Media Parents

When we met on the Media Parents Back to Work Scheme we had both just spent a good chunk of time at home with kids, and were on the point of returning to work (specifically, to PD / Development Producer / Edit Producer / Senior Producer roles) in factual telly, write Emma Sayce and Josie Besbrode. We had a frank chat about what our worries were: how would we find a way of working that would be fulfilling, and would advance our careers BUT would not involve us having to make unbearable compromises at home?

Josie Besbrode & Emma Sayce (right, far right) with other Media Parents Back to Work Winners 2017

When Amy Walker, who runs Media Parents, suggested we think about job sharing, our initial thoughts were: ‘how would that work?’ We wondered if it is even possible to job share a creative role. The answer, as we have since discovered, is that it absolutely is. In fact, job sharing can be a great way of doing the kinds of jobs we do because, arguably, it fosters creativity.

Amy suggested we talk to Alicky Sussman and Milla Harrison who’ve job shared successfully as PDs (on Horizon), as Edit Producers (on Eden) and as Development Producers (read more here). Read all about their experience here.

Alicky and Milla said two really striking things to us, and the first was a word of warning: “job sharing does not necessarily mean half the work”.  They said you will spend a lot of time (mainly out of hours) on communication with each other, talking about things you’d never normally spend much time even thinking about. On the positive side, they thought job sharing had produced great results – e.g. that their edits had progressed quicker than they would have done otherwise, that problems were solved more easily by two brains, and that their days off gave them a useful perspective that the films benefitted from. It sounded like the experience had been enjoyable and creatively satisfying, and had allowed for a work/life balance they were both happy with.

Next we spoke to Sunshine Jackson, founder of http://amplifyproductions.co.uk and former Series Editor on Eden.  It was Sunshine who employed Alicky and Milla, as job sharing Edit Producers. She saw the whole deal as a bargain, two brains for the price of one. With her background, as an offline editor, Sunshine could immediately see the value of that time out / perspective on the edit that a job share enforces: ‘I’ve been in edits for 20 years, and I know that if you can maintain a level of distance from the material it’s a massive advantage editorially. You make better decisions, and do things in a quarter of the time.’ Sunshine said that Alicky and Milla’s job share worked very well from her point of view, and that she wouldn’t hesitate to hire them again. Sunshine will be attending Media Parents’ TV Job Share Event on Wednesday, along with Milla Harrison.

Finally, we spoke to the team at Ricochet where, on Food Unwrapped, they used job sharing Series Producers and would do so again. It was an idea the producers and Ricochet came up with collectively and pitched to Channel 4. Working three days each was ideal they felt, because it minimised handovers. Although the company were paying for an extra day, the benefits of two creative minds and fresh eyes made it cost effective. Both job sharers worked on Wednesday, had an entire team meeting and split the work for the coming week. An important message was to act, and be treated as, essentially, one person, to trust and support each other, and therefore instil confidence in the team. The job share was facilitated by Ricochet’s Director of Production, Lisa Cox, who will be attending Media Parents’ TV Job Share event this week.

Having chatted to job sharers, and to those who have employed job sharers, we now feel it’s definitely worth a go! To us, it seems that the disadvantages (mainly financial for us) are outweighed by the fact that it could be an enjoyable, productive way of working that leaves us with time and energy for our families. It could also mean that we take on more contracts, and work continuously, rather than doing intensive stints, and then having to have time off to recover / catch up with our kids.

While we’ve been researching and writing this blog, Josie has been working as a PD 4 days a week and Emma has started a job share Edit Producer role c/o Media Parents at Maverick TV, alongside Nikki Ryan who will also be attending Media Parents TV Job Share Event.

PDs Emma Sayce and Josie Besbrode (right) are Media Parents Back to Work Scheme Winners

Nikki Ryan, Edit Producer Job Share

https://www.mediaparents.co.uk/freelancers/10764/josephine-besbrode

https://www.mediaparents.co.uk/freelancers/13729/emma-sayce

Media Parents job share event takes place on May 16th please scroll down this blog for more information.

