Supporting the next generation of content creators

Helen O’Donnell, Head of BBC Studios TalentWorks

Helen O’Donnell celebrates a brilliant new generation of creatives.

Talent – whether behind the camera or in front of it - is at the heart of all great content. For us as BBC Studios TalentWorks, it’s about finding and developing emerging creators with passion and personality and helping to equip them with the skills and experience that help bring their ideas to life. The list of alumni that we’ve supported since we launched in 2018 includes the likes of Nella Rose, Liv Little, Dan Howell, Joe Wicks and DanTDM, to name just a few.

It’s a brilliant time to be a digital creator. The appetite for digital content has never been higher, and the range of platforms and devices now available means there are more opportunities than ever before. Talentworks provides a bridge between a traditional media company of scale like BBC Studios which, together with its independent production labels and partners, delivers thousands of hours of content to broadcasters every year, and a new generation of content creators.

This desire to nurture new faces and support emerging talent is nothing new: our parent company the BBC has been doing so for 100 years. BBC Studios continues that legacy by championing British creatives from a variety of backgrounds, who share experience of content making - principally on digital platforms like Meta, TikTok and YouTube – and a desire to develop their skills in the television industry.

TalentWorks was established to support new voices and open up the media landscape to others; it’s how we get the best ideas that connect with audiences from across the country that share the same dreams and experiences. One of the ways we do this is by offering bespoke Creator Residencies to emerging creators, creating paid placements within BBC Studios production units and our indie labels to develop either a new script, a programme concept – or even try their hand at presenting. The genre or media platform is irrelevant. Added to this ‘hands on’ experience, we offer development funding, commission content and run workshops, training and networking events.

And we celebrate everyone’s success. Tonight, TalentWorks is holding a special event to thank and recognise the brilliant new generation of creatives that have joined us on the journey over the last four years. There are far too many to name in this post, but here is just a snapshot of some of the names we are proud to have worked with so far, and ones to watch for the future:

1. JOE SUGG (@joe_sugg)

One of the most recognisable faces BBC Studios TalentWorks has worked with is Joe Sugg. We first worked with Joe in 2015 when we produced Joe & Caspar Hit The Road. Joe continued to work with BBC Studios, making it to the Strictly Come Dancing final in 2018, and hosting Strictly Come Dancing: The Official Podcast. In August 2022, we announced a development, production and distribution deal with Joe’s new production company, Final Straw Productions, which will focus on developing entertainment and factual entertainment formats.

2. MARIAM MUSA (@itsmariammusa) & ADEOLA PATRONNE (@adeolapatronne), PRESSED

Rising stars Mariam Musa and Adeola Patronne are content creators hosting the BBC Sounds Radio 1Xtra PRESSED podcast, a co-production between BBC Studios TalentWorks and Unheard Network. The podcast secured over two million downloads within its first eight months. Mariam and Adeola discuss the most pressing topics of the week, and cover topics like social media, relationships, mental health vs physical health and how black women are viewed in society. PRESSED is the highest performing podcast for an under 35 audience across the BBC Sounds network.

You can listen to PRESSED here

3. SOPHIA THAKUR (@sophiathakur)

This year we signed a first-look and development deal with talent and entertainment company Diving Bell Group, whose roster includes record-breaking international authors, award-winning and influential digital creators and broadcasters.

Sophia Thakur is one of their talent. She is an award-winning, best-selling author and performance poet. Teaming up with BBC Reel, BBC Studios TalentWorks created the first ever ‘Pilots Season’ showcasing some of the most exciting up-and-coming content creators, bringing a fresh approach to our content by focusing on new, diverse voices and perspectives and engaging a wider, younger audience with BBC Reel. Catapulted onto the devices of worldwide audiences is Sophia Thakur with her incredible pilot ‘Home’, which explores the return of millions of Africans to their continent of origin.

You can watch Sophia’s short film here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zC3bvuCW9t4

4. META CREATORS

Earlier this year, BBC Studio TalentWorks joined forces with Meta’s Facebook Creator Collective and Instagram Diverse Voices, to offer exciting emerging creators with innovative original ideas, the chance to gain long-form media experience and skills, create original IP, and help accelerate their careers. The fantastic four chosen include Irish disability and rights activist Paddy Smyth (@paddyysmith), British born Chinese food and travel content creator Shu Shi Lin (@dejashu), and black beauty content creator Shahira Allen (@afroglory_), all of whom have spent six months in residence with BBC Studios Productions Digital Originals team. Also selected was Bea Dux (@itsbeadux), a queer sex worker and content creator, who spent six months in residence with BBC Studios ScriptWorks.

Listen to Bea’s episode of the TalentWorks podcast here.

5. CAROLINE MCCARTHY

Caroline McCarthy is an emerging screenwriter with several TV dramas in development. Together with writing for some of the UK's leading production companies, she also works on book adaptations and has a feature film biopic in production. Caroline is currently developing an original drama with John Yorke and Suzy Cripps for BBC Studios ScriptWorks.

