Nicola Wood

Nicola Wood

About Nicola Wood

I recently returned from an amazing five month world trip and I’m back living in my home town of Chepstow. I’d like to move to Bristol when I have the pennies. Two years ago I graduated from the University of Bath with a degree in International Management and French. My passion lies in events management. I volunteered as production assistant at Harvest and Green Gathering festivals – acting as a facilitator, point of contact and troubleshooter. In my placement year and since graduating I have worked in a mixture of marketing, communications and events roles. In these various guises I've helped organise conferences and events of all sizes from delegate meetings to the Welsh Grand National, created email campaigns, negotiated advertisement contracts, instigated social media drives, produced promotional and sales copy and managed event registration and admissions. I was the sporty girl at school so any in-depth arts education was somewhat postponed in favour of running up sand dunes and swinging hockey sticks. However I've always loved dancing, reading – anything, I’ll be absorbed by the old newspaper linings underneath your carpet – and films. I find it fascinating that words and pictures can take you on such extraordinary journeys, be they fact or fiction. And that’s why I’m so glad I’m a Future Producer – I want to make experiences for people and leave them with something to think about. I’d like to introduce the worlds of cinema and literature to new audiences. Recently I’ve become interested in the craft behind filmmaking and producing, I love how so many intricate components need to fit together to create one piece. I love to learn new skills and hope to one day manage a film festival.  I’m hungry to learn from this multi-faceted bunch of people!

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Electric December Meeting Notes 24.09.2013

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Present: Ella Barraclough, Sam Bailey, Hannah Higginson, Nicola Wood

Apologies: Joanna van der Veen, Rosie Cooke

 

1. Discussion of separate Electric December Twitter account

  • Feeling is that we would like to make a case for having a separate account, but need to prove it will be worth setting this up as per previous meeting notes. AP: Devise content schedule for Twitter account with sample tweets (eg video for a rainy day, windy day, relevant events such as major film releases, Halloween, Bonfire night, etc) and audience-building strategy. AP: All can contribute ideas via email discussion and GoogleDocs by end Sept. AP: watch films from last few years of ED and categorise if we haven’t already. Q. Who will take the lead on compiling schedule strategy? Nicola, Joanna happy to take parts, anybody else?

 

2. Discussion on how to use our marketing budget

  • Hannah confirmed flyers would not be a practical option due to costing, additionally pointing out that they aren’t really suitable to an online event – we have the option to be featured in other printed Watershed material (see point 4).
  • Facebook and Google AdWords campaigns – Hannah to ask Claire if there is an AdWords account. Q. Who do ads need to be purchased through?

 

3. Launch Party and invites

  • We asked when the rooms need to be booked by – Hannah has since provisionally booked rooms for Sat 30/11 and Mon 2/12. After film selection we will have a better idea of which date is more appropriate for guests.
  • Historically, invites have been sent out as e-Invites through Watershed at the beginning of November.  AP: Copy and image for invites to be provided by mid/late October. Q. Do we want chosen filmmakers to receive a hard copy invite?
  • Discussed the importance of creating a good atmosphere for guests and suitable theme for our wide age range, agreed it is best to wait until films are selected before thinking of themes.
  • Prizes – nature of prizes has to depend on age range and location of winners. Therefore this will be decided post selection and school jury. Prizes can be sourced through Watershed’s network as well as contacts we may have. AP: start thinking of prize ‘wishlist’.

 

4. Marketing of ED online launch

  •  Hannah talked us through different Watershed opportunities. Online: Watershed web calendar page, news story. Offline: Bar (DCP) screens, highlights brochure, printed calendar (which also features ‘Coming Up’ section for run up to launch). Cinema: slide or video to show before films.
  • News story to feature on Watershed site could also be run as a press release through Watershed press list, and any contacts we may have.
  • Once again, copy, images etc need to be decided post film selection.

 

5. Design brief

  • As per David’s email, Ella and Rosie are to arrange a series of meetings with DR and designer for October. AP: Develop plan for key points of design, discuss at next week’s meeting.

 

6. Further discussion of holding page

  • This will be technically possible but we need to be sure there is fresh content on the page e.g. a few of last year’s videos, interviews? Q. Are we willing to commit to producing enough content for this?
  • Integration of Facebook and/or Twitter is also dependant on fresh content.

 

7. AOB

  • Submissions are now closed!
  • Next week’s meetings: 01/10/13 17.45 @ PM Studios, 05/10/13 11.00 @ Cafe to watch submitted films and discuss AP: Sam to arrange collation of film files?
  • Group meetings: We need to maintain weekly meetings and email contact. If Tuesdays are a real problem we need to discuss other options via FB.
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Let’s start at the very beginning*

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Trepidation at entering into the unknown is a familiar state to most of us. Less familiar, however, is noticing that feeling dissipate within minutes of arrival. As you may expect with a group of excited and passionate young people, conversation was easy to come by. Over this past weekend, this band of strangers has turned into a bunch of the friendliest faces. Our guest speakers were a wealth of information and positivity, and our captain Hannah H sets us up with the perfect environment to learn and create.

After years at university, entangled in group meetings where hours could be spent deliberating a powerpoint layout, it was a revelation to spend bursts of time with small groups of my fellow Future Producers in which presentations and concepts were created in minutes from bouncing thoughts around the table. With each person bringing a unique skill set, I found it fascinating to discover how problems and ideas were approached differently by everyone.

This was an important realisation for me: I’m no longer worried that I don’t come from such a creative background as others – not only am I learning huge amounts, but I know my input is as valued as everyone else’s because of my past experiences, not in spite of them. For example, never would it have occurred to me that I could help shortlist a film festival programme. But I loved it! It was extremely interesting process to distance from my feelings for a piece and instead address the requirements that fit our target audience of 12-19 year-olds. Our group discussion showed how one message could mean completely different things to two people. I guess the main point here is that opinions are individual, and are meant to provoke discussion. There’s no right or wrong opinion, but through discussion we can distill them into the most appropriate course of action, or, as with the shortlisting, the best possible choices for our brief.

Aside from shortlisting, we participated in a presenting workshop to hone our pitching skills and deal with those possible (probable!) nerves. The preparation tips I picked up were of particular use, and climbing repeatedly out of my comfort zone strengthened my confidence in public speaking.

I’m genuinely excited by the potential of what the coming weeks hold for the Future Producers. Electric December interests the marketing and promotions side of me – how to engage an online audience, using face to face marketing to drive people to the website and participate, etc. Live events are a passion so I would love to co-produce a film event such an Electric December Launch party, the Encounters screenings or a launch event for the fascinating Gothic Season. I’m looking forward to finding out more.

*One less significant thought that has consumed me since Sunday: how many cooler films I could have announced as my favourite than the beloved Sound Of Music. What will my future be? I wonder…

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