Jo Armstrong Davis completed a BA in Interactive Media Production and an MA in Radio Production at BU and is now an experienced Production Manager with a particular focus on natural History. Jo has experience working in public service and commercial media through the BBC and independent film production companies.
Here, she shares her experience and advice for others wanting a career in the tv/film industry.
How did you get your foot through the door to launch your career?
After finishing my degree, I realised a lot of radio documentary jobs were based in London. I wasn’t keen to live in such a big city, so I moved to Bristol where I did a mix of short-term media-related jobs and work experience to try and build my knowledge in the industry and work out what area to go into. It took some time, perseverance, and temporary office work at times. However, I did some interesting and varied roles, from front of house in a post-production company to creating and editing a GPS-triggered media experience at the Eden Project and Kew Gardens.
In 2010 I applied for a job with the BBC as a Production Management Assistant on Springwatch. Through that role, I found a career which required my skills in communication and organisational management. I worked at the BBC for 10 years, in various Production Management roles and for a wide range of programmes, moving up to Production Coordinator and then Junior Production Manager. I then left the BBC in 2020 for a Production Manager role at Wild Space Productions where I helped to produce ‘Our Living World’ for Netflix.
What has been your career highlight to date?
I’ve genuinely enjoyed almost every production I’ve worked on. I’ve met lovely people, and the variety keeps things interesting. Whilst at the BBC, I was lucky to be part of the Hilda Matheson: Women into Leadership programme, which helped me develop skills and grow confidence in a more senior role. The best takeaway from this was to be yourself when leading others. People can see you are genuine and it’s far more effective than putting on a front or pretending to be someone you’re not.
I’m very proud to have worked on ‘Our Living World’, which was a huge achievement given we were in the middle of a pandemic while trying to film complicated stories globally. It was such a buzz to see it on a big screen in April and be reunited with the amazing team over a year after we delivered it.
What was your experience working on 'Our Living World'?
It was a learning experience getting to grips with different systems and ways of working more independently. Due to COVID-19 lockdowns in 2020, many production team members adapted to working from home while looking after children. One of the advantages was that we sought out in-country crew which reduced our carbon emissions. However, sourcing COVID-19 personal protective equipment and navigating travel restrictions brought a new set of challenges and additional costs. Across 18 months, we did 135 shoots, which is a huge number, even in normal times! The achievement of finally delivering the series was worth the hard work. I’m really proud of the final programmes and knowing I played a part in bringing it all together.
What has been your biggest career challenge?
Each production has its challenges, from the size of the budget (too small), length of schedule (too short) or complicated locations/requirements for a shoot. Part of the role of a Production Management team is to take on the challenges of trying to film some exciting new behaviours or locations and find some workable solutions alongside the editorial teams.
One particularly challenging shoot was sending a small team to the Democratic Republic of the Congo to film gorillas for ‘Endangered’, a feature-length documentary for Discovery which I worked on at the BBC. The location was remote, involving a three-day trek through thick jungle to get to, and it was in a high-risk country, meaning we needed to put extra precautions in place to ensure the team’s safety. I had to find a reliable fixer and guide who knew the area well, could help arrange filming permits and visas and source camping equipment and supplies for the expedition. Our team went on a specialist hostile environment and remote first aid training courses in preparation. The success of a shoot often depends on thorough planning and finding helpful and knowledgeable locals to help with the requests for the shoot.
What has been your experience working in different sectors as part of a production team?
At the BBC there were insurance, legal departments, and other colleagues and teams as well as training to support. There were fantastic resources to develop within a production team starting from an entry-level role.
In 2018 BBC Worldwide merged with the BBC production arm and became BBC Studios, this meant that many series originally under public service became commercial. This opened new opportunities to pitch to other broadcasters. However, this meant less content was produced in-house and more competition. There’s limited content production left in the public sector, with budgets and ways of working determined by the commissioning entity you are making the series for rather than public service.
Working for an independent film production company, you have more input into how the production runs, so there is greater freedom for creativity. However, you must find more information from scratch and do your research.
How important is it that students are passionate about the subject of the work they are filming?
