“When you do things right, people won’t be sure you’ve done anything at all.”
God , Futurama
We’re fortunate enough to say that, at Production Attic, we have a lot of different things come through our doors daily. From working with developers to satellites to the medical field, we work with charities, Governments, filmmakers and non-filmmakers alike. Basically, we have a lot of plates spinning at any given time and a lot of projects on the go.
As a result, we very clearly need someone to help us manage the projects, to be the first point of contact for a client- to manage time, and to make sure everything runs smoothly and everyone has what they need.
With all that in mind, please allow me to introduce our Producer- Emily Benita.
Emily, like a lot of us here, has always been fixated on films and storytelling from an early age. Spending her time off of school taking advantage of her LoveFilm account and watching as many of the DVDs they’d send (for those born after 2000, Lovefilm was what came before Netflix, where they would ship you three physical DVDs on loan). Having such a passionate love for film and T.V. led Emily to initially pursue screenwriting and every major decision she’s made in her life has led her down this creative route.
After spending a joy-filled few years at Sheffield University studying Philosophy, she moved up north to Glasgow University to study for her Master’s in Film and Television and, while writing her dissertation, join the Production Attic team.
Emily’s favourite project has been the work we did for The Equality Network a few years ago. It was this project that resonated and let her know how valuable video can be. The value in seeing someone tell their own story, how effective it is to hear someone and see someone explain their life and what they need and the connection that video allows you to make with that person. Getting to meet, interview and be trusted by these people to tell their stories was a very significant moment for her.
During her time as a Producer for us, Emily covered a lot of different projects. One of the things about this role is that every day is different. Many plates need to be spun, t’s need to be crossed and spreadsheets need to be created!
It’s like growing a flower – while you understand that they need sunlight, soil, and water to grow- you can’t apply the same amount to everything and expect the same results. You’ve got to tailor your approach to the individual flower, and project, to truly allow it to bloom into its full potential.
Emily took a short break from Production Attic to explore some of her other passions, working as a freelancer in both acting and writing, including some time as a trainee storyliner for River City and a show at the 2019 Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Emily’s stint as a Comedian led to co-running a comedy night and also to her meeting her husband – who she lives with alongside their funny and demanding cat Malcolm.
Like her role here, Emily is a woman who wears many hats and has her hand in many pies – which is good because she’s a fan of pie.
Of all her work outside of Production Attic, some of her favourites was the writing work she did with Monster Chetwynd on her show Dogsy Ma Bone. There is also a sketch she wrote for Channel 4 – although she isn’t in it herself, she is very happy with the way it came out and appreciates that there’s something satisfying about putting a lot of effort into something designed to be a bit silly.
Emily has now returned to working with us, on a more freelance basis, in her role as a coordinator. She keeps the train on the tracks and works closely with our clients and crew to make sure a project doesn’t just get purely what is wanted, but what is needed to make it something that everyone can be proud of.
This organisational ability and this creative drive make her a truly important member of the team and, in the words of one of her favourite authors Heather Havrilesky.
What can you create, every day, to bring you life, to build up your strength?
Heather Havrilesky
