1.     Introduce yourself

I’m Helen Taylor. I live in London with my husband, our one year old daughter and our two cats. 

2.     What is your job title?

Post Production Coordinator in-house at a scripted drama production company. I was previously a freelance Post Coordinator where I would work full-time on one show at a time. Now I work across all our company’s shows more as a point of contact and support for the shows’ post production teams. 

3.     Who looks after the kids when you are working?

Three days a week my daughter is with a childminder who lives on our road. My standard contracted hours are 9.30am - 6.00pm but my childminder works 8.30am-5.30pm so I will start work earlier and finish earlier on those days. My husband and I then each have one day with our daughter: he does Mondays and I do Fridays. We don’t have any family close by who could provide childcare. Luckily my husband is freelance, so his work is usually from home and can be more flexible than mine.

4.     How long did you take off work after having your baby?

Eleven months. I had initially considered only taking nine months but I found myself wanting more time with my daughter and I was worried she wasn’t ready either as she was still mostly breastfeeding, so I extended it to eleven months. I’ve only been back at work for about a month now.

5.     Would you say that you have a good work/life balance?

Currently I feel that I do. I’ve worked in TV and film since I left university 16 years ago. I started out in production which was fantastic in my 20s, but as I approached 30 I found that I was burning out and felt I was sacrificing my personal life. So about seven years ago I moved in to post production. I find post just as interesting and challenging, but the hours are much kinder. 

6.     Are you job-sharing or working flexibly?

I have initially gone back to work four days a week for the first few months. I am allowed to work two of those days from home which helps with the transition and being home in time for bedtime.   

Depending on finances and childcare options, I might need to go back to five days in a few months. I am using holiday allowance for now but when that runs out I will have to decide if I would sacrifice a fifth of my salary or go back to full-time. Lots of friends who don’t work in TV have suggested compressed hours, but I don’t know if that’s something that would be acceptable in the world of TV so I haven’t raised it. 

7.     What do you think is the hardest part of being a working/industry parent?

I’ve only been a mother for a year and a working parent for a month. However, it’s been a long journey to get to this point after going through four years of infertility and IVF. So I’ll speak more to the pre-production (if you will) phase of my parenthood in my answer. 

Going through infertility testing and treatment demands a certain amount of time for appointments. 

However, knowing that time is money and that you’re always working to a tight schedule means time off is incredibly difficult to ask for. Anyone who has worked directly on a production will know how hard it is to even take a sick day. 

I have been very fortunate to have understanding and supportive bosses both when freelance and since moving in-house, but that doesn’t shift the feeling that you can find yourself needing time off when least appropriate or useful for the production. 

And now that I have my baby, I am sure there will be numerous occasions where I will need to be absent from work to attend to my child’s needs. 

It can make you worry that you don’t look as dedicated to your job as say, a male colleague. It can make you feel that you are seen as less reliable or less hireable. 

8.     What are your tips for any other women out there wanting to have kids and keep a career in film?

I do feel that if you want to have children you should go for it. It’s been the best thing I’ve ever done. However, I definitely felt I had to make choices which prioritised having kids over my career. I didn’t have to leave the industry entirely but I have had to shape my career in a way which allowed me to do both. 

For example, leaving freelancing and going in-house, which has meant I am now earning less, has also meant that I have been able to return to work four days a week after mat leave. I have annual leave and sick pay and I was able to take mat leave knowing I would have a job to go back to afterwards. All really basic things to some but things that felt like a massive luxury after years of freelancing. 

Also realistically, it really really helps if you have children with a supportive partner whose career is also flexible and is able to share some of the load. Ideally someone who doesn’t also work in television. 

9.     Any advice for anyone about to return to work after maternity?

If possible, work for a manager who you trust and respect who values your work and contribution. In short, take the job with the good people, money and accolades are not the most important thing at this time in your life. 

10.  What advice did you wish someone had given you?

Freeze your eggs at 20! turns out it’s not always as easy to get pregnant as your biology teacher made out at school… 

Jk, but I suppose really, start taking your future seriously sooner. Think about what you want out of life nearer to 20 than 30. Get a pension earlier, get on the property ladder sooner.