About
I specialise in developing ideas and people across film and television.
I've originated, written and pitched proposals for award-winning documentaries, docu-dramas and interactive TV events for a range of UK channels including the BBC and Sky Arts. I also spent two years in NYC, pitching lifestyle formats to the US cable market.
Since 2009 I've run TVMole.com, a website that provides industry intelligence to help TV professionals and aspiring filmmakers get their programme ideas commissioned.
I've written two books to help filmmakers understand development, commissioning and funding: 'Greenlit: Developing Factual / Reality TV Ideas From Concept to Pitch' (2010) and 'Give Me the Money and I'll Shoot! Finance Your Factual TV/Film Project' (2012).
I've also contributed to:
'Trailer Mechanics: A Guide to Making Your Documentary Fundraising Trailer' by Fernanda Rossi
'The TV Presenter's Career Handbook: How to Market Yourself in TV Presenting' by Kathryn Wolf
'Competition, Gender and Management: Beyond Winning and Losing' by Jane Dennehy
And I've had interviews/articles published in industry publications including
Televisual Magazine, Broadcast, The Stage and MovieScope.
I've produced the industry panels for Televisual's Intelligent Factual Festival (2010), and am a regular speaker at universities and film festivals (Sheffield Doc/Fest, Open City Docs Fest, Northern Nights Film Festival, Televisual Intelligent Factual Festival, Broadcast Video Expo, Italian Doc Screenings, Dragon Forum). I've also spoken on best practice in mentoring at the Gender Equality in the Audiovisual Sector conference at the European Broadcasting Union in Brussels.
I currently run a prestigious mentoring scheme for WFTV aimed at mid-career level women, and an innovative new talent career development scheme for Sara Putt Associates based at Shepperton Studios.
E-learning
See which ScreenSkills e-learning Nicola Lees has completed to improve their skills and knowledge.
Experience
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New Talent, Training, Events
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WFTV Mentoring Scheme
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Founder & Editor
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Head of Development
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Head of Science Development
Education and training
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BA (Hons): First Class Media with Cultural Studies