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Meg Hughes

BA (Hons) Television Production Management

Meg Hughes stood in front of elephants.

I worked on Channel Four’s The Secret Life of the Zoo. It’s been fantastic. I’ve met so many people. Being able to work on something you loved watching makes you want to go in every day.

I’d studied film and television production at college but was undecided about what to do next. I came along to the open day at Edge Hill and the tutors were saying, ‘oh, if you like being organised and bossy, then this is the course for you’, and I thought ‘oh yes, it’s me’, and decided to join the Television Production Management degree.

I had no idea exactly what went into making television until I joined this programme. A Production Manager is the person who organises the show and so, as part of the course, we generate all the pre and post-production paperwork, including the risk assessments, location recces, schedules and contracts as if we’re going to make the programme.

You’re really encouraged to do things, so if you’ve got the opportunity to gain some practical experience you’ll be supported, as well as helped with funding. Everyone thinks that working in TV is glamorous, but it’s also hard work and long hours, as I found out when I worked on Channel Four’s The Secret Life of the Zoo.

Some days there wasn’t a lot going on, so I’d pull everything out and clean. Then other days I was rushed off my feet and getting phone calls like ‘the orangutan has escaped!’ But it’s been fantastic. I’ve met so many people. Being able to work on something you loved watching makes you want to go in every day.

The one-to-one support I’ve received has been amazing. One of the final projects is to come up with our own television idea and pitch it to industry professionals. You learn a lot having lecturers that work within the industry, they’ll tell you stories about when things went wrong. They want us to succeed, they’re like ‘go, go, go, get jobs’.

During my time at Edge Hill I made so many friends and it was great being able to walk around campus and know everyone. I think that’s a big thing that I’ll miss. You’ve just got to keep coming back though, haven’t you?