Media Parents

In my work life as a documentary producer, I never have a problem striking up conversation with neurosurgeons, politicians or gang members, for whatever programme I happen to be making, writes Producer Elena Mourey. Elena is being sponsored by Raw TV on the Media Parents Back to Work Scheme 2018.

"No amount of hard liquor can make networking easy" Returning Docs Producer Elena Mourey with Fiona Campbell, Controller of Mobile and Online BBC News

But for me, no amount of hard liquor can make networking easy. All poise and confidence vanish when I’m forced to introduce myself and blow my own trumpet.  My body malcoordinates, my hands turn to cack and when channelling my inner Beyoncé, somehow instead Mr Bean comes out to say hello.

Being chosen for the Media Parents Back to Work Scheme was a massive confidence boost, and the first step was a trip to the Edinburgh TV Festival…to network.

Elena Mourey (far right) with the Media Parents Back to Work team at Edinburgh TV Festival 2018

Networking, blurgh – so let’s just call it a ‘chat’

In our first Media Parents session, Amy Walker gave us some much needed tips. First of all, forget that word ‘networking’. Instead, think of it as chatting. It seems so obvious. There’s something quite vulnerable about shouting your assets at someone you have a career crush on. Amy reassured us that finding some common ground will pave the way to easy flowing career conversation.

I immediately skipped off to a toilet cubicle, practised some power poses and contemplated who my first chat victim could be.

After the ‘Edinburgh Does…Question Time’ debate I spotted panellist Fiona Campbell, Controller of Mobile and Online BBC News, lingering by the door. I pounced.

“Fiona, hi. I love your trousers,” I blurted. Her trousers, previously hidden behind the panel desk, were shiny shocking fuchsia, teamed with silver plimsolls. Bam, we were off. Selfies were taken and after a quick chat about work and motherhood in the lift, she was whisked off for press photos.

Returning Producer Elena Mourey meets Sugar Films MD Pat Younge

Other chats I had involved Pat Younge at Sugar Films, Jonathan Meenagh from Shine, Anna Bonaddio from Expectation Entertainment and the new gang of series producers on the Creative Skillset scheme.

I think I found some common ground and have gone some way to shaking my fear of networking.

Thanks to Jonathan Meenagh and Mark Sammon from Shine TV for encouraging Media Parents returners at Edinburgh TV Festival

Having a child can up the career stakes

I’ve always been a woman, yes. And I’ve always been a ‘yes’ woman.  So I found the ‘Legendary Women of Television’ panel utterly inspiring.

Olivia Lichtenstein of Storyvault Films told of her unapologetic approach to motherhood. She admitted to feeling Imposter Syndrome and terror at work, despite winning numerous awards as the only woman on the BBC’s flagship documentary series World in Action. When she decided it was best to be on home turf for her kids, rather than roving the world as a producer/director, she went straight for the jugular and applied to be the editor. It meant working harder but not being so absent.

In television, we’re taught to bleed to succeed. We thrive on it in fact. We think it’s seen as a measure of our success if we can be the last person at night to send out an email, or the first person in the morning to arrive at the office. This doesn’t make us good at our job. Being good at our job does.

So how can we be the best person at work and the best parent at home? I like Dorothy Byrne’s (Head of News and Current Affairs at C4) tip,

“Just don’t try to be so perfect.”

It’s an exciting time to jump back into the industry, when no one is sure what’s next, not even the people at the top.

“The old rules of how things work in TV are being thrown out,” said Kelly Webb Lamb. When TV is competing with Netflix, Instagram and Snapchat, it’s vital that people with different influences, experiences, struggles, fashion sense and music tastes make and run telly. And if new and fresh perspectives are to be valued, that can only be a good thing.

After all, it’s when the rules are broken, that magic happens.

https://www.mediaparents.co.uk/freelancers/13955/elena-mourey

Meet Elena at our Media Parents Back to Work Drinks on Sept 26th. Click image to join Media Parents www.mediaparents.co.uk for great jobs, training and events.

