LEADER Celebrating female talent Our 2018 set of Broadcast Hot Shots embody what it takes to make an impression in the competitive world of British television. Testimonials from some of TV’s top bosses prove the potential of these talented young people, who will no doubt be leading industry fi gures of the future. The group is also, as you will note, diverse and female. Our decision to focus solely on young women is recognition of their determination, ambition and ability to succeed in an industry striving to improve its record in gender issues. There are still issues to face: in February, Broadcast broke the news that 76 female writers had put their names to an open letter decrying a perceived lack of opportunities in British drama. Another 32 later added their signatures. Our plan was met with some criticism from a few who felt the approach was at the expense of talented young men, but this was far outweighed by emails and messages praising a proactive and prescient move. It was about time, too. As one Hot Shot said: “This is the fi rst female-only TV initiative of its kind that I can think of.” Among the class of 2018 are development execs and producers who have worked on major new series for the likes of Netfl ix, Channel 4 and the BBC. One managed the cast and egos of The Real Full Monty, while another was vital to director Asif Kapadia on his BBC doc series Stephen: The Murder That Changed A Nation. There’s the script editor who impressed Sally Wainwright by overseeing the translation of a 100,000-word, 200-year-old text for a new BBC1 and HBO drama, and the business development exec who, aged just 22, was selected as the fi rst commercial staffer at BBC Studios’ lauded Natural History Unit. Each of our Hot Shots has the potential to shake up the television industry in the years to come and we will enjoy following their progress. As always, we send our thanks to the industry chiefs who took time to bring well over 120 outstanding candidates to our attention, from which the fi nal selection was made. Jesse Whittock, Hot Shots editor broadcastnow.co.uk August 2018 | Broadcast Hot Shots | 3 [email protected] | 020 7170 9512 | thehospitalclub.com/studio recorded productions TV studio for live and Covent Garden The Hospital Club Studio The Hospital Club Studio Covent Garden TV studio for live and recorded productions [email protected] | 020 7170 9512 | thehospitalclub.com/studio [email protected] | 020 7170 9512 | thehospitalclub.com/studio recorded productions TV studio for live and Covent Garden The Hospital Club Studio CONTENTS 06 PRODUCTION In-demand talent 21 BUSINESS Future leaders 24 DIRECTORS Original perspectives 26 WRITERS Distinctive new voices 28 POST Stars of editing 32 MULTIPLATFORM Online champions The Hospital Club Studio Cover Roxy Rezvany Previous page Elaina Boateng This page Hildegard Ryan Covent Garden Back cover Charisma Jones With thanks for the participation of The Hospital Club PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY Theodore Wood HOT SHOTS ONLINE GALLERY TV studio for live and broadcastnow.co.uk Broadcast Editor Chris Curtis Supplement Editor Jesse Whittock Art Editor Abi Hardwick Production Editor Dominic Needham recorded productions Managing Director, MBI Alison Pitchford Senior Sales Manager Talia Levine [email protected] | 020 7170 9512 | thehospitalclub.com/studio broadcastnow.co.uk August 2018 | Broadcast Hot Shots | 5 JENNIFER MCCONNELL 30 SENIOR DEVELOPMENT EXECUTIVE/STORY PRODUCER, ARCHERY PICTURES Jennifer will eventually run a successful drama company or become the head of drama at a major broadcaster JUDY COUNIHAN (CREATIVE DIRECTOR, ARCHERY PICTURES) ON JENNIFER MCCONNELL Nominated by: Judy Counihan, creative director, Archery Pictures Jennifer McConnell’s recent script- editing credits provide an insight into her versatility and instinct for drama with commercial potential, comprising Sky 1’s British cop drama Bulletproof, long-running BBC1 soap EastEnders, Sky Atlantic drama Riviera and BBC2 period piece Wolf Hall. On Riviera, she had to navigate the needs of the showrunner and multiple writers, as well as production challenges such as shooting in the South of France. On Bulletproof, she is credited with ensuring that female characters got plenty of screen time and helping the script avoid stereotyping. Her “extreme clarity when it comes to storytelling” means “there are no glass ceilings or glass boxes for Jennifer”, says Archery Pictures creative director Judy Counihan. “She has the ambition and drive to continually hone her storytelling skills, will develop and produce her own shows, and eventually run a successful drama company or become the head of drama at a major broadcaster. Alternatively, should she decide to become an international advocate for women’s rights, that too is an option.” 