WFTV England Mentoring Scheme
The WFTV Mentoring Scheme is a programme designed for women looking to take a significant step in their career. To apply for the English Mentoring Scheme you must have more than seven years’ experience working in film, TV or digital production.
Meet the 2025
WFTV England Mentees
Anna Little | Carina Thomas | Carys Rowan | Chai Patel | Clare Holman | Emily Guarino | Emma Collier | Grainne O'Boyle | Jeannine Dowling-Jones | Joceline Sharman | Joy Lisney | Julie Hodge | Karla Lucas | Kate Saxon | Lauren Petley | Lauren Yeates | Lorna Woolfson | Maya Shickell | Sarah Tapscott |
Shelly Chambers | Susanne Kirlew | Yolanda Mercy
2025 MENTORS
WFTV has an extensive database of past and potential mentors who are keen to pass on their skills and experience to the next generation. Once mentees have been selected for the scheme they are hand-matched with an experienced industry figure who commits to spending at least six hours with their mentee over six months. Mentors are drawn from across the film and TV industry.
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Alison Small | Senior Manager for Production Training and
Industry Engagement, EMEA, Netflix
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Antonia Hurford-Jones | MD, Twenty Six03
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Cecile Frot-Coutaz | CEO Sky Studios & CCO, Sky
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Danielle Lux | MD, CPL Productions
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Emma Moloney | Consultant Chief Legal Counsel
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Emma Rees | Costume Designer
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Jon Mountague | Content Creative, Scripted Comedy, Netflix
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Julie Gardner MBE | TV Producer
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Juliette Howell | Film Producer
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Karen Wilson | Joint MD, Kudos
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Kathryn Lacey | Group Director of Product Management, Sky
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Liam Keelan | SVP Original Content, Disney+
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Dr Martha Holmes | Producer & CCO Plimsoll Productions
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Nainita Desai | Composer
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Naomi Gibney | Screenwriter
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Nichola Garde | BBC Assistant Commissioner/Diversity Lead
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Nora Twomey | Co-founder & Creative Director. Cartoon Salon
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Sarah Brocklehurst | Founder & CEO, Brock Media
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Soleta Rogan | MD, Rogan Productions
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Sophie Turner Laing OBE | Chair, NFTS
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Susan Hogg | Executive Producer, Studio Lambert
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Susan Tully | Producer & Director
The 2024 WFTV England Mentees
2024 Mentors
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Alex Hamilton | CEO, StudioCanal
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Alison Small | Producer, Netflix
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Ameenah Ayub Allen | UK Indie Features Producer
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Carol Harris | Freelance Journalist
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Caroline Cooper-Charles | CEO, Screen Yorkshire
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Clare Stewart | Film Festival Director
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Fiona Campbell | Controller Youth Audience, BBC iPlayer
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Hilary Rosen | Director of Commissioning, UKTV
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Huw Kennair-Jones | Drama Commissioner, ITV
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Jet Omoshebi | Senior Colorist
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Marc Jobst | Director
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Marcus Wilson | Producer
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Naomi Gibney | Screenwriter
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Pamela Gordon | Director / Producer (Factual)
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Sara Geater | COO, All3Media
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Serena Davies | Series Producer / Director
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Siobahn Reddy | Video Games Executive
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SJ Clarkson | TV Director
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Sophie Turner Laing OBE | Chair, NFTS
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Tanya Qureshi | TV Producer
The 2023 WFTV England Mentees
2023 Mentors
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Abi Morgan | Playwright and Screenwriter
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Addie Orfila | Production Manager
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Akua Gyamfi | Founder, The British Blacklist
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Alice Birch | Playwright and Screenwriter
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Fatima Salaria | MD, Naked Television
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Iain Canning | Executive Producer & Joint Managing Director, See-Saw Films
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Jane Millichip | CEO, BAFTA
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Jane Tranter | Executive Producer & Co-Founder, Bad Wolf
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Jo McLaren-Clarke | Stunt Coordinator
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Lindsay Salt | Director of Drama, BBC
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Naomi Gibney | TV & Film Writer
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Nicola Daley | Cinematographer
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Poppy Dixon | Director, Documentaries & Factual, Sky
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Sarah Ramsden | Commissioning Editor
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Sheridan Tongue | Music Composer
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Sophie Turner Laing | Chair NFTS
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Sue Tully | TV Director
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Surian Fletcher-Jones | Executive Producer
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Tanya Shaw | Producer
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Tessa Ross | Executive Producer & Co-Founder, House Productions
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Úna Ní Dhonghaíle | Film & TV Editor
THE 2022 WFTV England Mentees
Alison McCann