I was ecstatic when Sister Pictures Exec Gina Marsh personally congratulated me for winning a place as their mentee on the Media Parents Back to Work Scheme, writes Drama Assistant Coordinator Jenny Madalura. Sister Pictures specialise in high-end drama, with an impressive portfolio of series like ‘Spooks’, ‘The Split’, and ‘Flowers’. Magali Gibert, Sister Pictures’ Head of Production would be my mentor, and I was to receive a ticket to the Edinburgh TV Festival. It was so long since I heard the word ‘win’, in the same sentence as TV!

Media Parents Returner Jenny Madalura with Selina Scott at Edinburgh TV Festival

For me its been family first and career second as a mum raising two kids with a 20 year gap between them. These last two years my son has been through a journey of his life fighting leukaemia, thankfully now he is in remission after receiving a bone marrow transplant. You forget sometimes, what you did and how you did it before being a parent, so it was exhilarating to be in Edinburgh for three days to get some of my media mojo back : networking and learning new things about the industry, seeing the new talent out there and the different platforms, discussing industry trends penetrating the traditional forms of media content and development.

"You forget sometimes, what you did and how you did it before being a parent, so it was exhilarating to be in Edinburgh for three days to get some of my media mojo back" Jenny Madalura, returning Drama Coordinator

So, Edinburgh TV Festival… A room full of stands, heaving with people going to various screenings or talks. YouTube’s stand was an oasis of plants and seats, coffee and food, with places where you could charge your phone amongst the hustle of media people and execs talking to each other, or busily on their phones.

I sat calmly down thinking "how did I do this before?" : Jenny Madalura launches herself into networking at EdinburghTV Festival

I sat calmly down thinking “how did I do this before?” and a first friendly face was a woman who also like me needed to sit down and gather it all in.  She was from a company called  A & E Productions, an American company, and I started by saying, “It was good to get some coffee to start the day!”  She thankfully agreed. Then, I guess we started talking and I mentioned that I was on this programme, the last thing I worked on was at BBC3 in White City, and as a researcher for Panorama and Tim Samuels’ docu-series. I even forgot to say my name at the beginning as we were just talking.  It was good, so we exchanged details.

That’s pretty much what I did through out the sessions : I met young people from the Talent programme who were amazing; I saw Joanna Lumley, but my phone ran out of battery so couldn’t pap her. Lenny Henry was there, promoting his birthday show. Saw Steve Coogan and Christine Langan, Sue Perkins and Hugh Grant, Steven Frears (Director), Dan Winch Producer of ‘A Very English Scandal’.

There were a few of the master classes, ‘A Very English Scandal’ and ‘Legendary Women of TV Reveal All’, ‘In Conversation with Steve Coogan and Christine Langan’ I made sure to attend to bone up on scripted production.

There were a lot of interesting media people who I was able to meet including our Media Parents Back to Work Scheme returners, who all had different experiences and roles in production. They were all lovely people and I will be excited to see them again at September’s drinks. In a very short space of time, we’d all managed to connect with contacts that may help our journey back into work.  But the proof is in the pudding of whether or not there will be work at the end of it – so the hard work begins now, in the following up all these contacts and seeing where it will lead to.

https://www.mediaparents.co.uk/freelancers/15655/jenny-madalura

Our Media Parents Back to Work Drinks are on Sept 26th. Click image to join Media Parents www.mediaparents.co.uk for great jobs, training and events.

Excitement and nerves merged into one as I arrived at the Edinburgh TV Festival writes returning Production Executive Katie Walmsley.  And after an inspirational networking workshop with Media Parents, it was time to leap back into the world of TV.

"She's back!" Returning Production Executive Katie Walmsley with Presenter Sue Perkins at Edinburgh TV Festival

The first seminar that pulled me in was  ‘How to make a Green Production’ with Producer Rosa Brough and Trevor Vegera Lopez, Production Executive from Keo Films.   It was great to learn about the Albert Certification @WeAreALBERT, an online points scoring scheme which rewards productions for implementing sustainable production techniques.  A growing number of productions have gone through this scheme, including Downton Abbey, Coronation Street and Poldark. Great to learn that there are viable ways the industry can be part of the solution.

