S T O H S T O H E H T ICK P S ’ AST C D A BRO
THE F O ARS T S ING S I R HE T F O
2013
TRY S U D T V IN
InTroducTIon
THE HoT SHoTS
4
All photography by Peter Searle commissioned exclusively by Broadcast. For more information about the photographer, visit: www.petersearle.com
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Stepping out of the shadows “Don’t smile.” That was our photographer’s single instruction to this year’s crop of Hot Shots as he posed them in a series of noirish tableaux. While they might not outwardly show it, our subjects were delighted with our creative choices, reasoning that everyone looks better in black-and-white. Our thanks to all these behind-the-scenes stars for being so game in front of the camera. Of course, as they climb the TV ladder – some of them so fast they’re leapfrogging entire roles on the way to the top – they’ve become used to a challenge. Our producers have braved the West African jungles, tenaciously dug into the Jimmy Savile scandal, taken on the tabloids with Hugh Grant and hung out with nudists. One director has learned his trade with Ken Loach and Marc Forster, while another has been quizzing teenagers about their virginity, or lack of it. Our writers are tackling zombies, werewolves and spies – and winning international recognition despite being barely out of university. Among our digital players, there’s the producer who got the infamous footage of the Woolwich’s blood-soaked attack suspect and a developer who’s juggled Downton Abbey, the Natural History Unit and a Dutch soap opera. For tips on how to launch a channel in three months, or to co-ordinate campaigning events like Expert Women, ask our business candidates. Craft and post selections include the former pop star now mastering sound on shows for both CBeebies and Al Jazeera, and the technical whiz adding Hollywood sparkle to gameshows. With such a talented bunch, we thought they deserved special treatment and the chance to have some fun; after all, this is TV. And believe me, there were a lot of smiles once the photo grapher called a wrap. ➤ Robin Parker, Hot Shots editor
Contents 18
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Production Our 17 production Hot Shots are quickly rising through the ranks by showing their more experienced peers how it’s done
14 Directors With credits in everything from documentary to comedy, our eight directors are quickly establishing themselves as masters of their craft 18 Writers Our eight young writers have been wowing the industry with their work on shows including sitcoms, soaps, comedies and dramas 22 Craft & Post Technical skills in areas including sound, graphics and set design are garnering much attention for our seven craft Hot Shots
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26 Business Expertise in marketing, scheduling and acquisitions is helping these eight business brains rise rapidly to the top 30 Digital Our eight digital Hot Shots are winning plaudits both for their creativity and their technical wizardry
With thanks to The Hospital Club for providing the venue for our photoshoot. www.thehospitalclub.com
Broadcast Editor Lisa Campbell Supplement Editor Robin Parker Group Art Director Peter Gingell Production Editor Dominic Needham Group Commercial Director Alison Pitchford Deputy Sales Manager Sonya Jacobs Senior Account Manager Alex Margo Production Manager Jon Cooke
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Music control rooM at tHe Hospital club, london
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PRoDUCTIoN 4 | Broadcast Hot Shots | August 2013
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PRoDUCTIoN Sam BRowN 29 Left to right: Sam Brown, Becky Casey, Amy Dallmeyer
Location series producer, Raw TV Sam likes a challenge, the more arduous the better. His six years at Raw have taken him to prisons around the world for three series of Locked Up Abroad, and to Alaska, Northern Canada and South America for Gold Rush. He is now running an 18-man crew in the jungles of West Africa for series two of Jungle Gold. Gold Rush is Discovery’s biggest show and securing the commission was partly down to Sam’s strong relationship with the contributors and development of pitches and taster tapes. He quickly moved up from AP to director and became a series producer from series three. Stints running Raw’s New York office and as a development producer on Bafta-winning cinema release The Imposter have proved his versatility. Praising his “Northern Irish charm” and “innate understanding of story”, Raw head of US factual Sam Maynard describes him as “one of the fastest learners I have ever worked with. He also has an extraordinary ability for somebody so young to lead teams, gain respect and work with contributors and talent.”
BECky CaSEy 26 Assistant producer, ZKK; Firecracker Films A year after graduating from the National Film & Television School, Becky single-handedly cast the sensitive Channel 4 documentary Sex On Wheels. Since then, she’s trod carefully around the no-less-thorny issue of teenagers opening up about virginity. She’s no stranger to getting a handle on touchy subjects, having worked on ZKK’s prime-time films Diet Crazy Mums and My Daughter The Teenage Nudist. ZKK managing director Kathy O’Neil made up her mind to hire Becky the moment she saw her NFTS film on graduation day. She says Becky’s “wicked humour” is her secret weapon in deflating tension on difficult shoots and she admires her down-to-earth attitude. “She always speaks her mind, and she never stabs anyone in the back,” Kathy says. “And she’s a no-nonsense kind of girl – modest, but with a very big ambition. She’s likely to become a producer-director within a year.”
amy DallmEyER 28 Development producer/producer, Fresh One Amy cut her teeth devising Channel 5’s The Love Bus and then moved into the big league developing Steps Reunion for Sky and ITV2’s runaway hit The Big Reunion. Now at Fresh One, she’s working on comedy and entertainment ideas, including a talent-led comedy factent show for ITV2, for which she story produced the pilot. And she’s not stopping: she has developments in with the major players, with three awaiting a green light. “Amy is the real deal,” says Fresh One director of programmes Claudia Rosencrantz. “She has absolutely great ideas oozing out of her. Not only does she have great ideas, but she writes like a dream, spots brilliant new talent, develops great formats, and drinks juice all week and cocktails all weekend.” www.broadcastnow.co.uk
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RaCHEl HaRRIS 27 Senior assistant producer, Outline “Rachel has a sixth sense for casting: if she can’t find what you’re looking for, it doesn’t exist,” says Outline Productions managing director Laura Mansfield. “Three separate times this year, characters Rachel found while casting on developments have got these projects over the line. A remarkable achievement.” On one of these, Million Dollar Intern, Rachel persuaded a teenage tycoon to go into a struggling business pretending to be on work experience; she’s also been a casting researcher on Twenty Twenty’s The Hoarder Next Door. Recently, she’s tackled genetics and obesity for C4’s Fat Family Tree and she is now senior AP on BBC2’s Great British Garden Revival. Just three years ago, she was a runner. “She is frighteningly capable and totally irreplaceable,” says Mansfield, adding that Rachel’s work in pitching has led directly to commissions; one industry figure told her that Rachel’s material “makes other companies look like they’re phoning it in.” Keo Films head of development Colleen Flynn, a Hot Shot in 2012, also sings her praises: “She’s tenacious and one of the most formidable writers I have come across.”
tHe loft lounge at tHe Hospital club, london
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DaN SmITH 24 Producer, Channel 5 News, ITN Leveson, tax dodging and, yes, Gangnam Style: Dan has covered it all. You name it, he’s got the angle and the pictures for the evening bulletin before lunchtime and edited his own package soon after, tweaking it and laying effects right up to the wire. Channel 5 News political editor Andy Bell credits Dan with tapping into trends before the mainstream gets to them – Korean singer Psy being a case in point. Dan joined ITN at just 23 and his skill with a story, and with Avid, has had reporters queuing up to justify why they should be teamed up with him. “He loves the medium of TV and has a great eye for picture,” says Bell. “He edits fast and always remains calm. Several times he has turned around an edit, or dropped in extra material that has improved my package, with minutes – sometimes seconds – to go. On the frontline of output, there isn’t a more accomplished producer of his age around. He would be a top performer in any national newsroom.”
