The first day of Leeds Trinity University’s Journalism and Media Week saw industry veteran and member of production company Hold Tight TV Blake McGrow regale students with his varied career in the industry.
McGrow sidelined his job as plumber and tiler in favour of the bright lights. He began at MTV as an assistant sound engineer and has enjoyed an enduringly successful career since.
The seasoned professional has a two series rule to avoid being pigeonholed, a method that has resulted in an assorted showreel, from rescuing leopards with Vic Reeves to Police Interceptors.
He attributes his versatile career to being nice; making time for everyone, including those whose reputation preceded them. He shared an anecdote on how to gain favour with big characters: McGrow would not disclose the individual but said: “I found if you bought her 20 Silk Cut and some McDonalds chicken nuggets for breakfast she was absolutely fine.”
When asked what traits were valuable to a successful media career: being honest, genuine and dedicated were highlighted.
Networking: The age old advice has retained its merit. McGrow told students about how a cup of tea landed him a job on Time Team with Tony Robinson. Making contacts and keeping call sheets from every show was paramount to maintaining an industry presence, pulling on resources where you can and using all the tools to your advantage.
AI was an unavoidable topic, but comes under the bracket of a tool to be used nonetheless. McGrow told students about his experience with AI when he cloned the voice of a corporate client to save from travelling back down to Bristol, McGrow ensured the client had given the go-ahead to use the tool before doing so and noted how effective it was: “He had no idea it wasn’t his voice”. He acknowledged that it was: “Scary in the wrong hands,” but inevitable: “Bad actors are not going to not use it.’’
He emphasised the benefits of adaptability, an important trait in a constantly changing industry and an age of ever evolving technology. Advice against a fear of technology was prominent, to use it as it arrives and avoid being left behind. The industry relies on being able to develop a multi-skilled approach, the capability to shoot, edit and produce.
Questions arose about geographical opportunities, McGrow’s career has taken him all over the world but as regional media grows, the focus stayed national and the capacity for opportunities up and down the country. The industry shift towards the north was noted with big name production and news companies moving away from the capital in favour of Manchester and Leeds. With London typically being “the place to be” to secure a career, it was reassuring to hear an industry professional deem living in London as non-essential.
Blake McGrow is currently a freelance series producer/ director at Hold Tight TV the ethical film and production photography.