Find out more about careers in film & tv directing, computer games, producing, editing, acting, theatre directing, art gallery curation, copywriting, broadcasting, music journalism, music industry management, arts publishing, working as an artist and what it means to be a freelancer.

Note: this is not a recruitment event. Industry professionals will share their expertise and insight and offer advice about how you could develop a career in this sector and the experiences you could gain that will help you to develop your employability.

Please book your place via myAdvantage.

Vinitaraj Aulak: Radio Presenter/Producer/Creative

In 2021 I graduated from the University of Warwick with a First Class BA in English and Theatre. In 2022 I had my national radio debut at the BBC Asian Network as part of BBC Asian Network Represents where I presented my own show.

I have also recently presented a New Year’s Day show for the station. I was the Sound Stage Assistant Producer for midlands based: Shoot Festival, I am currently Assistant Producer for Altered Skin’s touring production: Fatherhood and I am set to co-produce a new and upcoming festival based at a midlands venue.

I have continued to build my playwriting portfolio and am currently writing my third play and have recently set up: The 184 Podcast where I discuss: lifestyle, books, theatre and film and aim to establish a creative community. I regularly attend acting workshops, including the RSC Summer School and am a member of The Birmingham Rep’s: The Young Company.

Joe Briggs: Creative Copywriter

Joe has been working in the creative industry for 7 years. After graduating from Warwick with a degree in Film Studies, his first role came in 2015 at branding and design agency Arch Creative.

After four years as a copywriter, he moved to London where he’s worked as Head of Creative for a sports gambling business and a freelancer.

Currently, Joe writes copy and conceptual campaigns for social agency the tree, working on clients like Boost Energy Drinks, Wenzel’s and Anglo American.

Joe believes the best campaigns are the weirdest ones and that the best copy sounds like a person wrote it, rather than a robot.

Andrew McGee: Producer, Freelance Director and Editor

Since graduating from The University of Warwick in 2016, I have worked across a wide range of film and video productions. I am a freelance post-production specialist, working as an online and offline editor across documentaries, short films, TV broadcast advertising, music videos, and projects for organisations such as the NHS.

I am also experienced in the areas of VFX, animation and motion graphics. My directing and producing work includes short films, most recently Venus, an ambitious science-fiction story. The film won 11 Best Sci-Fi Short awards and received 30 official selections internationally during its festival run, including the Oscar and BAFTA-qualifying LA Shorts International Film Festival and the prestigious FantaFestival.

I am currently developing the story into a feature-length film, amongst other short and long form narrative projects.

Kevin Shaw: Theatre Artistic Director

Kevin is the Chief Executive and Artistic Director of The Albany Theatre in Coventry, with a brief to further develop the programme of performance and participatory work and oversee the refurbishment and extension of the beautiful Art Deco Theatre.

He previously spent 17 years as Chief Executive and Artistic Director at Oldham Coliseum Theatre where he directed more than 100 productions, as well as directing and co-writing 15 pantomimes. He also founded the Coliseum’s thriving learning and engagement department giving thousands of participants opportunities to engage with theatre. Before this he spent 7 years in the New Forest as Artistic Director of Forest Forge, a rural touring theatre company and 4 years as Associate Director at Salisbury Playhouse.

Kevin has a strong commitment to developing creative talent, providing a platform and professional support for work from new and emerging theatre companies and artists.

Sarah Shalgosky: Principle Curator

Sarah leads the Mead Gallery at Warwick Arts Centre and the University of Warwick Art Collection.

With undergraduate and graduate degrees in the History of Art, Sarah has worked for the Arts Council, in senior roles in local authority galleries and as a company manager of a fine art services company before coming to Warwick.

Steph Van Spronsen: Music Manager + Artist Development Consultant @ Baroness Music

With a wealth of experience in the rock/metal scene and over a decade of working in the music business, Steph Van Spronsen is using her experience to give underground artists the advice and support to navigate this complex industry. Previously at Live Nation UK and the first female booker for Download festival she started her own company in 2020 to focus on helping artists navigate difficult times during the pandemic and now manages a handful of artists whilst still working with multiple clients as a development consultant.

Lakhesia Adams Poku: Publishing Rights Assistant

Lakhesia Adams Poku graduated from the University of Warwick with a BA Hons degree in English and French in 2020.

After graduating, she worked as an English Language Assistant in Paris, before returning to London where she is currently working as a Rights Assistant at Hachette UK publishing house.

Donna Bridgewater: Photographer

My name is Donna Bridgewater, I am the heart and soul creator of my business called Bridgewater Photography.

As a Photographer I love capturing photographs but also teaching and mentoring in the subject of Photography.

Running my business Bridgewater Photography over the years it has offered me the chance to explore a range of jobs and new opportunities along with skills. I work closely with businesses and charities to capture marketing content, along with documenting memorable moments for families in family portrait sessions, photographing events, special celebrations and working on documentary projects in the community that support mental health and wellbeing.

Oana Catalina Necsulescur: Filmmaker & Photographer

After graduating from Film and Animation at Birmingham City University, I worked as a full-time Video Editor at Warwick Conferences and as a Multimedia Designer at Coventry University Students’ Union.

Both roles professionally prepared me to embark on my self-employment journey, where I expanded my client base and the types of projects I undertake. Coventry City of Culture, Underground Lights, DPD, and Belgrade Theatre were among my most important clients. I work on a wide range of projects, including weddings, educational videos, indie films, corporate interviews, and conferences.

Last year, I won the Best Documentary Short Film Award at the Unrestricted View Film Festival in London with a short I filmed, edited and produced myself. In the future, I hope to become a film director, to learn more about the film industry, and to join the TV talent pool.

