stephenson has dazzled on stage in Hamilton, playing no less than four roles, including the lead, Alexander Hamilton. After studying English and Creative Writing at Brunel, he gained an internship at Green Door Pictures through Creative Access in 2015. Stephenson then decided to take a chance and audition for Hamilton. Despite having no experience on the stage, he impressed them so much that they funded a Master’s in musical theatre. Stephenson later re-auditioned and made his West End debut a year later.

Both of our speakers had incredible stories to share on their journeys into theatre. Stephenson kicked things off by asking Yamin what exactly being an Artistic Director entails. After joking that most Artist Directors like to “mystify the job”, Yamin explained that his role at Hackney Empire “involves a lot of people management, a lot of planning and administration, a lot of meetings, and a lot of trying to identify opportunity, artistically and professionally”.

While the position might sound more business orientated, Yamin’s passion for theatre began from a love of the stage. He was first introduced to Hackney Empire when going through a “very difficult period in my life, I was lost, I was isolated”. However, when he encountered performances on the Empire’s stage, he was blown away by the range of performances on offer: “As soon as I was introduced to theatre at 18, it was like a drug. I couldn’t imagine life without it”.

Yamin was inspired to pursue a career in theatre before eventually returning to the Empire. He emphasised “there’s literally nothing I wouldn’t do for this organisation, because it saved me. Arts and culture transforms my ability to understand myself and others, and if it can do that for me it can do that for everybody.” Stephenson agreed on the powerful impact theatre can have: “When theatre’s at its best, it feels like nothing else.”

Addressing a question from an attendee who asked, “How do you overcome imposter syndrome?” Yamin answered, “I haven’t … In the spaces I enter, looking the way I do, speaking the way I do, you are the odd one out.” However, he acknowledged that not everybody feels it. Referencing Sharmaine Lovegrove, Yamin explained “she doesn’t suffer from it at all, because her sense of value and self is so strong that it goes above her head. That’s what I aspire to be.” Stephenson also encouraged surrounding yourselves with people “whose opinions you value … When I’m worried about not being worthy of something, having other people understand that feeling can help you realise you’re not alone in it.”

When discussing taking chances in the industry, Stephenson also stressed:

“What is stopping you really? You know you want it, so try and make it happen.” He encouraged attendees to not let having the right experience or qualifications hold them back; the first step in achieving your goals is allowing yourself to pursue those dreams.

Finally, in the Q&A, when asked what changes we might expect in theatre, Yamin and Stephenson looked towards the changes that might shape the stage. While Yamin acknowledged the uncertainty in the industry, he encouraged creatives to take this as an opportunity to spark change:

“Covid-19 has proved that innovators will thrive. Revolutionise. Be cutting edge. Be exciting. Reframe models of success. Don’t wait for the establishment to do so.”

A huge thanks to Yamin and Stephenson for their thoughtful, moving and inspirational words. You can watch the session in full here. 

Every fortnight, we hold a discussion with leading figures in the creative industries, each one hosted by a former Creative Access trainee. Yesterday we were thrilled to be joined by Jonny Geller and Cameron Myers.

Jonny is CEO of Original Talent and Chairman of Curtis Brown Literary & Talent Agency which represents actors, presenters, authors, playwrights and directors including Robert Pattinson, Margaret Atwood, Stacey Dooley, Sacha Baron-Cohen, Robert Peston and more. Jonny was awarded Literary Agent of the Year Award in 2012. He consistently appears on Evening Standard’s 1000 Most Influential People in London list and was named amongst Britain’s most influential 500 people by Debrett’s 500 in 2015 and in the same year as one of GQ’s 100 Most Connected Men in Britain – so it was a real privilege to have him join us!

Cameron is an Assistant Editor with Hodder & Stoughton’s General Non-Fiction team – where he started as an intern via Creative Access – and was one of SYP London’s Events Coordinators in 2019. In 2016, he graduated from King’s College London with a degree in Law, and has since gone on to pursue a career in book publishing.

Jonny began his discussion by acknowledging that ‘Creative Access is an extraordinary organisation that I’m glad to say that we’ve not only supported, but that we’ve benefitted from. Over the years we’ve some excellent people coming through our agency.’ We’re delighted to have placed so many talented interns at Curtis Brown.

