In conversation with Felicity Jackson
Felicity and her tribe
Introduce yourself
I’m Felicity Jackson and I run events for actors whilst working alongside a huge casting website called StarNow, a bit of freelance casting and I have 3 young children too!
What is your job title?
Founder/Director, Casting Manager, and Mother!
Who looks after the kids when you are working?
There’s a whole time table of different people, a fantastic nursery and my eldest has just started school!
How long did you take off work after having your baby?
The first two just a few weeks, and then my final baby I had such an amazing team in place I was able to take 4 glorious months of maternity leave.
Would you say that you have a good work/life balance?
I’d say that there are different phases depending on how busy we are with work. However, on the whole across the year yes we definitely do. The children always come first and then work. Unfortunately, the first thing to be dropped is any socialising – if work is particularly busy then evenings get taken up with catching up whilst the children are asleep.
Are you job sharing or working flexibly?
I work flexibly – usually during school hours and some evenings.
What do you think is the hardest part of working in the media/film/tv industry and being a parent?
The events in the evening are hard work – screenings, festivals, networking events. One of my favourite parts of the job quickly has become one of the biggest challenges to try and maintain connections whilst still doing bedtime too!
What are your tips for any other women out there wanting to have kids and keep a career in film?
My advice would be to make sure you are really happy with your childcare, so that when you are working you are completely at ease with what’s happening at home. Financially the early years are hard work and can be demoralising when you realise how much money you are loosing just to go to work. However, try and play the long game - having a system that you are really happy with means that you can mentally focus at work, knowing everything is under control and therefore achieve your maximum potential.
Any advice for anyone about to return to work after maternity?
Lower your expectations, and prioritise the important parts of your job. You’ll be astounded by what you can achieve when you streamline your work. If you commute to work, get off a stop early and walk to clear your head from home life to work life. If you work from home, take a 20 minute walk
What advice did you wish someone had given you?
Let go of 9-5 type brain set, and remember there are 24 hours in the day