RTS Futures

The four panellists, who are all in the early stages of their careers, discussed their jobs at two of the country’s premier soaps.

Joseph Hart switches between the roles of second and third assistant director (AD) on Emmerdale. “ADs are logistical, organisational roles, but the third AD does have a creative outlet – it’s really good fun,” he explained. “A third AD is based on the floor… and does the background action. You tell the extras when and where to go.”

“Focus on your audience and give them an elevated but inviting, stimulating, playful conversation,” said Lily Ames, Chalk & Blade’s head of production and culture.

Ames, a Canadian who has been based in London for the past six years, was talking at an RTS Futures NI event in late August to Conor Finn, creator and host of the Finnterviews podcast.

She described Chalk & Blade, whose clients include BBC Sounds and the Guardian, as well as brands such as Net-a-Porter, as a “boutique podcast production company”.

The qualities talent managers look for to fill entry-level jobs include enthusiasm, passion and determination, said Cheryl Woodcock, who recruits for ITV’s entertainment shows.

“Do your homework, make sure your CV has no typos in it,” added Tracy Walker, a talent executive at ITV Studios North.

“I love having a nose at what people have done, if I’ve got the time, when someone puts a showreel on their CV,” said Woodcock.

But don’t put your own picture on the CV, said the panel as one.

For BBC News video journalist Dougal Shaw, capturing stories alone is a lot easier with just a phone.

“You’re not very nimble with a normal camera and all the equipment… and with news output people don’t know the difference between footage filmed on a phone and footage filmed on a camera,” he said.

Shaw also recognised that interviewing people with a big camera can be intimidating, whereas a smartphone feels more natural.

“Don’t hold back,” advised the disabled basketball Paralympic medallist speaking at an RTS Futures webinar.

Adepitan said that he had got into TV by luck: “I didn’t go to uni, I went to the university of life.” His first job in TV was working for a cable station, which, in the early 1990s, was looking for a wheelchair-bound basketball player to appear on screen. 

Initially he declined their invitation, but when the station offered him £250 for the gig he seized the chance.

Former production coordinator Sam Tatlow, whose credits include The Inbetweeners, Misfits and Mad Dogs, revealed the secrets of working in a production office during an RTS Futures webinar.

The freelance nature of the industry means making a good first impression is key, Tatlow stressed, that often means going above and beyond, checking that the kitchen is tidy, or that the stationery cupboard is in order, because these are the things people will notice.

Edi Smockum was offering advice on how to break into the television industry at an RTS Futures webinar in mid-May, held during the coronavirus lockdown.

The Managing Director of ThinkBigger!, which runs new entrant schemes for the independent producers’ association Pact and Channel 4, admitted that entry schemes are highly competitive. But she urged people to apply, arguing that the process of applying will help “you understand what television’s looking for”.

Smockum reckoned that, with her colleague Sam Tatlow, she reads up to 1,000 applications a year for entry schemes.

“I’ve seen a tonne of people in these last few weeks reinvent themselves and how they’re doing things … At Nutopia, we’ve been working on amazing remote filming kits.

“Creative people are the most adaptable, so I’m very optimistic.”

The head of talent at factual producer Nutopia​ was part of a panel of talent executives talking at RTS Futures’ inaugural Zoom event – “Ask me anything” – in early May.

Futures members had emailed questions to the panel, including how to stand out at an interview with a production company for a TV-entry job.