What actually brought you to filmmaking?

I did a degree in archaeology and anthropology because of an interest in who we are and where we came from. I loved the story telling aspect and got really excited about visual ethnography of film making. I first worked in TV in science and archaeology documentaries. Hamlett Films really appealed because a) it’s education and b) the amazing variety of subject matter covered which makes it constantly interesting and refreshing.

What does your job involve as an Assistant Producer at Hamlett Films?

Very simply, I help produce. From finding really strong contributors, formulating interview questions and responses to ensure learning outcomes are met. Scheduling, budgeting, keeping an eye on content, collaborating with academics and clients. But most of all listening. An assistant producer who can really take the time to hear what the client or academic needs, throughout that process, is crucial to a film’s success.

What has been your biggest success and challenge so far?

At Hamlett Films this could be for BBC Bitesize or Discovery Education for example, which are packed full of exciting content, but nevertheless need to be shaped into a film of often less than 10 minutes, which can be a challenge.

How do you see the company changing in 2 years and how do you see yourself and the team creating that change?

There are many positive cultural / macro changes going on in the video industry at the moment, for example a push to make production teams more diverse, and a need to make productions more climate aware and friendly. 

What are the key elements for great video content these days? 

The heart of great video content always stays constant – good storytelling – and this is central to how Hamlett Films approach a project whether it is an educational video for The Open University to help adults learn about sustainability or to help children understand tricky concepts in maths for the Discovery channel. 

Who in the industry do you tend to look up to?

I tend to look up to the team around me when I am working. There is always such an interesting array of talented people at Hamlett Films from script writers to animators, to producers and editors, and there’s always something new to learn.

Give us one word that would describe you the best

I like to think that a word that describes me is … personable..! I love meeting new people and finding out about their stories and perspectives on life. At Hamlett Films we get some fantastic people contributing to our productions. 

If you had known you would work in media quite early on, what would you have told your 18 years-old self?

I was brought up on quite a limited diet of TV programmes so it wasn’t until I was much older that I really developed wider and more interesting tastes. I would definitely have told myself to watch more TV and read as much as you can. To learn, there are never enough films or tv you can watch!