Soho Media Club launches BE YOU festival for film and TV industry

A line-up of inspiring TV and film industry trailblazers are set to take to the stage in Soho on Thursday 14 July to lead honest discussions about inclusion, diversity, talent and mental health in film and TV and challenge the status quo.
Building on the success of its monthly networking meetups, Soho Media Club has launched a one-day programme with inspiring panels, fireside chats, workshops and career meetups, as well as networking opportunities, including a Festival Party.
“Soho Media Club meet-ups have attracted a wide and diverse audience from all parts of the industry, at all levels – from students and runners, to directors, producers, editors, commissioners, CEOs and company owners. It made us realise that people in TV and film want to widen their connections, share their stories and there’s a real momentum to change things for the better. The time is right for the Be You Festival to help move the dial and celebrate the TV industry in all its diversity,” said Jaisica Lapsiwala, co-founder, Soho Media Club.

Featured speakers include:
● Ursula Macfarlane, award-winning director and executive producer, known for Untouchable, a documentary looking at the rise and fall of disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein and who has just directed the soon to be released documentary on Anna Nicole Smith.
● Teddy Nygh and Nick Bedu co-founders of Fully Focused, the UK’s leading youth-driven and youth-focused production company, will talk about creating award-winning, high impact content for and with a youth audience, including the recently launched BBC3 sitcom PRU about a pupil referral unit.
● Coky Giedroyc, award-winning TV and film director, (TV series Save Me, Harlots; feature films How To Build a Girl, upcoming Take That musical Greatest Days) and an active mentor of young women in the film industry.
● Jessica Swale, Olivier award-winning playwright, screenwriter and director (TV drama Ten Percent for Amazon, feature films Summerland, starring Gemma Arterton, and upcoming Persuasion, starring Sarah Snook). Jessica is involved in Time Up UK and the 50:50 campaign, actively campaigning for greater equality across theatre and film.
● Jules Hussey, founder, Brazen Productions, award-winning film producer (You Don’t Know Me for BBC/ Netflix, Catherine the Great for Sky/HBO) and disability campaigner who is working on the much-anticipated BBC A-Word spin-off Ralph and Katie, directed by and starring disabled talent.
● Ace Ruele, motion capture actor, Creature Bionics, one of the UK’s leading actors within the motion capture/VFX industry who has done work in titles such as The Legend of Tarzan (film), Planets Of The Apes Vr (video game), The Inpatient (video game), Daymare 1988 (video game), The Matrix Resurrection (film), and two Marvel film titles – Eternals and Antman Quantunmania.

Panel sessions include:
Holistic Diversity: Joyce Adeluwoye-Adams MBE, Editor, Newsroom Diversity, Reuters; Bella Lambourne, HR & Operations Director, Banijay and Jasmine Dotiwala, TV producer, director, reporter, discuss how to design a culture of inclusivity, equity and belonging which runs through the fabric of an organisation.
Diversity in Post: Leslie Gaston-Bird, sound mixer, Mix Messiah Productions, Balvinder Singh Sanghera, founder, Run VT and Vanessa Taylor, film & TV colourist, share their personal career journeys and shake out the hidden truths about making it as a minority in post.
Accessible Tech: Sarah Cox, founder, Neutral Human , HaZ Dulull, co-founder, HaZimation, Rhys Hancock, co-founder & MD, Metavision talk about the need for more inclusive technology, what changes need to be made and how the future of tech can be inclusive and accessible.
Mental Health: Brian Hill, BAFTA-winning director; award winner Anne Morrison, creative director, Factual Programmes, NEVISION and Dr. Lindsay Ip, child and adult clinical psychologist, discuss bullying in our industry and how you can combat mental health issues in film and TV.

There will also be the Festival Party to look forward to, which will take place at Zero One. It will feature Morris “Mo” Joseph Pleasure, Former Earth, Wind and Fire, whose professional career spans the world of American R&B and pop, through his work with Ray Charles, George Duke, Michael Jackson, Chaka Khan, Mary J Blige, Natalie Cole, David Foster and Bette Midler to name a few.