Talk us through an average day in your role
I don’t think there is an average day in my role, which is both a blessing and at times a challenge. I lead post production across most of Sky’s content areas, such as entertainment, sport, documentaries, promos, news and some scripted, and I have a staff of over a hundred people and an equal number of freelance specialists. I have regular catch ups with my all of my team, as well as stakeholders and other support departments like finance. Aside from that, my day changes based on what is happening across our business, the wider company or the industry.
My day will generally be split around three factors; where we are going (our strategy of moving forward) the wellbeing of my staff, and looking at the projects we are delivering, checking progress and risks.
Post production is a creative talent business sitting on technology and is often perceived as a single cog in the end of a long production chain. The only resolute is that the delivery date rarely changes, but as we sit at the end of that production’s cycle, decisions that are made at the start can have an impact on the work we do. In the main these decisions are collaborative and well communicated, so we are prepared, but sometimes we need to react to unknowns with fast problem solving.
How did you get started in the media industry?
I did film studies at university and fell in love with the process of editing. I loved seeing things come together and finding solutions to elements I hadn’t considered whilst shooting, taking something from its raw form to a finished and polished (well, for a student) piece.
Before leaving university I sent out 300 CVs and heard not a sound. Luckily a film was being shot in my home town of Birmingham and I talked them in to giving me a job as a runner, before realising it was an unpaid position – not a good testament for our industry back then! As an industry we have made good progress away from this model of employment, which creates huge barriers to entry, and it’s something I have personally made efforts to change in the management roles I have held in my career, though there is still a long way to go.
Over a year and three projects as runner and 3rd assistant director later, I got a bite from one of the CVs I’d sent out a long while back. I left the freelance world of film – and odd jobs between gigs – to be a full time runner in a post house in Soho working on commercials. From there I moved through the ranks of edit assistant, junior editor to editor. I did this for a few years and while I know some love the focus and solitude, I found editing to be a lonely and isolating experience. Luckily, at that time as a business we went through a massive technical upheaval and I was able to lead the change project, which gave me the option to move into facilities management and support (at a separate company) and from there into running post production.
What training did you have before entering the industry?
A part of our industry that has always frustrated me is the lack of formal training. Something I have completely changed within my role at Sky and in roles before. Apart from University (which at that time was not as linked to the industry and therefore not as applicable as I had hoped) all the ‘training’ I received was on the job training. You had to be a quick learner with an inquisitive mind to understand why you were doing something. That understanding helped when the process you’d learnt changed. Luckily, I followed in the footsteps of good and nice people who gave me their time when they could and answered my frustrating questions.
Why do you enjoy working in the industry?
It is varied, challenging but there is nothing more satisfying than watching a project deliver perfectly, watching the effort and skill of people come together in harmony to deliver a piece of content. It is not the type of content for me, not the value of the piece but the way the team work. The harmony, craft and precision. It is like watching a ballet (I’m not a ballet fan but you get the analogy) as all the crafts, technical and operational crews pass the elements of a production through our supply chain to deliver a crisp product to a happy client.
What piece of advice would you offer someone looking to explore a role similar to yours?
Never be afraid to ask questions and seek advice. We have all been there and have opportunities due to other people’s good nature and the vast majority of us believe in paying that back. If we are busy at that moment, remind us as often as necessary, we truly don’t mind.
Attention to detail – not speed – is the most important element in post production, so take your time and make sure what you delivered is done to your best ability.
And finally it is just a job, and you deserve to be where you are. Don’t let anyone tell you different.
