The Theatre and Entertainment Luvver Something short to go here

IF you, like me, have used these colder months as an excuse to binge your way through box sets, you’ll be incredibly grateful and impressed by the British talent both in front of the camera and behind the scenes.

In Bristol, we have an impressive and evergrowing TV and film production scene and you might be surprised to learn that many of the productions you watch and enjoy are created here on your doorstep.

I spoke to Stuart Garlick, co-owner of Rebel Television, based in the Tobacco Factory Southville about what it’s like to work in the industry and how to get into it.

When did you set up your TV production company in Southville? And why here?

“We set up Rebel Television five years ago after spending many years working as freelance directors, editors, writers and producers for loads of major broadcasters, from the BBC to MTV and from Sky to Discovery and many others in between. We initially set up in Clifton as that’s where most Bristol TV is based. The pandemic made us reassess how we were working so after living in Southville for 20 years, I decided to move our business to The Tobacco Factory. It was the best decision we made and we love it here. It’s creative, vibrant and the commute is non-existent.”

What is the best thing about producing your own shows?

“Seeing your own show go from an idea to actually being on telly is mind blowing. My business partner Aaron is one of my best mates so getting to work together every day is great fun. It’s also really collaborative and creative and the buck stops with us so although the lows are lower, the highs are much higher than working for someone else. We’re the masters of our own destiny.”

What is your average day at work?

“Every day involves a lot of coffee and laughter. You can’t make kids comedies if you’re in a bad mood. If we have a show in production I take a very hands-on role, writing scripts, editing and doing voices. When we are between productions, I spend my time in development, creating new show ideas with my business partner and often a room of creatives. If we think a show is good enough, we initially create a glossy two-page document that’s eye-catching and sells and explains the idea. We then contact commissioners we think would be interested and set up a meeting to pitch the idea and give context. This is both exciting and nerve wracking but if it goes well, you then present a budget and schedule, and fingers crossed you get a commission. Sounds simple but about one in 10 ideas get a commission.”

What advice would you give to anyone wanting to work in TV?

“Contact everyone you can. Be persistent but polite. If you get a job, turn up on time, smile and be as helpful as you can be. We run a very ‘all hands-on deck’ company where no job is below anyone. If you can’t do the small jobs then no one will trust you with the big jobs. I’d much rather hire someone with a can-do attitude but no experience than the other way around.”

So keep tuning in and enjoying Bristol’s great programmes - you can catch Rebel Television’s new show ‘Silly Pets’, starring Alan Carr as a talking dog, on Sky Kids.

Jacqui Ham