TIaNNaH VIECHwEg 27 Assistant producer, BBC Factual Entertainment North From thousands of singing hopefuls to Russian billionaires and elderly naturists, little seems to faze Tiannah. She’s worked with the cream of fact ent and entertainment indies, including Twenty Twenty, Betty, Gallowgate, So Television, Ricochet and Firecracker, on shows ranging from Alexander Armstrong’s Big Ask to the Emmy Awardwinning Gareth Goes To Glyndebourne. As the sole editorial contact for the 22,000 applicants for The Voice UK, she proved irreplaceable for series two, with Wall to Wall splitting her role into three. Her pitching skills have been recognised in the RTS Futures Pitching in the Den competition and she’s now working on Fox’s first UK commission, Russians In The City. “She’s confident at creating taster tapes, with good shooting and editing skills, and contributes persuasively in ideas meetings for just about every type of factual TV. But her editorial instinct is her greatest asset,” says Ricochet managing director Joanna Ball. “It’s a skill that’s impossible to teach and hard to define, but Tiannah definitely has it.” 6 | Broadcast Hot Shots | August 2013
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PRoDUCTIoN
Left to right: Rachel Harris, Dan Smith, Tiannah Viechweg
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EDwaRD PHIllIPS 26
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Producer/development producer, Twofour As befits an indie with such a broad slate, Edward has worked on everything from stand-up comedy to neuroscience in his four years with Twofour. He’s multiskilled: self-shooting footage from sensitive interviews to hidden camera stunts and editing right up to the rough-cut stage. Other major series on which he has worked include James Nesbitt’s Ireland for ITV, Nat Geo’s 80s Greatest and Blow Your Mind, and C4’s My Funniest Year and Home Of The Future. Twofour group creative director Andrew Mackenzie credits him with “virtually singlehandedly” developing, cutting and producing the taster tape that secured the 10 x 30-minute Discovery commission What Happened Next?. “Rising from researcher to producer, he’s been instrumental in some the company’s most successful development work,” he says.
ClaIRE JUDgE 26 Assistant producer, Nine Lives Media Claire’s eye for a gripping human-interest story has helped her secure three primetime factual commissions from three separate major broadcasters. Her first, Extraordinary People: The Girl With 90% Burns, was C5’s highest-rated doc of last year with 2 million viewers, helped by Claire securing access to victim Terri and a world exclusive interview with her mother, who started the fire. Her Cutting Edge idea, The Human Mannequin, had a 10.6% share, and for her latest commission, The Burns Club for CBBC strand My Life, she persuaded the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital Burns Department to allow filming for the first time. “She knows not just what’s important, but what people will be interested in,” says Nine Lives’ head of current affairs Mike Lewis. “She has an incredible ability to juggle more than one project at a time, while retaining complete mastery of the detail in all her films.” Nine Lives managing director Cat Lewis praises her tenacity and sensitivity, adding: “It is very clear that Claire will move on to become an excellent producer/director and series producer.”
Producer, Doubleband Films Since finding her way to Belfast-based Doubleband four years ago, via the Channel 4-funded network researcher development programme, Clare has moved up from production researcher to assistant producer and now producer on series and primetime singles for BBC4, C4 and BBC Northern Ireland. Many of these have been in the history space, notably the BBC4/BBC NI 4 x 60-minute co-pro Dan Cruickshank’s Written In Stone, which explored Ulster’s architectural history, and BBC NI’s 4 x 30-minute Treasures Of Ancient Ulster. “There are few opportunities to celebrate young aspiring network talent on a national stage while emphasising a commitment to place and regionality,” says Doubleband managing director Dermot Lavery. “Clare can take her place alongside the best.” 8 | Broadcast Hot Shots | August 2013
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Left to right: Edward Phillips, Claire Judge, Clare McParland
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PRoDUCTIoN mEl BEzalEl 28 Development producer, Me & You Productions “Mel Bezalel – remember the name: she’ll get to the very top in our industry in the blink of an eye,” declares Me & You Productions cofounder Krishnendu Majumdar. Mel is currently the sole person in development at the indie and in just under three years in television, this former journalist has worked on developments with the likes of Roger Graef, David Wise, Ana de Moraes and Meredith Chambers. Shows coming to our screen that bear her imprint include Films of Record’s BBC2 series Iceland and Channel 4 series Policing The Dark Side. Just aired was Twenty Twenty’s C4 series How Not To Get Old. Majumdar says he admires the charm and sensitivity Mel deploys in winning over wavering 10 | Broadcast Hot Shots | August 2013
contributors, cut through with warmth and an ability to bring humour to factual output, seen most clearly in her work with Karl Pilkington on his new project The Moaning Of Life. “Mel stands out from the crowd because of her hunger, vision and original ideas,” says Majumdar. “In the few months she has been with us, she has played a crucial role in helping the company win new business and create channel-defining television.”
JoE myERSCoUgH 26 Producer/director, Windfall Films The clearest evidence of Joe’s swift ascent since joining Windfall on work experience five years ago is that last year, he leaped straight from assistant producer to series producer – skipping the producer stage completely.
After seven months in the industry, he found himself edit-producing an episode of Channel 5’s Big, Bigger, Biggest. “When we were short of a producer to see one of the films through the cutting room, we threw Joe into the deep end,” recalls company director Ian Duncan. “He responded by turning in one of the strongest shows in the series – and he hasn’t looked back since.” From there, he became the youngest ever series producer of BBC4’s as-live broadcasts of the Royal Institution Christmas Lectures and acted as a one-man second unit on C4 history specials Dambusters: Building The Bouncing Bomb and Escape From Colditz. On D-Day: As It Happens, he established himself as Windfall’s go-to guy for social media, producing and directing the first episode and steering the online aspect of following seven people for www.broadcastnow.co.uk
Left to right: Mel Bezalel, Joe Myerscough, Emily Dollman, Kimberley Hikaka
24 hours in real-time. Expect more on this scale from this young talent.
