Meet the ten Producers and Series Producers taking part in the fourth edition of Factual Fast Track Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Factual Fast Track is a reputation-building career development programme that fast tracks established, ambitious, Producers and Series Producers to move up the career ladder and work on larger scale and higher budget productions.
This programme is funded by BBC, Channel 4, Screen Scotland and Northern Ireland Screen.
Ally Thompson
Senior Producer | Northern Ireland
Ally is an experienced Senior Producer & Development Producer based in Belfast. She began her career at STV in Glasgow, before spending time in the States, working as a journalist with National Geographic. Ally specialises in access driven, character led storytelling that connects emotionally with the audience. She enjoys creating inclusive and collaborative teams, and is currently producing a series for Big Mountain Productions & BBC Daytime that sees Natalie Cassidy train to work in the Health & Social Care sector.
Cailean Watt
Series Director | Scotland
Cailean has been working as a PD in factual entertainment and documentary for the last 7 years, recently taking on a Series Director role on a 3-part documentary series for Channel 4. He began his factual TV career in London before returning to Glasgow in 2013. Both in production and the edit, Cailean is passionate about making high-end primetime shows in Scotland that reach UK-wide and international audiences. Having recently completed an 8-month series with Rogan Productions, Cailean has worked several times with Firecrest Films and BBC Studios.
Caoimhe Ni Chathail
Series Producer | Northern Ireland
Caoimhe is a freelance series producer working across Irish and English language television, based in Belfast since 2016. Caoimhe both series produced and presented the BBC Two NI series Croí na Ceiste le Caoimhe, and produced and presented three series of the sustainable fashion programme Éadaí SOS for BBC Two NI and TG4. In the last year, Caoimhe has PD’ed the new music series Casadh sa Cheol for TG4 and has expanded her experience of English language production, serving as series producer on two series of Tour de Fred for ITV.
Catalina Bingham
Producer/Director | Scotland
Catalina is an award-winning Producer with extensive experience in factual television across production and development. Her recent credits include Amazing Hotels: Life Beyond the Lobby, the International Emmy Award-winning feature doc Queen of Speed and the acclaimed history box set, Rise of the Nazis. She is about to start as a PD and Edit Producer on the BBC2 series, Lucy Worsley Investigates. Catalina has worked with indies across the UK including 72 Films, Firecrest Films, Drum Studios and Two Rivers Media, and is excited to continue delivering ambitious programmes from Scotland to audiences in the UK and beyond.
Dominic Gallagher
Series Producer | Scotland
Dominic has been working as a series producer for six years. As a Director, he specialised in history, specialist factual, and arts programming. As an SP, Dominic has led productions in a variety of genres, from factual entertainment to obs-doc. He has recently series-produced two series of Highland Cops for BBC Scotland and BBC2, and recognises the importance of producing premium returning series in the Nations and Regions. Dominic has worked with a variety of indies including Firecrest Films, BBC Studios, IWC Media, and Two Rivers Media.
Edel O’Mahony
Series Producer | Northern Ireland
Edel specialises in producing and directing factual series. Her strengths include an innate understanding of visual storytelling, a genuine interest in life stories, and an ability to gain and maintain the trust of contributors throughout the filming process. Some of her recent work includes Series Director on Battle of the Irish Dancers (Big Mountain for Sky Arts), Director on David Puttnam – The Long Way Home (Ice Box Films for RTÉ) and Series Producer and Director on Critical Incident (Reef and Tern TV for BBC).
Ellie Campbell
Senior Producer | Northern Ireland
Ellie is a Belfast-based Producer with over ten years’ experience, delivering shows for broadcasters including the BBC, ITV, Netflix and Paramount. She has worked across a range of formats including quiz, reality competition, chat shows, daytime, and documentaries. Ellie is an experienced team leader with a strong track record of managing contributors, talent and production teams, while delivering high-quality content within fast-turnaround environments. With experience across editorial and welfare producing, she is passionate about creating engaging, people-led storytelling and developing her creative leadership within premium factual and factual entertainment.
Emma Fentiman
Series Producer | Scotland
Emma is a BAFTA Scotland-winning series producer with over 16 years in the television industry. Beginning her career in Aberdeen and now based in Glasgow, she is proud to say that she has spent the majority of her career in Scotland gaining valuable experience across multiple genres. Most recently she has produced celebrity-led travelogues, including Sailing the Shipping Forecast with the Rev Richard Coles for More4, and prior to this she produced a number of award-winning polemic series led by social commentator Darren McGarvey, including the critically acclaimed Addiction series.
