What’s your role at MultiStory?
I’m a Researcher on The Martin Lewis Money Show
What made you want to get into TV and how did you make that a reality?
Growing up I was obsessed with telly and used to watch everything under the sun, from World’s Strictest Parents to serial killer docs and Nollywood movies, however I never really considered it a viable career option and so initially chose to study law at uni. To be completely honest I applied to the Channel 4 Production Training Scheme on a whim, because the prospect of working on the shows I grew up watching seemed almost too good to be true. From there things moved really quickly, the scheme is an incredibly unique opportunity in that you’re placed at a production company for an entire year and given the space to get stuck in off the jump and hopefully develop the skills needed to become a great programme maker. I was able to figure out what type of shows I wanted to work on and the sort of career I would like to build for myself, and since then have been able to use the experience as a foundation to help me pursue the work I want to do.
What’s the biggest hurdle you’ve had to overcome to get to where you are?
One of my biggest challenges to date was becoming a freelancer at the same time Covid struck. For a while it felt like I wouldn’t be able to sustain a career in telly as work was scarce and the entire industry was at a loss on how to continue operating in the middle of a pandemic. It’s been amazing to see how so many productions have adapted to embrace remote working and relearn how we approach productions and adapt to the times. I’m hesitant to describe it as a hurdle I’ve singularly overcome but more like a shared victory for the entire industry.
What has been the highlight of your career so far?
My biggest career highlight took place last year, when a piece of work I pitched was commissioned and awarded funding. Prior to that I was writing and directing short films with friends in my spare time with zero budget, so having a production partner believe in a piece of artistic work that I had developed felt incredibly reaffirming. Leading the film from pitch stage all the way to production and delivery, was very challenging but without a doubt equally rewarding and one one of my biggest career highlights so far. Fingers crossed on the release and hopefully it’s just the start of many more directorial endeavors!
What was your biggest “pinch me’ moment?
Working on the General Election debates in 2019 was a massive pinch me moment and marked one of the most important productions I’ve worked on. At the time it felt like I was involved in something monumental – a generation-defining election that would provide a rare opportunity to choose between two vastly different futures for the country. From bumping into Corbyn in the corridors after the debate to casting the everyday people who would ask the most important questions at the heart of the electorate, the adrenaline and responsibility I felt working on an election programme of that nature felt like a “pinch me” moment throughout. It felt like something I would tell my enthused younger self during my years studying A-Level politics.
Are there any big learning curves or disaster moments you can look back on and laugh about now?
The biggest cringe moment that comes to mind is far too embarrassing to make public, however the lessons I’ve learnt from my wildest mistakes all have one common teachable moment, which for me has been staying true to myself and speaking up in moments where I feel it’s necessary for me to do so. I find you save yourself a lot of embarrassment and headache if you commit yourself to being honest about the work you’re truly passionate about, honest about the things you haven’t figured out just yet and back your instincts in your work. But equally being true to yourself, especially in the early stages of your career, is also very daunting – beating myself up about things is also not my brand – so I try to remember I’m still a work in progress!
What are your favourite TV shows?
This list of shows I love is always changing but here’s a few of my faves new and old. I May Destroy You, Insecure, The Apprentice, Married at First Sight Australia, Selling Sunset and Girlfriends.