麻豆约拍

Andy Gilbert, whose company Gilbey Films makes the 麻豆约拍 diversity showreels, has just made it to the final three of the . Andy was formerly of this parish, as series producer of Match of the Day.

I’m extremely flattered to have made it to the last three of this award, but I don’t really think of myself as an entrepreneur. I’m not at all like the people you see on The Apprentice – loud, extrovert, teeming with self-confidence. But being disabled has given me a certain inner strength and quiet resolve which has helped me at every turn. The biggest issue you have to overcome is negative expectations. Like many disabled people, you find you have to work harder than everyone else to get noticed for what you can do, rather than for your disability.

I contracted polio as a baby and when I was growing up I used swimming as rehab, and I loved it. Encouraged by my parents I trained every day and worked my way up to international level. Selected for Team GB, I swam at the Paralympics in New York and Seoul, peaking with a silver and two bronze medals at the latter.

My disability and the Paralympics have had a profound effect on my life. After retiring from sport and finishing university I had – what was then - a job for life working in insurance. I took some holiday to go with my girlfriend (now wife) to the Barcelona Paralympics in 1992. She was working as a reporter for the World Service and I offered to help out with research. There was so much demand, with different outlets wanting material at the same time, that I ended up doing live interviews with the African Service. It was so exciting, I was hooked – enough of insurance, it was time to try to carve out a career in broadcasting. The wonderful , a woman who gave so many people a helping hand, was managing at the time. She gave me my first break, a three-month attachment at Ceefax, and so began my 麻豆约拍 career...

I was heart-broken when, after 16 years working for 麻豆约拍 Sport, the department moved to Salford. I know it’s a cliché, but being the series producer of Match of the Day was a childhood dream come true. They say that dream jobs can turn out to be a disappointment, but not this one. The team was incredible, combining knowledge and expertise with humour and comradery, and I had never been happier. We would work hard during the week to get everything in place for Saturday. The commentators, the reporters, the outside broadcast units, the ISDN lines, VT suites, editors, assistant producers - all coming together to produce an hour and a half of live TV.

On Saturday, I would arrive and head for the Green tea bar, which was often a surreal experience. Queueing up for a bacon buttie behind Moira Stuart, Vic Reeves and someone dressed up as a hotdog was, for me, at its very best. And then there was TC5, home of Football Focus, Final Score and Match of the Day, with the fantastic production office resplendent with a bank of monitors with feeds from every ground. From my desk I could speak to the producers and commentators at each match as well as the VT suites in Stage 5. On the sofas in front of me, Gary Lineker, Alan Hansen, Alan Shearer or Lawro would sit watching the footballing narrative unfold. Gary and the programme editor would decide how to tell the story later that night - the running order, the talking points, the length of each match edit – and I would organise the logistics. Being in TVC added to the excitement. I loved the fact that when , he’d pop into the production office to check out the scores and show off his sequins at the same time.

There is nothing quite as thrilling as taking control and directing a live programme – coming on air,  cueing presenters, running VT and handing back to network. Outwardly calm, inside your heart is pumping, adrenaline coursing through your veins. I didn’t make the move to Salford, and so directed  the last football shows from Television Centre. I remember how sad I felt wandering down onto the studio floor and sitting on the sofa, having quite literally turned the lights off on MOTD from London.

When I took redundancy I decided to move away from broadcasting and set up my own production company. There was one small bit of unfinished business though, London 2012, the biggest Paralympics ever and on my home turf. I was thrilled to be asked to direct Channel 4’s main Paralympic show with Clare Balding and Ade Adepitan. It was a great way to end my TV directing career.

And now my story continues with Gilbey Films – ‘Gilbey’ being my 麻豆约拍 Sport nickname. We make short films for businesses, venues and attractions - from the Houses of Parliament to London Zoo -  showcasing their disability access provision. So many places have invested extraordinary amounts of money into making their places accessible, but very few have been shrewd enough to market themselves effectively to disabled people. It’s a massive market and makes great business sense. And knowing the value of disabled talent we employ disabled people in front of and behind camera.

I was so happy when we were asked to make diversity showreels for 麻豆约拍 TV. These films are a snapshot of some of the ways that producers have chosen to represent the diversity of modern Britain. We’ve been making them for a few years now and I’ve noticed a change with different voices, stories and perspectives emerging. And of course I’m particularly pleased to see new pundits on the Sport team, and the way that women’s football has been elevated in the public consciousness is fantastic. As well as great improvements on-screen, it’s good to know the 麻豆约拍 is aiming to diversify its workforce. Diverse people in production is crucial to making portrayal authentic.

I’m delighted, but rather surprised, to have made it to the Stelios Award final and feel nervous about the Dragon’s Den-style grilling that awaits me. I may not be the typical entrepreneur, but I know that being disabled has given me resolve, sharpened my gut instincts and helped me along the way. And of course, having dreams and daring to follow them has been key. 

Andy Gilbert is Company Founder, Gilbey Films