Lesley McKeran
Series Producer | Scotland
Lesley is a Series Producer specialising in making warm, creative factual content for young audiences and families. Working in the TV industry in Glasgow for over 15 years, she has led projects from development to delivery for broadcasters including BBC, CBeebies, CBBC and Channel 4. Lesley thrives on creating authentic, high-quality content that connects with viewers and makes a positive impact. Her most recent project led her to Kenya where she spent several weeks filming in the African bush – definitely her wildest production to date.
Philip Goldie
Series Producer | Scotland
Philip has been working as a series producer for the past year on the returning obs doc series Paramedics on Scene, made by Firecrest Films for BBC Scotland. Prior to this, over seven years, he worked as a producer director on a wide range of programmes for the BBC and Channel 4, including the Scottish BAFTA-nominated Secrets of the Supermarket Own Brands, and several travel documentaries with Ade Adepitan. With a strong editorial sensibility, and an interest in access-driven storytelling, he is keen to pursue more specialist factual and original single films and series.
Our International Horizons: Scripted delegates are attending Series Mania in Lille! Find out more about the programme and the producers below.
International Horizons: Scripted
International Horizons: Scripted is an advanced industry programme aimed at supporting scripted drama companies in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales to build skills, knowledge and networks enabling them to thrive in the competitive world of international high-end television drama.
Two groups of nine producers working in the top drama production companies from Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales will be looking to build connections and creating new relationships with a range of international partners. Members of both cohorts have already contributed to major television productions that audiences know and love, with credits across acclaimed series such as The Tattooist of Auschwitz, Blue Lights, How To Get To Heaven From Belfast, Annika, The Rig, An t-Eilean / The Island, The Pembrokeshire Murders, Y Golau/The Light in The Hall.
About TRC
Our reputation as one of the UK’s leading training providers has allowed us to provide unrivalled access to the world’s most innovative companies. TRC offer a variety of professional development programmes, short courses and workshops in response to sector demand. Find out more here.
Meet the Producers
Get to know the twelve successful applicants from across the Nations and Regions who are taking part in this year’s SuperSizer programme.
SuperSizer is a professional development programme for ambitious Development Executives based in the Nations and Regions who want to win high value commissions.
This programme is funded by Screen Scotland, BBC Nations and Channel 4.
Anne-Claire Pilley
Managing Director | Specky Productions
Anne-Claire founded Specky Productions in 2020 and has since produced documentaries broadcast on BBC One, BBC Two, BBC Scotland, Channel 4 and ITVx. She has won three Scottish BAFTAs, with Specky’s productions nominated for nine awards including Scottish BAFTAs, RTS Scotland and Indielab Innovation awards.
A graduate of Channel 4’s Emerging Indie Fund and Indielab Accelerator, Specky was named Best Breakthrough Company at the 2025 Focus Awards. Recent credits include BBC Scotland’s “Lena Zavaroni: The Forgotten Child Star”, BBC One’s “Female Fishermen: Beyond the Buoys” and Channel 4’s digital-first investigation, “The £12 Million Rental Scam”.
Proudly Glaswegian, Anne-Claire is passionate about nurturing local talent, particularly new female directors. With the company tagline ‘real lives in focus’ as its compass, Specky makes documentaries about real people navigating extraordinary circumstances – with the access, editorial rigour and storytelling craft that these stories deserve. Specky is currently looking to supersize its offering and move from award-winning single docs into series.
Balnek Singh Sangra
Development Executive | Freelance
Balnek is a Producer and Development Producer with a specialism in science-based content. With over 15 years of experience in the television industry, he’s worked across many formats and genres, from shiny floor game shows to sketch comedy; winning commissions and creating award-winning formats for major broadcasters.
Over his career he’s been involved in a range of developments; he developed the two-part BBC One series “What They Really Mean For You”, worked up the 7th series of “How The Universe Works” and developed the RTS award winning “CBeebies Stargazing”.
More recently, he served as a Science Producer for CBBC’s “Horrible Science”, the science spin-off of the hit multi-award-winning comedy sketch show “Horrible Histories”.
He’s looking forward to further developing his skills and being a part of the next wave of TV commissions.
Beth White
Development Producer | King Of Sunshine Productions
Beth White is a Manchester-based Development Producer working across factual, documentary and entertainment. She leads the development slate at King of Sunshine Productions alongside the Managing Director, where she originated Channel 4’s “Alpine Train at Christmas” and went on to receive a second commission with “Nordic Train at Christmas”. Beth specialises in idea generation, format building and pitching, with a strong track record of shaping projects from early concept to screen. Her credits include “The Bridge” (Channel 4), “Idris Elba’s Fight School” (BBC Two), “Murder Town” (Crime+Investigation) and “Love Triangle” (Channel 4).
Cathy McMorrow
Development Producer | Spark Media Belfast
With over 12 years’ experience in the TV industry, Cathy started her career in Production, working on a range of multi-genre BBC network programmes like “The One Show”, “Wanted Down Under” and “Sunday Morning Live”.
