Dream Big! is a new entrant programme developed by the Children's TV Skills Fund and run by training provider thinkBIGGER. It provides new entrants with their first job in children’s TV and animation through paid placements at a range of leading production companies.
As part of the programme, Derek received a placement as production assistant at production company The Connected Set.
How did you first hear about DreamBIG!?
I first heard about DreamBIG! through a fellow mentee I met on a TV mentoring programme. In my conversations with this mentee, I expressed to her that I wanted to explore children’s TV. Months later, she came across the opportunity with DreamBIG! and forwarded it on to me. In this, I realised early on in my TV journey how important networking and connecting with others in this industry is – I wouldn’t have known about it otherwise (Thanks Killiesha!).
What were you doing before joining the DreamBIG! programme?
Before joining DreamBIG! I was working as an events manager for an education charity, so very much far removed from the industry.
Have you always wanted to work in children’s TV?
I’ve known I’ve wanted to work in the TV world for a few years, but it was still quite alien to me and I felt I didn’t have a strong enough understanding of how it all worked beyond the final product I watched on TV. I decided to change that, and successfully secured a place on Learning the Ropes, a TV mentoring scheme run by Fremantle, Dermot O’Leary’s Tuskar Trust, and Meet a Mentor, where I got to understand all the roles in TV and how everything worked from development and pre-production to post-production.
Engaging and inspiring young people is something I’m passionate about and has underscored my career to even before starting in children’s TV. I thought about how I could marry this passion with a career in TV, and children’s TV felt like a natural fit.
What was the experience of working a production like? Had you worked on any productions previously?
I did some running work as part of my TV mentoring programme which included running on ITV2’s This Morning and backstage running at Love Supreme Jazz Festival. It was a taster of the varied and fast paced work I would come to know in my traineeship.
Working on productions has been a challenging and rewarding feat. There was so much to get stuck into and I was always learning something new every day. It takes a village to make great TV and working in the production management team has given me a deep appreciation for the talented team and crew behind the lens who give their all in to creating TV shows we know and love. I salute you all!
What was your placement role?
I was a Production Assistant at The Connected Set, working on award-winning educational series Live Lessons on CBBC and BBC Teach.
What did you find most interesting or eye-opening about working on a children’s TV production?
The amount of work that goes into creating it: the script changes, working with educational consultants to make sure information is accurate, the attention around risk and safeguarding, the logistical beast of it all – everything!
Were there any challenges you came across, how were they resolved?
One occasion that sticks out to me was when I’d ordered a whole lot of school uniform for a shoot, but the delivery was delayed with no warning. It came to the day before the shoot and there was still no uniform! I ran around London buying pieces of the uniform until I got the complete sets, having done a lot of googling and calling beforehand. It was as if I was doing a task on The Apprentice. I think I’d have gotten a gold star from Alan Sugar.
Problem solving is part and parcel of the job, and I think my instincts have altered when it comes to moments of crisis from panic to ‘okay, how am I sorting this?’.
What other aspects of the DreamBIG! programme did you find helpful – how did they help you?
Having the bootcamp really helped to set the scene for what I was going in to. It was very specific to working in children’s TV, and I found that as I got into my traineeship, I was able to make the connections between what I learnt at bootcamp and what I was learning and experiencing on the job.
The CV workshop and support was also super helpful. Approaching the making of CVs in the TV world is different to how I would have done previously, and it taught me a great deal about the importance of personal branding and evidencing your skills and abilities.
How do you think programmes like DreamBIG! help the industry?
The biggest thing that rings out to me is accessibility. For those who don’t come from the most privileged backgrounds and from unrepresented groups, cracking the industry can often feel like a minefield. TV needs diverse voices and diverse talent, and in an industry built on exploring new worlds, ideas and stories, creating access for diverse groups is imperative.
And why do you think they’re important for those starting their careers?
Programmes like DreamBIG! are so important in helping young talent develop an understanding on how to navigate the wild and wonderful terrain of this industry. I’ve been able to draw from the wisdom of those both early on and well into their careers through DreamBIG! – the advice and golden nuggets of wisdom have been invaluable. The transparency of it all helped me become aware of the challenges I’d encounter and how I can meet them in a healthy way, which is so important when TV work – as exciting and thrilling as it is – demands a lot from you. I think those starting out can highly benefit from this.
What’s next? Will you aim to continue to develop a career in children’s TV? Or any other screen content?
I very much want to work in Children’s TV and, being early on in my career, I want to take the opportunity to explore other possibilities. Nothing definitive yet but watch this space!
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