EmIly DollmaN 27 Development producer, Whizz Kid Entertainment When Broadcast columnist Steven D Wright joined Whizz Kid earlier this year, there was one person he was determined to take with him: the young researcher he’d worked with four years previously on Sky 1’s Body Language Secrets. “Emily exudes gentility and good manners but actually she’s a hardcore telly professional who always get results,” he says. Emily’s credits in recent years are testament to this: entertainment blockbusters The Voice UK (assistant producer, series one) and The Apprentice (location director and ‘task developer’); well-travelled new fact ent format The www.broadcastnow.co.uk
Audience (AP) and C4’s global TV travelogue The Greatest Shows On Earth, where she secured access to Indian broadcasters and set up the shoot as location director. She’s now developing across the board at Whizz Kid and pitching straight to commissioners. “Emily is a star employee and a very rare find indeed – a great programme-maker but equally able to excel in development too,’ says Wright. “I’m constantly impressed at her ability to create brilliant ideas in whatever genre is needed.”
kImBERlEy HIkaka 29 Head of production, Carnival Films Right now, Kimberley is juggling the latest series of ITV juggernauts Downton Abbey and Whitechapel, a new David Hare trilogy for BBC2
and Sky Living’s major international blockbuster Dracula. Soon, she’ll be producing Lost Honour, Peter Morgan’s drama about Christopher Jefferies, the man wrongly linked to the murder of Joanna Yeates in 2010. But then, as head of production at Carnival, working closely not just with the UK but also its US parent NBC Universal, there isn’t much chance to stand still. Carnival is her first TV employer since she graduated in film production from the University of Auckland, which initially led to her working in film in New Zealand before coming to the UK six years ago. “She is very much fast-tracked,” says Carnival managing director Gareth Neame of her ascent from business affairs and UK production executive for NBCUI to her current role. “To be head of production at the biggest drama specialist by turnover is quite something at her age.” August 2013 | Broadcast Hot Shots | 11
tHe cHalk rooM at tHe Hospital club, london
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PRoDUCTIoN SoPHIE ClayToN-PayNE 26 Assistant producer, Films of Record With its potent mix of celebrity, newspaper editors, MPs, lawyers and judges, an investigation like Hugh Grant: Taking On The Tabloids was not a job for the faint-hearted. But with a CV that already included Channel 4 Dispatches film Iraq’s Secret War Files and BBC2’s The Future State Of Welfare with John Humphrys, Sophie was clearly up for the challenge. “She deftly managed a variety of demanding egos on and off screen, as well as coping with a mountain of detailed investigative research,” notes executive producer Peter Grimsdale. “Sophie distinguished herself by remaining entirely unflappable and supportive right up to our adding the last words of commentary two hours before transmission.” 12 | Broadcast Hot Shots | August 2013
Films of Record chief executive Roger Graef says she has all the makings of a producer. “She has contributed hugely to a number of difficult productions and has shown that rare capacity of grace under pressure. She will go far, but has already travelled a long way for someone so young.”
HaNNaH lIVINgSToN 25 Assistant producer, Firecrest Films Hannah’s career over the past couple of years is a masterclass in not letting go of the story. After Newsnight didn’t air the initial revelations about Jimmy Savile, some young journalists may have moved on to the next big story. Not Hannah, who, having emerged unscathed from the behind-the-scenes fiasco, built on her research for a Channel 4 News
investigation into the DJ’s activities at Broadmoor Hospital, drawing testimonies from his victims. Later, she encouraged violinist Nigel Kennedy to open up about sexual abuse at specialist music schools. Hannah’s other big scoop was exposing claims of sexual harassment by Lord Rennard, a story that earned more than 20 front-page news stories. “Few 25 year-olds have faced smearing, had their work scrutinised by a high-profile inquiry and all their emails put into the public domain,” says Firecrest Films executive producer Nicole Kleeman. “Hannah is a unique talent, combining superlative journalistic skills and impressive directing and storytelling abilities. She can find anyone and anything, especially if someone else would rather you didn’t know about it.” www.broadcastnow.co.uk
Left to right: Sophie Clayton-Payne, Hannah Livingston, Claire Hartnett, James Woolley
ClaIRE HaRTNETT 29 Assistant producer, BBC Documentaries Former print journalist Claire made her mark on the BBC’s Production Trainee Scheme, going undercover for The One Show to investigate credit card fraud, working with BBC correspondent Danny Shaw on sentencing after the 2011 riots, and scripting, outlining and location scouting for Andrew Marr’s History Of The World. Despite never having been to the Zambezi River, her in-depth research helped the BBC commit to Comic Relief ’s Hell And High Water celebrity challenge and her access-negotiating skills are opening up doors to institutions from Weight Watchers to Radley College and auction house Christie’s for BBC2. For BBC3, she recently tackled the sensitive film Rachel Bruno: My Bipolar Dad & Me. www.broadcastnow.co.uk
“She’s the AP that leaves no stone unturned,” declares head of BBC documentary production Aysha Rafaele. “Her stats and research are always watertight and she writes amazingly well. She is brilliant in brainstorms and is the one in the room that cracks the concept – the gamechanging shift. Claire is also the one who can come up with an idea, robustly defend it and then know exactly what channel it should be on.”
JamES woollEy 27 Development producer, 12 Yard Productions Two of 2013’s biggest daytime gameshow launches, ITV’s Take On The Twisters and BBC1’s Pressure Pad, owe much of their success at the commissioning stage to James. He has worked as a development and games producer on both, taking most of the major format decisions,
creating new games and experimenting with new technology. He’s got pedigree in this space, being one of the brains behind established daytime shows such as Holding Out For A Hero, Perfection, Don’t Blow The Inheritance and the Christmas spin-off of Coach Trip. “It’s like a science as he analyses the intricacies of a format, always wanting to push how things are done, what people might want to watch and technologies that can be explored,” says 12 Yard head of development Liz Gaskell. “He is ambitious but also very generous to others in a team, helping to teach techniques and skills and developing other people’s ideas. He isn’t precious – if one of his ideas is rejected, he’s onto the next one. Never satisfied with average ideas, even if the commissioner is, he always puts the work in from the moment he, or someone in the team, has an idea to the minute it is recorded.” August 2013 | Broadcast Hot Shots | 13
corridor around tHe tV studio at tHe Hospital club, london
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Steven Metcalfe 29 Producer/director, Leftbank Pictures Steven is Left Bank Pictures’ youngest producer/director, with two documentaries in development with Sky and ITV. Starting out as pro duction assistant, he was quickly promoted to develop Leftbank’s new digital and multiplatform arm, delivering content for E4, Sky, ITV, BBCW and Sony Pictures Television, including an iPhone app for E4’s School Of Comedy. Steven made his TV debut last year with three documentaries for Sky 1 – including a 60minute behindthescenes Mad Dogs special in South Africa. He’s also directed Jason Manford’s Little Cracker and the official cinema trailer for the play The Audience. Left Bank Pictures managing director Marigo Kehoe says Steven’s skill lies in his ability to build relationships with talent and tell stories with “pathos, humour and always visual flair”.
eMMa Young 29 Producer/director, Firecracker Films “Nothing fazes Emma, whether she’s behind the burning barricades at the Dale Farm traveller eviction or filming a home birth, a disabled porn star or talking to a teenager about losing their virginity,” says Firecracker Films head of programmes Jes Wilkins of his young protégée. Emma’s producer/director credits include the second series of Fire cracker’s Big Fat Gypsy Weddings and background material for two epi sodes of Young Apprentice. She was also series director on 2012 BBC3 series The Baby Bomb, about a group of young parents living together in a block of flats in south London. Her C4 doc Sex On Wheels, described by head of programmes Jay Hunt as “incredibly sensitively handled”, typifies what Wilkins calls “Emma’s ability to develop a rapport with contributors from any background and get the best out of them on camera”.
toM Pullen 29 Producer/director, Raw Channel 4 has already earmarked Tom as a name to watch with his first commission for the broadcaster: 60minute First Cut film Missing. Described by Raw creative director Bart Layton as a ‘rare polymath’, Tom has turned his hand to everything from landmark factual shows, as a pro ducer/director on One Born Every Minute, to big drama docs, as a shooting AP on BBC2’s Operation Mincemeat. He’s also a technical expert. His indepth knowledge has played a vital role in developing a groundbreaking ‘digital rig’ system at the heart of an upcoming landmark series Raw is making for Channel 4. Raw head of development Tim Wardle says: “There are few, if any, young people in TV who can move seamlessly between editing on Final Cut Pro and Avid, shooting drama reconstructions on Prime lenses, writing a commission proposal and calmly producing contributors in a sensitive hospital situation.”