In 2018 she made the move to Development, where she spent six years with BBC Studios Fact Ent development team winning new business across Belfast, Bristol, London and Cardiff.
This year Cathy joined Spark Media’s newly launched Belfast base, where she’s excited to develop a slate of ambitious, returnable series made in Northern Ireland.
Cathy specialises in originating bold ideas, securing exclusive access and casting unforgettable characters, with commissions including: “Maximum Security” (BBC One), “The Unique Boutique” (Channel 4), “Rescue 999” (Channel 5), “The Great Home Transformation” (Channel 4), “Crime: Are We Tough Enough?” (BBC One), and “Christmas in New York: Inside the Plaza” (Channel 4).
Danielle Fallon
Development Producer | Firecrest Films
Danielle has returned to Scotland after thirteen years working in TV in London. For the past decade she has predominantly worked in development, including senior roles at cutting-edge indies like Voltage, Dragonfly and Wall to Wall.
She enjoys working on a broad slate of ideas, ranging from returnable fact-ent formats to landmark documentaries, for British and international broadcasters. Previous commissions include “Lucy Worsley’s Victorian Murder Club” (BBC), “The Diagnosis Detectives” (BBC) and “Castle Impossible” (HGTV US).
Now at Firecrest Films in Glasgow, Danielle is passionate in creating thought-provoking and entertaining telly.
Eleanor Wight
Snr Development Producer | Candour Productions
Eleanor Wight is a Senior Development Producer with eight years of experience in development across returning series and one-off films. She helped develop BAFTA-winning work including “Libby, Are You Home Yet?”, and has created projects for HGTV, Discovery+, Channel 5, Channel 4 and the BBC. Her credits range from lifestyle and property formats to high-stakes factual documentaries, from major police access to international con investigations. She specialises in premium feature documentaries and box sets, securing access to headline stories and shaping them into clear, compelling films. She is committed to helping deliver work that can drive change.
Fabian Bohan-Taghian
Development Executive & Series Producer | Freelance
Fabian is a freelance Development Executive and Series Producer based in Manchester, with experience across reality, entertainment, factual entertainment and documentary development.
Most recently, he has developed an upcoming docu-series for Channel 5 and has previously contributed to the development of programmes including the ITV documentary “Georgia Harrison: Porn, Power, Profit” and the MTV reality series “Living the Dream”.
A former Edinburgh TV Festival “One to Watch” and a 2025 Broadcast “Hot Shot”, Fabian is passionate about the continued growth of the television industry in the North West and also sits on the RTS North West committee.
Gareth Rhys Thomas
Head of Development | Nimble Dragon
Gareth is a Cardiff-based Head of Development and Series Producer at Nimble Dragon, with over ten years’ experience working across a range of genres including entertainment, reality, factual entertainment, daytime, quiz and factual. Some of his credits include “Six Nations: Sin Bin” with Gabby Logan and Gareth Thomas (BBC), “The Wedding Dress Shop” (BBC) and “Back In The Day” (BBC), alongside an upcoming Channel 4.0 commission. Gareth also developed and series produced S4C’s latest reality series, “Bar Hansh”, filmed in Zante. He’s passionate about developing bold, playful formats that can run and return with a keen eye on digital-first commissioning.
Laura-Jane McRae
Development Executive | Freelance
Laura-Jane McRae is a Development Executive, Series Producer and BAFTA-nominated Producer/Director with 20 years’ experience across factual. As a Development Executive at Flabbergast TV, she has had success landing the Channel 4 Features single “Can You Make 10K in 10 Days? with Scarlett Moffatt” and is focused on developing bold ideas with the potential to grow into returning formats. Alongside development, she continues to produce at series level, including “Outrageous Homes with Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen”. Her credits span BBC One, Channel 4 and Channel 5. Laura-Jane is driven by ideas with heart, and strong audience connection, and is actively stepping into senior creative leadership.
Natalie Maynes
Development Executive | Walk On Air Films
Natalie has an extensive track record in making and developing premium singles, series, box sets and talent-led documentaries. At Walk On Air Films in Belfast, she is currently helping drive the development slate and helped secure the commission of “Death of a Showjumper” for Sky which she went on to Series Produce.
Prior to Walk On Air, Natalie worked at one of the UK’s most successful unscripted production companies, Blast Films. She also spent several years as a documentary maker and journalist at the BBC.
Natalie’s credits include BAFTA Cymru nominated “The Disappearance of April Jones” and “Night Coppers” for Channel 4, plus RTS award winning “Forensics: The Real CSI” and “Patrick Kielty: 100 Years of Union” for the BBC.
