We're kicking off our first coffee morning by talking to Producer and Writer (and one of our founders) all about her journey to producing on the West End! We hope by reading (or watching along the coffee morning will be on our YouTube soon!) that you can learn something new to kick start your own journey in the arts. With that lets get into it...
Q: What was your first paid role in the arts?
A: Technically it was actually an acting role that I had at the EdFringe back in 2018 while I was still at uni on a show called Orwell that ends well which I think got like all 1 star reviews! I made around £35.00 in the profit share and it was my first fringe!
My first producing role however was for Chronic Insanity on their 3 in 3 season during lockdown which was a real first for me in many ways, my first Arts Council (ACE) bid, my first digital project and my first time producing outside of uni!
Q: So how did you get your first role?
A: Like a lot of my roles I really think it came down to networking! I love talking to people and can be quite outgoing work wise (personally I'm much more of an introvert I'd say!) so during lockdown I did a lot of responding to call outs, tweets and emailed loads of people for virtual coffees because 1. I had alot of free time to kill and 2. I was really aware I knew no one in the industry. I mean no one. At the time I was still really considering pursuing acting so had responded to a call out I'd seen on Twitter (X) from Chronic Insanity who I'd never heard of at the time for an acting role in 52 souls a digital monologue show. In my rehearsal with Joe (who I later found out was the artistic director of the company) I got talking about how I was stuck between the two and was thinking of doing a producing MA. Joe then said if I ever wanted to produce something with them to get back in touch, so I did and the rest is well history.
Q: So talk us through your career journey from there!
A: So from there I began studying at Mountview on their MA Creative Producing, this was mid 2020 so a very odd time to be studying especially after finishing my BA in Theatre: Writing, Directing and Performance (amazing course) from York in April 2020. The reason I did the MA was to honestly find a way that I could afford to move to London, with the MA loan and some scholarship money from my undergrad I'd saved I could get out of my parents house!
Alongside the course I kept freelancing and meeting other companies, producers and creatives, mainly to bring in more income so I ended up doing a wide variety of stuff from social media management to venue assistant producing, to dramaturgy, stage management and even coordinating live streaming church services from my church All Saints . It felt really random at the time but all of it really did help consolidate my skills and build my CV fairly quickly which was a big help!
After I graduated I began my first full time job at Original (still freelancing at times around it because I love making new things and apparently have no chill) as their producing coordinator. This was honestly the best first 'big' job I could have asked for as it really drilled into me those key producing/general management skills as I was contracting, managing budgets, TTR prep and cash flows, preparing for first day of rehearsals, booking travel, jumping in as a TSM, recording lines, buying first night gifts anything, producing gala events and everything really! It truly set me up for a lot of the things I still do today.
From there I moved to an in venue role at Farnham Maltings as their Producer for Programming and Artist Development. This was a great opportunity to experience the other side of the table, as with Original I had been taking work to theatres, I was now in a position to be the person deciding on which work a venue would take. This was a real eye opener as it made me consider all the reasons why work isn't programmed and actually see that 95% of the time it's not about the work itself, it's what else is in the programme so far, budget available, venue space (including dressing rooms!), audience type and more. This is where my passion for supporting other artists also really grew from the short 1:1s I got to hold with local and associate artists which is something that has carried on over into our Open Office Hours here!
I was still freelancing along side this on projects for Chronic Insanity and beginning to have ideas for work of my own that I wanted to create which led me to writing my play Red Breast which went on to then win the Offie for Best Audio Drama something completely unexpected! It was this growing desire to make my own work and the offer to produce the 2023 NSDF (National Student Drama Festival) and really support emerging artists right when they're leaving uni that gave me the push to leave Farnham and go freelance full time.
At the same time the wonderful Eleanor Lloyd (incredible Producer probably known best for Witness for the Prosecution and president of SOLT) got in touch and asked if I'd like to try to raise money for Vardy V Rooney: The Wagatha Christie Trial on the West End to become an Associate Producer. This is a relationship that began way back in 2021 when I applied to be her assistant and it's a real testimony to networking.
