LONDON, UK — Media agency Starcom and Channel 4 have collaborated to produce a six-part short film series titled “Brave Stories.” First launched in September 2021, the series encourages people who identify as coming from diverse backgrounds or marginalized communities to open up about their personal experiences of working in media.
They launched episodes five and six; the final installment of this six-part series highlighting the journeys of Starcom individuals in interviews with representatives from Channel 4.
In episode five, Francis Cheang, Agency Investment Lead at Channel 4 interviews Curtis Weir, OOH Group Director at Publicis Media shares his experience of being a black British man getting into and progressing in the modern media industry as well as having dyslexia. Weir goes into detail as to whether either of these has held him back in any way from progressing through his career.
Episode six features Katrin Schlenzka, Managing Partner in Starcom’s PGOne team (the dedicated client team for P&G) discussing ageism with Channel 4’s Deputy Head of Clients, Claire Peters. Schlenzka details how she doesn’t see many people over the age of 45 in the media industry and in leadership positions and how this isn’t fully representative of people in the wider world.
Nadine Young, CEO at Starcom, said, “Brave Stories has been a platform for people to talk about the experiences they have faced coming from diverse backgrounds or marginalized communities. I find it humbling that they have come forward to share such personal stories, so that others can feel safe. It doesn’t eradicate the issues that many may continue to face, but I hope this pushes us in the right direction for building a more inclusive culture in agencies and the wider industry. I’m personally very proud of this initiative and can’t wait to see where Brave Stories will take us next.”
Verica Djurdjevic, Chief Revenue Officer, Channel 4, said, “It’s so exciting to see the launch of our final few episodes, shedding light on such important topics. Through being transparent and honest about what people experience when it comes to age and ethnicity, can we only hope to pave the way for a more inclusive industry going forwards and support them with their challenges.”
The six 20-minute films can be found on Starcom UK’s YouTube channel, and Channel 4’s 4Sales website.
