Tell us a bit about your career journey and how you got to oXyFire?
I studied animation and visual effects for TV at Sheffield Hallam (the best university in the world). Alongside my studies, I worked in the Student Union as a technician, helping to stage anything from live bands to theatre productions, which ultimately gave me my first taste of live production. This was also where me and Jay first met, when we were both working on the Sheffield Hallam Sports Ball event. After uni, I freelanced for companies, including oXyFire on the animation side, and also worked for a company that specialises in AV provision and livestreaming for funerals. I joined oXyFire as a permanent team member two years ago and haven’t looked back.
What do you love about live production?
I’ve always been drawn to the rawness of live production; I love the speed and the decisions that have to be taken at any given moment. I’m naturally a planner, and I like the fact that every job requires multiple plans to cover as many scenarios as possible (My go-to phrase is ‘Plan for the worst, hope for the best’). There’s a lot of problem-solving, which I love, and how the team pulls together to get the job done.
Take us through a day in your life at oXyFire
Clearly no two days are the same, but I would say that most start the same way: admin and coffee! As we now work across multiple timezones, I start by catching up on any changes or updates that might have come in overnight. The strength of the coffee tends to reflect how busy the inbox is!
Then, it could be an afternoon of kit maintenance, prepping for upcoming jobs and looking at our data storage strategy. We’ve recently moved to new warehousing and office space, so it’s been a lot of work getting the strategy and the processes right at the start to make sure we operate as efficiently as possible. Never the same and never quiet!
What keeps you coming back for the next challenge?
Challenge is the right word here. If the work was boring, we’d soon tire of it. Live production is always going to offer something that tests you. I’m always looking for the next problem to solve.
What’s your most favourite production to date?
My favourite event has to be ‘Forge’. A brand new conference in the north for Business leaders. We had the privilege of working with the founder who really gets the importance of combining visual storytelling, wow factor and reliability. Giving us a blank canvas to incorporate all the little things that you think ‘would be nice’ on other conferences where you inherit systems.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
I love theatre (BTTF the musical and The Play That Goes Wrong are particular favourites) and cinema. Anything character driven, with a great story.
Quick fire
What’s your go-to karaoke song?
‘Gotta go my own way’ from High School Musical (but I do both parts)
Which TV show could you happily watch forever?
Friends (Could I BE any more stereotypical millennial)
What’s the strangest thing currently on your desk?
A device that takes power from two v-lock batteries and powers a small POE switch (very nerdy, but a good new addition to our redundancy chain on events)
Pineapple on pizza: yes or no?
Sometimes I have pizza with just pineapple on it !!