Iftekhar gatar 26 Director, Coming Up Iftekhar secured his first broadcast commission this year with Burger Van Champion for Channel 4’s Coming Up strand. His treatment of Rick Edwards’ script impressed Ben Stoller, C4 drama editor for the strand. “He has the lightest of touches when it comes to exploring big themes of love and loss and his work is shot through with humour and a deep under standing of the characters’ dilemmas,” says Stoller. After directing his first shorts, Happy and Last Chance Final Rep, Iftekhar honed his trade as a camera trainee on Ken Loach’s The Angels’ Share and a VFX assistant on Hollywood blockbuster World War Z before securing a commission for his short In The Snack Bar. As well as developing an Asian comedy TV pilot and preparing his next short, he’s giving something back, having spent the summer as a mentor, training youths in filmmaking. 14 | Broadcast Hot Shots | August 2013
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Left to right: Steven Metcalfe, Emma Young, Tom Pullen
The Goods LifT aT The hospiTaL CLub, London
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Left to right: Luke Snellin, Rachael Martin, Jeremy Cole, Holly Cocker
DIrectorS luke SnellIn 27 Director, Coming Up Luke’s first short film, Patrick, about a little boy who learns to fly, was nominated for Best New comer at the Rushes Soho Shorts Festival four years ago. Since then, he has been flying high himself with his sophomore effort, the two minute 2009 film Mixtape, even receiving a Bafta nod. He also directed the first 24hour short to come out of the Old Vic Theatre – overseen by Kevin Spacey and featuring Toby Kebbell. The young director is currently gearing up to direct his debut feature, The Wanderers, and Channel 4 has just aired his Coming Up film Sink or Swim. C4 drama editor for Coming Up Ben Stoll says: “Luke managed to deliver a subtle and moving piece under a lot of pressure in a very short space of time, and the end result is a testa ment to his talent and inventive approach to visual storytelling.”
rachael MartIn 29 DV director, Maverick Television A semiprofessional football player before an ankle injury put an end to a promising sporting career, Rachael has now turned her focus to a different kind of shooting, winning praise all round for her camera and directing work at Maverick. “She shoots what you need and no more,” says the indie’s head of programmes 16 | Broadcast Hot Shots | August 2013
Sarah Eglin. “Her material truly stands out. Her filming is brilliant – creative and considered – and she has an eye for framing.” Taciturn picture editors have emailed Maver ick raving about Rachael’s shooting and while she has been described as “unassuming”, Eglin says her talent is hard to ignore. Currently working as the only DV on a large series for Discovery, she started out as a loca tion assistant in the very early days of Embarrassing Bodies – getting up at dawn to set up mobile medical clinics. Her wartsandall approach to researching some of the show’s most difficult items paid off: Eglin reckons Rachael is only months away from becoming a fully fledged PD.
JereMY cole 27 Producer/director, Lemonade Money One of the UK’s most successful directors on video network Vimeo with a handful of con verted ‘Staff Picks’ – check out A Day In The Life Of My Stepdad – Jeremy is fast establishing himself as a master of shortform content. He is a regular contributor to Channel 4’s experimental arts strand Random Acts, and has impressed C4 arts commissioning editor Tabitha Jackson with his films The Ting and Under The Knife: Etta Bond. His camera and editing skills have impressed colleagues at Lemonade Money, where he has helped create a unique style of production.
Creative director Faraz Osman says: “Jeremy is an endtoend director and editor who has an eye for beautiful shots down the lens and a skill of smart cutting with strong visuals. “His recent work with motion graphics has taken him a step further than others – leaving no stone unturned in his pursuit of creating beautiful films. Talented, smart and irritatingly handsome, he is certainly one to watch.”
hollY cocker 28 Producer/director, Markthree Media “Holly has a unique ability to spot a story, find the contributors and make a programme happen. She never gives up on an idea when she thinks it has potential, and that has led to her winning more commissions for our company than anyone else,” says Kate Mona ghan, Holly’s boss and managing director at production company Markthree Media. Monaghan also praises Holly’s warmth and “trustworthy nature”, which have been essential in handling some of the more sensitive films on which she’s worked. These include My Birthday Shook The World for CBBC’s My Life, which told the story of five American children who were born on 9/11. She has also directed films for BBC1’s Inside Out strand. A former commercials production manager and photographer, Holly graduated with dis tinction with a Masters in Documentary Film from the London College of Communication. www.broadcastnow.co.uk
The firsT fLoor aT The hospiTaL CLub, London
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RobERT GoldSbRouGH 26 Writer, Holby City; EastEnders Robert has followed a familiar path for talented young writers, as an intern on Hollyoaks and Holby City and then joining the BBC Writers Academy, with Doctors and Casualty in the bag and a current focus on Holby City and EastEnders. On top of this, he impressed with his original writing, picking up the Sir Peter Ustinov Screenwriting Award at the International Emmys two years ago for his teen drama pilot script The Forge. He’s now got thrillers Finders Keepers and Crusade, plus supernatural drama Hellbound in development at Noho Film & TV, and is working with Clerkenwell Films and Lime Pictures on comedy projects Midnight Horror Show and Body Bags. “There’s such a consistency of storytelling skill, innovation, emotional truth and wit in all of Robert’s writing, as well as enormous range across all dramatic genres, and a real love for television drama,” says Noho co-founder Robert Wulff-Cochrane. “I’m absolutely certain that great things are to come from him.”
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HEnRiETTa & JESSica aSHwoRTH 25 Writers, Fresh Meat Identical twins Henrietta and Jessica Ashworth are the latest young writers to join the writing team on Objective Productions’ Channel 4 comedy drama Fresh Meat. It’s the first TV credit for the pair, whose film script Olivia & Jim was third on the industry’s Brit List (a canon of the UK’s best unproduced screenplays) and is now in development. Having immersed themselves in two series of the show, they approached episode three of series three with some trepidation – “it was a bit like writing fan fiction”, Henrietta jokes – but joint showrunner Sam Bain says the duo fitted seamlessly into the team: “They have shown great facility in dealing with a complex and demanding show, coming up with ideas, dealing with notes, delivering drafts and making key contributions, both in writing meetings and on the page.” Among the scripts Henrietta and Jessica are now developing is a comedy drawing on memories of the home schooling that first fostered their love of writing.