VP, Legal and Business Affairs
Anya Camilleri
Director, Screenwriter
and content creator
Ashabi Ajikawo
Actor, Voiceover Artist, Founder and CEO
Dani Rayner
Global Marketing Strategist
Denise Woods
Cinematographer
Helen Collins
Producer and Edit Producer
Jackie Okwera
Screenwriter
Janet Overfield
Composer
Janey Ayoade
Producer
Josephine Brassey
Head of Entertainment Development
Justine Potter
Head of Development
KT Roberts
Writer
Lynette Slight
Head of Post Production
Polly Scates
Acquisitions Manager
Rebecca Manley
Writer/Director Animation & Live Action
Riffy Ahmed
Film Director, Writer
and Visual Artist
Shelley Gill
Talent Manager
Sophieclaire Armitage
Agent
Stephane Alexandre
Producer and Director
Tali Walters
Genre Lead, Scripted
2022 MENTORS
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Akua Gyamfi | Founder, The British Blacklist
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Denise Nurse | Chief Success Coach & Black Founders Hub
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Emma Wakefield | MD, Lambent Productions
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Helen Simmons | Writer & Producer, Erebus Pictures
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Jane Millichip | Chief Content Officer, Sky Studios
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Jane Villiers | Managing Director & Agent, Sayle Screen
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Jane Zurakowski | Talent Executive, Production Management, BBC Studios
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Jude Litnaitzky | Chief Creative Officer, Drama Republic
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Karen Smith | MD, Tuesday's Child
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Mandy Chang | Global Head of Documentaries at Fremantle
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Nainita Desai | Composer and Producer
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Nicki Sheard | CMO, BBC Studios
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Nicola Daley, DOP & Lucy Price, Agent at Loop Talent
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Peter Fincham | Co-CEO, Expectation
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Rachel Job | SVP Non-Scripted Content, All3 Media
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Sam Bickley | Executive Producer
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Sam Hoyle | Executive Producer, Sky
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Simon Vaughan | Executive Director, The Story Company
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Sue Vertue | Television Producer, Hartswood Films
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Tamara Howe | Director of Commercial & Operations, Naked
2021 WFTV England Mentees
Alexandra Finlay
Senior Director, Creative and Co-Productions
Amy Thomas
Senior Creature Technical Director
Caroline Percy
Senior Portfolio Manager, Channel 4
Gemma Brady
Series Producer
Gina Lyons
Comedy Producer
Janet Awe
Development Producer and Script Editor
Jemma Cox
Camera Operator/editor
Jessie Craig Roche
Director/ Writer/ Photographer
Jude Ho
Documentary Producer/Director
Kerriane Taylor
Digital Producer and Documentary Producer/Director
Lauren Abery
Series Producer / Development Exec
Lily Grimes
Cinematographer
Meriel Beale
Series Editor/Exec
Mhari Macritchie
Sound Editor
Miranda Walker
Comedy and Drama Writer
Nazneen Momen
Assistant Producer
Poonam Brah
Film and Theatre Director
Sarah Keeling
Offline Editor
Suki Chan
Filmmaker
Zoe Dobson
Director
2021 Mentors
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Ana De Moraes - Group Creative Director, Multistory Media
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Catherine Catton – Commissioning Editor, Popular Factual and Factual Entertainment, BBC
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Christine Alderson - Film Producer, Ipso Facto Films
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Cinders Forshaw - Cinematographer
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Clelia Mountford - Co-Founder, Merman
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David Abraham – CEO, Wonderhood Studios
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David Glover – Founder 72 Films
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Fiona McDermott - Head of Comedy, Channel 4
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Jayne Villiers - MD, Sayle Screen
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Jess Bendien - Talent Expert, Bang Talent
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Jonathan Stadlen - MD, Knickerbockerglory
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Joff Powell - Creative Director, Spark Media
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Laura Livingstone
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Lucinda Axelson - Executive Producer, Oxford Scientific Films
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Lucy Pilkington - Founder & MD, Milk & Honey Productions
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Nina Hartstone - Oscar-winning Supervising Sound Editor
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Peter Fincham - Co-CEO, Expectation Entertainment
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Philippa Lowthorpe - Film & TV Director
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Sarah Doole - CEO, Red
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Sarah Fraser - Comedy Producer & Executive
WFTV 2020 ENGLAND MENTEES & MENTORS
Alice Ramsey
BBC Writers Room Development Producer
Bruna Capozzoli
Filmmaker & Digital Specialist
Cat Marshall
Production Supervisor,
WARP Films
Claire Batchelor
Composer TV
Emma Yap
Scripted Development Executive TV
Gilberte Phanor
Graphics Editor and Producer
Helen O'Donnell
Head of Development, BBC Studios Talent Works
Janice Okoh
Playwright
Jemma Parish
Senior AP, TravelMan
Jenny Stimpson
TV Documentary Producer
Kate Bennetts
Investment Director at Ingenious Media
Mel Bezalel
Director of Development at RDF Television
Rebecca Brown
Commercial Manager, BBC Studios
Ruchika Tagore
Development Executive
Ruth Mayer
TV Documentary PD
Samantha Fray
Programme Manager,Beyond Bronte
Serena Lloyd-Smith
Diversity and Inclusion – Network Specialist
Sian Whomes
Head of Talent, Sony Pictures Television
Suga Suppiah
Editor
Zoe McGivern
Head of Development/ Series Producer
2020 Mentors
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Jay Hunt – Chief Creative Officer, Apple
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Ade Rawcliffe – Head of Diversity, ITV
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Danny Cohen – President, Access Entertainment
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Zeb Achonu – Editor
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David Glover – Founder 72 Films
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Lorraine Heggessey – Chair, Grierson Trust
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Laura Lankester – Creative Director, Lookout Point