After a fun hour with Roy Walker and some of the cast of Love island for ‘Edinburgh Does…. Catchphrase’, it was off to the A+E Networks opening night drinks at the National Museum of Scotland.  It felt rather daunting walking into a packed venue full of incredible talent, however it was easy to bump into people I already knew since my Production Executive days in Glasgow and I immediately felt at home.  It was lovely to see Alan Clements and Kirsty Wark.  I also reconnected with Paul Sheehan, Commercial Director, STV and Pauline Law, Head of Multi-Platform Production, BBC Scotland.

MacTaggart Drinks at Edinburgh TV Festival

Day Two, and, determined to make the most of the festival programme,  I darted to the ‘The Leaders Debate’ where Kirsty Wark certainly held some of the panel to account over the Commissioning processes.  The difference between how the Indies and Commissioners view elements of the process was vast. From a production exec’s point of view there were some eye-opening revelations. For example 95% of commissioners said they had never asked an indie to start spending on a production without a green light, compared to 66% of indies that said they had.

‘The Michael Palin in North Korea’ Master Class was a powerful workshop, as was the insightful ‘Legendary Women in Television Reveal All’ Debate. Olivia Lichtenstein quoted Nora Ephron when asked what she’d tell her younger self – ‘be the heroine of your life, not the victim’ and my favourite advice from Dorothy Byrne, Head of News and Current affairs at C4 ‘Be pushy and ambitious and marry a builder’.

Katie is sponsored by All3Media on the Media Parents Back to Work Scheme. Katie (left) pictured with All3Media Head of Talent Anouk Berendsen in a leafy glade somewhere near Edinburgh TV Festival

ALL3Media Talent Manager ‘Anouk Berendsen’ & I escaped the busy crowds and had an invaluable chat with huge amounts of encouragement for my return to TV.  Anouk’s top tip was ‘Be confident in the experience you have and never apologise for taking a career break or for being a mum’.   I felt excited for the future and reassured that I could return to the job I love and still strike the work/life balance and be there for my children.

The final session ‘A Very English Scandal Master class’ hosted by Sue Perkins including the very charismatic Hugh Grant was fun and informative and reaffirmed how important team dynamics are to the success of a production, both on & off the screen.

We wrapped with a fantastic CV workshop with Amy Walker, ensuring my CV really showcased my skills and abilities.  The festival went in a blur and I’ve left with reaffirmed confidence, new contacts and some great meetings lined up about my future.  I’m excited to meet my mentor Roz Pound, Head of Production at Objective Media Group next month.  It was fascinating to see how the industry has evolved but it also felt like I’d never been away.  Media Parents & All3Media have given me an amazing platform to return to television and I can’t wait to see what the future holds.

https://www.mediaparents.co.uk/freelancers/15643/katie-walmsley

Media Parents Back to Work Scheme Winners 2018. To read more about their journeys follow this blog

Click image to join Media Parents www.mediaparents.co.uk for great jobs, training and events.

“Inspired” feels too hackneyed an expression to describe how I feel following  the Edinburgh TV Festival. I have fire in my belly, writes Entertainment Producer Jo Larmer after attending the festival on the Media Parents Back to Work Scheme courtesy of Endemol Shine as sponsors.

Jo Larmer (top left) with all the Media Parents Back to Work Scheme winners at Edinburgh TV Festival 2018

It’s quite a turnaround from how I felt as I packed my case to go. Filling out the application for the Media Parents’ Back To Work Scheme had been the easy part. And flattering as it was to have been selected for the scheme, the reality of leaving my children for three days and “networking” was stomach-churningly terrifying, if I’m honest. As I walked into the Festival itself on the morning of Day One, it’s no exaggeration to say that I felt like a total imposter, alone and full of self-doubt. What on earth was I thinking that I could return to my old, pre-children, pre-widowhood career?

