One of my earliest forays into television was working on ‘Ladette to Lady’, writes Edit Producer Bohdan Kolesnik. But maybe not as you know it.

This show remains one of the most interesting reality shows I’ve ever worked on in the Ukraine. One of the characters had bipolar disorder, which manifested in two distinct behavioural models. On one hand, she was a typical teenager who had suffered from a lack of maternal love and attention during her childhood. On the other, she had delusions of being the prima ballerina of the Mariinsky Theatre, imagining her father as a policeman and a deputy of the Duma. She possessed a remarkable ability to humour and entertain those around her. There was an occasion when she refused to go on set and began to pack her suitcases, claiming she was heading off to Monaco. I have a fondness for comedy reality shows; they’re my favourite genre.

I worked on the Russian adaptation of the British TV show ‘Ladette to Lady’, known as Tomboys. Comedy reality shows are my favourite genre. Editing the show’s humorous content was a significant challenge – creating a compelling 9-minute scene from 10 hours of footage featuring 12 characters and interspersing 12 interviews — but one I accomplished with relish.

Bohdan Kolesnik Edit Producer https://www.mediaparents.co.uk/freelancers/18080/bohdan-kolesnik

My name is Bohdan, and I hail from Kyiv, I made the move to London in 2022. I made the strategic move to London, taking advantage of my student status which, at the time, allowed me to cross the border without being conscripted into the army.

Since 2018, I have been working as an Edit Producer for British formats on Ukrainian television and Russian reality TV shows, produced in Kyiv by local production companies. Currently, I am seeking opportunities in UK reality TV shows — a genre beloved by the Ukrainian audience, particularly for its UK formats.

Another project close to my heart was the Russian adaptation of ‘That’ll Teach ‘Em’ (Channel 4) . We placed ten troubled teenagers in a Soviet-style school where they spent ten weeks working to improve their behaviour and relationships with their parents. It was rewarding to work on a show that tackled socially critical issues and explored the parent-child dynamic. The stringent deadlines were the toughest aspect, requiring us to edit extensive material within tight time frames. Over the course of 14 weeks of cutting, we had to condense vast amounts of footage into a coherent timeline within very tight schedules, ultimately crafting episodes that were 1 hour and 10 minutes in length.

I am also continuing to work remotely on a Ukrainian reality show, an adaptation of the US reality show ‘Mum of the Week,’ which continues to enjoy high ratings in Ukraine.

I’ve edit produced smaller realities like ‘Goddess of Shopping’ and ‘Dating No Filter’ (an adaptation of the American reality ‘Dating #NoFilter’). I was also called on to assist a Polish production whose edit producer had fallen ill. Despite not speaking Polish, I took on the challenge. The task of editing in a language similar to Ukrainian, yet distinct, honed my skills in storytelling across linguistic boundaries.

Since the war began and I relocated to London, I’ve been sending my CV to various production companies, eager for an opportunity to work on UK TV. I’ve had no responses yet, but I’ve been improving my language skills and working in Liberty Shop (at Regent street) to stay afloat.

I’m determined not to give up. Through Media Parents and Facebook groups I am hopeful to be welcomed into a production team. I am open to any opportunity in post-production and am prepared to start in an entry-level position to gain experience.

Thank you for taking the time to read my story. https://www.mediaparents.co.uk/freelancers/18080/bohdan-kolesnik

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