Katie Ripley

Current Employer/Organisation Name

ITV Studios

What have you been doing since leaving Exeter, and what are you doing now?

Since leaving Exeter, I have been working in television production. Beginning my career as an Office Runner at a production house I later had my first experience on a studio set as a Day Runner.

After more hands on experience on set and networking I progressed to a Production Runner on several productions ranging from Studio to On Location productions. Deciding to follow the Production Management route, I later joined ITV where I am now a Production Coordinator and have worked on incredible shows including Love Island, Dancing on Ice, and other brand new formats.

Why did you choose this career? And what do you enjoy most about your work?

After studying Drama at Exeter I knew I wanted to pursue a career in the media industry. I attended an Exeter careers day at a production company in Plymouth; speaking directly with team members gave me a real insight into working in production. That experience encouraged me to explore routes into the industry and ultimately led to my career.

What I enjoy most about my work is the variety and how no production is the same. One month I could be looking into creating a minibus system to transport cast and crew in and out of site, and the next I could be working in the Love Island Villa planning the logistics for the arrival of the next Islander. The mix of problem-solving, working across various teams and departments, and being part of creating major television shows is what makes the role so rewarding – that and seeing my name in the credits!

Please tell us if you were a member of any societies, groups or sports clubs?

Whilst at Exeter I was a member of the Exeter University of Theatre Company (EUTCo)

What did you enjoy most about your programme and what was the biggest highlight?

What I enjoyed most about my programme was how collaborative it was and how consistently encouraged and supported we were throughout. We were able to create innovative work from a blank canvas shaped through discussion, experimentation, and trial and error which was both a challenging and creatively rewarding process.

The biggest highlight was always performing our finished piece to the lecturers and our peers. It was so rewarding to finally share the work and see all the weeks of hard work, early morning rehearsals and development come together.

What did you most enjoy about studying here?

The mix of the fantastic Drama studios and facilities, being based on a campus in a vibrant city, and meeting incredible people!

Why did you choose to study at Exeter?

I chose to study at Exeter because from the audition day it stood out as the only university where I felt truly inspired by the lecturers with their passion for the course and their respective fields of research.

What skills and experiences have been most useful for your career?

My degree has been incredibly useful in helping me become open minded and adaptable, particularly when it comes to problem solving. I was encouraged to think creatively when faced with obstacles and to stay flexible when plans change.

This has been invaluable in my career in television, where ideas can switch suddenly or locations fall through at the last minute. Being able to think quickly on my feet, adapt to new situations and find alternative ways of working while still achieving the desired outcome is a skill I use every day in my career.

What advice would you give to a current student who wishes to pursue your career?

Don’t worry about having lots of “industry-specific” experience when you’re starting out. You likely already have many key transferable skills that are essential for Runner positions, which are a great way to gain an understanding of different departments and the types of productions you may want to work on as you progress.

Focus on highlighting experiences where you’ve stayed calm under pressure, shown initiative to get tasks done, and successfully managed multiple tasks with competing priorities. These skills are highly valued and will be crucial as you begin your career.

What are your plans for the future?

There is so much within television still to experience and before moving further up through Production Management I would like to continue working on a wide variety of formats and productions, both already established and new. I’m really enjoying the experiences I’ve had so far and look forward to expanding my experience to become a strong, well rounded Production Coordinator in preparation for the next stage of my career.