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Hilary Rosen – Deputy Head of Commissioning, UKTV
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Tamara Howe – Managing Director, Vice TV EMEA
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Jocelyn Jee Esien – Writer & Actor
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Loran Dunn – Film Producer, Delaval Films
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Sumi Connock – Creative Director of Formats, BBC Studios
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Rachel Job – SVP Unscripted Content, All3 Media
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Catherine Catton – Commissioning Editor, Popular Factual and Factual Entertainment, BBC
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Harriet Pennington Legh – Agent, Troika Talent
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Sam Hoyle – EP Netflix
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Norma Wisnevitz – COO, True North
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Samantha Jukes-Adams – Executive Coach & TV Production Consultant
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Lindsay Bradbury – Commissioning Editor, Daytime, BBC
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Addie Orfila – Former Head of Production, serial drama and Founder AddieOrfila Training
WHAT the MENTORS SAy about the scheme
Julie Parmenter
MD, Molinare
The Mentee scheme is an exceptionally rewarding programme to be part of. To watch the transformation of the individuals over the period of six months is astonishing. For anyone to have the time to dig deep into what is most important, set goals and implement change to reach them is a unique opportunity that very few will ever have.
Hilary Davis
Co-Managing Director,
Bankside Films
I was perfectly matched with my mentee and believe that we both derived a benefit from our series of meetings. Training is crucial for the continued development of careers, especially for women, as the commercial side of the business is often overlooked but is vital if films are to be successful in the worldwide market place.
André Singer
MD Spring Films
Nothing is more effective in our fraught industry than the marriage of experience to aspiration. Linking mentees with passion and drive to industry veterans prepared to guide them is a great way to help remove some of the many hurdles ahead.
2019 Mentors
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Jay Hunt – Creative Director, Europe
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Danny Cohen – President, Access Entertainment
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Sarah Gavron – Film Director
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Peter Fincham – Co-CEO, Expectation Entertainment
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Kim Shillinglaw – Director of Factual, Endemol Shine UK
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Pat Younge – MD Sugar Films
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Sara Putt – MD and Agent, Sara Putt Associates
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Julia Knowles – Multi-camera Director
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Liz McIntyre – Former CEO & Director, Sheffield Doc/Fest
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Saskia Schuster – Comedy Entertainment Commissioner, ITV
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Sam Anstiss – Creative Director, Unscripted, Wonderhood Studios
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Hilary Rosen – Deputy Director of Commissioning, UKTV
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Tamsyn Zietsman – Director of Publicity, Originals Netflix
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Sam Jukes-Adams – Executive Coach & TV Production Consultant
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Maureen Murray – Film Producer, Foxtrot Films
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Tom McDonald – Head of Specialist Factual Commissioning, BBC
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Judy Ironside – Founder and President, UK Jewish Film Festival
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Cinders Forshaw – Cinematographer
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Catherine Morshead – TV Director
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Olwyn Silvester – Managing Director, Bedlam Productions
2018 Mentors
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Sara Putt – MD, Sara Putt Associates
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Jane Villiers – MD, Sayle Screen
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Pat Younge – MD, Sugar Films
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Tracy Forsyth – Genre Director, Factual Entertainment & Entertainment at BBC Worldwide
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Kate Watson – Agent
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Natalie Humphreys – Controller of Factual and Daytime Production, BBC
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Marley Bryan – Career Coach, Incredible Careers
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Judy Ironside – Founder & President of UK Jewish Film
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Sam Jukes-Adams – TV Production Consultant & Executive Coach
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Lisa Marie Hall – Production Designer
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Fiona Gillies – Producer, GilliesWorks
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Jessica Bendien – Talent Executive, Director of Bang Talent
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Marisa Clifford – Co-Founder & CEO of Pulse Films
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Emma Smithwick – Creative Director, 40 Partners
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Jordan McGarry – Head of Development & Production, Film London
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Madeleine Knight – Director of Formats and Development, Talpa UK
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Carey Fitzgerald – Partner, Starline Entertainment
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Miranda Bowen – Director, 2AM
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Lee Magiday – Producer, Sleeper Films
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Rachel Matchett – Head of Production, Moving Picture Company
The WFTV mentor scheme is a fantastic way to utilise the experience of TV professionals to further the careers of the next generation of content makers. The scheme benefits the mentees and the mentors equally - it really is a two-way thing, listening and discussing the minutiae of one's working life and realising that it was the small stuff that we had all but forgotten that made the big stuff possible.
Maddy Darrall | Joint MD Darrall Macqueen
SPONSORS
We are very grateful to our Mentoring Scheme sponsors of our England based programme:
