Six month scheme developed by broadcaster’s creative diversity team 

Channel 4 has unveiled the six participants taking part in its first post-production scheme, intended to improve diversity in the sector. 

Post Production Supervision

Harfun Li, Jay Francis, Wayne Urquhart, Heather Andrews, Lorene Dewett and Sophie Larkin have been selected out of more than 100 applicants to the programme and will receive mentoring from senior figures in the industry, skills gap training and shadowing and placement opportunities with C4’s indie partners. They will commence the scheme from next month.  

4 Post Production (4PP) was announced in May and initially offered five mid-to-senior level people from underrepresented backgrounds the chance to progress their careers in post-production. The six-month scheme was developed by C4’s creative diversity team in partnership with dialogue editor and dubbing mixer Emma Butt, who hosted a C4 webinar earlier this year about diversity and inclusion in post-production.  

Neila Butt, C4 creative diversity lead, said: “This is a really exciting time for Channel 4 and the Creative Diversity Team, as we have been able to take action in an area of the industry often overlooked on representation. 

“Hopefully our model can act as both inspiration and a template for other areas of the industry to use to help boost the careers of people who are under-represented in post-production”. 

Emma Butt added: “Diversity and Inclusion doesn’t stop on screen or on set, yet that has been the focus these past few years while post-production is forgotten. We see schemes and training each day for new entrants but what about people at mid-career level? 

“To help address the lack of under-represented talent in post that, is where our focus should be, and I’m so grateful to Channel 4 for stepping up to the plate and taking on this challenge.” 

The inaugural 4PP cohort: 

  • Harfun Li, editor – Li’s credits include Taskmaster, Great Canal Journeys and Play Your Pets Right 

  • Jay Francis, online editor - Since 2001 Jay has worked his way up from edit assistant to online editor with credits including Embarrassing Bodies, How to Look Good Naked and 10 Years Younger 

  • Lorene Dewett, editor – Dewett’s main focus is editing psychological dramas. In the last several years she has edited many drama short films, including two which were funded by the BFI Network Short Film fund 

  • Wayne Urquhart, re-recording mixer – a versatile and experienced audio professional with a career spanning games, radio, TV and film. He was head of audio at A+E Networks EMEA for six years and has since been freelancing as a dubbing mixer for a variety of broadcasters 

  • Heather Andrews, sound designer and dubbing mixer – Andrews is a Scotland-based sound designer, sound effects editor and dubbing mixer. She has worked on a number of award winning national and international high end television drama, documentary and feature film projects. 

  • Sophie Larkin-Tannetta, editor – Larkin-Tannetta has been a broadcast editor for four years, starting her career at ITV News before joining the team at Channel 4 News 

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