But with #Diversity the buzz word of the Festival, and a coaching session from Media Parents, I soon began to feel not just that I deserved to be there, but that I still had something to contribute to the world of TV. My experiences of the past seven years since stepping away from Series Producing, far from dumbing me down, have enriched me, given me a new skew and a more worldly perspective on life; a better understanding of the kind of content viewers deserve to see.

It also wasn’t long until I started bumping into my ‘ghosts of TV past’ – people I had worked with ten or even 15 years ago. People I had had great working relationships with, but with whom I had simply lost touch. Reconnecting with them was a chance I’d never have had without attending the Festival, and each of them filled me with encouragement for my return to work.

Returning Producer Jo Larmer (right) with All3Media's Head of Talent Anouk Berendsen

Choosing which sessions to go to felt a bit of a minefield to begin with. I decided to head to all the ‘Meet The Controller’ interviews and fit in whatever I could around those. It turned out to be a good strategy as it gave me a quick overview reminder of what each of the main broadcasters is about, the kind of shows they aim to put out, and their culture from the top. But the most enlightening sessions I attended were two that I hadn’t originally anticipated going to – ‘Creatives vs Computers: Are You Smarter Than A Robot?’ and ‘Legendary Women Of TV Reveal All’.

The first, ‘Creatives vs Computers,’ was a kind of masterclass in development, with panel members from Ricochet, Shiver and TwoFour revealing their tips for coming up with new show ideas, admitting that their teams tried everything from sitting in silence, to walking in the park, to pulling random words out of a hat. But the key to a great development team is… yes you’ve guessed it… #Diversity! “You can’t all be Guardian readers with a First from Oxford,” said Shiver’s Ana de Moraes, “otherwise you all end up with the same ideas.”

‘Legendary Women Of TV Reveal All’ saw 1Xtra’s Dotty interviewing a panel of women who had blazed a trail through the TV landscape. And it is with the words of these women embedded in my heart, that I leave Edinburgh. “What advice would you give to your younger self?” asked Dotty.

“Believe in yourself. I look back at pictures now and realise I actually already was everything I wanted to be” said Arlene Phillips.

Selena Scott advised us to look out for the sisterhood: “Don’t be jealous. Don’t compete. Support other women.”

“Be the heroine of your life, not the victim,” Olivia Lichtenstein told us, borrowing a quote from Nora Ephron.

And Channel 4’s Dorothy Byrne urged us not to let our circumstances stand in our way: “People say – ‘if I hadn’t been a single parent I could have done so many things…’”

To see the full session go here : Edinburgh TV Festival : Legendary Women of TV

"I realise not only that I CAN do this, but I MUST" Back to Work Producer Jo Larmer

As I sit here writing this blog, being interrupted multiple times by various demands from my two little girls, I realise not only that I CAN do this, but I MUST do this for them – they need to know that if you work hard and refuse to give up, you can succeed in whatever is your passion. And TV is most definitely mine. Thank you Media Parents for reminding me.

https://www.mediaparents.co.uk/freelancers/15676/jo-larmer

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A big thank you to all the talented freelancers who applied for the Media Parents Back to Work Scheme 2018. Huge congratulations to the eight winners who will be attending the Edinburgh TV Festival care of our sponsors All3Media, Channel 4, Endemol Shine, ITV, Merman, Raw TV, Sister Pictures and Warner Bros.

We are delighted to announce:

Katie Walmsley Unscripted PM, All3Media

Elena Mourey Documentary Producer, Raw TV

Elena’s credits include Hospital, The Job Interview and The Undateables. Returning to work a year after the birth of her first child, Elena needs edit experience to ultimately progress to series producer. https://blog.mediaparents.co.uk/2018/08/returner-elena-mourey-unscripted-producer/

Jenny Madalura Scripted Production Coordinator, Sister Pictures

Two kids with a 20 year age gap, 10 years out of TV, Aspergers and Leukaemia to conquer and none of that is holding back Jenny Madalura. “I have been out of media work for over 10 years since working with the BBC. Having a family, getting a law degree and working part-time as a LexisNexis copywriter, whilst being a full-time parent to my two children, Luke and Ocean kept me out”. https://blog.mediaparents.co.uk/2018/08/returner-jenny-madalura-scripted-assistant-coordinator/

melissa bishop unscripted AP / researcher, Warner Bros.

