Doc North at Creative Cities Convention

Natasha was invited to speak on the panel 'Working-Class Stories; Middle-Class Gatekeepers.' The panel included Beth Johnson, Laurence Clark and was hosted by David Leach. They discussed the challenges faced through revealing their own personal stories and talked through a few simple solutions.

David Leach started the panel saying "People outside of the bubble get locked out. Pledges and promises from indies or broadcasters has some effect and highlights the issue but policy, oversight and funding could supersize change."

Summary of Natasha's thoughts:

• To fix the class imbalance it's really important to empower those individuals and organisations that are already working within working-class communities. That way we can make a difference quickly and easily!

• It takes a LOT to build a successful career especially after being told from an early age that the creative industries aren’t for people like me or you. Imposter syndrome is real and it means that we aren't always in a position to put our best foot forward. I would urge all those decision makers to try and understand where we've come from, give us constructive criticism and give us time and space to see our full potential. 

• Pathways into the screen industries are also quite unclear, and this is especially true for the documentary sector. There are other genres that have established and clearer programmes for emerging talent but documentaries are still lagging behind.

https://www.creativecitiesconvention.com/