Meet the team: Ellie Gascoigne, production assistant
We talk to Ellie about her lifelong love of photography, why she’s proud of the ‘powerful’ stories shared in the podcasts we produce – and how content creators can make visuals more “engaging and exciting”.
Tell us about yourself.
I'm the production assistant at Speak Media. My role involves commissioning and producing lots of different visual and audio content, including photography and video as well as design and podcasts.
What differentiates Speak from other content agencies?
The team’s expertise and experience. Every member of the team is always pushing to find different ways to create interesting content, and is forever looking for new ideas and inspiration to figure out how we can best realise our clients’ briefs.
What has been your favourite project to work on so far?
The Parkinson's Life podcast. It's been fascinating to learn more about the condition through the production process, and to hear from people with Parkinson's about their experiences – especially the most recent podcast episode on impulsive and compulsive behaviours. I think there are some very powerful stories out there.
Tell us about your career so far.
I studied art history at university, graduating in 2018. After, I started to work at a photo archives company – I was curating images, as well as learning about the editing process and working with photographers. After that, I worked as a communications coordinator for the Photography Ethics Centre, an organisation which focuses on creating conversations about ethics within photography.
What image or video trends are on your radar at the moment?
I like to start with a simple but clever concept, and work outwards from there. Simplicity always works, particularly on social media, because people's attention is a lot more fleeting. Having moving images to catch the viewer’s attention makes the visual more exciting and engaging.
Is there a content trend that you’re not a fan of? Why?
Laziness when it comes to thinking how to represent things. It's very easy to fall into the habit of doing the same thing over and over again.
What’s your vision for Speak?
To continue pushing the kind of content we can create, by coming up with new ideas and ever more innovative ways to create content.
What motivates you to work hard?
I care a lot about the final product. When I'm looking for inspiration, I see all this amazing work out there, and I feel very driven to try to reach for that level. I think working as a part of a team is also a great driver – everyone bouncing different ideas off each other is, in itself, very motivating.
What is your proudest achievement?
I went travelling across Asia for five and half months by myself – I'd never gone travelling alone before. It was a huge leap, but it turned out to be a really great experience.
Tell us about your hobbies.
I love travelling, and photography has been a hobby of mine since I was 11 years old – I’ve recently got into film photography which has rekindled my interest. I also love art. Living in London you have access to so many different cultural activities, and exposure to new ideas and inspirations.
What does an ideal weekend look like for you?
I always enjoy going somewhere new, whether that’s within London or further afield. So, definitely going for a walk – I’ll often take my film camera with me – and meeting up with a friend for great conversation.
Quickfire Qs
Favourite word?
Zawn.
Favourite book?
Being You: A New Science of Consciousness by Anil Seth.
Favourite film or thing on TV?
‘Belfast’, directed by Kenneth Branagh.
Magazine subscription?
Want to find out how to implement a best-in-class editorial strategy that connects your organisation to your always-on audience?
Contact Gabrielle Bridle from our client services team at gabriellebridle@speakmedia.co.uk or on LinkedIn.