Melissa has been out of full time work for around three years, as the primary carer for her mother. In the meantime she started an MA in Documentary Production to better her prospects in TV as she is in it for the long run: “I feel I still have a lot to offer and have not yet reached my full potential and have many years left to work in the industry.” https://blog.mediaparents.co.uk/2018/08/returner-melissa-bishop-unscripted-ap-researcher/

introducing media parents back to work scheme winner hannah williams

Scripted PM Hannah Williams will be sponsored on the Media Parents Back to Work Scheme by Merman

In 2003 I took my first steps into the world of television, writes returning PM Hannah Williams. A decade later I had built a career of BAFTA nominations, crew akin to family and exciting projects. I then took on my own exciting project. 3 of them in fact. My children are now 5, 3 and almost 1 and it has been a magical sabbatical, one that is hard to leave, but it is time to go back to work.

I am hoping that the Media Parents Back to Work Scheme will help me to find a balance. One that allows me to still experience my children growing up for half the week whilst I spend the other half continuing where I left off six years ago. I hope it will help me to find an inspirational company in which I can be creative, practical, and inspired again to make great television.

I am looking forward to using my brain in ways that I haven’t (continuously at least) since my life changed in 2013 with a small person who swept me into a happy (yet all-consuming) fog of sleep deprivation, nappies and utter devotion.

Most of all I am hoping to rebuild my confidence. I have worked on and off between babies but only on short contracts. This time I want to jump back into the industry and allow myself to find something that will develop my skills, challenge me and give me a career goal to work towards once more. The people I once worked next to (or above) seem to have gone so far, cameras have changed, systems have altered and I feel a little out-dated!

Being mentored by Merman will be an incredible experience. One to sooth the guilt of going back to work and rekindle a little bit of the old, ambitious me again!

https://www.mediaparents.co.uk/freelancers/11460/hannah-williams-lovell

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introducing media parents back to work scheme winner jenny madalura

Scripted Coordinator Jenny Madalura will be sponsored on the Media Parents Back to Work Scheme by Sister Pictures

I have been out of media work for over 10 years since working with the BBC, writes Jenny Madalura. Having a family, getting a law degree and working part-time as a LexisNexis copywriter, whilst being a full-time parent to my two children, Luke and Ocean kept me out.

My son, Luke, is now 21, with Aspergers. Despite this, he was given a place at Ravensbourne College, to do a degree in Film and TV Production two years ago.  Shortly after, he was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukaemia. Thankfully after nearly two years of extensive treatment and a bone marrow transplant, he’s now in remission and able to return to university.  My daughter Ocean just turned a year old, I feel I am ready to return to work and focus on my media career.

Eager to return to media work late last year I took part in some short practical back to work workshops thanks to Media Parents last October.  This gave me the confidence after such a long time out of a media career, to try and get back in.  Through Media Parents I was also fortunate to have been mentored by Leo Martin, from Fudge Park Productions, which was both insightful and promising. Thanks to my legal training I was offered assistant coordinating work, but due to unforeseen circumstances within the company, the offer to be taken on board was no longer viable. I am keen to try again.

https://www.mediaparents.co.uk/freelancers/15655/jenny-madalura

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introducing media parents back to work scheme winner melissa bishop

Unscripted AP / Researcher Melissa Bishop will be sponsored on the Media Parents Back to Work Scheme by Warner Bros

I’ve been out of full time work for around three years, as I am the primary carer for my Mother.  I am now able to hand over some of that responsibility to my sisters, so am very much looking forward to getting back to work. My passion is factual TV, specifically documentary programming. I am especially strong with finding and managing contributors, from all walks of life. I love engaging with people and building a rapport. I feel I still have a lot to offer and have not yet reached my full potential and have many years left to work in the industry.

I had my first job in a production company twelve years ago, and for the following four years worked happily in various fairly junior TV roles, mainly as a Researcher. I then moved sideways to work for Legal Network Television, a corporate company making educational factual programmes, and worked my way up to producer.

