Emily Burrett

The Magic of Resilience

At eleven years old, Emily Burrett was already a director. Armed with an iPad and a group of willing friends, she was busy building digital worlds long before she understood the technicalities of a frame rate or a jump cut. Today, Emily is entering her fourth year as a Social and Video Producer at Magic Radio, directing celebrity guests and managing high-stakes shoots for one of the UK’s most recognisable media brands. 

Since her graduation from the BA (Hons) Film & Television Production programme, we have followed Emily’s journey from the “endless” job hunt of her early twenties to the fast-paced broadcast suites she now calls home. Her path was forged in the heat of a local bakery, sustained by a bespoke portfolio, and driven by a level of grit that defines our core values of Resourcefulness and Personal Success. Today, Emily offers a candid look at what it takes to stay creative when your job is “always-on,” and why the “little wins” are the true markers of a meaningful life. 

The Evolution of Professional Grit

When Emily first shared the story of her transition from retail into the media industry, the focus was on the “hustle” – the need to stand out among thousands of applicants. Four years later, that resourcefulness has evolved from an external search into an internal instinct. In the fast-paced environment of Magic Radio, the luxury of “university time” – where a student might have days to deliberate over a concept – has vanished.

“I have to come up with solutions a lot quicker now,” Emily explains. “I use my creative spark to manage last-minute shoot changes or late guests on the spot. I’ve had to become much more resourceful in handling challenges in a shorter time period.” Whether it’s pivoting a script during a live recording or jumping on a trending social media topic before it expires, Emily’s ability to solve problems “in the moment” has become her professional signature.

Protecting the ‘Fun’ in a 24/7 Feed

While the media industry is often romanticised, the reality of social media production can be exhausting. When your office exists in the palm of your hand, the boundary between “work” and “life” can easily blur. For Emily, protecting her wellbeing means being intentional about her digital consumption.

“Social media can be tough,” she admits. “I try to keep my job separated from my life - when I’m out of office hours, I try not to check accounts unless needed.” To combat the negativity that often pervades the internet, Emily tailors her “For You” page to show positive content and maintains a Pinterest board full of art and graphic design to keep her inspired rather than drained.

Perhaps her most effective “wellbeing hack” is her hobby: fixing old cameras. By saving up for vintage equipment and repairing it herself, she creates a physical, tactile separation from the high-tech, digital tools she uses at work. “It gives me a separation,” she says. “And I’ve learned that it’s okay to have days where you just relax. You shouldn’t feel like you have to be creative all the time. Those days help ‘re-charge’ you for when you actually need to be.”

Acknowledging the Hard Work Behind the ‘Luck’

One of the most striking parts of Emily’s reflection is her shift in perspective regarding her own success. For a long time, she attributed her career at Magic Radio to “luck.” Today, she sees the “whole person” behind the achievement.

“In reality, I worked quite hard during College and University, and part of that luck was due to my hard work,” she reflects. As the first person in her close family to earn a degree, Emily has realised that personal success isn’t just about the “big wins” like directing celebrities; it’s about the resilience she showed during the string of rejections she faced before landing her role.

By celebrating the “little wins” - like wrapping a smooth shoot or designing a graphic she’s proud of – Emily has found a sustainable way to view her career. She isn’t just a producer; she is a resilient, first-generation graduate who has protected the joy of that 11-year-old with an iPad. Her journey reminds us that while the industry might be “who you know,” staying in it is about how well you know – and look after – yourself.