Friday Five: Natalie Christopher, Film and TV Agent at Northbank Talent Management

Answering the #FridayFive today is Natalie Christopher, Film and TV Agent at Northbank Talent Management. 

Tell us a bit about your job?

I’m the Film & TV Agent at Northbank Talent Management. I represent the book-to-screen rights for our fiction and non-fiction titles and manage ongoing on-screen appearances for our talent. I also represent our clients for their podcast, radio, and screenwriting work. 

What are the key ingredients for success?

The ability to identify opportunities and gaps where our talent and their books are the perfect fit is essential. A fierce attention to detail helps support a persistent submission strategy and a comprehensive approach to contracts. A genuine love for good storytelling helps foster strong professional relationships with clients and prospective buyers. 

Could you describe a normal day?

Every day I read UK and US trade publications to keep abreast of what’s happening on both sides of the Atlantic in the film & TV, theatre, publishing and podcasting spaces. Most days I’m meeting with production companies and scouts, learning more about what producers and commissioners are looking for, and identifying clients and books that they will love. I’m always talking about our clients and their books and am often sending a new book out on submission, whilst tracking key milestones in the publication process. I like to collaborate closely with our fiction and non-fiction agents, Elizabeth and Matt, to help select and shape the books we represent, and often send these out in-sync with their submissions to editors. Other tasks include setting up creative meetings between our clients and producers and frequently checking-in with the teams that have our clients’ books under option. I’m always looking to build new relationships and identify opportunities for our clients, both on-screen and off. 

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

You must be an active participant in your passion. Millions of people consume books, theatre, film, and television so it’s important to identify and chase opportunities for a deeper level of involvement in the things you love, especially at an amateur or student level. I loved books, so I worked in a bookshop as a student. I loved theatre, so I directed, produced, and fundraised for it. Being intimately involved in the production and facilitation of the arts not only strengthened my passion for storytelling but assembled a toolbox of relevant and transferable skills that helped me get where I am today. 

What are you reading, watching and listening to now?

Aside from our clients’ books and manuscripts, I’m reading Coco Mellors’ Cleopatra and Frankenstein and revisiting Jane Austen’s Emma. I’ve just finished binging The Bear, which is phenomenal, and am watching season 5 of Fargo weekly. Recent film highlights include Poor Things and All of Us Strangers. I’m listening to far too much Arctic Monkeys (at least according to Spotify Wrapped), and am loving season 11 of the Dissect podcast, which dissects Radiohead’s In Rainbows track-by-track.