Simone Haynes on working on Black Doves as part of First Break

Simone Haynes’ dream of a career in the screen industry didn’t stop when she was working as a teacher. As a writer, she made sure that, despite teaching and raising her own child, she always kept her passion alive through her own projects, hoping it would help serve her well when she found the right opportunity. She said: “I was teaching children and desperately wanted a change. Whilst teaching, I created my own comic book series to help reluctant readers. I later turned this into my first CGI short film, which I wrote and directed. This inspired me to want to work with the big studios in the film and TV industry and learn more.”

When she came across the ScreenSkills First Break programme she finally found a gateway into the industry that was able to give her that vital production experience. The programme, funded and developed by the High-end TV Skills Fund, is a pre-new entrant inclusivity initiative which aims to de-mystify entry into the TV industry. It works with broadcasters, production companies and local partners to encourage, nurture and support individuals to explore a career in TV, giving them the initial tools, knowledge and taster experiences of working in the industry. 

When she joined the programme, Simone received a brand-new experience of the screen industry. “Up until starting my First Break training in October 2023, I had never worked on set or within the film industry.” That changed when she received a placement through the programme as production assistant on a hit Netflix series, Black Doves, starring Keira Knightley and Ben Whishaw.

Since its launch in 2019, 195 individuals have gained paid work experience on over 30 high-end TV productions across the UK through First Break. As part of the programme, candidates take part in Open Doors TV taster events, a ‘Need to Know’ training day with paid work shadowing on a high-end TV (HETV) production and one-to-one career development and bespoke support.

This aspect proved particularly helpful for Simone. She said: “I found the experience very straight forward and vital, in terms of learning how to work on set and with the relevant equipment and processes. The Open-Door event really did prepare me as it can be a lot and now that I've progressed onto my second job, I can further my learning and experience within different productions.”

First Break sees the ScreenSkills HETV team collaborate with a local community partner rooted in the production’s base, to promote the opportunity locally and to provide localised project management support throughout. In this instance it was Azariah Jade from Film London who became the local project manager, an experience she relished. She said: “Being part of a programme that invests in emerging talent and creates opportunities that didn’t exist before has been incredibly fulfilling. The programme has positively impacted the lives of the six candidates but also me and all the industry professionals involved. Supporting emerging talent is a mutually beneficial experience; it not only creates a pipeline for new talent but also strengthens the wider industry.”

For Simone, this was just the start of her screen journey. Since completing the programme and working on Black Doves, she joined Trainee Finder, ScreenSkills’ flagship new entrant programme and secured another placement with Netflix in the production management department.

Through her time on these programmes and her ability to make the most of her opportunities, Simone has taken bold steps into an exciting new career. She said: “I would like others to see me as an example of someone that can change careers and demonstrate progress within the industry, just by wanting to keep learning. With every job I take a wealth of experience from the previous one and hope to step up in the near future.

“It has been transformative both personally and professionally. This experience has broadened my perspective, providing me with a greater insight into this industry. It has allowed me to contribute my unique voice as a mother, drawing from my cultural background and life experiences. Professionally, the role has honed my skills, from collaboration to creative problem-solving, boosting my confidence and career prospects.”