Stepping Stones: NEP UK camera assistant Leanne Lewis on not giving up and aiming high

Camera assistant Leanne Lewis working on the NEP UK production of Major League Baseball in London

Leanne Lewis, a camera assistant at NEP UK, has worked on some amazing productions over the time she has been pursuing a career as a camera operator. Despite facing major set backs after a car accident which meant she needed to change her job for a while, she is now back on track and enthusiastic about her five year plan. Stepping Stones is a series of features that showcase young inspirational people working in sports broadcasting.

What is your job role today and what do you love about it?

My job title at NEP is camera assistant, and I have been with the company for three years.  There are many things to love about my role: the variety of jobs I get to work on, the incredible people I get to work with, the different locations I travel to and, of course, fulfilling my ambition to work in cameras.

I’ve had the opportunity to work on some amazing productions, including The Championships at Wimbledon, Extreme E, World Athletics Championships, Squid Game: The Challenge, and many more, all of which have been facilitated by NEP.

While working with cameras is the highlight of my role, I also enjoy the process that goes into making a production. From setting up the cameras and trouble-shooting any issues that arise to filming the content and de-rigging, making sure all equipment is packed away properly. I take great satisfaction in seeing a project through from start to finish.

What does your current job entail on a day to day basis?

My day to day work can vary quite a lot. Usually on site, I will assist the technical manager, camera supervisor, camera guarantee, and the camera department with all camera-related duties. This includes labelling kit, rigging equipment on a wide range of mounts, and fitting lenses onto a variety of cameras. As a department, we work together to rig all the camera equipment and troubleshoot any issues, whether that’s fixing problems or replacing broken or faulty kit.

I also collaborate with other departments, such as sound and vision, to make sure everything is working and ready for the TX. This involves performing system checks on the cameras, ensuring tally lights, returns, programme sound and comms are all working correctly. When assisting, I am usually stationed at the truck with the kit. I will have a radio to hand so I can hear the director and engineering comms. This allows me to stay alert for any problems and be ready to resolve them as they arise.

During TX, I prepare the kit for the derig by taking boxes off the truck and organising them in an order that is easy for the camera operators to locate and pack away. I will also assist in derigging the cameras and transporting kit back to the tender.

When we are at base, we prep and load camera equipment onto the tenders, making sure they have everything needed for upcoming jobs. We also help with the maintenance of kit, ensuring faulty kit gets taken off to be repaired.

NEP UK camera assistant Leanne Lewis operating a Sony Z750 Camera with a CJ45 lens at the Extreme E Desert X Prix

Can you talk us through your relevant education that helped you break into the sports broadcasting industry?

I studied TV Production at Southampton Solent University. I gained valuable knowledge on the course, but I would say the work experience I undertook was key in building my experience and securing employment in the future.  You learn the most from being in the actual working environment.

While at University, I gained work experience at Glastonbury, Camp Bestival and Bestival festivals, where I learned a lot about rigging and derigging while also gaining experience operating camera equipment. I developed a strong understanding of framing, camera settings and how outside broadcasts work. This is when I fell in love with camera operating, and from that point, I knew that working with cameras was the career path I wanted to pursue.

From then on, I focused on gaining as much camera related work experience as I could to develop my skills further.

How did you get your first job in sports broadcasting, what was the role, and when?

My first role in the industry was a trainee technical operator at Racetech, a company that specialises in coverage of live horse racing. I gained hands on experience rigging and operating broadcast cameras in a variety of unique camera positions across the country, covering a sport that runs almost 365 days a year.

I was quite fortunate to gain my first role within the industry. Back in 2016, one of my university friends asked me if I’d be interested in working at Racetech as a trainee technical operator in the Midlands, which is where I’m from. He was supposed to be moving to the Midlands for this role but decided he wanted to stay in London, leaving the position to someone local. I applied, went through the interview process, and was successful, marking the start of my career in outside broadcast.

What happened next to get you where you are today?

A lot has happened since my first job to get to where I am today. I worked at Racetech for two years, gaining hands on experience rigging and operating broadcast cameras.  Unfortunately, I was involved in a car accident that resulted in a back injury, and the recovery took much longer than I had expected. This led to the difficult decision to step away from cameras and pursue a less physically demanding role.

Eager to remain in the TV industry, I decided to give production a go. I joined Sky as a studio bookings assistant, which then led onto my next role at Timeline as an OB bookings coordinator, where I booked equipment for jobs. I later returned to Sky as a post production assistant coordinator. While I enjoyed these production roles, I was desperately missing working with cameras and the experiences that come with it.

In 2021, I saw a job posting for a camera assistant at NEP and felt this was the perfect opportunity to return to cameras after nearly four years away. With my prior experience at Racetech, I saw this job as a chance to develop my skills and re-establish myself in this field.

NEP provides facilities for some of the biggest shows and live events worldwide, and I was keen to be part of this broadcast organisation. I interviewed for the position and was thrilled to be successful. I felt incredibly grateful and lucky to have been given this opportunity and gain another chance in outside broadcast cameras.

Where would you like to be in in five or 10 years time? What are your career goals?

My next career goal is to become a camera operator. Over the last year in particular, I have gained experience in operating cameras on a variety of productions, and NEP continues to provide opportunities to build on my skills and experience.

In the future, I aim to become a guarantee camera operator for NEP, overseeing the coordination of camera equipment on OBs while also operating cameras on live broadcasts. I have already started taking on more responsibility and have had the opportunity to operate on major events including The Championships at Wimbledon, World Athletics Championships, Sky football, Extreme E, NFL, and MLB.

Over the next five years, I hope to continue developing both my camera operating and guaranteeing skills, further growing my experience with NEP.

Can you give us some top tips that really helped you get where you are today? 

• My top tip would be to stay proactive. I see a lot of people who take initiative tend to progress much faster in this industry.
• Always ask questions. I know some people don’t like doing this because they worry it’s annoying or makes them seem inexperienced, but I’ve found there’s no such thing as a stupid question.
• Another tip is to leave your ego at the door and be okay asking for help. It’s always better to seek guidance when you don’t feel 100% comfortable instead of trying to impress people by pretending you know something – only to make mistakes.
• Lastly, have a good attitude. If you have a passion for your job, then I think this will naturally shine through and your enthusiasm will take you far.

Can you give us some tips on things not to do or to avoid when trying to get a role you really want?

Do not be dishonest about your experience and skills in interviews or on work experience.

If you don’t know something, then say so. The industry is evolving all the time with new technologies & practices, so you never stop learning. As long as you’re willing to learn and you have the right attitude, you’ll be able to go far.

What would you say are the barriers to getting a job in the broadcast industry?

There’s a lot of competition to break into the industry, especially if you’re aiming for company employment, as these roles are limited. Lots of people are trying to get their foot in the door, and it’s often said that opportunities are down to who you know, which can be hard when you’re first starting out. But don’t let that put you off from trying.

I didn’t know anyone in the industry before I started. Focus on getting work experience and gaining skills. You don’t always need to know someone to be able to get in. If you want something enough, you’ll make it happen.

What would you recommend to other people thinking of working in the broadcast industry?

I would recommend getting as much work experience as you can, especially in the field you want to work in; build your experience up! Contact people and companies in the industry, put yourself out there. There are always opportunities, so keep pushing for your goal.