The creative industry is changing – fast. But so is the way we think about who gets to tell stories, who gets the opportunities, and what kind of future we’re building together.
On 6th October 2025, we’re taking over the Underbelly Boulevard Theatre, Soho for BE YOU Festival 2025 – the one-day takeover where creators, execs, disruptors, and rising talent collide. Expect keynotes, panels, workshops, and late-night conversations that matter.
This isn’t about sitting in a dark room listening politely. It’s about ideas that shake things up and people who are rewriting the rules.
Why BE YOU?
Because the industry doesn’t stand still – from streaming wars to TikTok takeovers, multiplatform madness to AI-shaped futures. If you’re not adapting, you’re already behind. BE YOU is where we call it like it is, share the hacks, and connect the dots so you leave buzzing with ideas (and contacts).
The Sessions You’ll Actually Want to Hear
We’re kicking things off with “The Future of Content: Taking TV Somewhere New”. Ros Atkins (BBC News) is steering the ship with a heavyweight crew: Camilla Lewis (Curve Media), Trent Williams-Jones (After Party Studios), Kaio Grizzelle (Channel 4), and Martin Trickey (Zoo 55, ITV Studios). Straight talk only: what’s working, what’s not, and who’s ready to rip up the rulebook.
Then, for everyone who’s ever screamed “but how do I get this funded?!”, we’ve got “Show Me the Money: The New Playbook for Funding”. Derren Lawford (DARE Pictures), Soleta Rogan (Rogan Productions), and Holly Cowdery (BossaNova) with Omar Oakes on the mic. Think less theory, more survival guide.
Keynotes That Cut Through
Rachel Shenton, Oscar-winning actor, writer, and filmmaker takes the stage with “Power. People. Possibility”. You know her from The Silent Child and her work championing working-class and Deaf talent. Rachel’s not here to sugar-coat it. She’s here to show what happens when you back authentic voices and kick down barriers.
Then there’s Ash Atalla, CEO of Roughcut Television (The Office, The IT Crowd, People Just Do Nothing). Expect sharp takes, unfiltered truth, and the kind of industry perspective you won’t get from a press release.
Plus…
- “From ‘Wow’ to ‘How’: AI as a Creative Partner – Not a Replacement” with Cassie Quarless andVictor Perez.
- “Breaking In and Breaking Through: Social Mobility in TV” with Annika Allen-Gray (All3Media), Chanise Evans (BBC), Athena Witter (Engine Pop), and Sonny Hanley (ITV Academy).
- BE YOU STORIES: “How I Got Here” – raw, real career journeys from Melanie Leach, Poppy Jay, Theo Johnson, and Nigel Tadyanehondo.
Workshops Without the Fluff
We don’t do panels that send you to sleep. Our workshops are hands-on, practical, and straight-up useful:
- Mental health hacks for high-pressure gigs (Film & TV Charity).
- How to run fair, drama-free sets with Lisa Bell (Tell Jane)
- Building your brand (without the cringe) on LinkedIn with Priscillia Mudiaki (LinkedIn)
BE YOU Connect
We’ll wrap the day with BE YOU Connect, our evening reception. Forget stiff handshakes – this is where deals get done, collaborations kick off, and you leave with WhatsApps that matter.
How to join the conversation?
Tickets are live now. If you care about the future of TV and your place in it, you need to be at BE YOU 2025. 6th October. Underbelly Boulevard Theatre. Soho. Don’t just watch the change. Be part of it:https://www.sohomediaclub.com/beyou2025
Staff Reporter
Share this story