Since then I worked freelance for the rest of 2023 before setting up and launching Cloudburst our production house and Flood in 2024 to tell new stories and champion new artists.
Q: What do you actually do in your job?
A: Thats a really good question! Every producer will be different and it's such a big term that covers so much stuff. For me, I do a lot of wide ranging stuff that will change project to project but mainly it involves:
Finding new scripts/ shows and developing them alongside the writer and the company
Building amazing teams to bring these shows to life
Finding the money to do the shows so writing funding bids or talking to investors
Planning and managing the project so making the plan, contracting everyone, sending call times making sure it all runs smoothly
Budget management so knowing how much we need, how much we have and making sure we can do everything within that amount
Finding new ways to make and develop work
Champion out company and our artists through attending events, speaking, helping marketing etc
Within this there can be alot of admin so writing emails, sending contracts, making budgets, updating budgets, chasing people for information but all of it is really people focused. Working with, talking to, planning with and building up others.
Q: What skills do you use the most in your day to day tasks?
A: I think day to day I always use my planning and organisation skills, as well as communication skills. Also not a skill as such but imagination is something I use all the time whether thinking up new project ideas I'd love to make happen or ways to find funding or how to solve a particular challenge thinking outside the box and dreaming up solutions!
Q: What's your favourite project you've worked on so far?
A: Tough one! Wagatha will always have a really special place in my heart as it was the first West End show I worked on, but I think my favourite at the moment has been Teenage Armageddon, it's been really connecting with our audiences and its the youngest and most diverse crowd I've seen in the West End I think ever and for that I'm so so proud!
Q: What's your best tip for finding freelance work?
A: I think my best tip would be to always be proactive. While I know that this can be really tough and quite draining at times (freelancing isn't for everyone but thats another conversation!) for me its really paid off to always be looking at opportunities putting in applications and going for it!
This is something that really started out of necessity as when I became freelance full time, while I had some savings from working full time for the past few years I knew that if I wasn't working I didn't have long before I couldn't pay the bills. Thats one of the biggest reasons I went into full time employment right after my MA, I couldn't afford to be a freelancer! So I would be looking for and applying for roles each week, even when I was working on projects. I'd set aside an afternoon or so to look through arts jobs, open hire etc and apply for anything that I thought looked interesting, roles I would learn and grow in and ones that I could work alongside what I was already doing or future projects. As my Grandee always says 'you only have to decide when they offer you the job' so even if I wasn't sure I'd apply anyway, and this is the way I've often got my most unexpected and growthful roles!
This way I was not only consistently improving my cover letter/application skills and updating my CV but it also meant that I knew I was doing all I could to find work. This way of working went really well for me, I never had a gap without work (which I know is really lucky) and I got to work on some amazing projects along the way!
Q: What is the biggest piece of advice you would give to someone considering starting a career in the arts?
A: Not a piece of advice but firstly I want to say it IS possible. You'll see a lot of negativity on the internet about the industry at the minute but I promise you it's not as bleak as it makes it all seem. You can make a good full time living in the arts. However to do that, I'd say you need to remember/consider a few things:
You are not guaranteed a career in the industry, you will have to work hard to get one but it will be worth it.
Know where you want to be, but be flexible about how you get there and always be open to trying something new.
Have fun. If you're not loving what you're doing something needs to change. Life is too short to be unhappy.
And my top tip is always be honest about your financial situation. If you need to work full time rather than be freelance that's cool. You're still an artist. If you need to work part time in another industry, that's cool. You're still an artist. You've worked out you can afford to take a holiday, amazing do it, the industry will still be here when you get back.
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Phew! Have you got any coffee left? We certainly haven't!
Do't forget to check out our upcoming coffee mornings and Open Office Hours to come along, chat, get advice and have fun!
We'll see you soon!
Team Flood x
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