6 | Broadcast Hot Shots | August 2018 broadcastnow.co.uk PRODUCTION – SCRIPTED KELSEY RICHARDS 28 HEAD OF DEVELOPMENT, DRAMA, BBC STUDIOS WALES Kelsey’s deep love for drama is apparent from the moment you meet her. She is passionate about storytelling MARK LINSEY (CHIEF CREATIVE OFFICER, BBC STUDIOS) ON KELSEY RICHARDS Nominated by: Simon Winstone, head of drama, BBC Studios Wales Kelsey Richards’ star has been in the ascendency at the BBC’s Cardiff base since joining in 2013. She was nominated for a Hot Shot after winning an internal production award for her attempts to portray untold stories on screen, and was part of a team that pitched to the BBC Executive Committee an initiative to engage with youth audiences that has now been implemented across the corporation. She is also credited with driving strate- gies to attract, train and retain a young and diverse workforce. Kelsey is equally passionate about drama development, working on staple BBC1 series such as Casualty and Holby City, and was promoted from acting story producer to head of drama development in Wales last year. “Kelsey’s deep love for drama is apparent from the moment you meet her,” says BBC Studios chief creative offi cer Mark Linsey. “She is passionate about writers and storytelling and has already been a fantastic asset to BBC Studios’ drama in Cardiff.” BBC drama execs say that “at a time when all and sundry claim to care about new writers and fresh voices, Kelsey has been walking for the walk for years”. broadcastnow.co.uk August 2018 | Broadcast Hot Shots | 7 CHRISTABEL ROSE 28 DEVELOPMENT AND SCRIPT EDITOR, PLAYGROUND ENTERTAINMENT Nominated by: Sophie Gardiner, alike”, but Gardiner says she also tandem developing projects and managing director, Chapter One “thinks very well about the wider script-editing major series “Christabel is going to be an world” – a huge boon when Howards End, Little Women and important person in television developing and editing complex Channel 4’s upcoming Lucy Kirk- drama,” says Sophie Gardiner, scripted programming and a real wood play adaptation Chimerica. who worked with the Hot Shot asset in the relationship-driven “Since joining the Playground during her time as head of world of high-end TV drama. team, she has worked with the likes drama at Wolf Hall producer After beginning her career with of Heidi Thomas, Lucy Kirkwood Playground Entertainment. spells at fi lm production companies and Kenneth Lonergan, all of Not only is she credited with Recorded Picture Company, whom sing her praises,” says Play- being “clever and brilliant with HanWay Films and Shine Pictures, ground founder Colin Callender. scripts” and “respectful of, and Christabel switched to Playground “She is a great script editor, and no respected by, writers and producers in 2016 and has since worked in one deserves this recognition more.” 8 | Broadcast Hot Shots | August 2018 broadcastnow.co.uk PRODUCTION – SCRIPTED GRACE BLACKET 29 SCRIPT EDITOR, LEFT BANK PICTURES Nominated by: Andy Harries, chief At The Crown producer Left Bank, of ambitious new work – work executive, Left Bank Pictures she is currently developing new without borders and language Grace Blacket moved to Britain shows from up-and-coming barriers – and she is an asset to from Australia just three years writers and recently played a key our development team,” says Left ago but has already made a role in the development of White Bank chief executive Andy Harries. signifi cant mark in the UK Lines, a new Netfl ix drama from La He adds that she “already tele vision industry. Casa De Papel creator Alex Pina. demonstrates the creativity Having worked on scripted Left Bank has benefi ted from and entrepreneurial skills of a shows such as Home And Away as Grace’s knowledge of the creative producer” and will move in that a scriptwriter for Seven Network community Down Under and her direction in the coming years. in her homeland, by March 2016 introductions to Australian “She’s passionate about television she had secured a script editor role writers. “Grace is very determined and will be an asset to our creative on EastEnders. and passionate about being a part community,” says Harries. broadcastnow.co.uk August 2018 | Broadcast Hot Shots | 9 PRODUCTION – SCRIPTED STELLA MERZ 27 ZOE WATERMAN 29 SCRIPT EDITOR, LOOKOUT POINT ASSISTANT PRODUCER, DEVELOPMENT, ZEPPOTRON Nominated by: Faith Penhale, joint chief executive and creative Nominated by: Rachel Ablett, director, Lookout Point head of scripted development, It speaks volumes that established Zeppotron writers Mike Bartlett and Sally Zoe Waterman’s career, which she Wainwright both provided began as a trainee on the Mama testimonials for Stella Merz’s Youth Project before progressing Hot Shots application. through BBC Comedy and eventu- Having begun her career as ally Endemol Shine UK comedy an assistant to United Agents’ label Zeppotron, has included work Michelle Archer, Stella joined on the likes of BBC2 comedies Lookout Point as a development Inside No. 9 and Upstart Crow and assistant in 2016 and was pro- BBC4 comedy-doc spoof The Life Of moted to script editor last year Rock With Brian Pern.