The entertainment business is a fickle friend. Often, we only work with people for a contract period – ranging from a few days to a couple of months. At its core, almost all who work in the entertainment industry are freelance and keep the transient nature. The need to continue to push oneself and pursue new career options is indicative of the profession and although we do not have a naive view, it is particularly hard to say goodbye to colleagues we have worked with for a long while. As such, it is with a heavy heart that we bid a fond farewell to Matt Murphy, our Technical Director.
Before Murphy started at Production Attic, he had worked in numerous roles; sound engineer, venue technician, light director, and freelance venue assistant. This essentially meant that he would travel to a number of different venues and festivals and set up whatever equipment was needed for the show. Although it kept him on his toes, it was an untenable work schedule that had little structure and often required working weekends and holidays. At that industry level, it is hard to say no to any gig without feeling like you are missing out. Murphy decided to pursue a more permanent role in the industry for his own peace of mind.
Murphy initially studied sound engineering at University before deciding to switch to the sister course in Multimedia. This allowed him to undertake a video production module – an area he had not explored before. For Murphy, this kicked off a whole new avenue of creative output. He began creating music videos, videos for charities, and short films to prove to himself that he could do it. Hoping to move into a full-time role, Murphy looked at the Glasgow Guarantee job board – a platform created by the council to help kickstart local talent and business. It was here that Murphy found an initial role at Production Attic as a Video Producer before moving into the role of Technical Director.
As Technical Director, Murphy’s main role was to ensure that our production line ran smoothly. He checked that all of our kit was as good as it could be – researching what was coming out and if it was worth investing in to stay ahead of the technological curve. On the video production side of things, Murphy would meet with our clients and communicate what was possible within their budget and time constraints. Murphy would also make content for our clients – going out with cameras, lights, and sound equipment. On location, Murphy would work with talent to ensure they got the best footage possible. The tense part of all of this happened after the shoot when Murphy ensured all of the files from the day were transferred and archived in the system. Once the files were in the system, Murphy would wrangle them, providing a full light and colour grade. All of these tasks are instrumental in Production Attics’ ability to deliver its final product. It is a testament to Murphy’s skill and the nature of his work that so much of what he does goes unnoticed – a tech wizard behind the scenes, subtly conducting multiple tasks to make sure it all goes off without a hitch.
A common theme among Production Attic employees is that, when asked what their favourite campaign to work on was, it is often the Football Saved My Life series that we created for the Scottish Football Association. Murphy has always enjoyed telling stories of struggle with a clear message of hope. The campaigns we created for the Scottish Commission for Learning Disability also had an impact on Murphy. He reflects that several SCLD campaigns have focused on individuals who have gone through difficult times and have learned to create and focus on their own goals. Murphy was able to observe the positive impact both the Football Saved My Life and the SCLD campaigns had in the community by reading positive comments and testimonials online.
Outside of Production Attic, Murphy has worked consistently throughout Scotland in numerous roles. A personal favourite (and luckily reoccurring) project is BBC’s annual Christmas Celebration. It is a hymn sing-song which lasts for about an hour. Murphy travels throughout Scotland, filming the hymns on location being sung by congregations of the public and professional musicians from far and wide. It is a bright spot in his year and a heart-warming project to be a part of.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p06vl2jn/player
When asked what he considers to be his greatest personal achievement, Murphy reflects that it is his ability to learn as much as he has. In his role at Production Attic, and as a creative at large, Murphy has worn several different hats. He prides himself on his ability to have learned enough to fulfill all of these roles. Working at Production Attic when it was essentially a start-up, Murphy achieved the full video pipeline by himself and found autonomy in being the yes man in any task he was presented with.
Through Murphy’s five-and-a-half-year stint with Production Attic, we have watched as he and our company grew in tandem. It is a sorry farewell for all of us here at PA, but we are thrilled that Murphy is progressing his career and exploring other avenues in the entertainment industry. He will be missed, and he has certainly left a positive impact on our company.
“We’ve had so many amazing days filming together. From marathon football filming sessions for the Scottish FA in the worst weather conditions known to man to some really impactful work for charities. Every shoot day ends in a hug and there are always lots of laughs throughout. I’m going to miss my right hand cameraman but this is only cheerio, not goodbye and I’m sure our work together isn’t done. Good luck Murphy!” – Laura Ferguson