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Left to right: Henrietta Ashworth, Robert Goldsbrough, Jessica Ashworth, Kirstie Swain
Writer, In The Flesh In the guise of a zombie drama, BBC3’s In The Flesh tackles all manner of family and social issues. Who better to help expand the show than a rising star just graduated from the BBC Writer’s Academy with Holby, Doctors and EastEnders – plus the Frank Deasy Award for new writing – under her belt? Kirstie Swain came to BBC drama development producer Sarah Barton’s attention with spec script Big Fish, impressing with her “sparkiness and lightness of touch”. Kirstie came to the writer’s room “brimming with ideas” and buzzing with “a contagious energy”, says BBC drama North’s Simon Judd. For In The Flesh creator Dominic Mitchell, Kirstie excels at “subverting the genre, finding a different and fresh way into a welltrodden world without losing the emotional truth at the heart of the story”. Kirstie’s first pitch to BBC drama, Fat Calves, is in development with executive producer Hilary Salmon. The six-part series centres on three generations of women thrown together after a family member is murdered. August 2013 | Broadcast Hot Shots | 19
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lEvi david addai 29
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Writer/showrunner, Youngers After several years writing award-winning plays, Levi’s first major TV work, fact-based BBC3 drama My Murder, beat Birdsong and Holy Flying Circus to win the Broadcast Award for Best Single Drama, and he’s now masterminding E4’s first pre-watershed returning drama. He’s hard at work on series two of Youngers, nurturing young writers to help realise his vision of positively portraying the estates of his native south London. “Levi is such a mature and confident writer, it’s easy to forget he’s still in his 20s,” says Big Talk executive producer Luke Alkin, who praises Levi’s straddling of comedy and drama and avoidance of melodrama. “He’s the voice at the heart of the show from beginning to end. He’s absolutely clear in his vision for the series, but he’s also collaborative and manages to strike that rare balance between maintaining strong creative control over all aspects of the show while remaining open to input from others.”
HannaH SowdEn 26 Story editor, Hollyoaks Within two years of joining Hollyoaks on a work placement, Hannah became the teen soap’s story editor. Tenacious and bursting with ideas, she’s never afraid to challenge the audience with tough storylines, from bullying and attempted suicide to domestic abuse, linking the show with government campaigns – initiatives that, says executive producer Bryan Kirkwood, extend her skills way beyond story editing. Kirkwood has watched with wonder at Hannah’s commitment to her social responsibilities. “The quality I most value is her integrity,” he says. “She always puts the show before any personal ambition. It’s a rare quality and one that should be applauded. She is an exemplary role model for young, aspiring creatives and has got to where she is through hard work and dedication alone.”
SopHiE pETzal 22 Writer, Wolfblood; Hetty Feather One of two of this year’s Hot Shots to win the Peter Ustinov Scriptwriting Award at the Inter20 | Broadcast Hot Shots | August 2013
Left to right: Levi David Addai, Hannah Sowden, Sophie Petzal, Jonathan Neil
wRiTERS
national Emmys – for her pilot script, Sanctioned – Sophie’s built up an enviable CV since BBC Comedy optioned a comedy she wrote at just 19. One year into her university course, she joined the BBC as a production trainee. She soon quit her studies to dive deep into TV, and has never looked back. Working first on CBeebies’ Abney And Teal, she then joined CBBC’s supernatural drama Wolfblood. Impressed with her script editing, bosses gave her a prequel ‘secret’ online/ red button episode of series two. She’s now writing two episodes for CBBC’s new drama Hetty Feather, which goes into production in spring next year. “The fact that she was given such scriptwriting responsibility after such a short period of time at the BBC truly reflects her talent and the faith that senior drama producers have in her capabilities,” says BBC Academy talent executive Simon Wright. “Sophie is an exceptionally talented writer with a clear sense of audience in everything she writes. She has endless creativity and embarks on challenges with gusto and enthusiasm.”
On the First FlOOr stairs at the hOspital Club, lOndOn
JonaTHan nEil 28 Writer, Darby And Joan A 1950s tale of ‘spies in very British suburbia’ bagged Jonathan the prestigious Red Planet Prize 2012. Red Planet managing director Tony Jordan describes the script, Darby And Joan, as “a real page-turner. As you finished it, you wanted to know what happened next. I read a lot of scripts and you’ll be amazed how rare that is.” Jonathan’s now working closely with Kudos Film & TV, which backs the prize. Development producer Vicki Delow wants to nurture his “endless enthusiasm” and capacity for “big, bold ideas that both challenge and entertain”. “His dedication to researching his worlds and characters means his work is full of incredibly colourful detail and you really do feel like you’re inside his characters’ heads, joining them in whatever emotional quest they’re on,” she says. Building on his theatre background and a script for BBC Radio 1’s drama showcase Gaslight, Jonathan also has developments in with BBC Drama, Carnival Film & TV, Left Bank Pictures and Noho Film & TV. August 2013 | Broadcast Hot Shots | 21
The screening room aT The hospiTal club, london
THE HoT SHoTS
22 | Broadcast Hot Shots | August 2013
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CraFT & PoST CandiCE Ward 28 Front row: Candice Ward, Rear row left to right: Alex Rook, Romana Waliczek
Motion graphics designer, Channel 5 News Candice’s “remarkable” work rate in the underrated world of newsroom graphics involves creating between four and six sequences over a sixand-a-half-hour period for Channel 5 News. “We used to have three graphic designers; now we only have one and there is no discernible difference on air,” notes C5 news deputy editor Richard Zackheim. Candice’s credits include the Edward Snowden leaks, the tension in North Korea and Google’s tax-avoidance coverage, plus the London 2012 Olympics and the US elections. She has also been commissioned by C5 and ITN Productions to work on fast-turnaround documentaries, including The Ohio Slave Girls and Royal Baby. “Candice turns bizarre and complicated ideas into reality, adding the extra touches that producers and reporters hadn’t thought of,” says C5 chief news correspondent Tessa Chapman.
alEx rook 24
CraFT & PoST
Visual artist, Objective Productions There aren’t many 24 year-olds who can claim to have created the overall look for a flagship Saturday night gameshow, but this already stands out on Alex’s glittering CV, having shaped the visual style on BBC1’s forthcoming series Reflex. The show’s creator, Objective Productions exec producer Adam Adler, says the visual style of gameshows has become almost as important as the format itself. “As such, we worked very closely with Alex from the inception of the idea, making sure we considered how the show would look to set it aside from other shows,” he says. He credits Alex with finding ways to “develop Hollywood-style shots on a TV budget”. He was integral to Objective’s Bafta-winning craft team on The Cube – helping them refresh it for each series and working on template effects, including ‘gamefreeze’ and the contestants’ ‘ghosting’.
romana WaliCzEk 24 Post-production producer, Splice TV In the competitive world of post it can be hard to shine, but in just two years, Romana has worked her way up from runner to producer and is intent on “putting Splice on the map, obtaining bigger clients and competing against the bigger post houses”. Her credits already include some fairly high-profile shows, including Fresh One’s Jamie’s 15 Minute Meals and Blink Films’ What Destroyed The Hindenburg, both for Channel 4. Splice facility manager Ramit Anchal has Romana marked out for management: “She’s already picking up projects in pre-production and seeing them through to delivery. She also has a special way of dealing with people – which is why we think she is invaluable to both ourselves and our clients.”
