February 13, 2023
2021 Grierson DocLabber, Milly Houldey on how the training and industry jobs helped her confidence grow
As a relatively recent Grierson Doclab alum (2021 cohort), I have to say that the Grierson Doclab scheme has been a game-changer for my career. The year-long program gave me a solid foundation and the confidence I needed to progress in the film industry.
Milly Houldey, 2021 Grierson DocLab core trainee
Since completing the scheme, I've had some incredible opportunities that have helped me grow as a researcher, a filmmaker and a person.
I started out as an office runner at Arrow International Media, where I had the chance to learn about all levels of production, working with a very wide team, front of house. Alongside my daily front of house position, I completed various ad-lib research tasks for development and production including; transcription, logging, background research/checking and story-finding. This job was ‘learning through osmosis’, and my employer at this time, Beth Cox, always pushed us at front of house to learn as much as we could. Whilst at Arrow, I even got the opportunity to go on a recon shoot for a true-crime show, which was a lot of fun and taught me some valuable technical skills.
During a short contract break, I completed a two-week Doclab placement at Renegade Pictures, where I worked in development designing decks and writing quiz sets in the fact-ent space. It was a fantastic experience and gave me my initial taste of development.
One of the most valuable aspects of the Grierson Doclab scheme is the mentorship program. I had the opportunity to work with my mentor, Director-Producer Sam Emmery, who helped me grow my interviewing skills and taught me different ways to gain and secure access to sensitive stories. We also discussed his own work and methods of breaking down a story, transcripts and his editing process. Mainly focusing on ob-docs, we also discussed in detail shooting and directing at the same time, how to choose your shots and how to be flexible on shoots.
After eight months at Arrow, I was scouted through the Grierson's site for a Development Researcher position at Noah Media Group. I've been working there for nearly a year now as their main Development Researcher and couldn’t be happier. Every day is different. I've had the opportunity to interview scientists, historians, vigilantes, cult survivors, activists, sports teams, code breakers and many more individuals I would never normally have the chance to learn about in everyday life. I've had the chance to develop ideas in areas I'm passionate about, all the way to pitching at Channel 4, BBC, ITV, and Sky. I’ve found an odd obsession for creating/designing decks, which have since been sent off to talent, commissioners and streamers. I’m very lucky to work with an incredibly inclusive team who champions diversity, both behind the camera and through their stories, and I look forward to the year ahead, working on more ideas.
As someone with a mental health disability (Panic Disorder), I was initially hesitant about working in the film industry. And at first, I did have a few encounters with employers who heard the word ‘panic’ and immediately froze up mid interview or questioned my capacity to work. This was debilitating as a new entrant; knowing I was more than capable and second-guessing disclosure, knowing that employers might ‘jump the gun’ if I mentioned it. But also knowing that not mentioning it and hiding it might trigger the symptoms.
It was only thanks to the base the Grierson’s and my consequent employers gave me, I've gained the confidence to communicate my disorder to potential employers and understand that any company, no matter the industry or level of position, should be inclusive of diverse perspectives and experiences. In fact, my disability has never impacted my work to this date, purely as a result of being comfortable enough to articulate it to my employers. This factor may seem minimal in the scale of the opportunities I have been able to grab as a result of Grierson DocLab, but understanding your value in this industry might be one of the hardest things to learn as a new entrant and is the main reason I have been able to thrive with my mental health disorder.
The Grierson team has been incredibly supportive even after I completed the scheme. They've given me valuable advice throughout my career and helped me navigate the industry with ease. The scheme went much deeper than my film degree, showcasing the various departments within unscripted television as well as routes of career progression. I started out thinking I was going to be behind the camera, and now I'm pitching my ideas to major broadcasters instead!
Overall, I couldn't recommend the Grierson Doclab scheme enough. If my younger self, who couldn't sit in a classroom for more than an hour at a time, could see what I'm doing now, her mind would be blown. The scheme has given me the confidence and skills I need to succeed in the film industry, and I'm excited to see where it takes me next.
