As the Founder and Managing Director of Loop Talent, Lucy Price leads a highly sought-after HOD Agency and Crew Diary Service that represents award-winning and skilled talent working in Film, HETV, Commercials, and Music Promos.
Lucy’s career began at the BBC, where she worked as a freelance Assistant Director. After gaining extensive experience in the industry, she transitioned to talent management, where she quickly established herself as a dynamic and forward-thinking Agent.
In 2020, Lucy launched Loop Talent, a talent management agency that prioritises developing the long-term careers of its clients. With a focus on nurturing and supporting the growth of the industry’s top HODs and Crew, Loop Talent has quickly become one of the most respected and successful firms in the industry. Lucy’s commitment to her clients and her innovative approach to talent management have set Loop Talent apart as a company that truly values its talent and is dedicated to their success.
Since launching Loop Talent Lucy has been selected for Pitch Magazine’s Pitch List, featured in Cinegirl Magazine, the Cinemamas Blog, partnered with us at WFTV for our IWD events across the country and been selected as a Mentor for our prestigious WFTV Mentoring scheme. Her comments have been sought in industry press for articles about #METOO, the SAG AFTRA strikes, and the talent agency industry.
Q: Tell us a little bit about your career journey – what’s brought you to where you are today?
I’ve been involved in the industry for the majority of my career, starting out on set as a Runner and working my way up to Assistant Director. I was a freelancer for ten years before transitioning to talent management, initially managing crew bookings before becoming an Agent and setting up two new departments. In that role, I found my passion and realised how much difference I could make in the talent management space. I started Loop Talent because I valued the relationships I’d built with my clients, and wanted to be the person I’d needed when I was a freelancer - someone they know is on their side, who can build and nurture their career and work from a foundation of trust and mutual respect. I wanted to lead with diversity and to prioritise the long-term careers of Heads of Departments in Film, TV, Commercials, and Music Promos, with a focus on uplifting others and progressing their careers.
As much as my journey has been defined by passion, it has also been defined by resilience. I have learned how to fight to make my voice heard, and to stand up for what I believe in. I started Loop Talent in 2020, which was a challenge in itself, but it has been worth it to be where I am today, to see all of my clients grow and progress right along with us.
Q: What do you love about working in the industry?
I love that every day is different, and I enjoy the challenge of fulfilling a brief with our amazing clients.
People in this industry have so much love for the projects they’re working on, and there is such a reward in all the hard work that goes on behind the scenes. People put their all into their work, and it’s inspiring to be surrounded by that kind of hard work and dedication every day.
Q: What do you think makes a great leader?
In my opinion, a great leader is so much more than having people follow them, but I believe it is someone who first and foremost, leads with empathy, resilience, and the ability to inspire and empower others. If they’re able to create an environment where everyone feels seen and heard and valued, they are well on their way to having a creative, dedicated and hardworking team who feel confident in pushing new ideas forward and following their own intuition.
Being adaptable, especially in the dynamic entertainment industry, is crucial. A great leader navigates challenges and embraces change. Most importantly, they’re always listening to others around them, taking in new voices and perspectives so that they never stop growing and evolving. No matter where you are in your journey, you’re still going to be wrong from time to time, and recognising that is key to making sure you keep progressing.
Q: Who have been your greatest inspirations and champions through your career?
Working in this industry, I am constantly inspired by the incredible, talented individuals I have the privilege of working with. Every day I find inspiration in the crew members and industry professionals who showcase dedication, creativity and resilience in everything they do. It motivates me to push harder, think outside the box and to speak up for others and for myself.
Closer to home, my Grandma has always been a great inspiration for her strength, resilience and no nonsense approach – she sold plants on a market stall in Bermondsey for her entire life. There was nothing about business or plants she didn’t know, and she was a huge focal point for the local community – so much so she’s a part of a mural where she used to work. She inspires me to lead with kindness, and always keep community at the forefront of everything I do.
My young daughters also inspire me to be a role model. Watching them grow and become curious about the world reminds me to keep pushing to create my own opportunities and follow my ambitions in the hope that they will one day feel empowered to do the same.
Q: What’s the best career advice you’ve ever been given?
It’s important to remember to separate yourself emotionally from the highs and lows of running a business, so it doesn’t have such a huge effect on your mental and physical health. When I first started out, I wish I’d understood that taking time to reflect and think is just as important as the hustle and grind. In the early days, I felt a lot of pressure to work 24/7, and I would often feel an element of failure if a client didn’t get a job I thought they would. Now, I make sure myself and my team use these opportunities to learn and discuss together what we could do better next time.
Q: What do you think are the biggest obstacles facing women in the industry, especially female leaders?
Women in this industry are often faced with unfair bias that leads to a lack of representation in leadership roles. It’s hard for women to believe they can become leaders when they don’t see that modelled for them in their real lives. There are, of course, many amazing inspiring women that push through barriers and stereotypes to become great leaders regardless, but are constantly having to fight to be heard and to wield the same authority as men in the same roles. Especially as mothers, balancing family obligations alongside work can be a real challenge without institutional support.
Working in this industry for as long as I have, I’ve both witnessed and experienced this firsthand. As a young AD, I was getting paid less than my male counterparts. This is why I fight so hard to represent and uplift women in leadership roles. We have some amazing clients who are at the top of their game career-wise, and we do everything we can to promote and celebrate them. The industry and the world are changing, and I want to be a champion for that change.
Q: Looking to the future, what are your goals as a leader?
I am looking to expand and grow Loop Talent’s reach and impact through expanding into new areas and locations and continuing to grow and nurture my diverse roster of clients. Ultimately, my aim with the company is to make the industry a more inclusive and welcoming place to work. I want to continue to advocate for industry change and understand that the wider my reach the more difference I can make.
In the short term, I’ll be putting more of my focus into supporting initiatives that promote inclusivity and provide opportunities for those who are underrepresented in the industry. I’m also looking to expand into representing roles that support the wellbeing of crew on set. The ultimate goal is to facilitate a safer and more inclusive working environment, so that the industry reflects our diverse and multicultural society.
Loop Talent is a boutique Agency and Diary Service representing a brilliant, skilled and diverse roster of HODs and Crew for the filming industry.
Loop Talent’s Agency roster includes Line Producers, Production Managers, 1st Ads, Directors of Photography, Production Designers, Costume Designers, Hair and Make-Up Designers, and Intimacy coordinators working in Film, HETV and Commercials. Loop’s comprehensive Diary Service, Loop Talent Crew manages a diverse array of Crew roles.
Comentarios