Join Media Parents for training, events and great jobs - www.mediaparents.co.uk

Curious about job share in TV? Think creative jobshares can’t work? Think again. Join us on May 16th for an evening at Hat Trick, hearing from supportive companies (see guestlist below), existing job shares and meeting potential job share partners in the crowd. If you’d like to attend please send a CV to the address on this link when you sign up to the guestlist : https://mediaparentstvjobshareevent.eventbrite.co.uk

who’s coming?

Jacquie Glanville

Production Executive, BBC Drama

Three Girls' Production Consultant Jacquie Glanville will be joining us at Media Parents TV Job Share Event

Jacquie Glanville is mentoring returning Drama Production Coordinator Paula Watkins as part of Media Parents HETV Drama Return to Work Programme. Both will be attending our TV Job Share event, read more about Jacquie’s credits here.

Jessica Sharkey & Jessica Djanogly
Joint Directors of Production, Hat Trick

Jessica Sharkey with Hat Trick's Joint Director of Production Laura Djanogly at a 2010 Media Parents Job Share Event

Jessica Sharkey and Laura Djanogly oversee the whole range of programme output from the Hat Trick Group from initial development and budget negotiations, through production to delivery. Jessica and Laura will share job share tips at the event.

Laura joined Hat Trick as Head of Production in 2001 before joining forces with Jessica in 2004. Prior to this she was Programme Finance Manager at Channel 4 looking after Arts, Sport and Entertainment, a role which followed 14 years in the freelance production world working in Comedy, Entertainment and Documentary.

Jessica joined Hat Trick as Joint Head of Production in 2004.  Prior to this she was Production Executive at Alomo Productions, a role which followed 14 years in the freelance production world working in Drama, Comedy, Children’s and Documentary

Clare Voyce
MD, Minnow Films

Clare joined Minnow as Head of Production in 2008, looking after their output : http://www.minnowfilms.co.uk/filmography/index.html.

Prior to this Clare was at Blast! Films where she production managed various documentaries and drama docs including Accused (BBC2), Boys from the Brown Stuff (BBC2) and A Very British Sex Scandal (Channel 4). Clare also production managed Blue Suede jew, Hair Wars, Million Dollar Pigeon and Beautiful Young Minds.

Lisa Cox
Director of Production, Ricochet

Lisa Cox is Director of Production for Ricochet.  As such she has supported all kinds of flexible working including job sharing Series Producers.

Lisa joined Ricochet back in 2000 and has worked across all of Ricochet’s output, and her credits include Supernanny for C4, the long running documentary series Born To Be Different, returning formats such as Cowboy Builders (Five) and Food Unwrapped (C4) as well as popular BBC daytime series like Britain’s Empty Homes,  Family Finders and Channel Patrol.

As well as supervising all of Ricochet’s production, Lisa is a key part of the management team, responsible for the company’s financial planning and oversees all operational aspects of the business. Lisa has also been a mentor several times for Media Parents Returners.

Cat Fox

Head of Production, Comedy Entertainment, Tiger Aspect

Cat Fox, Head of Production Comedy Entertainment, Tiger Aspect

https://www.tigeraspect.co.uk/career-pathways/cat-fox/

Keri Atkins
Production Executive, Kindle Entertainment

Keri has worked in the TV industry for many years. She’s been involved in a broad range of TV programming for a variety of broadcasters since she started as a Production Secretary on C5’s first ever children’s commission in the late 1990s.

Working on a variety of drama, children’s, factual entertainment, animation, live and documentaries, Keri originally arrived at Kindle Entertainment as a Production Manager on the first series of the popular BAFTA award winning series for CBBC, Dixi.

Sunshine Underhill Jackson
Senior Producer & Co-Founder, Amplify

Previously an award-winning documentary film editor (twice BAFTA nominated), coming up through the cutting rooms Sunshine worked with a great many directors, and became adept at finding their strengths and supporting their weaknesses. She has supported, amongst others, job sharing Edit Producers.

In 2013 Sunshine made the leap to editorial producing, and in 2015 was Series Editor on the first series of ‘Hunted’ for Channel 4. In March 2016, as Series Editor on ‘Eden – Paradise Lost’ for Channel 4, Sunshine took challenging rushes and created the ‘utterly extraordinary’ and ‘stand out’ second series. In 2016 she dipped briefly back in to the cutting room to cut the first episode of the multi-award winning ‘Exodus – Our Journey to Europe’, a series about the refugee crisis.

Sunshine has 2 children, and during her maternity leave authored ‘Little London’, a book about adventuring in London with kids.

Anouk Berendsen
Head of Talent, All3Media

Anouk Berendsen, centre, with Media Parents HETV Drama Returners at BAFTA

Anouk joined All3Media in June 2016.   She is the point of contact for all senior creative talent within the Group and for talent looking to join All3Media.   Anouk has a unique insight into programme-making, spanning multiple genres and multiple broadcasters. She is passionate about creating new opportunities for established creative talent.

Before moving into talent management, Anouk worked as a freelance TV producer for over 15 years across a range of genres, from popular documentaries, factual entertainment and reality TV shows to prime-time entertainment. She started her career at ITV launching the hit daytime show Loose Women. She has subsequently produced large-scale ambitious projects such as The Match (SKY1) and Only Fools On Horses (Sport Relief, BBC One) and also helped launch BBC One’s new Saturday night format Last Choir Standing.

Tamara Durnford
Talent Manager & Production Manager, Development, Maverick TV

Maverick's Tamara Durnford (right) at Media Parents CV Event in April

One half of a job share herself, Maverick’s Talent Manager Tamara is responsible for helping find off-screen talent. She oversees Maverick’s talent database and network, building and developing relationships with all levels of production and development staff from runners to series producers. She work closely with executive producers and production management to staff projects and help develop the skills of our talented staff. Alongside, Talent Managing Tamara is also the Production Manager for Maverick’s Development team; supporting them in the day to day running of the department.

Sophie Milligan
Talent Coordinator, Raw TV

Sophie Milligan (left) at Media Parents Christmas Drinks

https://www.raw.co.uk/work

Emma Sayce
Job sharing Edit Producer

Job Sharing Returner Emma Sayce (left) at Edinburgh TV Festival with her Media Parents Sponsor Endemol Shine Global HR Director Bella Lambourne

Emma Sayce won one of the Media Parents Back to Work Scheme places at Edinburgh last year. She is being mentored by Shine MD Tania Shaw, and is sponsored by Endemol Shine. Emma is currently job sharing as an Edit Producer at Maverick TV – a role she won through Media Parents – ask her about it at the event.

Milla Harrison
Job Sharing PD / Edit Producer

PD Milla Harrison (left) with job share partner Alicky Sussman

Ask Milla how it’s done at the event – read more HERE.

Amy Walker
Director, Media Parents

Media Parents' Amy Walker and Joanna Gretton (right) who job share!

Amy Walker has job shared as a Producer Director and as a Series Producer. Find out more about it at the Media Parents TV Job Share Event and here.

If you’d like to attend please send a CV to the address on this link when you sign up to the guestlist : https://mediaparentstvjobshareevent.eventbrite.co.uk

To see job types attending please scroll down this blog or click here :

https://blog.mediaparents.co.uk/2018/05/media-parents-job-share-event-may-16th/

Join Media Parents for training, events and great jobs - www.mediaparents.co.uk

Thank you so much to everyone who joined us for our recent CV event, it was great to see so many connections being made – and even job shares being discussed ahead of our May jobsharing event. Special thanks to companies who joined us including jobsharing talent managers from Twenty Twenty TV, Maverick TV’s Tamara Durnford, Brinkworth Films, Outline Productions and Haresh Patel, who is looking for a flexible producer / business getter for his new VR / AR venture. A good time was had by all. If you’d like CV tips please scroll down, and in the meantime here are some photos of the event, also see our twitterfeed @mediaparents.

Many thanks to everyone who joined us for another great Media Parents evening

Twenty Twenty's job sharing Talent Managers Kate Farnaby and Sophie French have also job shared as Series Producers

Zoe Russell-Stretten from Brinkworth Films (left)

Well done to all those who attended their first Media Parents event, we know you'll be back!

PM jobshare Monica Rubio and Sarah Bell were networking as a pair https://blog.mediaparents.co.uk/2018/03/5-minutes-with-job-share-post-production-managers/

Thanks to Maverick's Tamara Durnford for meeting so many freelancers

Outline Productions' part time Production Exec Emily Freshwater came into town on her day off for the event - thank you Emily!

