Today I'm joined by Margo Mars, founder of Lief, a London-based studio built around authentic storytelling and championing diverse voices. Margo has a rare mix of creative instinct and real leadership, and recently she's taken that a step further with the launch of Lief Entertainment Company, exploring how brand-backed work can support premium, auteur-led storytelling. What I love about Margo is how grounded she is, in both the creative and the human side of the industry: how stories are made, who gets to make them, and how you protect creative integrity while building something sustainable.

So grab a cuppa tea, and join me as I chat with Margo Mars!

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Today on Standing Out, Standing Strong I'm joined by Kerry Furrh and Olivia Mitchell, the directing duo known as Tusk. They met at USC, call themselves "a two-headed monster," and have built up a bold career across film, commercials and music videos, all with a style that's playful, precise, and unapologetically theirs. Most recently, they returned to Tribeca with their queer love story Ripe, and it's now headed towards becoming a feature. We talk about creative control, visual risk-taking, collaboration, and what it means to fully own your voice.

Join me for a cuppa tea with Tusk!

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Today on Standing Out, Standing Strong, I'm joined by Ali Brown, president and partner at the award winning PRETTYBIRD, and founder of Ventureland. She's helped shape some of the most creative voices in our industry, across both LA and London. Ali is one of the most respected producers in our business, and after this conversation, you'll understand why.

Join me for a cuppa tea with the multi-talented Ali Brown!

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Today's guest on Standing Out, Standing Strong is a director whose work feels honest, grounded, and quietly powerful. Fiona McGee is an Australian filmmaker who's built an impressive career across comedy, drama, and documentary, picking up serious awards along the way. But it's never been about the accolades, it's always been about the work. In this conversation, we talk about authenticity in casting, creating a calm and collaborative set, breaking into the American market, balancing motherhood with directing, and the realities of being a female director in what can still feel like a secret club. We also touch on AI, and why she finds it both fascinating and terrifying.

Join me for a cup of tea with the director Fiona McGee!

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Hello and welcome to Standing Out, Standing Strong! Today I'm Joined by Rochelle Palmer, co-founder of Untold Studios, the worlds first cloud-based creative studio, built to unlock talent wherever it exists. What fascinates me isn't just the technology, it's the courage and the decision to build something independent , future-facing and unapologetically craft obsessed. Recently I've had the pleasure of working with Untold and it's been a truly wonderful experience, especially with so many familiar faces from The Mill, Ben Hampshire and Luke Olson to name a few.

Join me for a cup of tea and a fascinating conversation with the inspiring Rochelle Palmer!

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This week on Standing Out, Standing Strong, I'm joined by Jess Coulter, director at O Positive, one of the most distinctive comedic voices working today. This year marks the 4th Super Bowl spot that Jess has directed, a milestone that very few directors reach, and even fewer women. Her work combines sharp comedy with emotional intelligence, and her journey into directing is anything but traditional. Jess is known for storytelling that's funny, honest and deeply human, but what really stood out about our conversation was her openness about creativity, motherhood, ambition, and the reality of juggling it all without losing your sense of self.

Join me for a cup of tea as I chat with Jess Coulter!

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Today on Standing Out, Standing Strong, I'm joined by Stephanie Thiel from Mirimar, a company I had the absolute pleasure of working with recently, and one that genuinely stood out for its culture, collaboration, and humanity. Steph plays a key role at Mirimar, and what really struck me is how intentional they are about the way they work, not just the work they make. This conversation is less about job titles, and more about what it takes to create an environment where people can actually do their best work.

So please join me for a cup of tea as I chat with Steph!

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Welcome to Season 2! This week on Standing Out Standing Strong, I'm joined by someone who is not only an extraordinary filmmaker, but a genuinely wonderful human: Georgi Banks-Davies!

Georgie knew she wanted to make films from the moment she walked out of a cinema at 4 years old, and she's followed that instinct ever since, from her BAFTA winning TV debut I Hate Suzie, to Paper Girls, to Kaos, and most recently directing the full second season of The Night Manager now streaming on Amazon Prime.

Her career spans bold storytelling at scale. Alongside that long-form work, Georgi has directing commercials all over the world, projects that sharpened her visual language, sense of play, and love of collaboration.

So grab a cup of tea, and join me as I chat with the wonderful Georgi Banks-Davies!

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