Ed moorE 29 Director of photography, freelance Baby Cow took a risk in hiring a relative unknown as DoP on Common Ground, its series of 10 short films for Sky Atlantic. But Ed’s theatrical background paid off in spades. “Ed did the most fantastic job,” recalls producer Alison MacPhail. “He was a genius when it came to lighting. When you’ve only got two days to shoot each film, you don’t have much time. We also didn’t have money for pre-light, so we were arriving at a location, lighting and shooting straight away.” Much-loved as a team player and regularly singled out by producers for praise after a job, peers describe Ed as like a child at Christmas when he starts a new project. Prior to Common Ground, his biggest credit was as a second-unit DoP on UKTV’s recent Red Dwarf series, which put him in good stead for one of the most anticipated dramas of the year: the Doctor Who 50th anniversary special. www.broadcastnow.co.uk
August 2013 | Broadcast Hot Shots | 23
THE HoT SHoTS
EdWard SuTTon 27 Sound engineer, Soho Square Studios Nine years ago, Ed was at number 11 in the charts with his band The Noise Next Door’s song Lock Up Your Daughters. Heading backstage, he moved into live sound for venues and large events including Glastonbury before joining Soho Square Studios. He’s since totted up an impressive credit list including sessions for BBC children’s animation series such as Waybuloo, Raa Raa The Noisy Lion and Little Charlie Bear. A frequently requested name at the studios, Ed also engineers shows for Maverick TV including Embarrassing Bodies, Children’s Hospital, Gok’s Teens: The Naked Truth and How To Look Good Naked. On top of that, he regularly records voiceovers and mixes for the Al Jazeera Network. “Ed is a dedicated, calm and quick-witted sound engineer who is a constant delight to work alongside,” says client Simon Spencer, series producer for Zodiak Entertainment. “He’s speedy, efficient and uncompromising – qualities that always ensure the most satisfying sessions.”
CraFT & PoST
luCy JoHnSTonE 26 Tracklayer, Envy Despite joining Envy with little audio or video knowledge, Lucy has quickly risen up the ranks. After putting in the extra hours to train, she was soon promoted to the machine room and has now made the leap to tracklaying, where her credits include Locked Up Abroad, Great British Story and Dynamo: Magician Impossible. Envy senior producer Chris Rayner praises her meticulousness. “She puts a lot of thought into her tracklay and sound design work and gets great enjoyment from working on the bigger projects, often looking ahead in the schedule and requesting to have some involvement in certain films.” He says Lucy’s client-handling skills are second to none, and when voiceover sessions run over, she has the ability to put clients and artists at ease. “This particular skill will put her in a very good position when she has a studio full of clients and becomes a dubbing mixer in her own right.”
Colourist and online editor, Onsight Following the colour grade of First: The Official Film Of The London 2012 Olympic Games, director Caroline Rowland praised David for having “the rare ability to translate verbal descriptions into cinematic light and shade”. Cutting his teeth as a Mistika operator in Spain, David’s tenacity for post brought him to London, where he has gone from operator to one of Onsight’s leading colourists and online editors – with the BBC’s first 3D scripted drama, Mr Stink, under his belt, plus two of Sky’s celebrated Little Crackers. He is also well-versed in natural history – working on David Attenborough’s Micro Monsters 3D and Kingdom Of Plants 3D for Sky, demonstrating his ability to correct 3D macro photography with a high degree of precision and expertise. Onsight chief operating officer Andy Shelley says: “He seems to welcome a challenge, taking technically complex projects in his stride.” 24 | Broadcast Hot Shots | August 2013
The felT room, ouTside area aT The hospiTal club, london
david GonzalEz lozano 28
Left to right: Edward Sutton, Lucy Johnstone, David Gonzalez Lozano
CRAFT & POST
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THE Hot Shots
Rachael Townsley 26 Marketing manager, EMEA, ITV Studios From organising publicity junkets in Canada for NBC Universal, to developing a new digital sales tool that is now used across the ITV Studios’ business, Rachael is held in high esteem by both past and present employers. Joining ITVS as a marketing executive, she was promoted to marketing manager for the South East EMEA Cluster at ITVS & ITVS Global Entertainment earlier this year. Rachael’s achievements include leading the marketing campaign for the launch of Mr Selfridge at MIPTV – a series now sold to more than 100 territories. ITVS head of marketing for EMEA Sarah Baines praises her involvement in raising the visibility of the ITVS marketing team across the group. “Rachael has set up numerous processes that have simplified the way the marketing team works, both internally and with external partners. She was a key instigator of the shared Googledocs process and used her influencing and teaching skills to roll this out across the department and key partners.”
Lauren Cathcart 28
Gerald Casey 28 Scheduler, Dave Gerald graduated from a channel and scheduling assistant to a scheduler at UKTV channel Dave three months ago after an intensely competitive selection process. His achievements at Dave include negating the ratings plunge when the channel brand lost Dave Ja Vu to the launch of Really. He also played a lead role in the launch of Dave HD and is credited as being an invaluable source of creative scheduling initiatives that have driven performance. These include Match Of The Dave – the Euro 2012 schedule delivered 36% growth compared with the 52-week average and 42% compared with the same period last year. Gerald also played a significant role in sourcing shows such as Man v Food. Dave & Gold general manager Steve North says: “Gerald has the ability to drill down into the detail of individual slots and take away the important information that he can use.”
BUSINESS
Co-ordinator, BBC Academy College of Production The BBC Academy’s compliance course Safeguarding Values has now been delivered to 13,000 staff across the UK – in part thanks to course co-ordinator Lauren. She was responsible for liaising with delegates and senior management to deliver sessions and booking the venues and facilities for the courses. In addition, she co-ordinates the production training portfolio of courses and works as events co-ordinator on special events such as Expert Women and Fast Train. According to BBC Academy College of Production managing editor Angela Roberts, Lauren has quickly made her mark: “She has an extremely proactive approach to her work. She not only got to grips with the details of the diverse portfolio of production training, but has quickly become a firm favourite with staff and associate trainers alike for her cheerful and can-do attitude.”
Sheri Cladd 25 Research and insight manager, factual and lifestyle channels, UKTV Rather than topping up her tan on Venice Beach, Sheri spent a recent LA holiday setting up meetings with US TV studios and had tours of Sony, Universal, Warner and Paramount to meet staff, expand her knowledge and network with contacts. Her passion for US television has led to high-level conversations on investing in expensive acquisitions after undertaking extensive research. UKTV head of research Amy Bryson said it became apparent that Sheri was a rising star when she had to cover the research for Watch and Alibi independently, following the absence of a senior team member. She also impressed the channel’s general manager and scheduler, Steve Hornsey. “Sheri personifies the distinction between research and true insight,” he says. “Her sharp editorial view, passion for all things content and thorough appreciation of data allows her to interpret, anticipate and illustrate trends, opportunities and pitfalls in a manner that offers very significant value to a channels and media business.” 26 | Broadcast Hot Shots | August 2013
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Left to right: Rachael Townsley, Lauren Cathcart, Gerald Casey, Sheri Cladd
www.broadcastnow.co.uk
August 2013 | Broadcast Hot Shots | 27
The first floor at THe Hospital Club, London
BUSINESS
BusInEss Make-up rooM at tHe Hospital Club, london
THE HoT sHoTs
BusInEss Left to right: Emma Murray, Becky Gregory-Clarke, Harry Gamsu
Emma murray 27 Research assistant, BBC3 Audience research and analytics may be one of TV’s more unsung areas, but to channel controllers and production teams, Emma is invaluable, as BBC3 controller Zai Bennett acknowledges: “Emma tirelessly researches BBC3’s audience and programmes to help the team make informed decisions about the programming and strategy of the channel.” Starting out at MTV as an insight intern, she soon progressed through the ranks to become an analyst and then executive, delivering research on youth TV to programme-makers, and digital and commercial teams. She also rebooted the youth broadcaster’s portal, MTV Sticky, creating content for the site and commissioning bloggers. At the BBC, she reviews BBC3 audience feedback and data, helping to devise a brand new evaluation tool for its 16-34 audience that has become key for marketing and media planning. She also works on entertainment and comedy, on shows including Strictly Come Dancing and The Apprentice.