RDF West's Emily Knight took the late train back to Bristol after meeting freelancers who will work out of Bristol and Cardiff.

If you'd like to know more about Media Parents events drop us a line and scroll down the blog.

Media Parents' Amy Walker offers free CV advice at any time to Media Parents members.

"I've never seen so many cocktail sausages in my life". Let's leave it there.

FOR MORE CV TIPS PLEASE GO HERE https://blog.mediaparents.co.uk/2014/01/new-year-new-cv-new-job/

Join Media Parents for training, events and great jobs - www.mediaparents.co.uk

I’ve been a member of Media Parents for about 4 years since they helped me get back into TV after an 8 year break. I was a Media Parents Back to Work Scheme winner, and was mentored by Katy Brewer. I had to start again as a Production Co-ordinator but I didn’t mind, I was just happy to back in telly!

Helen Landeau's latest production is the landmark BBC series on Stephen Lawrence.

Since returning I’ve production managed for CBeebies and CBBC, a single doc on The Mersey Sound, and had the most wonderful opportunity of being the Production Manager for ‘Stephen: The Murder That Changed A Nation.’

It was hard work but ever so worth it and I’m so proud to be part of this creative team. We were often filming last minute and getting a cameraman and oh – those backdrops! Getting them to France and finding a suitable space in France to film with them – and also getting them into Downing Street was no mean feat! Finding the locations for drone filming in built up areas was a particular challenge, as was NATS paperwork. Filming protocols in Eltham meant working extensively with Greenwich Council, and filming drama recon with kids during the Beast from the East – working around snow in March – was unexpected to say the least!

The reaction even surpassed the production team’s expectations! Twitter was on meltdown and we were trending No 1 in the UK. If you haven’t had the opportunity to see all three episodes, you still can on BBC iPlayer.

Helen Landeau will be available in May.

https://www.mediaparents.co.uk/freelancers/9357/helen-landeau

https://www.mediaparents.co.uk/freelancers/9357/helen-landeau

Join Media Parents for training, events and great jobs - www.mediaparents.co.uk

I’d dreamed of working in the creative side of TV for many years, writes returning Script Editor Jaime Caruana. In November 2000 I took a week off work to write a script, and after sending the unsolicited script to Shed Productions with a storyline idea (twice!) I got a fairy tale break in the industry. A few weeks after resending my script, my phone rang, and it was Shed, inviting me along to their production offices for a meeting.

Media Parents HETV Drama Return to Work Programme Script Editors Jaime Caruana (left) and Becky Evans in conversation at BAFTA

From that meeting with Brian Park, I was offered a 3-month Trainee Storyliner gig on series 3 of ‘Bad Girls’. A dream come true!  I immediately quit my day job and thus began a decade-long career in scripted TV drama, with roles including Storyliner, Scriptwriter and Script Editor, working alongside great talent including Sue Breen, Joanna and Matt Strevens, Cameron Roach, Malcolm Campbell and Daisy Coulam.

I cut my teeth on ‘Bad Girls’, series 3 and 4 for Shed Productions, before working freelance on projects in development, both independently and collaboratively, for Granada and ITV.  I then moved on to the challenging but rewarding, fast-paced world of continuing drama at ‘The Bill’, for talkbackTHAMES, Fremantle Media and ITV. I was proud to have been a part of BAFTA and RTS award winning teams during my time at ‘The Bill’.

I strive for TV drama that constantly moves and surprises me, and am dedicated to working collaboratively with new talent, as well as established.  I particularly champion female talent.

https://www.mediaparents.co.uk/freelancers/7402/jaime-caruana

After 10 years in the industry I took a conscious career break, for my family.  Now that my children are in full time education, I am itching to get back into the business that I love.  I am thrilled to finally be working with Media Parents, via the Media Parents HETV Drama Return to Work Programme, seeking a work placement.  I want to get my creative juices flowing and make an impact in people’s living rooms, once again!

https://www.mediaparents.co.uk/freelancers/7402/jaime-caruana

I started my career in film and television in post-production and then worked freelance for all sorts of production companies and projects, writes Megan Toogood. I was a production co-ordinator for Complete Fabrication Special Effects and Modelmakers who specialised in high speed liquid effects and leatherwork, and whose credits included the Harry Potter films for work on the Quidditch costumes. I was a production co-ordinator, then production manager for their production company, Completely Fab, and made commercials for clients including Kinder and Ferrero Rocher. I produced short films and volunteered at the Greenwich film Festival.

