TV Director Shares Her Experiences

(Story by Oliver Rodgers and Erika Speakman – Future Journalists Elective students)
TV director Vicky Thomas visited college and gave students a fascinating insight into the world of television. She met a number of different groups of students, including Performing Arts Actors, Future Journalists and Media A level students.
Vicky described how her career in television has allowed her to travel the world, meeting and working with some of the best-known people in the industry, many of them household names and internationally recognised stars. She explained the different aspects of the job and gave excellent advice on how the students should proceed to gain vital experience in the industry.
Vicky explained that “it all started with Granada” after she stumbled across a work placement as a runner for Granada TV while still at college. This led her to a variety of roles directing, researching and producing programmes that have seen her film all over the globe. From the Arctic Circle to the Amazon rainforest, Vicky said she has been “very lucky” to have worked in some of the most bizarre and extreme places on the planet.
As a TV director, Vicky noted that she prides herself on her work creating soaps such as Emmerdale and Coronation Street, and specifically enjoyed some of the more difficult storylines. While she explained that the hours are very long, Vicky added that she feels no greater reward than in sending out a finished programme for millions to watch, knowing she has worked on it and seen it develop from the very start.
Vicky’s visit was well received by all of the students involved, who were keen to tune in and catch her latest episodes. She ended all of her talks with a Q&A session where students were invited to ask anything they wanted! Unfortunately, the only things Vicky wouldn’t give away were any spoilers!