Creative Producer Lab 2023 ParticipantsMeet the North’s emerging Producers
Introducing the Creative Producer Lab 2023 participants.
Creative Producer Lab 2023 is now well underway. This year’s programme kicked off with an in-person session at Showroom Cinema, which brought together Producers in training from across the North and the Midlands.
Since then, our Lab participants have taken part in regular online sessions, and we’re excited to get the cohort back together again for in-person sessions and visits to facilities houses during Leeds International Film Festival.
We’ll also be introducing our Creative Producer Lab participants to our Script Lab 2023 cohort at a special pitching session in mid-November, where the region’s emerging Producers and Writers will have a chance to connect and discuss future projects.
First, though, we’re excited to introduce our participants to the wider industry! Read on to find out more about the class of 2023.
Amber Akaunu
Amber is a Liverpool-born Nigerian-German filmmaker working in cinema and art to document and imagine Black regional stories. Her latest film, 0151: Liverpool, Rap & Politics explores Liverpool's political past through the city's best storytellers; its rappers. Her creative practice extends to her role as co-founder and editor of ROOT-ed Zine where she works to support Black, Asian and people of colour artists in the North West of England through publishing, workshops, curating, and producing.
Caitlin Bramwell
Caitlin is a North East-based producer who began working in film as a boom operator and camera assistant in 2017. Since then, she has gained a Film and TV Production degree at Northumbria University and found her passion in producing. Caitlin has worked on various short films and creative projects, including several shorts for Sky Arts and the BFI-NETWORK funded film There Are Lights. Caitlin strives to give a voice to Northern, working class and LGBTQ+ stories.
Michael Cochran
After training in London at Raindance and Pinewood, Mike made the move from producing theatre to short films. Based just outside of Wigan, he champions young, local filmmakers telling stories that need to be told. His favourite genre is dramedy, and his current focus is on character-driven stories with young adult protagonists that are relatable and compelling, and which tell us something about society today.
Agustina Figueras
Agustina is an Italian-Argentinian writer-producer based in the North of England. She has been working in the film industry for over fifteen years in wide-ranging roles across production coordination and development. In 2013, Agustina relocated to the UK to complete a Screenwriting MA at London College of Communication (UAL) whilst also working as Production Manager at Pinball London. At Pinball, she played a central role in the successful productions Words With Gods, Uncle Howard and On the Milky Road. In 2019, Agustina was Associate Producer on the first ever British-Portuguese feature co-production, Listen - directed by Ana Rocha - which won two awards at Venice International Film Festival 2020.
Finlay Mulligan Wild
Fin is a Manchester-based producer and production manager, and the founder of Beyond Limits Media. With work spanning across commercial, online content and short-form narrative production, Fin enjoys collaborating with directors to experiment with audience perceptions and create content that entertains.
Iulia Nistor
Iulia is an aspiring creative producer with a 1st Class Honours Degree in Film and Media Production from Sheffield Hallam University. She is currently the Development Assistant at Warp Films and has been working as a Production Assistant in high-end television drama for the past 2 years, with credits including Sister Pictures’ procedural drama, Better, and Shane Meadows' harrowing period drama, The Gallows Pole. Iulia is passionate about empowering and brain-teasing storytelling, and boasts a proven track record in producing and directing short films and documentaries.
Casey Shaw
Casey is a Creative Producer based in West Yorkshire. As co-owner of the independent production company Idle Work Factory, her work aims to serve authentic, Northern stories for international audiences. In 2022, Casey produced a slate of three short films with Channel 4 - including Jordon Scott Kennedy’s Youthless, which is now in development for TV. Casey later collaborated as Associate Producer on Jack King’s BFI NETWORK-backed Predators, which premiered at BFI London Film Festival 2023. Casey is mentored by Caroline Hollick, Head of Drama at Channel 4. Casey is also Programme Leader for BA Film Production at the award-winning Met Film School.
Chim’Di Ugada
Chim'Di is a Nigerian-born filmmaker and aspiring producer with a strong passion for developing stories that reflect the rich diversity within global majority communities. Her journey began as a student when she directed and produced a short documentary: Feel the Beat: Blackpool Young Artist, which sparked her love for documentary filmmaking. Though still early in her career, Chim’Di has led the successful delivery of the Filmmaker Challenge Programme at Sheffield DocFest 2023, working alongside renowned director Kevin MacDonald, and contributed her skills as a 2nd Assistant Director on ENON Films’ Weave.