Prior to her writing career, Caroline worked at Penguin Books and The Literary Consultancy, where she edited novelists and screenwriters at all stages of development. She has been selected as a writer on the BAFTA/BFI Network talent programme, and also writes book reviews and lifestyle features for a number of publications.

6. AUDREY SOLVAR/ IN THE MIX (@blackcreatorsmatter)

Audrey founded Black Creators Matter in 2019 to create opportunities for the next generation of black talent. IN THE MIX is an exciting new programme between Black Creators Matter and BBC Studios TalentWorks, in partnership with the Barbican Centre. Designed to create an exceptional, inclusive and inspiring development experience for black content creators, the programme provided insights from industry experts, hosted a series of educational workshops and offered networking opportunities. The successful creators were Adna Ahmed (@adnamode), Kaylen Francis (@kaylenfrancis), Nenda Neururer (@nenda.nintendo), Bunmi Oyateru (@bunmi.ft) and Rachel Isabel Mukendi (@rachelisabel), all of whom were commissioned to produce pilots for BBC Reel, under the mentorship of experienced producers. The final films were premiered at a red-carpet event at the Barbican in November 2022.

You can watch the shorts here: https://www.bbc.com/reel/video/p0dh56jv/oachkatzlschwoaf-the-word-that-s-impossible-to-say

7. LAYLA WRIGHT (@laylawright_)

The latest intake of BBC Studios’ Creators in Residence saw award-winning presenter, journalist and documentary filmmaker Layla Wright join the BBC Studios Factual Podcast Unit, mentored by its Creative Director, Georgia Moseley. Layla specialises in powerful TV and radio documentaries and has presented and produced a number of hard-hitting investigations, which have shaped both conversation and the UK news agenda, including her investigation for the BBC’s Panorama, The Champion’s League Final: What Went Wrong, and her BBC Three documentary and BBC Radio 4 series False Hope? Alternative Cancer Cures. Layla’s work has previously been shortlisted for Best Journalism at the BBC Radio and Music Awards, whilst she has also been nominated for Best Presenter at the Edinburgh TV Awards in 2021, the Young Journalist of the Year at the O2 Media Awards in 2019, and she was named as one of the Radio Academy’s prestigious “30 under 30” in 2020.

She then continued her residency with BBC Studios, working at Mindhouse, Louis Theroux’s production company, and also presented her first Panorama, The Champions League Final: What Went Wrong?. You can watch this here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m001d84s/panorama-the-champions-league-final-what-went-wrong

8. MAX TOBIN (@maxxtobin)

Another of BBC Studios’ Creators in Residence is Max Tobin, a filmmaker and presenter from Birmingham, who joined the BBC Studios Factual Science unit, mentored by Zoe Heron, Executive Producer at BBC Studios Science Unit. Max has been writing and directing short films since childhood. His latest film I Will Despise You won him the title of RTS Young Filmmaker of the Year 2021. In 2020, Max began branching out into presenting science focused TikTok posts on his account, Ministry of Science, which has amassed over 300,000 followers, as well as a Snapchat and YouTube series. He wrote and presented his first pilot for BBC Reel entitled, How does it feel to die?. You can watch this here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GcOckvgSK8o

9. MARY O'CONNELL (@marywiththegoldshoes)

Comedian and writer Mary O’Connell was a Creator in Residence at Steve Coogan’s Baby Cow Productions. O’Connell describes herself as a North London socialite, whose stage presence is dangerously aloof. Her comedy offers a left field view of life, making for hilarious and absurd material. She was a runner up in the live 2020 Funny Women Awards Final, longlisted in the Thousand Films Female Writing Competition and was most recently seen on BBC Presents: Stand Up for Live Comedy. She is now an Assistant Development Producer at Baby Cow.

Mary will appear on BBC Studios new Digital-First Comedy Channel ‘Funny Parts’, appearing on Hack Attack, is a new ten-part gameshow and Little Rants, which sees ten celebrities get something off their chest.

END

About BBC Studios

BBC Studios, a global content company with bold British creativity at its heart, is a commercial subsidiary of the BBC Group, supporting the licence fee and enhancing programmes for UK audiences. Able to take an idea seamlessly from thought to screen and beyond, its activities span content financing, development, production, sales, branded services, and ancillaries across both its own productions, and programmes and formats made by high-quality UK independents. Award-winning British programmes made by the business are internationally recognised across a broad range of genres and specialisms, with brands like Strictly Come Dancing/Dancing with the Stars, Top Gear and Doctor Who. BBC.com, BBC Studios’ global digital news platform, provides up-to-the-minute international news, in-depth analysis and features to more than 139 million unique browsers each month. BBC Studios has offices in over 20 markets globally, including ten production bases in the UK and production bases or partnerships in a further seven countries around the world. The company, which ordinarily makes around 2000 hours of content a year for both the BBC and third parties including Apple, Netflix and Migu, is a champion for British creativity around the world. It is also a committed partner for the UK’s independent sector through a mix of equity partnerships, content investment and international distribution for programme titles.