Siobhán Daly is a producer, working across the global Entertainment Industry. She has worked with some of the worlds’ best artists on their music videos, tours, commercials, and West End theatre. Here, she talks about what it’s like working in a competitive industry and staying grounded, the challenges she has faced and how she has overcome them ..

How did you get to where you are and did you face obstacles along the way?

I’ve been working in the industry for a long time, and I started as a runner, which is the usual entry point for many people getting into Entertainment. You basically make a lot of tea and empty the bins! It is actually a brilliant place to start as you learn so much about every department and what their needs are before you start to specialise. As for obstacles, there are many. It is a tough place to work and if it isn’t your calling, I think people get sifted out quite quickly because you need a lot of resilience and commitment. I’ve been through all sorts, from redundancy, to dealing with some very difficult characters, so I think that a passion for what you do is essential.

What made you not give up?

That’s a great question and I think the answer is, I know that I am good at what I do and it is really like a calling. While there are some other careers I could have gone into, I don’t think anything really clicks for me like this does. It comes naturally to me, feels like a conjunction of my talents, and doesn’t feel like ‘work’ but it’s something I enjoy doing. I’m also strong, resilient, organised, willing to learn and courageous, all of which helps.

Tell us about a defining moment in your life?

I think there were a few moments in my early 20s when I could have done something else as a career. After my undergraduate degree, I was offered a place at Cambridge which I turned down, instead doing a MA at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and King’s College London, which was definitely a step towards a lot of the things that I’ve ended up doing in the Arts. I was also offered a place to train to sing with the English National Opera’s Knack programme, which I think could have led me in an entirely different direction! I still have the acceptance letters to both!

What do you love about your job? And who have you worked with?

I love the variety in my job. I’m always working with different crews, different artists and in different locations all over the world. The structures might be the same but the content is always different so there are always new challenges and new things to learn about. I’ve worked with a lot of wonderful people from Hollywood A-listers, royalty, government to the fantastic crews who work so hard to pull everything together. You never get bored!

How do you stay grounded in an industry that you are working in?

I guess I don’t take my identity from my job or the artists that I work with, and I have a lot of great people around me. Everybody’s just a normal person doing a job, so I don’t think it is something to get carried away by

How do you deal with challenges that life throws at you?

I like to get out into nature and spend time in the countryside, whether that is horse-riding, running or going for long walks. It gives me time to think, relax and meditate. Keeping a calm and focused perspective is the best thing to deal with challenges, and keeping physically active works wonders!

What would you say to someone wanting a career in the field you are in?

If you want it, go for it, but don’t do it because you want to be famous or get a sense of self-importance from it, because you’ll be in it for the wrong reasons and will be unhappy. Find your own calling, follow your own path, be humble and then be persistent and resilient.

What’s next for you?

I’m about to go to Venice and produce a music video for Kylie Minogue. I produced a video for her earlier this year in Paris which was a wonderful experience. I’ve worked with a lot of high level talent and I have to say, Kylie stunned us all with her fantastic attitude and she is the only person I have ever seen nail a take on the first shot, repeatedly across different scenes. She was a big hero of mine growing up so working with her is such a privilege. I remember going to one of her early concerts, and being able to work with her now is something young me could never have imagined! They say you should never meet your heroes but I’d say meeting such a strong, professional and hard-working woman is every bit as inspiring as I would have imagined!

Tell us something that not many people know about you?

I did my work experience with the Metropolitan Police Traffic Unit and I really enjoyed it! Being in the Police is definitely another career path I could have taken, amazingly!

Instagram: @sunshine_daly

Webste: www.siobhandaly.com