BEcky GrEGory-clarkE 27 Technologist, BBC R&D From designing and building hardware for stateof-the-art radio cameras to working on intelligent systems that recommend TV programmes for iPlayer, Becky is passionate about technology and a champion for women in engineering. 28 | Broadcast Hot Shots | August 2013
She also works on projects in her spare time, designing software for an award-winning interactive arts project and working on trials of a new super-high-vision television system. Before she had finished her training at BBC R&D, an app that she had proposed, the Weatherbot, was commissioned for rollout across BBC News and Weather. “Rebecca is a star both technically and socially. She is intelligent, capable and enthusiastic, and a great ambassador for women in engineering,” says BBC R&D research fellow Nick Wells.
Harry Gamsu 24 Acquisitions manager, Warner Bros International Television Harry joined Warner Bros through the sale of Shed Media and the subsequent fold-in of Outright Distribution, where he had worked as a sales exec. He’s since flourished in acquisitions, as well as being heavily involved in broadcaster RTÉ’s format farm initiative. This has delivered new Irish formats to WB distribution including The Hit, which performed strongly at MIPTV. Harry also represented Warners in supporting the MIP Formats international pitch competitions in 2012 and 2013. He has helped to establish third-party formats such as Impractical Jokers and Celebrity Wedding Planner as international must-haves. “Harry’s rise within Warners is testament to his ability to build and manage relationships
with major third-party rights-holders and ensure we don’t miss key programming opportunities,” says Andrew Zein, Warner Bros’ senior vicepresident of creative, format development sales.
roxana rEHman 27 Channel executive, PBS America “I’ve already done that” is the catchphrase of this multi-tasker, described by PBS America general manager Richard Kingsbury as “our Girl Friday”. As one of just four people tasked with getting the channel on air in just three months, Roxana secured its Ofcom licence, set up its web and social media presence, compliance and music licence procedures, and oversaw the launch marketing and event – and much more besides. On top of her regular job, which includes dealing with 250 press contacts, the former C4 commissioning assistant deputises for the channel’s heads of marketing and programming. As part of a start-up, Kingsbury says Roxana handled a rare breadth of responsibility, all of it new to her, with ease. “She has shown that she can fill marketing, PR and scheduling roles. I expect she will go on to be a great success in one of them – or knowing her, all three.” www.broadcastnow.co.uk
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The hoT shoTs
Tom Jenkins 29 YouTube channel manager, The Connected Set Tom’s innate understanding of web culture allows him to identify emerging trends and talent well ahead of the curve, according to his boss, Jason Mitchell, creative director at The Connected Set. Following work on Channel 4 Online’s first broadcast commission, 2012: Mashed, Tom has been charged with managing a whole YouTube channel for the broadcaster. Before joining The Connected Set, Tom’s digital triumphs included working on an award-winning project for Intel and Sky – for creative agency Duke & Earl – as well as creating and producing Wrapped Up: World Cup for Fremantle’s R&D arm. The latter was nominated for best online entertainment show at the Banff World Media Awards. Tom also has a solid grounding in linear TV, having worked for companies such as Shine and Hot Sauce.
AshA WolsTenholme 29 VoD operations manager, Channel 5 At Channel 4, Asha spearheaded the iTunes strategy – ensuring the broadcaster’s biggest shows became the store’s biggest sellers, with at least one C4 title featuring in the TV top 10 during her tenure. The big challenge in her current role has been to manage the adoption of a new VoD delivery platform for Channel 5. This major migration project – replacing an old, legacy system with a state-of-the-art, outsourced solution – was achieved quickly and efficiently with no drop in service levels. Asha has developed key relationships with rights holders and distribution partners, helping to deliver sharp growth in the range of content available via Demand 5. C5 digital media director James Tatam says: “As Asha continuously demonstrates, applying creativity, flexibility, innovation, commercial acumen and good old-fashioned hard work to this ‘last mile’ of the media business can generate as much value for viewers and media owners as any other part of the business.”
Az neWmAn 24 Creative developer, The Project Factory Az started building websites at the age of 12. In the past two years, he has designed the multi-award-winning GTST: Wie is Tim? – a major transmedia project for The Netherlands’ largest daily soap, NTL’s Goede Tijden Slechte Tijden (Good Times Bad Times). He also created all the assets and builds for ITV’s Downton Abbey across social media, mobile and web, and designed the BBC Africa iPad prototype and the iPad touch doc How To Start A Revolution. Project Factory managing director Kirsty Hunter describes Az as “an exceptional designer, developer and strategic thinker”. She adds: “He lives and breathes digital. The design on projects such as Downton Abbey and BBC Africa is world class and something our clients rave about.” He also worked on www.spiritof45.com – the digital companion to Ken Loach’s post-war documentary.
BArry Pilling 28 Founder, Telegraph Hill Barry is one of YouTube’s success stories, landing his first job in TV – managing the digital content for RDF’s Shipwrecked – after wowing the indie with his own online channel. At Zodiak, he also created the Broadcast Award-winning Being Human community, which became the BBC’s biggest blog and BBC3’s most popular website. It was at RDF that he first met Garret Keogh, with whom he cofounded social TV production company Telegraph Hill, along with their colleague, Jack Simcock. “I wish I was like Barry in my twenties,” Keogh laments. “He is the creative heart of everything we do.” Telegraph Hill has gone on to produce a series of digital offerings, including all the online material for The Voice UK series one, attracting 25,000 Twitter followers before the show’s TX. The team also revamped Hollyoaks online, tripling web traffic and adding 200,000 viewers to watch a socially integrated episode. 30 | Broadcast Hot Shots | August 2013
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Left to right: Tom Jenkins, Asha Wolstenholme, Az Newman, Barry Pilling
ReaR staiRs at tHe Hospital Club, london
DigiTAl
DigiTAl
www.broadcastnow.co.uk
August 2013 | Broadcast Hot Shots | 31
tHe tV studio at tHe Hospital Club, london
The hoT shoTs
DigiTAl Left to right: Steve Gardner, Mark MacDonald, Rajiv Nathwani
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www.broadcastnow.co.uk
DigiTAl sTeve gArDner 25 Digital producer, ITV News As well as helping to develop the architecture of the new ITV News website, Steve has taken a hands-on approach to managing the stories that come his way – he was lead producer on coverage of the Woolwich terror attack and secured the first footage of the alleged attacker online. Steve has quickly established himself as a key producer, sharing his expertise with the rest of the newsroom on the use of digital media, and has often been in charge of the site when the biggest stories have broken, including the disappearance of April Jones and the Aurora cinema shootings in America. “He is fast, which is absolutely critical to me and other correspondents, as well as our users,” says ITV News business editor Laura Kuennsberg. “And more than anything else, he has good editorial judgement.”
