WFTV England Mentoring Scheme

The WFTV Mentoring Scheme is a programme designed for women looking to take a significant step in their career. To apply for the English Mentoring Scheme you must have more than seven years’ experience working in film, TV or digital production.

MEET THE 2024 WFTV England Mentees

Aggie Nyagari-Salt

Producer/Director

Aleks Dimitrijevic

Senior Film Academy Events Programme & Festivals Manager

Alexzandra Jackson

Freelancer

Caroline Slater

Producer

Chai Patel

Senior Legal Counsel, Legal & Business Affairs

Charlotte Knowles

Co-founder/Producer

Claire Newman

Head of Unscripted Development

Hannah Dal Pozzo

Director, International Scripted

Co-Productions

Hope Elliott Kemp

Global Campaign Manager

Jo Barker

Colourist

Luisa De Gouveia

Group Head of Legal Operations

Sarah Beardsall

Drama Producer

Sarah-Jane Walsh

Assistant Producer / Field Director

Sarah Mavity

Freelance Film Producer

Siobhan Wilson

Senior Production Accountant

Kate Cook

Brand Manager

Kinda Kurdi

Video Journalist/Producer

Laura Senior

Producer

Lisa Mackintosh

Assistant Commissioning Editor

Lucy Arditti

Development Executive
& Script Editor

2023 MENTORS

2024 MENTORS

WFTV has an extensive database of past and potential mentors who are keen to pass on their skills and experience to the next generation. Once mentees have been selected for the scheme they are hand-matched with an experienced industry figure who commits to spending at least six hours with their mentee over six months. Mentors are drawn from across the film and TV industry.

Alex Hamilton | CEO, StudioCanal
Alison Small | Producer, Netflix
Ameenah Ayub Allen | UK Indie Features Producer
Carol Harris | Freelance Journalist
Caroline Cooper-Charles | CEO, Screen Yorkshire
Clare Stewart | Film Festival Director
Fiona Campbell | Controller Youth Audience, BBC iPlayer
Hilary Rosen | Director of Commissioning, UKTV
Huw Kennair-Jones | Drama Commissioner, ITV
Jet Omoshebi | Senior Colorist

Marc Jobst | Director
Marcus Wilson | Producer
Naomi Gibney | Screenwriter
Pamela Gordon | Director / Producer (Factual)
Sara Geater | COO, All3Media
Serena Davies | Series Producer / Director
Siobahn Reddy | Video Games Executive
SJ Clarkson | TV Director
Sophie Turner Laing OBE | Chair, NFTS
Tanya Qureshi | TV Producer

THE 2023 WFTV England Mentees

Alice Sephton

Camera Operator

Cheryl Vaz

VOD Marketing Manager

Claire Pringle

Film and TV Editor

Claire Russell

Drama Producer

Daisy Coole

Film Composer

THE 2023 WFTV England Mentees

Daisy Stone

Crew Manager

Emma Obank

Film and TV Agent

Jess Moore

Writer/Director

Kim Rossiter

Series Producer

Larissa Miola

Writer/Producer

Naomi Rose

Commissioning Assistant Editor

Nasreen Ahmed

Drama Dev Producer

Rachael Evelyn

Senior Stunt Performer

Rachel Murrell

Scriptwriter

Saleyha Ahsan

Filmmaker/ Freelance Journalist

Samia Rida

Actor/Writer

Sarah Leigh

Writer/ Director/ Producer

Tasnim Nazeer

Freelance Journalist

Veronica Mackenzie

Director/Writer

Vivian Eguridu

Producer

2023 MENTORS

Abi Morgan | Playwright and Screenwriter
Addie Orfila | Production Manager
Akua Gyamfi | Founder, The British Blacklist
Alice Birch | Playwright and Screenwriter
Fatima Salaria | MD, Naked Television
Iain Canning | Executive Producer & Joint Managing Director, See-Saw Films
Jane Millichip | CEO, BAFTA
Jane Tranter | Executive Producer & Co-Founder, Bad Wolf
Jo McLaren-Clarke | Stunt Coordinator
Lindsay Salt | Director of Drama, BBC
Naomi Gibney | TV & Film Writer
Nicola Daley | Cinematographer
Poppy Dixon | Director, Documentaries & Factual, Sky
Sarah Ramsden | Commissioning Editor
Sheridan Tongue | Music Composer
Sophie Turner Laing | Chair NFTS
Sue Tully | TV Director
Surian Fletcher-Jones | Executive Producer
Tanya Shaw | Producer
Tessa Ross | Executive Producer & Co-Founder, House Productions
Úna Ní Dhonghaíle | Film & TV Editor

