Watch previous WFTV online webinars here
JUNE 2021 events
In conversation with Jane Tranter, Bad Wolf
Speakers:
Jane Tranter | BAFTA Award-winning Television Executive
Hannah Corneck| WFTV Mentoring Producer - Wales
Jane Tranter, co-founder of award-winning production company Bad Wolf and the woman behind Succession, I Hate Suzie, Industry and His Dark Materials, shares her career journey with WFTV’s Mentoring Producer for Wales Hannah Corneck.
Before setting up the Cardiff based indie and studios in 2015 with Julie Gardener, Jane was responsible for the Russel T Davies reboot of Dr Who, the spy drama Spooks and the political thriller State of Play. Now working between the UK and Bad Wolf’s Hollywood offices, Jane is an advocate for women writers and directors who want to change the scripted landscape.
In conversation with the team behind A Pandemic Poem: Where Did the World Go?
Speakers:
Victoria Stedeford | Producer/Director
Brian Hill | Director
Katie Bailiff | Co-Producer & WFTV CEO
In March 2020, director Brian Hill got in touch with the Poet Laureate Simon Armitage and suggested they make a film together about the pandemic that was unfolding across the world. The two have worked together on numerous occasions, producing films such as BAFTA winning Feltham Sings, Songbirds, Drinking For England and The Not Dead. They’d tackled subjects as diverse as prison, mental health, addiction and trauma. Now there was an opportunity to make a film about the biggest event of all our lives.
The film was commissioned by the BBC and features a long form poem as the narrative spine. Around the poetry, a number of people offer testimony about their own experiences during the pandemic: the man who lost his business, the woman who lost her mother, the pub landlord who fed thousands, the lockdown mum who vividly brings to life the experience of looking after toddlers all day every day. All of these people tell us about lives lived during the most challenging time in recent history.
As well as poetry and personal testimony the film uses dance, music and archive to try and make sense of this time.
In this talk, we’ll hear from Director Brian Hill and comedy writer/performer and creator of YouTube series Lockdown Mum Victoria Stedeford in conversation with the film’s Executive Producer and WFTV’s CEO Katie Bailiff.
Table Talk: The impact of COVID-19 on Parents & Carers
“Most (9 out of 11) parent/carer screen sector workers experienced a negative direct impact on their caring arrangements from COVID-19.”
Source: ‘Back from the Brink: A Scoping Study’ March 2021, Raising Films*
We’ve all experienced the impact of various lockdowns with COVID-19 entering our lives back in March 2020. This research, conducted by Raising Films reveals how huge the pressure of the past year and a half has been for those who are a parent or carer as well as freelancers and the self-employed.
In this session, we looked at what the pandemic has done to those who are already working within these precarious working environments. Our Table Talk conversation was hosted by WFTV CEO Katie Bailiff, and our guests for this session were:
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Natalie Grant, freelance Series Producer, and co-director of Share My Telly Job and the job-sharing and flexible working officer for Bectu unscripted.
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Endy Mckay is an actor, writer, and maker and one fourth of the Black Mums Upfront Podcast
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Cheryl Woodcock, Talent Executive, and founder of the Telly Mums Network
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Samantha Fray, Director of Talent Development at ThinkBIGGER!
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Nicky Bentham, founder, and a producer at Neon Films and one of the founders of the campaigning organisation, Raising Films
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Natalie Wreysford – Academic Researcher in Culture, Media and Creative
Our panel reviewed the implications of COVID-19 - such as caring obligations, freelancing, furlough, and unemployment - speaking on what has been happening within their networks and look at the lockdown positives, such as the success of working remote to how hiring job sharers can be a great way to support working parents and carers.
WFTV Writers’ Group: How you can be a writer and a producer with Helen Simmons
Speakers:
Helen Simmons | Co-Managing Director, Erebus Pictures
Christina Pickworth | Agent
For this month’s writers’ group, host Christina Pickworth will be in conversation with writer-producer Helen Simmons.
They will be discussing Helen’s unique role as both a writer and producer, and how it’s possible to combine the skillsets and succeed at both.
MEET THE COMMISSIONER: POPPY DIXON, DIRECTOR, DOCUMENTARIES AND FACTUAL, SKY AND HAYLEY REYNOLDS, COMMISSIONING EDITOR, SKY
Speakers:
Poppy Dixon | Director, Documentaries and Factual, Sky
Hayley Reynolds | Commissioning Editor, Sky
Liz Tucker | Chair, WFTV
Have you got a fantastic idea for a ground-breaking documentary or series? Would you like to find out the best way to get your programme proposal commissioned?
WFTV Chair, Liz Tucker will be in conversation with Poppy Dixon, Director, Documentaries and Factual, Sky and Hayley Reynolds, Commissioning Editor, Sky finding out what makes great television and what you need to do to get that elusive commission.
Their department’s commissions include: Ghislaine Maxwell: Epstein’s Shadow; a as yet unnamed three part exposé of the fashion industry; The Return: Life after ISIS and Chasing the Dream.
Actors’ Group: The Business of Acting
Speakers:
Abigail Longstaffe | International Business Development Manager at The Mandy Network
For the first event as part of our Actors’ Group series, Abigail Longstaffe from The Mandy Network will be sharing an overview of the business of acting, insight into key industry changes over the past year, and what these mean for actors.
Abigail will be offering advice on headshots, showreels, voice reels, how to nail a self-tape audition, whilst sharing top tips for contacting casting directors and agents. For those early into their acting career or if you’re seeking tips to progress to the next level, this is a great introductory session from an expert on the changing trends of the industry.
Editing: The Gender Gap
Speakers:
Anna Price | Film Editor
Ferg McGrath | Founder of The Cutting Room
Liz Tucker | Chair, WFTV
Lindsey Woodward | TV Drama Editor
Stefania Marangoni | Vice Chair of British Film Editors (BFE)
Tim Hunter | BAFTA’s Executive Director of Learning, Inclusion, Policy and Membership
In partnership with British Film Editors (BFE), WFTV is exploring the post-production gender gap and celebrating women working in editing.
This action focused panel will bring together editing professionals to share their experiences in the industry, discussing the lack of diversity in the cutting room and addressing the key issues women face as editors in film and TV. We’ll discuss the gender split among editors in BAFTA and the underrepresentation of women in editing awards, and touch on practical ideas that could make a difference going forward.
WFTV Q&A: In Conversation with the team behind Leigh-Anne: Race, Pop & Power
Speakers:
Natasha Gaunt | Director
Kandise Abiola | Producer
Sam Bickley | Executive Producer and TV Development Consultant
Akua Gyamfi | Founder, The British Blacklist
Leigh-Anne Pinnock burst into the world of pop music after winning X-Factor with Little Mix in 2011. Now they are one of the world’s biggest girl bands. Leigh-Anne: Race, Pop & Power is a one-off documentary that follows Leigh-Anne as she confronts her experience as the only Black member of Little Mix and as a Black woman in the music industry.
We’re joined by the Director, Natasha Gaunt and Producer Kandise Abiola to discuss the making of the documentary, exploring the key themes and working with Leigh-Anne to film frank conversations on Black representation in the music industry.