Tony Kearney
Development Exec/Producer/Director | Solus Productions
Tony is a Director, Producer and Development Executive with Solus Productions. He prides himself on creating compelling factual, factual entertainment and human-interest programming for BBC Scotland, BBC Two, BBC ALBA, STV and international platforms. Tony began his television journey as a young actor appearing in ITV’s Dramarama at age 15 before becoming a well-known face on BBC Scotland’s Flagship drama “River City”. His move behind the camera in 2009 began with an award-winning BBC documentary about two young brothers with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Since then, he has specialised in finding the human heart in every story — from trainee priests in Rome, to drag performers living with illness, to globally recognised fashion legends. As Director of Solus Productions, he combines creativity, innovation and editorial rigour with a proven track record of turning ambitious ideas into critically recognised, emotionally resonant television. Tony has just completed his first feature doc about the world-famous cabaret The Moulin Rouge. Recent credits include 3 series of “Jules and Greg’s Wild Swim” BBC Scotland/BBC Two. “Priest School” BBC Scotland/BBC Two, “Scotland’s Model Teenager”, BBC One.
Zena Oliani
Development Executive | True North
Zena joined True North Productions as a Development Executive in early 2025, developing across reality, formats, access docs, fact ent and more. She came to television after careers in journalism and strategic marketing, bringing a broad editorial perspective and a strategic understanding of audiences and content trends.
Prior to joining True North, Zena held development roles at Purple Productions and Hey Sonny Films, where she helped shape projects across a variety of genres, playing a key role in numerous commissions and funded developments. She enjoys generating bold concepts, influencing creative processes, and fostering an environment where teams can experiment and explore new approaches to storytelling.
BBC, Screen Scotland and Glasgow-based training provider TRC have now revealed the six indies taking part in new programme SuperSizing Entertainment Formats.
Developed with the ambition of finding the next exciting entertainment format to capture imaginations and get audiences talking, the fully funded programme will run from November 2025 to April 2026.
The initiative will support BBC Entertainment and BBC Scotland’s aspiration to find ambitious and distinctive entertainment formats to develop as potential co-commissions., with a commitment to build the Scottish entertainment industry by spotlighting Scotland based ideas and talent.
Building on the success of FormatLab, TRC’s training programme designed to nurture the next generation of entertainment development talent in Scotland, this new programme reinforces TRC’s role in championing the companies behind original, market-ready formats that reflect the creative ambition of Scotland’s screen sector.
In addition to regular training, delegates will benefit from case studies and masterclasses led by former entertainment and factual entertainment format devisers, offering invaluable insights into both UK and international markets, as well as dedicated one-to-one support from the BBC, providing tailored guidance to refine their slate and help shape ideas into compelling scalable formats.
The selected participants are:
- David Marshall and Ronan Osborne, Tern TV
- Edwina Madden-Egan and Tom McNerney, Tuesday’s Child
- Rob Butterfield and Lucy Bacon, Ricochet
- Danny Rawling and Martha Lochhead, Beezr Studios
- Ryan Meloy and Zara Duncan, Bandicoot TV
- Ian Greenhill and Sadie Heather, Studio Something
This programme is funded by the BBC and Screen Scotland. Screen Scotland drives development of all aspects of Scotland’s film and TV industry, through funding and strategic support from the Scottish Government and The National Lottery.
Louise Thornton, Head of Commissioning for BBC Scotland said:
“This is an important step in our search for the next big entertainment television formats of the future. It’s great to see our first cohort getting started and we’re excited to see what ambitious original ideas emerge from them.”
Kalpna Patel-Knight, Head of Entertainment Commissioning at the BBC says:
“One of the most exciting elements of this programme is witnessing the incredible passion and creativity of the cohort we’ve selected. Each of these delegates bring a distinctive voice and a real hunger to develop bold ideas that can capture audiences’ imaginations as well as boost the creator economy in Scotland. Really looking forward to getting started.”
Dani Carlaw, Head of Unscripted at Screen Scotland said:
“This programme is a game-changer for Scotland’s entertainment indies. It brings together the BBC’s commissioning insight, TRC’s proven development expertise and Screen Scotland’s commitment to growth — creating a pipeline for bold, original formats with real market potential. It will strengthen our creative economy, expand Scotland’s footprint in the global formats market, and unlock new opportunities.”
Claire Scally, Managing Director of TRC commented:
“We were impressed by the calibre of applications received for our new SuperSizing Entertainment Formats programme and are excited to announce the successful companies. With the support of the BBC and Screen Scotland, the companies will learn how to shape ideas into compelling, scalable formats that celebrate the Scottish voice. We look forward to continuing to support the developing entertainment sector in Scotland.”
The BBC, Screen Scotland and leading broadcast and digital training provider TRC, have come together in partnership with the ambition of finding the next exciting entertainment format to capture imaginations and get audiences talking.
