Throughout my first week at The Garden I found myself immersed in the exciting projects the Police Custody team had been working on. With the series largely in its post-production phase, I had the opportunity to watch a number of unreleased episodes, in order to bring myself up to speed with the series so far. Not only was this a fantastic learning opportunity, but it was a real privilege to watch these brilliant episodes before they reach the nations TV screens.

A particular highlight of this week came with the opportunity to join two producers on location. Observing them was a fantastic learning experience, I was particularly struck by the way in which they engaged with the local community with a tremendous degree of sensitivity and care. Throughout the day I also had the opportunity to visit the police major crime unit that the show work with. It goes without saying that the access Police Custody has is incredible, and my appreciation for this only grew throughout my placement.

The next two weeks at The Garden flew by as I began to engage more heavily with tasks assigned to me at the office. I spent a significant portion of my time researching episode-specific topics to assist during meetings and statistical research used for creating end cards. As someone with a passion for learning, these opportunities to research a variety of topics are something I have grown a strong appreciation for while working in this industry. Beyond research work, I also created a number of documents which would be used to assist editors and producers in post-production, such as ‘frame-by-frame’ spreadsheets.

On two occasions I also had the privilege to sit in with two online editors for the show. It was fascinating to observe their process, particularly during their trialling of new AI graphics, and I was amazed by the level of detail that they worked to. Undoubtedly, the second and third weeks at The Garden were invaluable experiences for expanding my knowledge and interest in the post-production process.

My final week working on Police Custody was certainly a highlight of my placement. I began the week by assisting a producer with filming GV’s. Unlike many of the fast-paced and single-take shots featured across Police Custody, by nature GV’s are significantly less time sensitive. Because of this, the producer took the time to show me the process of filming GV’s as well as how to use the Sony FX6. It was a beautifully sunny day and an incredibly invaluable experience.

During this week, I was also invited to attend two online viewings for the episode Murder on Prescription ahead of its broadcast. Online viewings take place in the final stages of an episodes creation and are an opportunity for producers, production managers and the editor to come together to collectively review the episode and make any final adjustments. Whenever you are the most junior person in the room, it can initially feel daunting to make your voice heard. However, I quickly realised that my opinion was equally valued and respected, I felt listened to, and some of my suggestions were even actioned.

In the final days of my placement I attended a court hearing for a case that the show is following. The trip proved to be an incredibly important experience which brought to life everything I had been working on over the last month. When working at a distance from the action, observing through a screen, it can sometimes feel easy to forget that these are not fictional stories, but the lives of real people. It was during this moment, I was reminded that this is a show that has the opportunity to make a real change in the world, and this is something I feel immensely proud to have been a part of.

Words cannot express my gratitude to The Garden for affording me this opportunity. My time working on Police Custody was invaluable, offering me diverse experiences across areas of production and post-production. Wherein, I gained valuable insight into the process behind creating a TV show as well as clarifying the areas of the industry I would like to pursue further.