About me
Natalie is a Lecturer in Television Documentary Journalism, Production and Directing. She joined in 2023 and is a multi-skilled self-shooting Producer/Director and Edit Producer specialised in prime-time award-winning TV documentaries in factual and un-scripted content for major UK broadcasters. Natalie is highly experienced in complex editorial and compliance-heavy observational documentaries with sensitive access including Directing on fixed-rig returnables like 24 Hours in Police Custody (Channel 4) and Ambulance (BBC One), as Series Director on the Popular-Factual series A Very British Country House (Channel 4), Specialist-Factual series Claridge’s The Mayfair Hotel Megabuild (BBC Two) and shooting single documentary films like Sue Bourne’s A Time To Live (BBC Two).
From capturing fast-paced actuality, producing contributors and directing scenes, jib or drone shoots, to working as a lighting camera op for master interviews or stylised shots, Natalie shares her technical experience as well as her knowledge of current broadcasting trends. With a deep understanding of equipment, editorial policy and storytelling devices for modern audiences, major broadcasters and SVoDs, Natalie’s passion lies in telling stories with impact that audiences want to watch and promoting sustainability, diversity and inclusion in productions and on screen.
Natalie has worked across all stages of a production from ideas development, access, casting, writing scripts and schedules, filming (on location or in a studio) onto post-production in the edit, voice overs and the delivery of major TV documentary films. She has negotiated access and built trust with contributors to film a range of people, events, and organisations including celebrities, the aristocracy, and the UK Royal Family. Covering institutions including police forces and frontline NHS hospitals to luxury hotels, palaces, castles and private estates. From the richest parts of the UK to the most deprived, Natalie has planned shoots for large teams and as the sole Director on location.
Through her commitment to the students’ industry-focused learning, Natalie attends industry events across the year, including Sheffield DocFest (International Documentary and Feature-Doc Conference) and the Edinburgh TV Festival to keep up to date and connected with the latest trends, debates, issues and opportunities for the next generation of the television workforce and content-creators of today.
Teaching
Confident with a range of cameras, lenses and recording equipment, Natalie is also experienced with using Avid and Adobe Premiere Pro. Her teaching focuses on filming/self-shooting, research planning, access, ethics and building the narrative and story-telling devices unique to a production, developing key visual concepts, tools and characters to create an engaging and successful programme for the audience and broadcaster. A keen focus is on the health, safety and welfare of all members of the team and contributors as well as covering broadcast codes of conduct, compliance and editorial policies.
Natalie is experienced in single camera shooting, multi-camera shoots with crew, working with talent/presenters and contributors on location, in studio set-up environments and with 4K workflows. From self-shooting actuality, master interviews, gallery directing and fixed-rig productions, Natalie’s work has also included studio entertainment and live OB events coverage.
Having worked with award-winning crew and Directors throughout her career, Natalie enjoyed a BAFTA preview for a documentary she filmed for the legendary Sue Bourne, and a 90-minute-special documentary, part of a landmark series, she shot received a Grierson Awards nomination.
Before a career in television, Natalie ran an award-winning social enterprise for five years, producing multi-platform content and over five-hundred hours of live radio broadcasts while providing training and industry experience for undergraduates and postgraduates and the wider-community. She was a national finalist in a UK competition for new digital-content creators and awarded a ‘Creative Enterprise Award’ for work supporting individuals gain professional industry experience and providing a platform to showcase their talents and skills on.
Natalie has always mentored new entrants in the industry, particularly those from a spectrum of under-represented groups. Mentoring, teaching and nurturing the next generation of content-creators across a range of creative industries including television, photography, radio, creative business enterprise, music, events and studio production. Natalie has formerly been a practitioner for Media Production workshops and a mentor to those entering the industry through the Edinburgh TV Festival The Network and BFI's Rising Stars in Film and TV training schemes. It is this experience, along with her passion for supporting people who want to learn industry skills and develop knowledge, that this role as Lecturer really excites her.