RTS Futures NI

“I always wanted to work in broadcasting,” he recalled. “Probably like a lot of people [growing up) in Northern Ireland at that time, and probably still today, I didn’t see anyone who sounded like me or who lived where I lived on the television, outside the news, unfortunately talking about absolutely horrendous things.”

After graduating from Manchester University, Carson landed a job as a runner, having been rejected by BBC training schemes, and then moved, via youth and entertainment, to BBC current affairs as a producer/director on programmes including Newsnight and Panorama.

The first event, “Sketchy business: making it in animation”, brought together a panel hosted by the university’s Dr Helen Haswell and featured three experts from Belfast animation house JAM Media: visual effects supervisor and director Niall Mooney; animator Jessica Patterson; and animation director Simon Kelleghan. They discussed how to get your foot in the door, as well as giving practical advice, including how best to structure a show reel.

Supervising art director Paul Ghirardani – who brought one of his Emmy Awards with him – was joined by artist Daniel Blackmore and draughtsman Owen Black at the session, which was jointly hosted by Belfast Design Week.

The trio gave presentations about their roles in the art department, before the session host, Film Hub NI project manager Hugh Odling-Smee, led a panel discussion and Q&A with the 80-strong audience.

Belfast’s Titanic Studios has been the main studio and post-production facility for all eight series of Game of Thrones.

The day featured a series of workshops and masterclasses run by industry professionals, and was attended by 300 people. 

David Monaghan and the BBC Make It team offered a “social media surgery”, while Games NI Chair Kitty Crawford ran a gaming workshop.

BBC NI talent manager Helen Thompson and Nicola McConville organised a “creative clinic”, which focused on how to stand out in CVs and interviews. The clinic was followed by a speed-dating event, with telly execs dispensing quick-fire advice.