Tell us a bit about your role! Is there a “typical” day?
There is no typical day, you roughly know what to expect, but there’s always room for a little surprise…
What was the biggest challenge in getting to your current position?
I started as a runner with aspirations to edit, I then moved into a technical role and then GM. I’d been working for a while and the biggest challenge was really in trusting myself that I could make a significant change in my path and that it would all work out.
What is your personal background and what role did it play in your career?
Absolutely, my Father had a small production company when I was growing up and I’d occasionally run for him on shoots, go along to edits, etc., and it just drew me in.
What is your biggest career-related win? What is your biggest loss?
Honestly, there can be multiple reasons why a win is significant, it’s impossible to pick one. It may be that the project has a terrific creative, it may be that it’s a decent chunk of change, which of course makes people feel good, it might even be the strength of the pool you were bidding against and being able to pull the rabbit out of the hat. Losses are pretty much those same reasons, but the negative of, of course.
If you could go back to your teenage years, would you have done things differently? Do you have any regrets?
I hope my kids read this, I’d have worked harder at school and gone to a good university. Much as I love this industry, an education can offer you more options and maybe a clearer path. That said, I’d probably have studied photojournalism and possibly still ended up here. People arrive in this industry from all sorts of backgrounds.
If you weren’t in your current industry, what would you be doing?
Photojournalism.
What’s your one big dream for the future of the industry?
That it remains human.
What are your top tips for aspiring creative professionals?
Never be afraid to ask questions and listen well. Don’t feel compelled to fill dead air just because a silence can feel awkward, you’ll probably fill it with repetition or gibberish.
What are your top tips for other creative leaders?
Don’t offer unsolicited advice.
When you think about your team, what is the thing that matters to you the most?
That they’re nourished by their work and they feel heard and appreciated.
Do you have any websites, books or resources you would recommend?
Google and Youtube for pretty much everything!