Supersizing Entertainment Formats will be open to independent production companies based in Scotland and will run from November 2025 to April 2026. The fully funded training programme has been developed to support BBC Entertainment and BBC Scotland’s aspiration to find ambitious and distinctive entertainment formats to develop as potential co-commissions. Central to this vision is a commitment to growing big ideas from Scotland, seeing talent in Scotland on network screens and building the entertainment industry in the country.
Through a combination of in-person training, masterclasses, cases studies and business advice, successful applicants will learn what it takes to develop impactful formats of scale and benefit from direct access to experienced entertainment executives who’ve built global hits and returning series.
Louise Thornton, Senior Head of Commissioning at BBC Scotland: “Scotland is full of creative talent and we know the next big smash hit entertainment format could be sitting here, we just need to find it. We have a great heritage in scripted and unscripted factual brands and now we want to support growth in the entertainment genre. This training programme is a catalyst which will nurture and support the development of ideas that could be tomorrow’s next television obsession. Working alongside our partners Screen Scotland and TRC I am excited to see what ideas and formats this new training programme can spark.”
Kalpna Patel Knight, Head of Entertainment at the BBC says: “We are passionate about discovering bold, original entertainment formats that resonate with audiences across the UK and beyond. Supersizing Entertainment Formats is a brilliant opportunity to tap into Scotland’s creative energy and support the next generation of standout ideas. We can’t wait to see which ambitious ideas emerge from this initiative”
Dani Carlaw, Head of Unscripted at Screen Scotland said: “We’re thrilled to join forces with BBC Scotland, BBC Entertainment and TRC on this ambitious new initiative. It’s all about unlocking potential — giving Scotland-based production companies the insight and tools they need to lead the way in entertainment, at home and across the globe.”
Claire Scally, Managing Director of TRC commented: “Following the success of FormatLab, our training programme aimed at creating the next wave of entertainment development talent in Scotland, we are delighted to launch SuperSizing Entertainment Formats, a new programme developed in partnership with BBC Entertainment, BBC Scotland and Screen Scotland. This programme will empower creative teams to shape bold scalable TV formats and position them for success on the global stage. We look forward to continuing to support the developing entertainment sector in Scotland.”
This programme is funded by the BBC and Screen Scotland. Screen Scotland drives development of all aspects of Scotland’s film and TV industry, through funding and strategic support from the Scottish Government and The National Lottery.
Details and T&C’s of SuperSizing Entertainment Formats can be found here. The deadline for applications is Wednesday 5th November 2025, 5.00pm.
Our latest digital-first FutureProof programme is returning in early 2026. Read on to find out the impact it’s had on companies who did the first programme!
Launched to support independent production companies in the Nations and Regions, TRC’s new Future Proof programme was designed to help senior leaders navigate a digital-first media world and seize new opportunities for growth. Between May and July, delegates took part in a combination of in-person sessions, online case studies, and one-to-one consultancy, gaining insights into emerging industry trends and experimenting with practical strategies that can be applied to their own businesses.
Our aim was to make indies in the Nations & Regions more competitive, elevate their position in a crowded media landscape, and give senior leaders the confidence to expand into new content areas.
The programme, developed with TellyCast’s Justin Crosby, covered a huge range: digital-first trends, direct-to-audience strategies, AI tools for content, multi-platform IP and monetisation, data-driven decisions, brand partnerships, the buyers’ landscape, podcasting, and how to scale digital-first production.
Delegates have described the experience as “genuinely one of the best courses” they’ve ever attended, with speakers that were “incredibly inspiring and useful” and that it was a “fantastic and timely course.”
Naomi, Creative Director at Afanti Media, summed it up perfectly:
Naomi Afan Ormonde
It seems FutureProof came at just the perfect time. Again, TRC provides an opportunity to connect with fellow senior creatives leads/company founders to take a deep dive into the rapidly evolving media landscape and key opportunities on the horizon. For established indies… FutureProof was needed more than ever. Each session was incredibly inspiring and energising, equipping us with exclusive insights and confidence to take that almighty leap into unfamiliar but hugely exciting territory.
Emma, Director of Business at Fiercest Films added:
Emma Curtis
Genuinely one of the best courses I’ve attended, the speakers were very well chosen and their presentations impressive with a lot of relevant take out.
And Katie Lander, Managing Director of Finestripe Productions reflected:
Katie Lander
It was an eye opener; all contributors were incredibly generous and open!
The impact is already evident, since completing the programme: Firecrest are refining their digital content strategy with meaningful progress being made around IP exploitation in the digital space; Finestripe are in the process of digging into their back catalogue to see what would be possible to repurpose and Afanti Media have kicked off a new YouTube channel focused on archive material from their early 2000s music show The Pop Factory.
