Radiocentre Young Audio Masterclass – getting started in the audio industry

Sometimes it seems like everyone in the world wants a career in media and it can feel as if your chances of being one of the lucky ones to make the dream a reality are depressingly slim.

But if you ask people who’ve made it how they got there, what you’ll discover is there’s no set path to success – and there are plenty of things you can do to maximise the likelihood that you’ll make it too.

Radiocentre’s Young Audio Masterclass looked at what it takes to break into audio featuring four people who are forging successful careers in presenting and producing. From interviewing celebs live on air and helping make David Tennant’s smash hit podcast to meeting Denzel Washington (he’s a really nice guy you’ll be glad to hear), the guests’ experiences run the gamut of audio careers and they shared their stories of breaking into the sector, as well as answering audience questions.

Swarzy Macaly, presenter at KISS and voice of BBC Sounds, has a particularly inspiring story for anyone who’s been told that it all comes down to who you know. She had no connection to the media world or even a plan to pursue a career in radio, but her boyfriend encouraged her to take part in the 2016 KISS Chosen One competition. She won – an outcome that is no surprise to anyone who’s heard her work, but Swarzy was amazed at the news herself.

The second presenter to feature in the masterclass was Remel London, who has her own show on Capital Xtra as well as working in television and podcasting, and as a voiceover artist.

Her route into the industry was more traditional – she studied broadcast journalism at the University of Leeds, one of the most respected media schools in the country. People often talk about making the most out of every opportunity, but Remel truly embraced this advice. While she was at university she was involved in student radio, and on graduation ‘YouTube was my everything,’ as she puts it.

The final two members of the panel both work as producers. Rozeena Barnard is a producer on legendary DJ Steve Wright’s BBC Radio 2 show and Darby Dorras has worked his way up to executive producer at the UK’s largest audio production company, Somethin’ Else.

While the four panellists had quite different starts, several themes did emerge as the host George Butler, radio presenter and Radiocentre’s head of marketing, drilled deeper into their experiences.

Swarzy, for example, echoed Darby’s experience about the value of shadowing people. As a complete novice when she landed her first presenting role, she cheerfully admits she had a lot to learn.

‘I had training twice a week but it was shadowing people that really taught me,’ she says. ‘My advice is to shadow people who are way ahead of you because you learn much more that way.’

And like Remel, producer Rozeena reminded attendees of the value of getting involved in extracurricular activities alongside formal education. Having ended up in radio after studying theatre with an eye to teaching, Rozeena says: ‘Make the most of the opportunities at university, do as much as you can. That’s what’s valuable in interviews more than talking about what you learned in a certain module.’

When it came to the best advice the panellists had received, the answers were both diverse and illuminating.

‘Be tenacious and don’t take no for an answer. Believe in yourself and your ideas,’ was the tip that Darby shared. It is this advice that has helped him realise that an idea being rejected isn’t the end – it can be an important part of the process.

Swarzy best advice also has self-belief at its core. ‘Someone told me you need to be indispensable. What can you do that no one else can do as well?’ It’s this quality that helps you stand out in an industry that is saturated with talent, she believes. And on a simple, practical note: listen back to yourself with a critical ear. It’s the best way to get better.

For Remel, keeping your eye on the bigger goal is a great tactic. Speaking specifically to those with presenting ambitions, she said: ‘If you’re making a showreel or an audio reel, include the content you want people to see in your future. It’s great to get anything for practice but what goes in your reel has to be the very best of you and reflect what you want to come to you.’ It’s practical advice – you won’t get invited to audition for sports shows if your reel is all about music, she pointed out.

Rozeena’s advice was to do with the way of working. ‘Start work early, get things done, don’t leave it to the last minute,’ she says. And the experience of producing a live radio show has also left her with a belief in being prepared – it’s not just for Boy Scouts.

Questions from the audience were wide ranging, one query focused on the impact that lockdown has had on work experience opportunities. Remel had an upbeat take even though she has had jobs cancelled because of the pandemic.

‘Now is the time to get creative,’ she says. ‘I personally have been using this time to research, learn more about the industry, do my podcast … I’ve also been networking – not physically of course, we can’t, but there’s so much online.’

And she urged attendees to remember that things will change. ‘There will be opportunities again, so get ready, by creating content, drafting pitches. Use your time well and don’t let lockdown stop you from being you. If you’ve got an idea push on with it, everything has its season,’ she said.

As the conversation wrapped up, George raised the issue of how radio can fulfil its role of truly reflecting the diversity of voices in this country in its output – an issue that all the panellists are passionate about.

‘As a radio station, we’re in people’s daily lives. We need to show the world we live in as it is,’ Rozeena said about her work at BBC Radio 2.

Remel goes a step further, by hosting her own podcast, The Mainstream, about getting into the industry and featuring many guests who are Black or from minority backgrounds – the likes of Mo Gilligan and Clara Amfo, to name just two.

And Swarzy reminded us that it’s not just about the voices we hear. ‘Black people are missing at a leadership level,’ she reminded attendees. ‘It’s about diversifying radio all the way through.’