Jolie Hockings: Creative Access

Jolie supports Creative Access interns from under-represented backgrounds to progress their creative careers.

She specialises in developing and managing inclusive, multi-disciplinary programmes for emerging talent and has worked with a range of institutions, including The Photographers’ Gallery, Peckham Platform, Brighton Museum and the International Centre of Photography in New York.

She is committed to working towards a day when the creative industries will truly reflect and represent our society.

Callum Murray: Sports Writer

After graduating with an MA in English Literature from Warwick University in 1980, I worked in theatre management for seven years, before a change of direction into journalism. I began writing freelance arts reviews for a range of publications, before joining the Architects' Journal as editor of a new arts review section.

I then went freelance again, writing features for publications including The Times, The Independent, The Observer and The Guardian. After that I joined New Media Markets, a Financial Times newsletter, before becoming launch editor of a new sports rights industry newsletter, TV Sports Markets.

In 2000, I joined Sportcal, a sports business information service, as Editorial Director, before going freelance again three years ago, writing and producing videos and podcast interviews for a range of international sports organisations, including the IOC, the European Broadcasting Union, the Biathlon Integrity Unit, European Championships Management and communications agency JTA.

Emma Wilkes: Freelance music journalist, NME and Rolling Stones Magazine

Emma Wilkes started working as a freelance music journalist while studying at the University of Warwick, sometimes juggling essay deadlines and cover feature deadlines all at once.

Having graduated in summer 2022, she now writes about music full time, specialising in writing about rock and metal. She has been published in the likes of Kerrang!, The Telegraph, NME, Rolling Stone UK, Alternative Press and DIY among others and has been behind the scenes at many festivals, including Download Festival and Reading and Leeds.

Nick Adams: Lead Designer

I’m the design lead on all the Sonic Mobile titles at SEGA. I’ve been at SEGA HARDlight for 9 years and have worked in the games industry nearly 25 years. I previously worked at Blitz Games Studios in Leamington, making games on many different consoles, going all the way back to the N64, and SEGA Dreamcast! My first game was called Glover and I also worked on Fuzion Frenzy - the first ever game to be shipped on the original Xbox!

Tiago Magalhães: Experienced Software Engineer

Moved in from Portugal a few years ago, used to work as a front-end engineer, then a full stack engineer and now I am an experienced software engineer making games at HARDlight :)

I studied Classics at Warwick from 2010-13.

Chetan Pathak: BBC broadcaster/ sports journalist

Chetan Pathak is a Broadcast Journalist and TV presenter. He can currently be seen presenting the Sports News on BBC One Breakfast, on the BBC News at Ten, on the BBC News Channel and internationally on BBC World TV.

He graduated from the University of Warwick with a First in English Literature and Theatre Studies, and his first journalistic experience came on student television when he presented a weekly sports programme on Warwick TV. He trained to be a Broadcast Journalist at City University and has worked across TV and radio for the last 17 years.

He’s previously reported and presented on BBC Look North, BBC Look East, BBC London, BBC Asian Network, BBC Radio 4 and BBC Radio 5 Live. He’s also an experienced Teacher and Communication Skills Coach, and as a voice-over artist he's narrated dozens of audiobooks for Amazon Audible and the RNIB.

Emlyn Roberts-Harry: My Movies

I am the editor at mymovies.net, which provides official film assets (trailers, posters, synopses etc) for UK theatrical releases to a network of media brands and cinema chains.

I also write reviews of films and do interviews with the actors and filmmakers behind them.

I studied Classics at Warwick from 2010-13.

Silvio Savino: Senior Software Engineer

I’m Silvio, an Italian software engineer with more than 10 years of experience in the game industry. I love travelling, books, movies and games. Also, I was once a violin player and I’d love to get back to play music, it’s so liberating. I graduated in Computer Science then got a Master’s degree in Virtual Reality and Multimedia. I started to work in Milan, Italy, for a small game studio called BadSeed. I attended with that team the first European accelerator program for gaming startups only called GameFounders in Tallin, Estonia. Then I moved abroad to Czech Republic where I worked for almost a year in MadFinger Games. Finally, I moved here in UK around 5 years ago and I worked in SEGA HARDlight since then.

Bethan Sennett: Author

Bethan did her PGCE at Warwick University in 2017-18 and was then a primary school teacher for three years.

In 2021, she decided to leave the teaching profession to pursue her dream of writing and directing.

Since then, she has written and directed a music video for the musician Polar Caps, written a play, and now published her first children's picture book called, 'Don't Eat Me!' She self-published this book under the name of her own small independent publishing company, Hughes & Sennett Stories.

On the side, Bethan also tutors, acts and sings, gigging with the wedding band, 'The Altitudes'. She is currently writing her second children's book, but for 7-10-year-olds, which she hopes to publish later this year. .

Alison Wenham: COO Blue Raincoat/Chrysalis Records

Alison Wenham is a globally respected music industry leader. Awarded an OBE for services to the Creative Industries in 2014, she was previously the CEO of WIN (Worldwide Independent Network) and AIM UK (Association of Independent Music).

Always at the forefront of artist rights and transparency she navigated WIN and AIM through the turbulent years of early streaming whilst building AIM’s membership to over 800 companies. Her innovative and strategic approach created the Fair Digital Deals Declaration (2015) to promote transparency and fairness in digital deals. Subsequently used by Canadian and French Governments in legislation to improve deal transparency for artists and cited in the House of Lords as an example of best practise.

She launched the annual Women in Music Awards (2013-present) and launched the UK’s biggest annual conference on digital, Music Connected. She has campaigned to improve gender and ethnic diversity, particularly at senior levels in the industry. Since December 2021 she has been COO at Blue Raincoat/Chrysalis Records.