For the past eight months I have been studying for a Masters’ degree in Documentary Production at U.W.E., affiliated with the BBC in Bristol. I undertook this as, at the time, I was unable to commit to regular work as my mother was recovering from illness. I thought it would be beneficial to me to brush up on my production skills, and hopefully make myself more appealing to the industry.

I do feel reinvigorated and have gained new skills. In addition it has really encouraged me to think deeply about factual and documentary storytelling and what building blocks are needed to make up truly exception programming.

Melissa is being sponsored by Warner Bros. Many thanks to the Warner Bros team for sponsoring again this year. To follow Melissa’s progress please read this blog and tweets @mediaparents.

https://www.mediaparents.co.uk/freelancers/14397/melissa-bishop

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introducing media parents back to work scheme winner geoff dibben

Scripted PM Geoff Dibben will be sponsored on the Media Parents Back to Work Scheme by ITV

I have worked in the film and TV industry since my early 20s, always in Production, writes Geoff Dibben.  I started as a Production Runner in drama, before moving onto ‘the floor’ as a 3^rd AD, 2^nd AD and 1^st AD before becoming a Production Manager and Production Supervisor on features including War Horse, Clash of the Titans and The Dark Knight.

In 2006 after the birth of my second child I decided continuing to work on foreign location feature films would be unsustainable, especially as my wife wanted to return to work as a university lecturer.

I decided to take a sideways move into commercials and short-form corporate work which I was able to do from home, allowing me to spend time with my young family. The hope was I would be able to return to full-time production once the children were older, however this has proved harder than anticipated.

My children are now older and will both be at Secondary school so I am looking for a way into UK high-end TV drama production. I feel I have a great deal to offer not just an employer but the wider industry.  I have done everything from low-budget to super-high budgets and everything between. I have scheduled productions, budgeted productions and delivered productions, so have an extensive knowledge of physical production and post-production.

I am look to reinvigorate my career and get some mentoring, advice and relevant recent experience to get into high end TV drama productions as either a Production Manager or Line Producer or maybe as an in-house Production Executive.

I hope the scheme will introduce me to Heads of Production and Producers within Production Companies and allow me to demonstrate my skills and knowledge as well as my enthusiasm for the industry.

Geoff is being sponsored by ITV. Many thanks to the Endemol Shine team for sponsoring again this year. To follow Geoff’s progress please read this blog and tweets @mediaparents.

https://www.mediaparents.co.uk/freelancers/14864/geoff-dibben

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introducing media parents back to work scheme

winner katie walmsley

Returning PM Katie Walmsley will be sponsored on the Media Parents Back to Work Scheme by All3Media

Before my career break I was a successful Production Executive with 20 years of television experience under my belt, writes Media Parents Back to Work Scheme Winner Katie Walmsley. I will be looking for flexible PM work on my return, having worked my way up from Coordinating for the Natural History Unit in Bristol to running and overseeing a team of Production Managers across a diverse range of programming as Production Executive, dealing with major budgets and setting up and running productions at STV in Glasgow.

When I became pregnant with my first little girl, we relocated from Glasgow to London to be nearer family. I now have two beautiful girls, Mia and Olivia, born 17 months apart. Following Olivia’s rather dramatic arrival into the world, my husband and I took the decision that I would take the role of a stay at home mum, but I have always missed the cut and thrust of my career and have been itching to get back to work.

I’ve kept myself busy with a few smaller local projects, most recently being Events Co-ordinator for the Royal Windsor Flower Show, however television is my passion.

With the girls now settled and happy, my ambition is to forge new contacts and find a great company and that will recognize and bolster my skills whilst supporting my need to remain a part-time mum. I am realistic and would be happy to come back as a Production Manager to show a new team what I can do.

Thank you to the team at All3Media for sponsoring Katie. To follow Katie’s progress please read this blog and tweets @mediaparents.

https://www.mediaparents.co.uk/freelancers/15643/katie-walmsley

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