Having previously developed and pitched a genealogy format as part of my Grierson training, this company was the perfect fit for me, boasting a slate of beloved family history series like Who Do You Think You Are and Long Lost Family. The latter of which, I had the pleasure of working on for the first two weeks of my placement.

My first day on Long Lost was mostly dedicated to familiarising myself with the series’ format. Excitingly for a TV nerd like myself, I was given access to the Researchers Manual, a handy document that detailed the production process from initial casting to post-production. As a long-time viewer of the show, it was fascinating to get this behind-the-scenes insight into just how the series is made, and I was particularly interested in how contributors were selected. Knowing this, the producers invited me to attend a casting meeting later on in my placement.

I spent the majority of my time on the series researching the historical context of adoption practices in the UK, becoming something of an expert on this niche topic by the end of the two weeks! As a naturally curious person with a constant drive to learn, I was in my element trawling through articles and reviewing historical witness testimonies. Alongside this, I also took on the challenge of logging the kind of storylines previously covered throughout the programme’s 14-series-long run, a gargantuan but fulfilling task.

I also had the opportunity to attend a Long Lost Family reunion-day shoot! For the first half of the day, I shadowed the Series Director and Crew as they interviewed the episode’s contributor, capturing his thoughts, hopes and apprehensions as he prepared to meet his long-lost family member. With emotions so high, it was lovely to see just how much the production team prioritised the welfare of the contributors, each member of the crew working to make the day as relaxed and fun as possible. Then, it was time for the moment we had all been waiting for. If you’ve watched the show and have ever experienced that sense of second-hand nervousness as the contributor first walks into the reunion room, just know that it’s even more palpable in person! You’ll have to tune into ITV to learn just how the reunion went, but it was truly a privilege to have played a part in such a special day.

Halfway through my placement, I moved onto a second production. This was a new series for National Geographic and served as an interesting point of comparison to such a well-established format as Long Lost Family. Indeed, it was super interesting to be invited into edit sessions and see how the team responded to commissioners’ notes in real time, witnessing how these small adjustments altered the overall look and feel of the show.

I was lucky enough to work with my Grierson mentor on this project, Sally Benton, who trusted me to get properly stuck in on several research tasks. These included everything from researching potential contributors for interview, to fact-checking scripts and providing transcriptions, to even helping to cast a voice-over actor to narrate the series. It felt amazing to know that I was making a valuable contribution to the production, and I was always eager to take on whatever the team threw at me!

The fact that I also got to work alongside other Grierson DocLab Alumni while at Wall to Wall surely serves as a testament to the DocLab scheme. It was so lovely (and reassuring!) to see these alumni thriving within the industry, and they were all so happy to offer their advice and guidance. Big shout out to Lucas Tong (2023 Grierson DocLab: New Entrants trainee), who showed me the ropes at Long Lost Family, and Louise Haines (2023 Grierson DocLab: Production Management trainee) who, aside from helping me take pictures for this very blog, was always on hand to help answer any industry related questions.

I’m so incredibly grateful to the trust and Wall to Wall for my placement. As cliché as it sounds, it felt like a life-changing moment for me and has given me the skills and confidence to pursue a career in the industry!