Hot Shots 2023: Kariim Case

“Always one step ahead of the zeitgeist”, is how Wise Owl Films head of development Lucy Smith describes Kariim Case, who joined the Lime Pictures-owned Leeds indie in 2021, from Channel 4’s Production Trainee Scheme.

Throwing himself into development and production, Case was pitching his ideas directly to commissioners within weeks, while working as a production researcher on music shows such as Sky Arts returner Guy Garvey: From The Vaults and BBC2 double When Motown Came To Britain and When Tina Turner Came To Britain.

Case was key to Wise Owl launching digitally focused youth label Hoot, helping to win its debut Channel 4.0 commission, Box Fresh. As co-creator and production researcher, he brought rising music star Dreya Mac to the show as host and deployed his encyclopaedic knowledge of streetwear brands and shoes to produce her scripted segments.

This eye for talent helped Wise Owl win £50,000 in funding for a nationwide talent search for new digital channel E4 Academy. Case managed a trio of junior researchers to find 10 rising regional stars and select one for a digital pilot that is currently in production.

Now an AP at 4Studios, he is helping the C4 offshoot win commissions for Snap and has developed branded shoulder content for Vanish’s award-winning advert Me, My Autism and I.

Smith is now looking on as a rare talent prepares to go stratospheric in the digital formats space. She says: “Approaching the relentless development grind with humour, warmth and infinite creativity, and totally on the pulse, Kariim is strapped into the right rocket ship as he pursues his career in digital content, which I’m convinced will hurtle skyward at an extraordinary pace.”