Starting off with a little about his background, Jonny had some advice for those starting out in the creative industries and are unsure of what direction to take. After realising he would have to re-evaluate his decision to become an actor, his friend offered a useful strategy on deciding what to do next, saying that the only way to give up on a dream, is to replace it with something else:

For Jonny, the lines crossed at books and selling. This resulted in Jonny finding himself at Curtis Brown as an assistant, where he is now CEO of Original Talent and Chairman of the agency twenty-seven years later. Discussing the role of an agent, Jonny said: ‘My job is to pick the best possible creative talent. It’s a fantastic feeling taking someone’s dreams and hopes and finding them a publisher and then seeing their books on the shelves of a bookshop a year later.’

When Cameron asked what skills make a successful agent, Jonny responded with the fact that, ‘You need empathy’. Empathy for your client’s work and empathy for them. Followed by ‘clarity, in your objectives’ and the ‘joy of discovery’. As an author’s agent, Jonny is ‘at the beginning of that chain. If I don’t believe in it, nobody else will’. Enthusiasm for the book is essential behind a book’s success.

In our Q&A, when an intern asked about the aftermath of being furloughed and missing out on valuable experience, Jonny stressed the importance of staying committed. ‘If you’re starting off in a career, you must keep absolutely focused on what it is you want to achieve and why you’re in it. Don’t give up.’ He then offered valuable advice for interns when they start work: ‘My experience is the people I remember who come to the company full of enthusiasm, full of positivity and full of knowledge’ about the company they’re going into. ‘Everyone notices a good intern’.

After Cameron enquired how things might change in the creative industries, Jonny finished the discussion by acknowledging that ‘the great thing about crisis and chaos, creativity is always the first thing that comes out of it… People need storytellers. People need creative industries’.

With huge thanks to Jonny and Cameron for their time and wise words.

You can view the whole conversation on our YouTube channel here.

From Spike Lee, to Martin Scorsese… we were thrilled to host a Q&A between Times journalist and author Sathnam Sanghera and award-winning writer, producer and director Asif Kapadia on all things film…

Hosted on the 17th floor of News UK, yesterday’s masterclass boasted beautiful views of the city and a night of illuminating advice. Sathnam’s insightful questions for Asif led an incredible discussion on how to thrive in the film industry.

The evening kicked off with a viewing of the trailers for award-winning films, Amy and Senna. Sathnam acknowledged that it was the first time we had an Oscar winner at a Creative Access masterclass.

He started the discussion asking Asif about his roots and where his journey into film started. The filmmaker recalled “I came from the most unmedia background ever. I grew up in Hackney, I was working class, Muslim – the youngest of five children – I didn’t know anyone in the media.” But he didn’t let this deter him: “I was lucky because I worked hard and I fell into something that I loved; it didn’t feel like work.” Asif’s passion for what he does was a real staple of last night’s discussion.

Asif discussed his route into cinema, citing the number of rejections he received from arts schools and universities. Despite not taking any A-levels, Asif went on to study for several degrees and is a big believer in the value of education. After a multitude of awards and recognition for his creative talent, Asif is now able to ask, “What was it about my application form that never got me in?”

Asif’s love of film didn’t initially come from studying, like many other great filmmakers, but rather from being involved in the process and creating film itself: “My love of cinema and filmmaking has come from working on film, making them, a being part of a gang, a crew, making it happen.” 

Sathnam then asked Asif how he felt about diversity in film. The question touched on the recent controversy, following allegations that award ceremonies don’t favour people of colour. However, Asif doesn’t hold these awarding bodies to blame. Instead, he asked, “tell me which films get made, who is financing them, who are the people who run Film 4, the BBC… who do they hire? It starts really far back. We can’t just blame awards.” 

The discussion then led to advice for aspiring film directors. Sathnam enquired whether you need to be fundamentally a self-starter? Asif responded that “if you want to direct, you’ve got to teach yourself to write, you need to have an opinion, watch movies and be interested in characters and stories, travel and culture.”

Asif also stressed the importance of discipline; “it’s all about deadlines – set yourself a target to make one film every year.”

The masterclasses then ended in an engaging Q&A; from Asif encouraging creatives to create work they themselves would enjoy, to making sure they can also take on work to pay the bills: “If you are working on something you don’t even like there’s something wrong.” 

He urged the audience to question, “what draws you to a story? I think generally it’s like a question.” He recalled the making of Senna, a film that prompted him to explore how to make “some bloke driving round and round a track, wearing a helmet, emotionally engaging.”I like that challenge“.

