Jamie McBrien - TV Freelancer

DV Director / Shooting Assistant Producer / Drone Operator

Experience in finding stories, detailed research, casting contributors, scripting, sound recording, managing multiple GoPros, press photography, data wrangling, edit assisting and archive clearing.

Confident shooting and directing observational documentary, VTs, in studios, interview set ups, and location GVs

I have worked in a variety of genres for many different independent production companies and broadcasters, and have left many colleagues with very positive things to say about both my work and my character.

Here are some things I have worked on;

Our Tiny Islands - Shooting Producer/Director and Drone Operator - Channel 4 - Tern TV

I was a Self-Shooting Producer / Director on the second series of Our Tiny Islands after working as an AP on the first series.

Responsibilities included researching various islands around the U.K. and Ireland, finding stories, casting contributors, writing shooting scripts, directing and shooting on location, and drone operating. I was also offered the chance to work as an Edit Producer on the programme, using Avid to assemble sequences, write scripts and temp VO. A personal favourite job!

Girl Fight - Assistant Producer & Drone Operator - BBCNI - Below The Radar

I worked on this observational documentary series about a group of young female Mixed Martial Arts fighters based at the prestigious Next Generation Gym in Ballymena. It was a fascinating world to have the privilege of embedding in over the course of several months - the world of MMA is filled with some of the scariest and simultaneously kindest people I have ever met!

I worked as an Assistant Producer on the series. I was responsible for casting, researching and developing stories with contributors, gaining access to fight events, camera and Go Pro operating, sound recording, drone operating, production paperwork, assisting with edit producing, and the stills photography used on iPlayer.

Anna Haugh's Big Irish Food Tour - Assistant Producer & Drone Op - BBC2 - Below The Radar

I was a part of a large crew making this 15 episode series featuring stunning locations all around Ireland and amazing celebrity guests including Carl Frampton, Katherine Ryan, Ed Byrne, Pauline McLynn, Ian McElhinney, Dennis Taylor, Shayne Ward, and Angela Scanlon. I helped cast our wonderful food producers and set up the shoots, was one of the camera operators on location, shot all the drone in the series, and also was the sole data wrangler of multiple cameras

High Road, Low Road Series Three - Assistant Producer - RTÉ - Green Inc.

I was responsible for setting up the shoots for this travel series featuring two celebrities experiencing the same city from vastly different price points. I negotiated access with restaurants, tour guides, attractions, high-end hotels and hostels to allow us to film in their establishment, planned out the logistics and schedules for the two different crews, organised all the production paperwork, and also assisted on shoots in Lanzarote and Valencia

Belfast Midwives - Assistant Producer - Channel 4 - Lion TV

I was art of a team documenting newly qualified Midwives in Belfast's Royal Jubilee

Maternity Hospital for primetime Channel 4 series. I helped cast the midwives and mothers,

maintained relationships, and sound recording on busy, high-stakes wards with often sensitive contributors and strict medical compliance guidelines

Farm To Feast: Best Menu Wins - VT Director - BBCNI - Stellify Media

Researched, cast, set up, and shot ten VT Inserts showcasing various food products grown in Northern Ireland that were featured in a cooking competition programme hosted by Eamonn Holmes. Worked with the food judges to select the foods that would be used and filmed the VTs used in the programme, and also helped manage the contributors during the main studio record in Crom Castle and operated additional cameras

Springwatch / Autumnwatch / Winterwatch - Edit Assistant - BBC Natural History Unit

When the Springwatch team set up in Castle Espie in 2021 I was responsible for wrangling, ingesting, and cataloguing multiple cards a day from several different camera types, including VT footage, macro lens, long lens, remote cams, User Generated Content, and archive. I also assisted during the live broadcasts from Castle Espie, and filmed wildlife on the remote cameras in wildlife hides.

The Hotel People - Assistant Producer and Drone Operator - BBCNI - Waddell Media

I spent months in the luxury hotels of the Hastings Group around Northern Ireland for this 8 x One Hour Obs-Doc series for BBC2 airing in 2022. Following multiple characters throughout the management hierarchy as they reopen after lockdown and try to cope with multiple staffing issues. I dealt with contributors, managed our team’s schedule, recorded sound, filmed many sequences (including Chelsea F.C.’s stay in the Culloden Hotel) drone operating, stills photography, release form management, and helped paper edit the eight episodes featuring multiple stories.

The One Show - VT Researcher - BBC - BBC Studios

I really cut my teeth in TV while making insert films for The One Show for close to a year for BBC Studios. I researched and set up several 4-5 minute VTs, including Waggy Races, The End of the Mart, Mrs. Brown's Boys Done Good, Loughareema: The Vanishing Lake, and Ulster Orchestra's Corona Chorus. I also worked on development, archive clearing, script writing, paper editing and interviewing.

The quick turnaround, low budgets and high expectations were a great education and preparation for the world of TV!

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Jamie McBrien - TV Freelancer

Let's have a chat - You can contact me at;

Jamiemcbrien21@gmail.com / 07923659480