It’s more important in editorial roles to be passionate about the film subject than for production management roles. However, having knowledge and experience in wildlife and nature is desirable for natural history film production, as it is a highly competitive industry. A degree in something relevant and a demonstrable passion is a huge help when gathering research for a programme. This is not to say you can’t move across once you have some experience in research as skills are adaptable. However, in other genres i.e., documentary, drama, or entertainment, I would expect this to be less important.
For production management roles, you have the flexibility to work across a variety of genres, and each has specialities, so it’s less important to have a specific interest. Core skills are important, a hard-working ethic and forward-thinking.
My passion for nature has been enhanced by some of the productions I’ve worked on. I’ve learnt so many fascinating things about countries and wildlife. A day at work doesn’t feel like a chore!
What key personal skills are essential when working as part of a production team?
Communication is key - each person plays their role, but all the pieces must fit together and it’s easy to miss something if it hasn’t been communicated, that one little thing could be vital to a shoot. The production management team often hold all the information and logistics together, so being able to effectively communicate with the rest of the team is vital.
But equally as important, don’t be afraid to ask questions, drilling down the details with the editorial teams so you know their plans. Additionally, collaboration is a good skill, maintaining a positive working relationship between teams and finding creative ways to make the editorial vision happen (within budget!).
Computer literacy and confidence in using Excel are also important. One of our key roles is to manage paperwork, from filming permits and kit lists to insurance documents and call sheets, and it’s important to be methodical, note down all the important information and file everything in the right place. Being aware of budgeting and how to keep track of money, is also useful.
How do you maintain a work-life balance in a creative industry which may at times require working peculiar and unsociable hours?
It can be difficult at times, especially when you’re in an entry-level role because you want to prove you can do a good job. It’s taken me a long time to get more of a balance, especially as I have children, and I still sometimes slip into overworking. Part of it is being confident that you are doing a good job and there are only so many hours in a day so if it becomes too much, you need to ask for help.
All productions have peaks and troughs, so you do have to go with the flow a little. The pre-production stage is usually relaxed, but when filming kicks in it’s all hands on deck and can involve long hours in the lead-up to each shoot. During post-production and delivery, it tends to resume normal work hours again, so you can catch-up before starting a new production and tie up any loose ends.
The balance has become better within the industry with increased awareness of mental health and burnout. It is also important to say no to things if you can’t do them or speak to a manager if you’re feeling snowed under.
What’s your advice for our final year Faculty of Media & Communication students who are searching for and applying to early career roles?
Be open to the jobs you apply for and get a range of experience. This will help you identify what you want to do and are good at and broaden your CV. Don’t be disheartened if you don’t get a researcher/production coordinator job at first, you may have to go in at a more junior level or take a sideways route, and sometimes it’s just a lucky break – right time, right place. But any relevant experience will be useful. For production management, that might be working in accounts or data management, or even the travel industry. For editorial, it might be helping with corporate videos or advertising. You need to be flexible and look at any role you think could hold some useful experience. I would also apply for any roles you think you would enjoy, even if you don’t tick all the boxes in their requirements, as you may be the best person on the day. Keep trying and don’t give up. It might take a few years but if you have the drive, you’ll get your break in the end!
Do you have any advice on how to handle unsuccessful job applications and interviews/rejections?
Although it can be really hard to stay positive if you’re unsuccessful in a job application, you have to try not to let it get to you, as it’s not personal. The TV industry (and all media) is competitive and there are sometimes hundreds of people applying for the same role. As an employer, it can be so difficult to choose the final candidate, as you want to give everyone the job, but it often comes down to something very tiny that sways you in one way or another.
Get as much feedback as you can from the interview and make notes on what you could improve on for next time. In advance of an interview, prepare examples of times you’ve displayed the qualities they ask for in the job description, even if they’re not industry-related. If you can speak to someone who works at the company about the role in advance, that might help you to know what the job will entail so you can answer the questions better. Also, interview practice with a friend can help.
If you have to do temporary work in something else to keep money coming in, that’s ok! No one will judge you for that and you will learn skills that are useful in any job you choose. Keep faith that the right opportunity will come along and once you have a foot in the door, it’s easier to get the next job.
There is an unprecedented lack of jobs in TV. The way people consume media has changed. It’s a tricky time for those with experience, not to mention graduates. But any experience you can get, whether it’s voluntary or in a similar area with relevant skills will help when commissions start coming in again.