Megan Toogood worked as a Production Coordinator for the Quidditch props company Complete Fabrication

My children and my part-time MA in Screenwriting led me to a portfolio career, hopping from project to project, always interested in the novelty of doing something new. But as clients recommended me on to other clients and new opportunities presented themselves, I gradually drifted further and further away from the TV jobs I really wanted and I’ve realised it’s time to steer the ship in the direction I want to go! My varied experience means I’m looking for something like TV researcher, marketing manager, PR, communications, brand manager, publicist, events organiser, conference producer, festival producer, production coordinator, or maybe sales and distribution.

And who can argue with promoting pirate takeover day as a really fun job? asks Megan Toogood

Some of my jobs have been really fun, with a massive sense of achievement. I’m proud of the research I did into communities that are under served by arts and museums – it contributed to a major funding bid from the Heritage Lottery Fund that resulted in a travelling museum project – the Maritime Memories Machine. And who can argue with promoting pirate takeover day as a really fun job?

I was delighted to be shortlisted for the content marketing awards for work with publisher Wiley on their ‘Backfiles’ – a digital product that provides access to research going back to 1791.

It was a buzz to get a very technical product launch featured in industry press. Working with publishers has opened my eyes to the weird and wonderful, from astrobiology to medical devices.

Portfolio freelancer Megan Toogood is now looking for TV projects

Freelancing has helped to become a quick-study, working out what lies at the heart of a project and how best to communicate it to audiences. I’m a strategic marketing and communications planner and a very experienced copywriter. I am happy juggling an enormous array of different projects, in one month last year I worked simultaneously in museums, engineering, higher education, pharma, and the charity sector on a variety of projects that included copywriting, PR, social media promotion and print commissioning. I never miss a deadline.

I’m usually involved in communications work, but I also get projects off the ground and make things happen – I was the convener for a TV industry event for LCC alumni and am a Co-Producer for a series of theatre nights in Waterloo.

With child number one at secondary school and child number two about to follow its time to consolidate the many different experiences into a single role, that I really want, and stop my talent for being headhunted leading me in the wrong direction. I’m not sure what the perfect job will be, but I do feel sure there’s an organisation out there with a strange skills gap to fill and once we meet we’ll be perfect for each other!

http://www.mediaparents.co.uk/freelancers/8957/megan-toogood

After a snowy start to the month I began a four week placement as a Development Script Editor on the Children’s Editorial team at Kindle Entertainment, writes returning Script Editor Becky Evans. Kindle are a multi award-winning independent who amongst others make shows like Jamillah & Aladdin, Hank Zipzer, Treasure Island and Dixie. The placement set up by the Media Parents HETV Drama Return to Work Programme has been a fantastic first step back into the industry.

Script Editor Becky Evans is #backtowork and available from April

It has been hugely encouraging for me to be offered a flexible working plan. Kindle agreed to two full working days on site with three days from home. This has restored my faith that the TV drama industry does and can offer flexibility for their professionals with young families. It’s also been fantastic to know that my parenting gap of seven years doesn’t affect the value of the professional skillbase I developed prior to taking mat leave.

A typical day – it’s an early start for me as I battle Southwest trains from my home base in Hampshire up to Waterloo, and on to Kindle’s home base of Gainsborough Studios in Shoreditch. I have now mastered the exact spot to stand on the station platform that lines up beautifully with the carriage door. Sadly about 50 other people figured that out too. The hour-long journey gives me quiet time to read and I’ve started using the travel to help cover the workload. These are precious child-free hours in my day so I’ve learnt to make use of them!

Returning Script Editor Becky Evans is placed with Kindle Entertainment via the Media Parents Children's Drama Return to Work Programme

My office days tend to be very busy working to sometimes tight deadlines re-writing pitch documents, creating new stories or adapting longer-form ideas to shorter-form concepts.  It’s quite a challenge to be able to switch your headspace from project to project but one I’m thoroughly enjoying.