THE 2022 WFTV England Mentees

Alison McCann

VP, Legal and Business Affairs

Anya Camilleri

Director, Screenwriter
and content creator

Ashabi Ajikawo

Actor, Voiceover Artist, Founder and CEO

Dani Rayner

Global Marketing Strategist

Denise Woods

Cinematographer

Helen Collins

Producer and Edit Producer

Jackie Okwera

Screenwriter

Janet Overfield

Composer

Janey Ayoade

Producer

Josephine Brassey

Head of Entertainment Development

Justine Potter

Head of Development

KT Roberts

Writer

Lynette Slight

Head of Post Production

Polly Scates

Acquisitions Manager

Rebecca Manley

Writer/Director Animation & Live Action

Riffy Ahmed

Film Director, Writer
and Visual Artist

Shelley Gill

Talent Manager

Sophieclaire Armitage

Agent

Stephane Alexandre

Producer and Director

Tali Walters

Genre Lead, Scripted

2022 MENTORS

Akua Gyamfi | Founder, The British Blacklist
Denise Nurse | Chief Success Coach & Black Founders Hub
Emma Wakefield | MD, Lambent Productions
Helen Simmons | Writer & Producer, Erebus Pictures
Jane Millichip | Chief Content Officer, Sky Studios
Jane Villiers | Managing Director & Agent, Sayle Screen
Jane Zurakowski | Talent Executive, Production Management, BBC Studios
Jude Litnaitzky | Chief Creative Officer, Drama Republic
Karen Smith | MD, Tuesday's Child
Mandy Chang | Global Head of Documentaries at Fremantle
Nainita Desai | Composer and Producer
Nicki Sheard | CMO, BBC Studios
Nicola Daley, DOP & Lucy Price, Agent at Loop Talent
Peter Fincham | Co-CEO, Expectation
Rachel Job | SVP Non-Scripted Content, All3 Media
Sam Bickley | Executive Producer
Sam Hoyle | Executive Producer, Sky
Simon Vaughan | Executive Director, The Story Company
Sue Vertue | Television Producer, Hartswood Films
Tamara Howe | Director of Commercial & Operations, Naked

2021 WFTV England Mentees

Alexandra Finlay

Senior Director, Creative and Co-Productions

Amy Thomas

Senior Creature Technical Director

Caroline Percy

Senior Portfolio Manager, Channel 4

Gemma Brady

Series Producer

Gina Lyons

Comedy Producer

Janet Awe

Development Producer and Script Editor

Jemma Cox

Camera Operator/editor

Jessie Craig Roche

Director/ Writer/ Photographer

Jude Ho

Documentary Producer/Director

Kerriane Taylor

Digital Producer and Documentary Producer/Director

Lauren Abery

Series Producer / Development Exec

Lily Grimes

Cinematographer

Meriel Beale

Series Editor/Exec

Mhari Macritchie

Sound Editor

Miranda Walker

Comedy and Drama Writer

Nazneen Momen

Assistant Producer

Poonam Brah

Film and Theatre Director

Sarah Keeling

Offline Editor

Suki Chan

Filmmaker

Zoe Dobson

Director

2021 Mentors

Ana De Moraes - Group Creative Director, Multistory Media
Catherine Catton – Commissioning Editor, Popular Factual and Factual Entertainment, BBC
Christine Alderson - Film Producer, Ipso Facto Films
Cinders Forshaw - Cinematographer
Clelia Mountford - Co-Founder, Merman
David Abraham – CEO, Wonderhood Studios
David Glover – Founder 72 Films
Fiona McDermott - Head of Comedy, Channel 4
Jayne Villiers - MD, Sayle Screen
Jess Bendien - Talent Expert, Bang Talent
Jonathan Stadlen - MD, Knickerbockerglory
Joff Powell - Creative Director, Spark Media
Laura Livingstone
Lucinda Axelson - Executive Producer, Oxford Scientific Films
Lucy Pilkington - Founder & MD, Milk & Honey Productions
Nina Hartstone - Oscar-winning Supervising Sound Editor
Peter Fincham - Co-CEO, Expectation Entertainment
Philippa Lowthorpe - Film & TV Director
Sarah Doole - CEO, Red
Sarah Fraser - Comedy Producer & Executive