mArk mAcDonAlD 27 Channel manager, Little Dot Studios Ten years ago, understanding the complexities of algorithms would have been one for a university’s maths department or BBC R&D; now these skills are needed in the everyday management of online TV channels. At All3Media-backed start-up Little Dot, Mark looks after YouTube Original Channels Daily Mix and Body Talk, two of the 20 channels he manages. Views of these, which include many televisionbranded YouTube offerings – from Embarrassing Bodies to How To Look Good Naked – have quadrupled over the past year. Mark’s bosses say he is “a rare talent” – someone as big on the creative and talent management side as he is with the technical backend. Little Dot co-founder and chief exec Andy Taylor says: “Mark understands the complexities of the YouTube platform and its algorithm, and all aspects of production. He knows what YouTube viewers want, how to produce effectively for the platform, and how to get the video seen.”
rAJiv nAThWAni 25 Social media manager, BBC1 Charged with ramping up the BBC’s social media content, Rajiv has found himself co-ordinating tweets for Lord Sugar for the launch of The Apprentice and liaising with director of television Danny Cohen on the communication around Margaret Thatcher’s death. On a day-to-day level, he has been working with Lindsay Nuttall, head of marketing, BBC1 drama and entertainment, on growing social media output across shows including EastEnders. Theatre-lover Nathwani is also the youngest director and trustee on the board of the Birmingham Rep, and has even developed an app – Theatre Ninjas – that gives users access to a list of shows advertising free tickets. “Rajiv represents a new type of television executive,” says Nuttall. “He loves content and he understands the role it plays in audiences’ lives.”
Phil hArPer 27 Communities producer, Truthloader Initially hired to manage the social media elements on Truthloader, ITN’s YouTube web channel, Phil’s energy and enthusiasm, combined with his unique charisma, persuaded his bosses that he was ready to take on a larger role. He is now effectively the face of the interactive citizen journalism channel, presenting news and features and hosting regular, live, on-air chats. Its subscriber base has since grown to a healthy half a million. “Phil’s not a trained journalist but he is a shining example of a new breed of intelligent, multi-skilled web producer,” says ITN Productions editorial director Chris Shaw. “He has developed a totally original ‘non-journalistic’ style of news presentation, which is at once intelligent, curious and accessible. It’s a style I believe will be copied by more mainstream news broadcasters as they try to attract younger viewers.” www.broadcastnow.co.uk
August 2013 | Broadcast Hot Shots | 33
LASt YEAR’S winnERS
Broadcast Hot SHotS
The class of 2012 Last year’s Hot Shots comprised 55 people under 30 across all areas of TV, from the business brains behind the scenes to writers, performers and digital experts Production
Craft & Post
Writers
JON PETRIE Producer, Roughcut TV
LUKE ROTHERY Editor, True North
FRANCESCA GARDNER Writer, Hunted
CHARLIE HAWRYLIW Editor, ITN Productions
TOM BIDWELL Writer, My Fat Mad Teenage Diary
LUCY TANNER Visual effects producer, LipSync Post
LAURA NEAL Writer, New Cross
COLLEEN FLYNN Head of development, Keo Films TANYA QURESHI Commissioning co-ordinator, UKTV MICHAEL FRENCH Producer, ITN/C4 News KAM ODEDRA Script editor, Lime Productions/ Red Production Company CAT GREEN Associate producer, The Garden LINDSAY SALT Script editor, Left Bank Pictures JOFF POWELL Entertainment executive, Lion TV
JACK MEADOWS Dubbing mixer, The Farm AVDHESH MOHLA Freelance assistant editor ANDY WARD Dubbing mixer, The Mews ROB GRAINGER Online/VFX editor, Platform LIAM COLLINWOOD Head of VFX support, Envy
SEAN O’RIORDAN Creator, Newton’s Law ALEXANDER STEWART Writer, Hillbillies SARAH SOLEMANI Writer, Aphrodite Fry
Business SARAH McCAFFREY Channel management executive, UTV
DAN STUDLEY Technical manager, HotCam
LAURA BRANDER Press & PR manager, ITN (ITV News)
Digital
ANNA FERN Channels executive, ITV
JON GREEN Assistant producer, BBC Factual Entertainment
NICK WESTWOOD Multiplatform producer, digital entertainment, BSkyB
GEMMA KIRBY DAVIES Assistant development producer, Twofour
JAINE SYKES Digital producer, BBC
RAVI AMARATUNGA Editor, Random Acts, C4
CATHERINE BRAY Editor, film4.com, Maverick TV
DOMINIQUE CUTTS Assistant producer, BBC
ADAM WOODHALL Head of online, Company Pictures
KATIE BREWER Production executive, Fresh One Productions
JONATHAN ALMOND Interactive producer, Fremantle Media UK
KATE STANNARD Development producer, BBC Entertainment North
TIM DIXON Director of production, Bloc Media
TIM MAYNARD Researcher, Tonight, ITV1
LEIGH GOWER Digital content manager, Really, UKTV
DANIELLE CLARK Producer, Roast Beef Productions
MYLES DYER Channel manager, ChannelFlip Media
TOM HUTCHINGS Assistant producer, Lime Pictures
LAURA GRACE Creative strategist, Mint Digital
MICHAEL FRASER Producer/director, Wall to Wall
NICK CHAPIN Head of digital distribution, brand content, Kameleon
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VICKY WALKER Scheduler, Watch GRACE AYRES Acting marketing manager, sport, factual and current affairs, C4 WILL GUNTON Assistant marketing manager, UKTV
Directors MJ DELANEY Freelance director MACKENZIE HUNKIN Producer/director, Freeform Productions TOM MUSTILL Producer/director, AGB Films/Neon Otter JOSEPH MARTIN Director, Roast Beef Productions JONATHAN TAYLOR Director, Films of Record ZARA HAYES Producer/director, NERD/New Black Films/ Peek Films
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# h C LUB1 0 0 N O MI NAT E NOW ! Nominate now to give your biggest broadcast crush this year the chance to be in the Hospital Club 100! The Hospital Club 100 is the Hospital Club’s search for the most innovative influential people working across the Creative Industries in the last 12 months, and we’d love you to nominate for the Broadcast category. Be it a fantastic writer, producer, exec, actor or editor who has done something standout in the last 12 months – we want to hear about them. Voted for by the public (over 15,000 votes last year), the resulting list is recognised across the creative industries and consulted for inspiration, connections and information. Email us now: hClub100@thehospitalclub.com with the following details:
• NAME • COMPANY and/or JOB • REASON WHY • CONTACT DETAILS • URL and/or Twitter
More Info: www.thehospitaclub.com
HOT SHOTS 2013