What kind of projects attract you?
Anything with an emotional core that grabs me. The project needs to stack up in my head commercially as well, but it’s the initial gut reaction that determines whether I invest my time. I work with a producing partner, Francine Heywood, so she also has to see the potential in a project for us to take it on. I’ve also recently completed the NFTS/ Script Factory Script Development diploma which has given me tools to look at projects objectively as well as subjectively, and made me much more realistic about how long the development phase might take.

You can produce the film of your dreams. What and who would that entail?
I honestly think that producing my first fiction feature, something I have worked on from the beginning and see through to the bitter end, will fulfill a lot of the dreams I have had since childhood. Doubtless I won’t want to stop there, but it’s such a huge hurdle to cross that it’s the main goal I have in sight at the moment.

What’s the best advice you’ve been given?
Everything will take longer than you expect. This was hard for me to accept, coming from a business background where things just get done, but I am learning the art of patience and often interesting opportunities arise when things are more protracted. The other warning I received was to remember that the producer is generally the last person to get paid, and that part has certainly been true!

Tell us the most significant moment in your career.
I think the hurdle from shorts to features is enormous and am a huge believer in learning by doing. Getting my first feature producing credit on Sons of Cuba has been an amazing journey, which has subsequently opened all kinds of doors to us as a producing team that otherwise would have been ajar at best. The icing on the cake was attending the BIFAs 2009 with a nominated film!

You’ll die happy when…
I am earning my living entirely from the film industry and haven’t totally sacrificed family life in the process.