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Friday Five: Ben Cartwright, producer at Audio Always

07/02/2020

Tell us a bit about your job?

I produce audio in as many different forms as possible for independent production company Audio Always. The majority of my time at the moment is spent on producing BBC Radio 1’s Life Hacks with Cel Spellman and Katie Thistleon. And my labour of love is the Help I Sexted My Boss podcast with William Hanson and Jordan North.

What are the key ingredients for success?

Working out what makes other people good at their jobs & taking the best bits for myself. Or at least trying. And working hard. Someone I hold dear once told me “if you want something done ask a busy person” – and I intend to stay busy

Describe a normal day?

With Radio 1’s Life Hacks being on a Sunday, I try to have an idea of my intended outcomes for each day. So on Monday’s I’ll work on podcasts, on Tuesdays I get the ball rolling for that week’s Life Hacks. Wednesday I’ll be planning guests and ideas for the future, and then on Thursday I’ll probably be on a pendolino (are they still called that?) to or from London. Friday is supposed to be the start of my weekend, but William and Jordan will usually have me doing something.

For those trying to break into the industry, could you explain how you got to where you are today?

I moved to Manchester after a degree in Biology to get a journalism qualification in a city I’d never really been to before. I emailed every industry person I knew (two people) asking them to introduce me to everyone they knew in the capital of the North. One of those introductions was to the person who is still my boss. He became my boss after working for free on Fridays for about six months.

What are you reading, watching and listening to now?

I’m very much enjoying Grapes of Wrath at the moment (I read Lord of the Flies not Of Mice and Men for GCSE English). I’m trying to go to the cinema more in 2020 and I watched Little Women this week and it left me in pieces. I’m listening to the latest Reply All episode and using Annie Mac’s Radio 1 show as the main source for my Spotify playlist.

 

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