Focus on Film: Graduate Katie on going from Sunderland to the Cobbles… and beyond

Published on 11, November, 2024

Name: Katie Stubbs

Current job: Freelance Assistant Director and Actor for Theatre and Film and TV

University course studied: BA (Hons) Screen Performance

Age: 24

City/town of origin: Sunderland

Social media handle(s):

Instagram: katie_aliceee_ 

X: @Katie_alicee  

LinkedIn: Katie Stubbs

Tell us a little bit about your current job in the film/TV/media industry and what it involves day to day.

I work mainly between theatre and TV as an assistant director and actress. My recent credits include Coronation Street (ITV), Car SOS (Warner Bros Discovery), Aneeshwars Outdoor Adventures (Milkshake/Channel 5), Cooking with the Gills (Milkshake) and The Dumping Ground (CBBC). As a third assistant director (AD), my daily role includes setting supporting artists (Background), coordinating extras, preparing and cuing and directing them in any background action, coordinating action vehicles, liaising with location team to lock off set / stop the public from walking onto set, organising transport to and from set and being the first AD’s POC (point of contact). I also organise the cast and crew and make sure the actors are on set at the correct times. As an actress, I have just finished acting in a brand-new children’s TV series for Milkshake/Channel 5 set to air in 2025.

What is the best thing about your current job?

I love that every day is different. I meet new people every week and travel at least twice a month for different jobs. I love the creative freedom my job brings, and it never really feels like work to me. I have many different skills meaning I can jump from job to job. I also really enjoy working between theatre and Film and TV as they are both different.

How do you think your course at the University of Sunderland helped has helped you move into your chosen career?

I was lucky enough to be successful in gaining a place on the mentor scheme with Lord David Puttnam, where I wrote, directed and edited my own short film Covid-19 Behind Closed Doors. Throughout the pre-production of the making of the film, I received feedback and one-to-one sessions from Lord Puttnam which influenced the final completed version of my short film. I believe working with Lord Puttnam helped me in gaining my first runner role in the AD department as having the credit on my CV set me apart from those applying with just a degree. I also took part in a Live TV module during my first and second year which helped me to test out my first AD and directing skills for live TV, leading me to gain a greater depth of knowledge of how a live TV set runs and the general crew roles on set. This module also encouraged me to be more creative and confident when it came to stepping onto a real-life set. I also received support through the University’s the Futures Fund Graduate Development scholarship in 2022, which was invaluable in helping me develop my career.

What made you choose the University of Sunderland?

The University was one of the two universities in the country which offered the Screen Performance course. It also offers a great deal in terms of TV Production with modules specific to TV and training in departments such as steady cam, sound and lighting. Also being able to hire out equipment and create film outside of the course was also a bonus.

What did you enjoy most about your time at the University of Sunderland – and what did you enjoy least?

I really enjoyed the freedom to choose modules. This meant I was able to study modules I was genuinely interested in and wanted to grow in. I really enjoyed the musical theatre modules in second and third year. We performed a production of Sister Act where I played Mother Superior. I also loved the live TV module and the creative freedom to look at an episode of Coronation Street and direct the overall movement of the cameras while delving into the characters and working on the blocking and characterisation of each scene.

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Are you excited about the future of film/TV/media in Sunderland and the north-east?

I am so excited about the future of film and TV in Sunderland, particularly now that the new Crown Works Studios are being built which will bring more jobs for people living in the region. There is a great deal of creatives in the north-east working really hard to get more features and dramas commissioned locally.

What are your hopes for the future in terms of your career?

In the future I hope to continue working my way up to ladder in the AD department and hopefully the hard work will pay off and I’ll get to direct one day. I also can’t wait for the Milkshake TV series to air in the new year and hopefully I’ll be able to work on more shows as an actress in the coming years.

How did your University experience change you?

The University is where I really found my passion and realised it was possible to have a career in the industry if I kept working hard enough. The staff and lecturers were very helpful in allowing me to start working in the industry alongside my studies which I couldn’t have done successfully without their help.

Who would be your dream three film stars to have in one of your productions and why?

I would love to work with Jodie Comer, Angelina Jolie and James McAvoy as they are all amazing actors who I’ve looked up to and been inspired by from a young age.

What advice would you give someone wanting to pursue a career in the film/TV/media industry?

Start now. Gain as much experience as you can outside of university. Create a CV and apply for roles whether it be as a runner or as an actor for a youth theatre. I owe a lot to Performers Stage School, Westovian Theatre Society, The Customs House summer school and Suzanne Richardson’s Singing Academy who helped me gain my confidence when it came to performing and to my family for encouraging me constantly with my short filmmaking and acting. The more experience you gain before you leave education the better, it will set you up a step ahead. And most importantly believe in yourself, you can do it. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.

In the subject rankings, the Guardian University Guide 2025 has placed the University of Sunderland fifth for Film Production in the UK.

For more information on studying Film Production at the University of Sunderland, click here.

For Screen Performance, click here.