Other advice involved pursuing education and its value for creating content and being patient in cultivating relationships that will drive a story and its characters. Asif finished by asking our interns, “What is interesting you to you? What is personal to you?” to find out what works.

Massive thanks to News UK for hosting us in their fabulous space and of course to our speakers Sathnam Sanghera and Asif Kapadia. 

Creative Access hit the road for the first 2020 event in partnership with The Publishers Association. Aimed at encouraging under-represented audiences to pursue a career in publishing, we were thrilled to be hosted by University of Brighton in the Sallis Benney theatre…

With a 100 strong audience of wannabe publishers, our panel kicked off by talking about their routes into the industry. Jason Hook, Publisher at Ammonite Press said he did everything “back to front”; dropping out of college to write freelance. He then wanted to get an editorial job but was told he needed a degree so went back to University and finally got the job of his dreams – only to be made redundant when the publisher merged with a larger company. Cut to now and Jason is publisher and author for non-fiction and illustrated publisher Ammonite Press, which is part of the much bigger group GMC. An amazing journey!

Following her degree in English Literature and Creative Writing, Saidah Graham started her career doing social media for her university. She then went on to do a Masters in publishing media at Oxford Brookes. Her degree helped her get some internships including one in the licensing team at Wiley before securing a role via Creative Access as Trainee Office Administrator that resulted in her getting a permanent role at Bonnier Books as a Rights Assistant working across a variety of children’s and adult imprints.

Explaining her current role, Saidah said: “When a book is acquired, we agree with the agent and author whether we have any other rights (e.g. to translate it into another language, to make an audiobook, to make a TV show). Our job is to meet with publishers around the world to talk about their industries and what kind of books they are looking for. If they want to buy something, we work out an agreement and write up a contract. Once that’s signed, the publisher can translate the text.”

Jason spoke about the income from these extra sales which are needed to make a profit out of book publishing, saying there are always surprises; he was convinced his word puzzle book wouldn’t work overseas but a German publisher bought and translated it into their own version.

Saidah said the skills needed to work in Rights include “being a people person. You need to build relationships with people all over the world and remember their interests. Being personable and communication are key, as are a willingness to travel and being able to summarise a book in three sentences.”

Phil Manning, Senior Marketing Manager, Bloomsbury Professional spoke about his journey – first at Reed Business Information and then at William Reed before landing at Bloomsbury Pro. Of his role now, he said: “Publishing is always evolving; the digital aspect in particular, whether that’s routes to market or format. You’re always chasing the next big thing. Fundamentally, publishing is a business and your job is to look for opportunities to make that business work.”

Anna Burtt graduated six years ago and spoke about her portfolio career which spans foreign rights, scouting, creative consultancy, editorial, marketing and teaching. She currently works for Myriad Editions and RedDoor Press in Sussex, hosts Radio Reverb’s Brighton Book Club show and podcast, and is the founder of the West Hill Writing group. She is a guest lecturer at Westdene College and New Writing South and speaks at various publishing events across the country. Busy woman!

She says: “Every time you publish a book, you need to know where your audience is and where your book sits in the market. How does your cover look against similar books? What do their campaigns look like? All of it is part of the marketing campaign.”

Anna’s top tips for working in publishing were:

1. Go to literary festivals and events
2. Send speculative applications to a select few publishers that you really love and feel like you understand
3. Be prepared to do casual, project-based work to get your foot in the door

The panel opened up to some excellent questions from the floor, kicking off with whether it’s worthwhile to do a Publishing MA. Saidah, speaking from first-hand experience, said: “Publishing MAs give you a lot of broad knowledge about the industry that help you when you get your first job. However it’s not particularly necessary as you will learn all of those things on the job anyway.”

What kind of person makes a good marketer? In Phil’s view it’s:

1. Be a great communicator
2. Be Persuasive
3. Be willing to try new things You can get marketing experience in other industries and then move into publishing to build up your skills.

Saidah was asked how she succeeded in securing a full-time role at the end of her internship. She said: “The people working with me liked my work, especially the person that became my manager. My manager knew that I liked rights and she championed me to the CEO and HR department so they made a position for me.”

Jason was asked if a passion for books was enough to sustain you in the work place. In response, he said: “Book publishing is hard. It’s badly paid and it’s hard to have a bestseller. But it’s a creative industry and there’s something quite magical in the creative process when it all goes right.”

With huge thanks to our brilliant panel for their wise and inspiring words and to the University of Brighton for hosting us. Stay up to date on our website to hear about our events taking place later in the year in conjunction with the Publishers Association.