WFTV 2020 ENGLAND MENTEES & MENTORS

Alice Ramsey

BBC Writers Room Development Producer

Bruna Capozzoli

Filmmaker & Digital Specialist

Cat Marshall

Production Supervisor,

WARP Films

Claire Batchelor

Composer TV

Emma Yap

Scripted Development Executive TV

Gilberte Phanor

Graphics Editor and Producer

Helen O'Donnell

Head of Development, BBC Studios Talent Works

Janice Okoh

Playwright

Jemma Parish

Senior AP, TravelMan

Jenny Stimpson

TV Documentary Producer

Kate Bennetts

Investment Director at Ingenious Media

Mel Bezalel

Director of Development at RDF Television

Rebecca Brown

Commercial Manager, BBC Studios

Ruchika Tagore

Development Executive

Ruth Mayer

TV Documentary PD

Samantha Fray

Programme Manager,Beyond Bronte

Serena Lloyd-Smith

Diversity and Inclusion – Network Specialist

Sian Whomes

Head of Talent, Sony Pictures Television

Suga Suppiah

Editor

Zoe McGivern

Head of Development/ Series Producer

2020 Mentors

Jay Hunt – Chief Creative Officer, Apple
Ade Rawcliffe – Head of Diversity, ITV
Danny Cohen – President, Access Entertainment
Zeb Achonu – Editor
David Glover – Founder 72 Films
Lorraine Heggessey – Chair, Grierson Trust
Laura Lankester – Creative Director, Lookout Point
Hilary Rosen – Deputy Head of Commissioning, UKTV
Tamara Howe – Managing Director, Vice TV EMEA
Jocelyn Jee Esien – Writer & Actor
Loran Dunn – Film Producer, Delaval Films
Sumi Connock – Creative Director of Formats, BBC Studios
Rachel Job – SVP Unscripted Content, All3 Media
Catherine Catton – Commissioning Editor, Popular Factual and Factual Entertainment, BBC
Harriet Pennington Legh – Agent, Troika Talent
Sam Hoyle – EP Netflix
Norma Wisnevitz – COO, True North
Samantha Jukes-Adams – Executive Coach & TV Production Consultant
Lindsay Bradbury – Commissioning Editor, Daytime, BBC
Addie Orfila – Former Head of Production, serial drama and Founder AddieOrfila Training

WHAT the MENTORS SAy about the scheme

Julie Parmenter
MD, Molinare

The Mentee scheme is an exceptionally rewarding programme to be part of. To watch the transformation of the individuals over the period of six months is astonishing. For anyone to have the time to dig deep into what is most important, set goals and implement change to reach them is a unique opportunity that very few will ever have.

Hilary Davis
Co-Managing Director,
Bankside Films

I was perfectly matched with my mentee and believe that we both derived a benefit from our series of meetings. Training is crucial for the continued development of careers, especially for women, as the commercial side of the business is often overlooked but is vital if films are to be successful in the worldwide market place.

André Singer
MD Spring Films

Nothing is more effective in our fraught industry than the marriage of experience to aspiration. Linking mentees with passion and drive to industry veterans prepared to guide them is a great way to help remove some of the many hurdles ahead.

2019 Mentors

Jay Hunt – Creative Director, Europe
Danny Cohen – President, Access Entertainment
Sarah Gavron – Film Director
Peter Fincham – Co-CEO, Expectation Entertainment
Kim Shillinglaw – Director of Factual, Endemol Shine UK
Pat Younge – MD Sugar Films
Sara Putt – MD and Agent, Sara Putt Associates
Julia Knowles – Multi-camera Director
Liz McIntyre – Former CEO & Director, Sheffield Doc/Fest
Saskia Schuster – Comedy Entertainment Commissioner, ITV
Sam Anstiss – Creative Director, Unscripted, Wonderhood Studios
Hilary Rosen – Deputy Director of Commissioning, UKTV
Tamsyn Zietsman – Director of Publicity, Originals Netflix
Sam Jukes-Adams – Executive Coach & TV Production Consultant
Maureen Murray – Film Producer, Foxtrot Films
Tom McDonald – Head of Specialist Factual Commissioning, BBC
Judy Ironside – Founder and President, UK Jewish Film Festival
Cinders Forshaw – Cinematographer
Catherine Morshead – TV Director
Olwyn Silvester – Managing Director, Bedlam Productions

2018 Mentors

Sara Putt – MD, Sara Putt Associates
Jane Villiers – MD, Sayle Screen
Pat Younge – MD, Sugar Films
Tracy Forsyth – Genre Director, Factual Entertainment & Entertainment at BBC Worldwide
Kate Watson – Agent
Natalie Humphreys – Controller of Factual and Daytime Production, BBC
Marley Bryan – Career Coach, Incredible Careers
Judy Ironside – Founder & President of UK Jewish Film
Sam Jukes-Adams – TV Production Consultant & Executive Coach
Lisa Marie Hall – Production Designer
Fiona Gillies – Producer, GilliesWorks
Jessica Bendien – Talent Executive, Director of Bang Talent
Marisa Clifford – Co-Founder & CEO of Pulse Films
Emma Smithwick – Creative Director, 40 Partners
Jordan McGarry – Head of Development & Production, Film London
Madeleine Knight – Director of Formats and Development, Talpa UK
Carey Fitzgerald – Partner, Starline Entertainment
Miranda Bowen – Director, 2AM
Lee Magiday – Producer, Sleeper Films
Rachel Matchett – Head of Production, Moving Picture Company

The WFTV mentor scheme is a fantastic way to utilise the experience of TV professionals to further the careers of the next generation of content makers. The scheme benefits the mentees and the mentors equally - it really is a two-way thing, listening and discussing the minutiae of one's working life and realising that it was the small stuff that we had all but forgotten that made the big stuff possible.