Hot Shots 2022: Sam De Villiers

Having started out as a production co-ordinator in her native South Africa, Sam de Villiers continued in that position at various indies, including Knickerbocker Glory, where she worked on The Gypsies Next Door and Great British Gardens, both for Channel 5.

De Villiers then stepped up to the role of production manager, working with Nutshell TV on Cher & The Loneliest Elephant and Lion TV on Step Up To The Plate, before joining 72 Films in April 2021, where her credits include The Elon Musk Show and 9/11: One Day In America.

Gifted with a strong editorial intuition, De Villiers is committed to making the editorial integrity of each of her projects the focal point of the production while simultaneously ensuring that her teams have the required tools and support they need to fulfil their duties.

“You can trust Sam implicitly with the most complicated legal and compliance problems. Her grasp of the clearance process is well beyond some of the most experienced series producers,” says 72 Films executive producer Clare Cameron.

De Villiers’ work on the indie’s Spice Girls: How Girl Power Changed Britain is a shining example of her ability to understand legal and compliance issues. Her keen eye and sensitivity for detail helped deliver 9/11: One Day In America during a global pandemic, to a standard that helped the shows win Broadcast, Emmy and RTS awards.

Her sharp skills have led her to assume the role of line producer at 72 Films, working on Rise Of The Billionaires for Paramount+, as well as an undisclosed six-part series for Apple TV+.

“She’s extraordinarily editorially gifted, consistently going above and beyond to ensure that every element of the budget and schedule is run with the quality of the final films in mind,” says Cameron. “She calmly leads from the back, without ego or desire for recognition.”