Another of the companies has hired a YouTube Content Producer and another has repackaged existing IP and created over 80 new videos, ready to launch on to their rebranded YouTube channel.
All of this underlines the ambition of FutureProof: to make sure indies in the Nations & Regions have the confidence, knowledge, and support to thrive in a fast-changing landscape. We’re excited to see the progress made already – and can’t wait to watch what comes next.
Find out more about the nine selected indies taking part in the second iteration of International Horizons: Scripted.
Aimed at boosting production of scripted drama in the three nations, International Horizons: Scripted will provide companies with the skills, knowledge and networks necessary to thrive in international markets.
The nine successful delegates who have been selected to take part in International Horizons: Scripted are:
Bethan Jones
Executive Producer | Red Seam | Wales
Bethan’s TV credits include “Sherlock”, “Aberfan:The Green Hollow”, “A Poet In New York”, “Mistresses”, “Under Milk Wood”, “War And Peace” (Bbc), “Les Miserables” (Lookoutpoint/Twc & Masterpiece) “Dangerous Liaisons” (Playground Entertainment/Startz/Lionsgate).
Co-founder/Co-Creative Director with Michael Sheen of REDSEAM – a company dedicated to developing/producing innovative film and tv drama made in Wales. Their first production, “The Way”, co-created with writer James Graham, Michael Sheen and Adam Curtis was broadcast on BBC ONE early in 2004 – “thrilling new drama is like nothing else on TV – the Guardian.
A recipient of BBC’s Small Indie Fund they work with both experienced and new writers and are exploring future technology in performance with Welsh National Opera and VERE VR funded by Media Cymru.
Emmy, Bafta and Grierson Documentary Award nominated and Bafta Cymru winner, Bethan was the recipient of the BAFTA CYMRU 2019 Sian Phillips Award for significant contribution to TV drama.
Brian J. Falconer
Co-Founder & Producer | Out of Orbit | Northern Ireland
Brian is an award-winning TV and Film Producer. He has produced the 2026 9 part thriller/comedy “How To Get To Heaven from Belfast” for Hat Trick/ Netflix , the 2023 international Emmy Award and BAFTA winning film series of Channel 4’s flagship comedy “Derry Girls”, ITV’S 2024 3-part drama “Breathtaking” from creator Jed Mercurrio, the 2024 IFTA Awards Short Animation Winner “A Wind And The Shadow”, the 2020 IFTA Awards Best Picture Winner “Ordinary Love” starring Academy Award nominee Lesley Manville and Liam Neeson, the 2019 IFTA and BIFA Nominee “The Dig” executive produced the 2024 “The Wise Guy” co-produced the 2023 feature “Ballywater” and produced over 20 short films including the 2015 Academy Award nominated and BAFTA Award Winner “Boogaloo And Graham”, the 2019 IFTA Awards Short documentary Nominee “El Hor” and Royal Television Society Winner “#WeAreYou”.
Chris Patterson
Producer & Founder | Causeway Pictures | Northern Ireland
Chris is a film producer with over twenty years of experience in scripted and documentary content. He is working with local writing talent and building a strong scripted slate. His credits include “The Invention”, “Hellboy: The Golden Army”, “Quantum of Solace”, “Hostage to the Devil”, and 2023’s award-winning “Lie of the Land”. A BFI Vision Award recipient, he is developing “Monster(s)”, “Frontiersman”, “Appropriate Adult”, and “American Trailblazer: The Debra Hill Story”. He recently produced Netflix’s “Senna”, Brazil’s most expensive TV series, acclaimed for its authentic depiction of Ayrton Senna. Currently, he is producing the feature documentary “The Day After” and the film “Turret”.
David MacPherson
Writer & Showrunner | Inconceivable Productions | Scotland
David is a writer and showrunner best known for his debut show ”The Rig”. Released on Amazon Prime in January 2023, the first series topped the Prime chart for four consecutive weeks, making it one of the most watched streaming shows in the UK for that quarter. It also topped streaming charts around the world, including reaching No.2 in the US and No.1 in many other international territories. One of the largest home-grown productions ever made in Scotland, both the first and second series were wholly shot at First Stage Studios in Edinburgh making extensive use of both practical sets and effects, and cutting edge VFX. The second series of ”The Rig” launched in January 2025, again reaching the No.2 spot in the US and showing strong viewing numbers around the world.
David was named a Screen International Rising Star in 2022 and was one of the selected writers chosen for Chris Chibnall’s inaugural Future UK Showrunners scheme across 2023/24. Alongside developing projects with a number of leading indies and broadcasters, David recently created his own company, Inconceivable Productions Ltd, to allow him to develop work independently and bring projects direct to market.