The first masterclass of the year was held at the award-winning news and media powerhouse ITN. Put together by the brilliant former Creative Access alumna Hila May, the event offered a unique insight into the world of broadcast journalism

The legendary Jon Snow kicked off last night’s masterclass, making an appearance to give an inspiring introduction into the necessity of diversity in journalism to a packed audience of over 100 students, alumni and current interns. He was glad to see that Britain is finally “waking up to a massive talent that has been neglected among minorities in particular”, recognising that “Channel 4 is beginning to lead the way and are proud to be doing that”.

Masterclass Chair, Girsh Juneja, started things off with a discussion on what drives people to get into the newsroom. After joining Channel Four in the “last millennia”, he revealed that “the great thing about journalism is that you get to pursue what you’re interested in.” He enjoys seeing what motivates people in the newsroom, reminding budding reporters in the room: “don’t lose sight of what drove you to get into journalism in the first place”. After first joining ITN in the mailroom handing reporters their scripts, Girish recalled the excitement he felt when finally in the newsroom, describing the feeling that “this was it”. Now Senior Producer, he demonstrates how anyone can start anywhere in journalism and work their way up.

Creative Access alumna and Assistant News Editor Hila May embarked on her journey into journalism after first arriving at Creative Access five years ago via an internship at Mentorn Media which gave her experience working on Question Time. After working at 5News for a number of years, she joined Channel 4 two years ago, bringing exciting fresh perspective to the editorial team. Hila spoke about how she creates content on culture pieces, delivering media that “Channel 4 needed for younger audiences”. While she had to “fight to get cultural stories out there” at the beginning of her career, she now finds that “I don’t have to fight so much anymore”.

Multimedia journalist Zahra Warsame spoke about entering journalism later on than her peers and not letting that deter her. She emphasised that “people have different journeys into journalism” and that “every journey can be different”. Like Girish, when she arrived at ITN, she knew that this was what she wanted to do. Zahra encouraged aspiring journalists to “find the little gap to see what you can personally do” and write about something no one else is reporting on. She also imparted wise words on writing in a world obsessed with the next viral content. She advised us that “you have to have a news sense in journalism. Don’t go in with an idea that’s just supposed to be controversial and go viral, because eventually it loses you your journalistic integrity.”

Channel 4 reporter Symeon Brown also had a great story on how he got into journalism and the nature of the industry. Viewing journalism as “part of storytelling”, his career started by getting “bored of other people telling stories” and not being the one to pursue them. Like Zahra, he advises aspiring journalists to “have something others don’t have”. Symeon’s most successful piece includes a viral drill track that uses real quotes from MPs that employ violent rhetoric. This prompted a vital discussion into language, politics and hypocrisy in the nation. Lastly, Symeon imparts the knowledge that “journalism is a transactional industry; it relies on the transaction of stories and ideas”, encouraging people to utilise their distinctive backgrounds and bring their own ideas to the table.

Last and by no means least, we had the privilege of hearing the Head of Foreign News at Channel 4, Liliane Landor speak. She began with the motivational advice: “If I can do it, each and every one of you can do it too.” Liliane first started off at the BBC in 1989, becoming a controller for languages at the BBC World Service. The most important thing she learned here was to “find a mentor, someone you can trust, who is open and honest and will give you good feedback and learn from them”. Her own mentor gave her a piece of advice she has never forgotten: “Always keep your eye on the horizon”. Liliane certainly did so and has become a defining figure in the world of journalism. She advises our interns to “never box yourself in and go out of your comfort zone. there’s a great deal more to us than the place we are from and the languages we speak.”

Following the introductions, the Chair opened up the floor to questions. When asked about how to pitch an article, Liliane said the first things she does is look at the Twitter feed of the person sending her the email to make sure they’re authentic. The panel spoke about public engagement with their pieces with Gurnish reassuring the audience that they let people see and check their work to avoid mistakes with most pieces been seen by the journalist, a lawyer and a duty editor.

The women on the panel were asked how they navigate a traditionally male world. Zahra said she had been inspired by other women to enter journalism.  Lilian said that the gender pay gap still has a huge impact on the lives of women and that it’s still hard to be a working mother in the newsroom. Hila gave some important advice for women in the media industry: “I had to train myself not to be super nice … you’re just doing your job. You don’t need to apologise for doing your job.”

With huge thanks to our panel and hosts for their time and advice.