My home days have been on call for the Head of Children’s Development in case she has anything she needs me to look over. I also have a general workload of novels and scripts to read with a view to identifying new writing talent or particular voices suitable for up-coming projects. It’s been encouraging to know that briefing sessions with writers are as common via SKYPE as they are face to face.

Overall it’s great to be back in London and amongst the buzz of a busy production company. Kindle Entertainment are a welcoming team and it continues to be a privilege to be working across a variety of drama development projects on their Children’s slate.  Thank you to Amy Walker and the Media Parents team for putting all of this together. The experience has also encouraged me to get my CV out there and start looking for future editorial roles – I’m available for interviews from April.

http://www.mediaparents.co.uk/freelancers/15097/becky-evans

Join Media Parents for training, events and great jobs - www.mediaparents.co.uk

Mike Ogden is a returning Production Coordinator on the Media Parents HETV Drama Return to Work Programme. He is being mentored by Mammoth Screen’s Joint Head of Production, Howard Ella (see below). Mike starts as a placement as trainee assistant coordinator on Tiger Aspect’s latest drama Curfew with Sean Bean for SKY on Monday.

Mike Ogden is taking up a placement on Tiger Aspect's drama Curfew with Sean Bean

I’d stepped away from TV to be a carer for family. It was a hard decision to make at the time as I was juggling a career in TV camera operating and assisting as well as a burgeoning career as an independent film-maker. I do love making filmed drama. When I can’t be making it for someone else, I’ll make my own. However, when a massive life event happens, no matter how much you try and plough through to continue your career, it can stop you. That’s what happened to me. I had to face life, deal with things and try to heal.

Returning drama coordinator Mike Ogden is being mentored by Mammoth Screen's Howard Ella

Last year I decided it was time to come back to being a useful crew member. However, as an ex-camera person I knew I couldn’t just pick that career up so I re-appraised my skillset, taking in to account my experiences in production. I’d gained a place on a production management course at Pinewood Wales with Sgil Cymru / Skillset for two weeks. The course was great, reminding me that I am one of those oddball people who likes to solve a problem, organise and watch a plan come off successfully. Yet I needed more mentoring guidance and support.

In mid 2017, it felt like my life was too uncertain. Maybe it was time to think of something else to do. I had built up some excellent skills and experience, having managed what I’d consider several high end and complicated short films I’d learned tons from, and also the professional experience I’d had working for years in television on a lot of shows. It seemed a shame to throw that away, but also an impossible task to get seen in a new light and restart my crew career. I applied to Media Parents to see if they would support my relaunch as a Production Coordinator.

Media Parents pressed the button on the Media Parents HETV Drama Return to Work Programme. Quickly we were fixing our CVs, making a plan of approach for HETV drama then attending the BVE London expo. Networking like mad, I even met someone from my previous career from Technicolor and discovered that someone from Media Parents was the daughter of a cameraman I’d worked with at Granada. I immediately felt less isolated and supported.

Meeting Ros Attille, Head of Development, CBeebies, with fellow returning Coordinator Zenna Barry

Being accepted on to the Media Parents High End TV Drama Return to Work Programme has allowed me a second chance. Now I can aim for my goal of being a production manager via co-ordinating for high end television drama with support and mentoring. After several years of being mentally clobbered, the positivity of being on this course and the support from so many gives me hope that I do have a useful future in production, doing the thing I love most : helping make filmed drama the best it can be.

http://www.mediaparents.co.uk/freelancers/4273/mike-ogden

media parents mentor : howard ella

joint head of production, mammoth screen

Mike Ogden’s mentor Howard Ella joined Mammoth Screen having spent the last 15 years Producing and Line Producing dramas such as ‘An Inspector Calls’, ‘Lewis’, ‘Monroe, ‘Mount Pleasant’ and ‘5 Days’.

Howard started in the industry as a runner at Yorkshire Television and has worked in most areas of production. Outside of Mammoth Howard sits on the board of the Milton Rooms, an arts venue in Malton and writes and directs pantomimes and charity murder mysteries in his native county of Yorkshire.

Media Parents is hugely grateful to Howard and our other mentors for their support for the Media Parents HETV Drama Return to Work Scheme, funded by the HETV Levy managed by Creative Skillset.

Join Media Parents for training, events and great jobs - www.mediaparents.co.uk