The TV Foundation, the charitable umbrella of the UK’s most prestigious TV industry event, The Edinburgh TV Festival (ETF), today announced the 90 successful candidates that have been selected for its core talent schemes, Ones to Watch (OTW), TV PhD and The Network.
The schemes are part of The TV Foundation; the Festival’s charity with a mission to identify and nurture the next generation of talent from all backgrounds.
Ones to Watch, founded in 1994, is aimed at those who already have three or more years’ experience in TV and are looking to make the next big step in their career.
The successful applicants come from all areas of the TV industry – including Production Management, Post Production, Rights, Scheduling, Development, Production and Casting– and every region of the UK. The OTW candidates will be in Edinburgh for the Festival where they will enjoy bespoke sessions and panels, led in previous years by prominent industry executives and creatives including Jay Hunt, Charlotte Moore and Angela Jain, as well as a full Festival pass. In addition, they will receive 12 months of mentoring from senior industry figures.
The Network is the TV Foundation’s scheme for aspiring industry entrants.
Delegates will be given three days of workshops and sessions designed to introduce them to the TV industry and equip them to begin successful TV careers. They also receive a year of mentoring from one of the Ones To Watch and ongoing access to employability support through the TV Foundation’s job pool.
Across both schemes, our delegates are from across the UK’s nations and regions. 27% are from Black, Asian, and minority ethnic backgrounds and 26% identify as disabled.
Sarah Vignoles, Talent Schemes Director, The TV Foundation, says:
“This is the fifth set of cohorts I’ve seen come into our programmes and I still find the process of meeting them and discovering what makes them tick completely thrilling. The competition was fierce this year across the board so we’re looking forward to welcoming an exceptional group of people to this year’s Edinburgh TV Festival.”
TV PhD is a joint venture between the TV Foundation and the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)
. It gives 15 early career researchers an intensive introduction to TV to equip them with the tools to work in or with the TV industry once they have completed their PhDs.
AHRC funds internationally outstanding independent researchers across the whole range of the arts and humanities: history, archaeology, digital content, philosophy, languages and literature, design, heritage, area studies, the creative and performing arts, and much more. The quality and range of research, supported by AHRC, works for the good of UK society and culture and contributes both to UK economic success and to the culture and welfare of societies across the globe.
The Edinburgh TV Festival Ones to Watch 2023 are:
Jack Bailey, Producer/Director, Freelance
Heloise Beaton, Disability Lead, thinkBIGGER!
Kat Butterfield, Writer, Freelance
Eleanor Canham, Production Manager, Raw TV
Sarah Conner, Senior Producer Director, Freelance / BBC NHU
Florence Craig, Journalist, BBC Studios
Luke Frost, Script Editor, BBC Studios Kids & Family
Cameron Gray, Planning Executive, Paramount
Vida Green, Production Coordinator, BBC Studios (NHU)
Rosanagh Griffiths, Writer / Producer, Freelance
Dion Hesson, Assistant Producer, Freelance
Rachel Hunter, Producer, Freelance
Yeota Imam-Rashid, Assistant Producer, Freelance
Jasmin John, HETV Assembly Editor/1st Assistant Editor, Freelance
Talisha ‘Tee Cee’ Johnson, Development Producer / Presenter / Filmmaker, Freelance
David Kerr, Senior Development Producer, Tern TV
Hannah Ladds, Dramatic Rights Agent, Madeleine Milburn Literary, TV & Film Agency
Robert Leventhall, Online Editor, Picture Shop
Wayne Linge, Casting Director, Crampsie Linge Casting
Maria McCloskey, Shooting Assistant Producer, Freelance
Ben Nisbet, Development AP, RDF
Nikkita Punia, Shooting Producer, Freelance
Malaka Senanayake, DV Director, Freelance
Kezia Sheard, Assistant Producer / Development AP, Button Down
Lauren Taylor, Assistant Producer, ITV