Series Producer
"When you have two really experienced people who know exactly what they are doing, when one person passes the information over to the other, it’s seamless. For me, it didn’t make any difference having two people or having one."
James Lessell
James Lessell
Executive Producer
"The main reason that companies should consider job-shares is so that we don’t have a massive ‘brain drain’ from the industry. To keep key people in senior roles, the way to do that is to adapt to their flexible working lives and job shares offer that, so that’s the most important thing. Once you do that, you get two heads for the price of one and you get all the benefits that come with that."
Teresa Watkins
Teresa Watkins
Senior Producer and co-founder of Amplify Pictures
"I would endorse job-sharing in Edit Producing, because in an Edit, you get very ‘wood for the trees’ you get lost in the detail and yet you really need to be able to take a step back and take a fresh look and think, “hmm is this story working? Should actually that character be in a different programme?” Those really Big Picture questions. They (the job-sharing Edit Producers) were able to do that because each one was able to step away for a day or two.
One of the biggest problems we have is that we lose a huge number of women when they become mothers. Really talented, extraordinary, editorial women and job-sharing seems to me to be the obvious solution because there are not many part-time roles."
Sunshine Jackson
Sunshine Jackson
Head of Production, Maverick
"When I was asked (by my Edit Producer), “What is the chance of the job being part-time” my first thought was “Oh God”. Then I thought, actually there is no reason why on ‘Operation Ouch’ that we can’t. ‘Operation Ouch’ cuts sequentially so if ever there was a show that could be done by two people this was it.
I think everyone is very pleasantly surprised. From my point of view it has absolutely worked, it has been seamless and we have two heads for the price of one. It hasn’t cost me any more money in terms of time in the Edit – we don’t do a handover day. The Series Producer has summed it up by saying “I don’t notice any difference whatsoever. I have never asked a question where the person who was in that day was unable to answer it.”
We would absolutely do it on ‘Ouch’ again. The job-sharers will go the extra mile so that they can have what they want."
Maria French
Maria French
5A Studios (Sound Post Production)
"I employed job-sharing Post supervisors and didn’t have to get involved in the logistics at all as they arranged their shifts themselves, shared an email and handed over in their own time. Our international clients were thrilled as they had seamless cover."
Cristina Aragon
Cristina Aragon
Knickerbocker Glory
"There is a Dickensian Factory mentality at television production offices. The fact is, we spend more time with our colleagues than with our own family so if benefits us to make the office a nice place to work. This means providing flexible working options which has the added bonus of stopping talented people, especially Mums, leaving the industry."
Jonathan Stadlen
Jonathan Stadlen
Head of Recruitment, Framestore VFX
"VFX is a young industry and so we are only now getting parents coming through in roles that are not managerial. Job-sharing will be an important solution to how we provide flexibility for our work-force."
Henry Bull
Henry Bull