Ed Thomas
Founder & Producer | Fiction Factory | Wales
Ed is the founder of Wales based Fiction Factory Films where he has written, directed or produced over 250 hours of award-winning drama across all genres earning more than 90 nominations and awards and distribution to over 100 countries, streaming on Netflix, ITVX, Britbox U.S. and BBC iPlayer. Some of his credits include “Tree on a Hill/Pren Ar Y Bryn”, “Hinterland/Y Gwyll”, “Pen Talar” and “House of America”. Ed is also a playwright whose work has been translated into 10 languages and performed all over Europe Australia and the Americas. They include “Song From A Forgotten City”, “Gas Station Angel” and “On Bear Ridge” (Royal Court London). He is an Arts Foundation fellow and Honorary Fellow of Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama and University of Wales Aberystwyth.
Jenny Williams
Development Producer | Pirate Productions | Scotland
Jenny develops and produces scripted content at Pirate Productions. Recently she co-produced “Recipes for Love and Murder”, 10-part drama series for MNET and Acorn TV.
Pirate is an award-winning writer-led Scottish company with a local and international outlook. Pirate collaborates with the best creative talent behind and in front of the camera to bring stories to an audience which wants to be challenged and entertained. Projects focus on strong female characters on complex emotional journeys and like their audiences, Pirate is always looking for new ways of storytelling.
Prior to joining Pirate, Jenny ran the Glasgow Film Office, promoting Glasgow as a world class production hub. Before that she worked freelance in TV, film, and theatre production. Jenny’s passion is finding exceptional projects and working with others – local talent as well as international production and distribution partners – to bring these projects to the screen.
John Giwa-Amu
Founder & Producer | Good Gate Media | Wales
John runs Good Gate Media, a Cardiff-based film, HETV & gaming studio. His films have won awards at BAFTA Cymru, BIFA, Berlin, Toronto & Tribeca. His film “The Machine” won three BAFTA Cymru’s (Best Picture, a BIFA and the Screen Award for UK distribution) and was then commissioned to be made into a $9m TV Pilot by NBC Universal. Over the past year, Good Gate projects have included “The Man in My Basement” (in partnership with Disney, starring Willem Dafoe and Corey Hawkins, directed by Nadia Latif), which is set to premiere at TIFF; “H is for Hawk” with Plan B and Lionsgate (starring Claire Foy and Brendan Gleeson, directed by Philippa Lowthorpe); and a BFI/Film4-backed thriller feature shot in Lagos, Nigeria. GGM is now expanding into scripted television and has a strong slate of projects in development with studio partners.
Louise Gallagher
Executive Producer | Gallagher Films | Northern Ireland
Louise is Co-Creator and Executive Producer on BBC’s BAFTA award winning “Blue Lights”, which has been recommissioned. She started her career at the BBC in Belfast working in production across radio, TV and online services. She flew the BBC nest and started working on independent shorts and features, producing her first feature film, “A Bump Along the Way” in 2018. She joined Hat Trick at the start of 2020 to run their most westerly outpost in Belfast, seeking out new and exciting projects across Ireland.
Morven Reid
Head of Development | Mam Tor Productions | Scotland
Morven is the Head of Development and Executive Producer at Mam Tor Productions. In collaboration with Tally Garner, she has executive produced the BBC One and Amazon series “Chloe” and the BBC and HBO series “Half Man”. Additionally, she leads Mam Tor Productions in Scotland.
Prior to her current role, Morven script edited “Pure” (Drama Republic), the second season of “A Discovery Of Witches” (Bad Wolf), and “River City” (BBC Scotland). She also worked across development slates for the BFI Film Fund and BBC Scotland Drama Development.
rad is a paid eight-month traineeship within a Scottish independent television production company which includes full training throughout the placement.
The programme is aimed at those who are underrepresented in the TV industry: those who are either deaf, disabled and/or neurodivergent, from Black, Asian or minority ethnic communities or from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds.
The programme is funded by Screen Scotland, BBC Nations, Channel 4 and BBC Studios.
Find out more about the selected trainees below.
rad Trainees
Aidan Donnachie
Production Researcher | Ricochet
Aidan is a graduate of the BA in Filmmaking from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and holds an MA in TV Fiction Writing from Glasgow Caledonian University. He has gained hands-on experience through production placements at Create Anything and The Comedy Unit, as well as crewing on RTS and award-nominated short films and is fascinated by how unscripted TV can tell real stories in creative ways and provide entertainment in continuingly innovative format. Aidan is looking forward to putting into practice the production skills he has gained from these experiences and testing himself within the rigours of a full-time working industry environment. In his spare time, he can often be found writing, watching the latest TV and Film releases, walking his beloved Labrador Indy or following his favourite football team, Greenock Morton. Aidan is excited to start his career in television through the rad programme and learn from every opportunity along the way.
