I worked with Cumbrian charity Signal Film and Media for 7 years before moving to London/ Essex to freelance in the art department. I am lucky to still be able to develop projects with them and look forward to going there once or twice per year to teach on workshops and catch up with all the brilliant work they do to provide disadvantaged people opportunities into the film and arts industries.
I am a BAFTA crew mentor for BFI Film Academy alumni and run projects and sessions at a variety of arts based organisations and charities including Signal Films, Pauline Quirke Academy, National Theatre Education programme, BFI Film Academy and East15.
Stepping up to Art Director, Signal Films, January 2020
I created this course based on my own experiences in the art department and a desire to demystify the roles within the art department in order to open a pathway for a more diverse workforce, less who you know and more what you know. Supervising art director Katie Macgregor, (Sex Edcuation, Watchmen) lead the course.
Watch a video here about the experience of the participants.
BFI Film Academy 2012 - current
Since the BFI Film Academy began in 2012 I have worked with Signal Films to raise the money for, plan and deliver the Cumbrian regional BFI Film Academy, leading on the Production Design mentoring element. Many young people from the scheme have gone on to BFI Film Academy residentials and some are now working in the industry.
National Theatre, Play in a Day, 2018
Working with director, Shane Dempsey to help a group of young people create The Odyssey in one day
Liver in a Bed, 2018
Working with the East15 performing arts college to design a site specific live performance based on research the students had collected from the archives at the Wellcome Collection.
Signal Film and PQA, 2018
Leading a variety of workshops and talks at Signal Films, Barrow in Furness and for the Pauline Quirke Academy.
