TIME & LOCATION
About
Chair
SPONSOR
Panel
Co-Founder 6ft From The Spotlight
Matt is a co-founder of 6ft From The Spotlight, an organisation that promotes positive working cultures across the creative industries and has pioneered the role of Wellbeing Facilitator in Film, TV, Theatre and Music. Matt is a consultant and trainer for organisations including the Film and TV Charity, Bectu, BFI, Digital Orchard, and Warner Bros Discovery. He works with the Film and TV Charity to develop the Whole Picture Toolkit, specialising in risk assessment for stress in the industry. Matt has helped to develop and implement the role of Wellbeing Facilitator across multiple productions working with the BFI, Bectu, Warner Bros, Netflix, Amazon, Disney, Pulse Films and Love Productions. He has served as a board member of the Production Guild and was the recipient of their inaugural Earl of Wessex award in 2023 for 6ft From The Spotlight’s work in Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. His Film and TV Credits include Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, Gangs of London, The Great British Bake Off, The Devil’s Hour and Douglas is Cancelled. In theatre he has worked in the West End on Frozen The Musical and the UK Tour of Beauty and The Beast. Matt joined the industry as a supplier to the Harry Potter films and the loss of one of his colleagues to suicide spurred him to change careers to improve Mental Health support in the creative industries.
Head of Production, Northern Ireland Screen
Nicola joined Northern Ireland Screen in October 2012 as Production Executive and was appointed Production Manager in June 2014 and Head of Production in December 2022. Nicola is the first point of contact for production funding enquiries and oversees physical production including locations, crews and facilities. Prior to joining Northern Ireland Screen Nicola worked in the film industry for over 20 years in London, spending 10 years with United International Pictures, the international joint venture of Paramount, Universal and MGM, and 11 years with Film Entertainment consultancy Hy Smith & Associates.
Producer
Ally Thompson is a freelance producer working in factual production and development. She started in post-production at STV, working across drama, fact ent, and news and current affairs, before moving into outside broadcasting at the BBC. In more recent years she was Course Director at the NI Film & Television School, delivering practical based courses to help prepare mature students for the transition into industry. In 2023 Ally returned to production full-time and has recently trained as a Wellbeing Facilitator and Mental Health First Aider.
Artist & Journalist
Locally born and reared Lata Sharma has enjoyed a career in the creative arts and media sector, first as a musician and actor, then as a freelance television and radio presenter/broadcaster. In recent years Lata wrote her one woman show, Sausage Sodas and Onion Bhajis, a monologue about a young Indian girl having to navigate the sectarianism, racism and cultural clashes she faced at home during the darkest days of the Troubles. Lata performed her show for six nights earlier this year and will return for another two nights in early November at the Sanctuary Theatre in East Belfast. Lata recently returned to presenting/broadcasting on BBC One’s Sunday Morning Live and on BBC Radio Ulster after a lengthy break away due to family commitments. In 2007 whilst raising her three children she became a social, culture and diversity commentator for BBC Radio Ulster and U105 as well as writing an opinion column for a local newspaper. During this last decade Lata became a diversity speaker and consultant in schools and community groups, championing representation & inclusivity for all. From her own very different ethnic, religious and cultural stance, along with growing up witnessing the sectarian violence of the Troubles, Lata recognised the importance of why the principle of finding common ground amongst those of ‘us’ from minority cultures with the local, wider community of Northern Ireland must play a vital role in leading us all to social cohesion and harmony. Lata is proud to be a new branch of the Green and Orange tree and continues to not only learn from but also to appreciate the benefits of her place of birth, as well as that of her Indian heritage and being a woman working in the media, both at local and national level.