rad Scotland: Meet the Trainees

Aidan has been passionate about working in film and tv from a young age. After studying media at college he took up voluntary work with Ayrshire Film Company in his local area to gain practical experience and build up a CV of work. The skills learned with the company, ranging from camera operation to editing and even interview and on-camera presenting lead to new opportunities within the media department at Kilmarnock Football Club, GMAC Film’s youth team and work experience with BBC Scotland. Aidan is mad about history and has made several short documentary videos for his YouTube channel with the hope of making the leap to TV.

Allan’s passion for television was ignited when he began studying the television course at City of Glasgow College in 2016. Having spent two years at college obtaining his HND he furthered his knowledge and skills at Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh, studying BA(Hons) Film and Media. After completing his degree Allan, along with his partner and newborn son, moved back west in search of opportunities in the Television Industry. Allan gained valuable production experience throughout his studies, working on productions such as the RTS Television Awards and the RTS Student Awards. Allan also worked as a runner on TernTV’s ‘Holidays from Hell’.

A London native, Amanda first visited Glasgow in 2018 and with the promise of new artistic opportunities, it was this introduction that prompted her permanent move across the country a year later.  Now a mother, Amanda began to draw inspiration from her experiences in parenthood during the national lockdowns of 2020-2021 which led her to creating her blog, 'The A Word' where she shares snippets of her life as a new mother, poetry, and various short stories, all with a focus on mental wellbeing and healing. Over this period, she has also developed two feature film scripts and the first in a three-part novel series called 'The Incarnate' set to debut in late 2022.

Ben received his degree in Film and Media Studies from the University of Stirling in 2018. On top of this, he spent a summer studying film direction at the Metropolitan Film School in Berlin. Using his skill set, Ben travelled to America to teach children the wonders of filmmaking as part of the Camp America programme. Ben’s previous production experience includes his own documentary which followed artist Iona Leishman as well as other short films. Ben is incredibly passionate about the film and television industry and has been writing his own feature film, inspired by his own experiences within Glasgow’s LGBTQ+ community as well as his passion for helping the homeless people of Glasgow and surrounding areas.

Dylan graduated from Glasgow School of Art in 2019 with a degree in Communication Design, having originally focused on photography before developing his practice into moving image. He has worked with several third sector organisations on creative projects, as well as within the music industry producing music videos and backing visuals.

Federica moved to Scotland in 2011 to study law. After leaving law and studying computing, she went back to her creative roots and completed a degree in Digital Media at the University of Stirling. She rediscovered her passion for photography through concert photography, leading her to become a contributor for UK music magazine RockShot. During the course of her degree, she made three short films, combining her creative writing, visual and editing skills. She loves to tell stories that explore complicated human emotions and societal issues. She has also been a contributor for BBC The Social.

A lifelong lover of storytelling, Jade left Edinburgh in 2017 to study English literature at the University of Glasgow. She is incredibly passionate about championing working class voices; her undergraduate dissertation analysed contemporary fiction set in U.K council estates. In 2021, Jade’s play, Redraft was produced and performed at the Scottish Storytelling Centre. It discussed the nuances and difficulties of ‘home’ as a concept for under-privileged families. Jade’s previous roles include retail work, advancement for a genealogical society, and sample preparation in a COVID-19 testing facility. This is her first role in the television industry, and she is over the moon to take part of the rad scheme.

From a young age, Kiet was fascinated by the creation process of film and television. He worked part time at Odeon cinemas and further pursued this passion when he studied Broadcast Production at University of West of Scotland. Throughout his four years of study he carried out a variety of roles on a range of different projects. He has worked in a production team filming a music video, written comedy sketches, hosted live radio shows and created a short documentary looking at the impact that COVID-19 had on local independent music artists. He is incredibly passionate about creating factual, informative and entertaining content.

Kris graduated in 2014 from University Strathclyde with a degree in English, Journalism and Creative Writing. Since graduating Kris has had a variety of roles in digital marketing, communications and retail before pursuing their passion in broadcast media.

Sonia graduated from the University of Stirling with a joint Honours in English Studies and Philosophy in 2018. She pursued English due to her interests in storytelling, the mechanics behind it, and how those mechanics can be adapted to different mediums. After graduating, Sonia moved to Thailand where she holds dual citizenship. She taught English and worked in freelance writing and editing roles until she moved back to Scotland in 2021. Since then, she has continued freelancing but is eager to pursue a career in the TV industry, where she believes her passion for storytelling and creativity can thrive.

Born in Belgium and feeling like he never fit in, Mathias decided to study abroad in Scotland as part of his studies in Cultural Management. As a television aficionado, he is extremely passionate about queer and diverse representation in television. Mathias has gained excellent interpersonal skills working as a telephone befriender. He is able to be flexible and work as a chameleon, yet still keeps his essence as a hardworking individual. Being given the opportunity to work as a Junior Development Researcher gives him the chance to let his full imagination loose and finally work in the field he is most passionate about.

Rosa is a Glasgow-based creative looking to cut her teeth in film and television following six years of directing across Scotland’s leading theatre companies. Rosa trained at the Lancaster Institute of Contemporary Arts specialising in cross form collaborations and creating multimedia based installations. Rosa is passionate about reaching wide audiences with strong emotional narratives and progressive storylines. Having previously directed a short for BBC Comedy’s Short Stuff and designed multimedia for ‘at Oran Mor’s Play, Pie a Pint, Rosa joined the screen world this year as an Editorial PA on a large scale Warner Bros. feature.

SJ loves to tackle bold stories. With a passion for increasing representation, SJ enjoys writing working class, disabled stories with authenticity and flair and can proudly find the dark comedy in any subject matter. With a background in media and marketing, and a self-proclaimed story geek, SJ graduated with an MA Screenwriting from Edinburgh Napier’s Screen Academy Scotland in 2021. Past experience includes being a freelance script reader for TV and writer of a short script shortlisted in the Screen and Story Film Festival Screenplay Competition 2021.