Alyssa Calder
Edit Assistant | Serious Facilities
Alyssa graduated with a film degree from Edinburgh Napier University, where she discovered her passion for post-production. What was initially a fun way to create music videos using archived family film; Alyssa’s work as an editor eventually led to a deep appreciation of the creative potential that the edit holds. At the age of 17, Alyssa began her work in the screen arts as a Young Programmer volunteer for the Edinburgh International Film Festival, and has since gone on to edit an array of award-winning short films with creatives across Scotland. Last year, Alyssa attended the Scottish BAFTA’s where “Care”, a short drama that she edited, was nominated for best short film. Alyssa now looks forward to further developing her skillset and deepening her understanding of post-production as she delves into the exciting world of television.
Gabrielle Hafner
Production Assistant/Researcher | Maramedia
In May 2025, Gabrielle completed a BA (hons) in Film at Edinburgh Napier University. During her time in Edinburgh she volunteered at local film festivals, did sound design and recording for shorts currently running the festival circuit, and volunteered in a production assistant role recording and collecting local stories for 900 Voices, a sound art installation at St. Giles summer 2024.
Now at a liminal point in her career, she is excited to get involved in the TV industry and to further her production skills. She has a variety of ecological based work experience, in both film and as an educator on a farm. Wildlife filmmaking and TV Docs are an important part of raising awareness on our climate and ecosystems, and she is excited about their potential and place on the world stage to spur on important conversations.
She is looking forward to supporting and developing the making of these series and films as a Production Assistant/Researcher, and is thankful to TRC and Maramedia for their dedication to inclusivity in the TV landscape.
Jed Forson
Development Researcher | Lion TV Scotland
Jed has always been interested in storytelling from a young age. Whether it was books, film and TV or songs, stories have always been at the heart of his interests. This led him to study journalism at the University of Stirling, which further emboldened his desire to seek out and tell the stories of everyday people. After graduating he undertook a course as a production runner where he discovered an interest in working in film and TV. He’s excited to put his ability to write, brainstorm and uncover interesting stories and people to use working as a Development Researcher.
Lee O’Leary
Production Researcher | IWC
Lee had a love of TV from an early age, creating imaginary live broadcasts with his cousins from his living room during his childhood. After working in an abattoir in Wexford, Ireland, Lee decided it was time to pursue his dreams in media.. After completing courses in North East Scotland College in Aberdeen he progressed to study Broadcast Production in the University of the West of Scotland in Ayr. Throughout his studies Lee took every opportunity that came his way to build his experience and knowledge, leading to opportunities as lead camera for Glasgow City Football Club for 23/24 season and freelance Main Control Room Operator in QTV before graduating in July 2025. Lee loves watching documentaries and property shows, and can’t wait to play his part in creating entertaining TV for a diverse audience during his placement with IWC during the rad traineeship.
Lori Cairney
Production Assistant | Hello Halo
Lori is a creative from West Lothian with a background in events, digital content creation, and grassroots film. After graduating from Queen Margaret University with a degree in PR, Marketing and Communications, she worked across major events like the Edinburgh Fringe and the Scottish Open, while developing her production skills through community film and short-form projects.
She now co-runs Abstract Camera, an Edinburgh-based production group, and has taken part in programmes like NFTS: Set Ready and SEE: Through the Lens. Lori has a love for the weird, wonderful, and real-life stories that unscripted thrives on, and is excited to bring her creativity, curiosity, and ever-growing collection of production mood boards to the rad traineeship.
Mairi Macleod
Production Assistant | Sunset + Vine
Mairi, originally from the Scottish Highlands, graduated from Queen Margaret University with a BA in Film and Media, developing both practical filmmaking skills and a strong understanding of screen theory. More recently, she has gained hands-on experience in short film production, taking on a variety of crew roles while balancing a full-time job outside the industry. Now ready to step into professional TV through the rad traineeship, Mairi is committed to making the most of this opportunity to build a career in film and TV, with a long-term goal of using the medium as a tool for social change.
Thomas Walker
Edit Assistant | Serious Facilities
Thomas has always had a passion for storytelling and realised media was the way to go after a short Glasgow Conservatoire filmmaking course. After working on some short films and with an orchestra early on he discovered his love of editing in unscripted and scripted content. He went on to do a BA in Film at Edinburgh Napier University during which he worked on many projects, from TEDx talks to filming Edinburgh Fringe shows and has loved working on sets all over Scotland. Thomas developed his skills in all aspects of production but has kept his aptitude and love for editing. He currently plays for an all-inclusive rugby team and contributes to creating content for their social media and works on small film projects when he can. He is thrilled at the opportunity to train and work with TRC and Serious Facilities to help guide him along his path into the world of unscripted TV editing and looks forward to meeting others in the industry.
