Is There A Doctor In The Film Studio?

Erinma Ochu is a woman with her finger in many media pies, with storytelling always at the centre of everything she does. But she also has a PhD in Neuroscience, which is why it’s Erinma’s mission to make the media, and science, mix.

“I love working in partnership, and I love variety, so combining my two great passions is perfect for me,” says Erinma, who has been awarded the accolade of being named Crew of the Month by Northwest Vision and Media, which works on behalf of the TV, film, radio and digital content industries to grow a world-class media economy in England’s Northwest.

Currently working with Manchester-based multimedia masterminds Stardotstar and Park Networks, Erinma is convinced her latest project will revolutionise how media content is distributed.

The under wraps project with Stardotstar and Park Networks has recently been awarded seed funding from Alchemy, a Vision and Media enterprise that aims to foster collaborations between traditional and digital media companies, giving them access to high level advisors and commissioners and allowing them to work together to effectively compete for new business in the multi-platform world.

“We’re drawing on the expertise of myself and the two companies to develop a new product that will transform how media content is distributed,” Erinma reveals. “But I can’t say too much about it at the moment! We’re looking forward to revealing all when the time is right.”

As well as working on the multi-platform project with Stardotstar and Park Networks, Eccles-based Erinma also spends three days a week as Director of the Manchester Beacon, a partnership between Manchester: Knowledge Capital, the Museum of Science and Industry and universities across Greater Manchester, looking at how universities can better engage with the public in their research.

Originally from East London, this self-confessed science geek initially attained both a degree and a PhD in Neuroscience at Manchester University. She says she fell in love with the city straight away.

“Manchester’s such a creative city. There’s a lot of talent here, and I decided I wanted to be a part of it. I started out in media as a runner for the live recording of the Royal Institution Christmas Lectures and my love for the media grew from there,” she says.

She has since gone on to win a fellowship from NESTA (National Endowment for Science Technology and the Arts) to communicate science through media, has written and produced her own acclaimed short films (including In Memoriam, 2001, for the Digital Shorts scheme), and has also worked as an Executive Producer in London.

While suffering this commuter’s nightmare, travelling from her home in Manchester to London for work, Erinma realised the capital wasn’t for her. She says: “I really wanted to do more work in the Northwest. Manchester is where I live and what I care about.”

When she started looking homeward for career opportunities, one place that Erinma found supportive was Media Training North West (MTNW, now part of Vision and Media). Through one of their training schemes, Erinma revamped her media skills, learning tips on how to pitch and research ideas.

“I really made the most of all that the scheme had to offer,” she says, smiling. “I tried to do as much training as possible and set myself goals. I networked with everyone! It was a brilliant scheme because I was able to develop myself while I was working. Writing my own business development plan for myself was crucial, because it allowed me to focus on my goals and work towards achieving them.”

In 2007, Erinma spied the opportunity to move forward and applied for MTNW’s Digital Entrepreneurs programme. This exclusive three-day workshop brought her and nine others together with several local multimedia companies including Park Networks, who she pitched an idea to in response to their brief. Erinma won her pitch and a 3-month placement at the company.

“I was really pleased to be chosen to take part in the Digital Entrepreneurs initiative, and even more excited to win with my pitch,” says Erinma. “Soon after that, the Alchemy programme began and Park Networks came into contact with Stardotstar. They were looking to work with a company who knew web development and wanted to work across different media platforms. The rest is history!”

According to Erinma, the projects she works on might appear separate, but they’re all centred around the same thing. She says: “My main love is storytelling, whether it’s working with universities and museums, whether it’s making films. It’s how people connect with one another, how we all relate. Filmmaking, for me, and the job that I’m doing here, are all about cultural change and how you can make a difference in people’s lives.”

Erinma’s tenacity and passion is clear, and her ambitions just keep getting bigger.

“It’s definitely my aim in the future to make a feature film,” she explains. “I’m currently on EAVE, a European filmmaking programme that gives you access to people who work across the film business in Europe, and I’m also learning about the process to get a film financed and sold. I’m already on my way to reaching my next goal!”