This content was submitted by Melissa Dyer
My name is Melissa Dyer. I am from Southampton and have been in sports TV production for over 25 years. I started my TV career at Meridian ITV when regional TV was booming. I worked in admin, assisting the controller of regional programming, and later when she became the company MD I moved with her to be her PA. I crossed over to sport to work in production and spent 12 years in total working my way across from production organiser to sports AP then to producer, working on a real raft of different sport shows for the ITV network at home and around the world. When the ITV regions merged I was made redundant and went freelance and I have never looked back. I have worked across major sports tournaments - Summer and Winter Olympic Games, World Cup Football and Rugby, Formula 1, MotoGP, Global Sailing Events to name check a few. I never went to university, so I am very proud of achieving my expert status within our industry.
Have you benefited from any ScreenSkills support so far and what motivated you to pursue this?
I wanted to give something back to the industry so during the pandemic I approached ScreenSkills to become a mentor. I was paired with a young lady who wanted to get her first job in sports broadcasting. We met on Zoom and enjoyed monthly meetings to try and help improve her network and for me to offer advice and guidance towards landing that elusive sports role.
What effect has being a mentor had on your career so far?
My time as a ScreenSkills mentor was also beneficial to me as it gave me a sense of purpose again during the pandemic. It was also an amazing time of self-reflection and a real boost to my own mental health knowing I was still being useful during my first ever period of forced unemployed!
What is the most remarkable moment or achievement of your career so far?
My proudest career moment is my longevity within the sports industry even after having two children (now nine and 12). I have been able to continue freelancing at the highest level and hold my own in a male dominant environment.
If you could give advice to someone interested in pursuing your job role or a career in the screen industries more generally, what would you say?
My advice to someone wanting to become a sports TV producer is to always be adaptable. Have an open mind about the day ahead, as sport is not scripted - it's a constantly changing environment and the outcome of your product is so unpredictable until the final whistle has blown. But if you love sport, it's the best job in the world.
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