As a new term kicked off with the return of BBC drama Waterloo Road last week, behind the scenes a new wave of Northern TV talent is emerging through a production trainee scheme on the show.
Forming part of the BBC’s commitment to develop and nurture new talent in the North of England, Rope Ladder Fiction and Wall to Wall Media established a major production base in Greater Manchester to produce the series.
To pave the way for the next wave of TV production talent in the North, The BBC’s Waterloo Road trainee scheme is a hands-on programme, supporting eager trainees from Greater Manchester into the industry with opportunities to work across various departments such as directing, cameras, sound, accounts, Covid coordinating and script editing.
Zane Igbe and Sabbina Aslam, two former trainees on the scheme, are now full-time employees working on the show after completing a six-month placement. The scheme, which has had 20 trainees since launching, is led by the teams at both Rope Ladder Fiction and Wall to Wall Media, and supported by Screen Manchester and HOME Manchester.
Sabbina Aslam initially went to university to study film and media production but struggled to find a way into the TV world when Covid hit.
