Georgina Holmes
Runner/Production Assistance
About Me
Cambridge graduate in Archaeology and Biological Anthropology, with six years of independent science communication through Sphinx Thinks and hands-on production and events experience across the Cambridge Union Society. Seeking entry-level roles in television production - runner, production assistant, or researcher - with particular interest in natu... Read More
Cambridge graduate in Archaeology and Biological Anthropology, with six years of independent science communication through Sphinx Thinks and hands-on production and events experience across the Cambridge Union Society. Seeking entry-level roles in television production - runner, production assistant, or researcher - with particular interest in natural history, science, and factual documentary.
Documentaries had me fascinated by our past: we are one species, but we are not any one culture. It was this diversity that spurred me to study Archaeology and Biological Anthropology at Cambridge, and to question how narratives about culture, development, and power are constructed. I became particularly interested in how popularised science can be commodified - often at the expense of nuance - and how the past is exploited to explain modern politics in fraught ways. My dissertation revealed that WHO growth standards pathologise adaptive growth in Agta children, framing cultures that do not fit a universal model as less developed without accounting for cultural choice. That work made me acutely aware that responsible science communication depends on rigorous research and production support. I want to be a part of supporting this kind of work.
That realisation took me to set up Sphinx Thinks (sphinxthinks.com) - a science communication platform and podcast I have run independently since April 2020, dedicated to making the natural history of humanity accessible without losing the detail. When the BBC Primates documentary introduced me to Dr Cat Hobaiter's work on great ape communication, I tracked her down and asked if she would come on my podcast. She said yes. Sitting across from Cat Hobaiter, one of the first guests on my podcast, and knowing that conversation would reach people who might feel the same thing I had, was one of the most gratifying things I have done. You can listen to that episode here: open.spotify.com/episode/3NEaZEiYkg5PeLetOGLGqs
I know what it means to make events and productions happen on the ground because I have done it. At the Cambridge Union I stepped in as Social Events Officer when the previous officer dropped out weeks before term, inheriting an empty programme and building it from concept to delivery. I conceived each event, sourced and negotiated with vendors, liaised with the Bursar and General Manager to confirm spaces, ordered stock, cleaned out the cellars, and dressed the rooms. For the Easter Garden Party, I drove to Emmanuel College to collect AV equipment, loaded it into my own car, transported it to Sydney Sussex, showed vendors and bands to their spots, briefed a crew of 7, and managed the floor throughout. See the events here. I enjoyed it because the work was dynamic, physical, and involved quick problem-solving, and it is what draws me to production specifically.
Keeping the people at the centre of something performing at their best is something I understand from experience. As Speakers and Events Manager at the Cambridge Union I handled sensitive correspondence with agents and publicists through a high-volume shared inbox, and managed live events with figures including Robert De Niro and Wim Hof - running the floor, moving furniture, distributing Order Papers, handing microphones to audience members, greeting guests on arrival, and interviewing Wim Hof. As Secretary, I was responsible for membership relations, as well as greeting, dining with, and briefing high-profile figures such as John Bercow and Laurence Rickard. Through the Cambridge Scholars Programme I managed travel arrangements and airport transfers for international students, providing 24/7 support across a two-week residential programme. Six years of producing, editing, designing, and distributing Sphinx Thinks independently gives me a working understanding of what production requires before the runner even arrives on set. My background in customer-facing roles - as a barista at Café Ventoux and on the shop floor at Waitrose - gave me a grounding in hospitality and the kind of calm, attentive service that a runner needs to provide to staff and high-profile clients alike.
I currently work as a Research Assistant with a team at the University of Oxford and as a Content Writer and Business Support at WhatPrice. I am proactive, calm under pressure, happy to do whatever needs doing, and genuinely passionate about documentaries. I would be glad to be considered for any entry-level production support roles such as runner. Read Less
Documentaries had me fascinated by our past: we are one species, but we are not any one culture. It was this diversity that spurred me to study Archaeology and Biological Anthropology at Cambridge, and to question how narratives about culture, development, and power are constructed. I became particularly interested in how popularised science can be commodified - often at the expense of nuance - and how the past is exploited to explain modern politics in fraught ways. My dissertation revealed that WHO growth standards pathologise adaptive growth in Agta children, framing cultures that do not fit a universal model as less developed without accounting for cultural choice. That work made me acutely aware that responsible science communication depends on rigorous research and production support. I want to be a part of supporting this kind of work.
That realisation took me to set up Sphinx Thinks (sphinxthinks.com) - a science communication platform and podcast I have run independently since April 2020, dedicated to making the natural history of humanity accessible without losing the detail. When the BBC Primates documentary introduced me to Dr Cat Hobaiter's work on great ape communication, I tracked her down and asked if she would come on my podcast. She said yes. Sitting across from Cat Hobaiter, one of the first guests on my podcast, and knowing that conversation would reach people who might feel the same thing I had, was one of the most gratifying things I have done. You can listen to that episode here: open.spotify.com/episode/3NEaZEiYkg5PeLetOGLGqs
I know what it means to make events and productions happen on the ground because I have done it. At the Cambridge Union I stepped in as Social Events Officer when the previous officer dropped out weeks before term, inheriting an empty programme and building it from concept to delivery. I conceived each event, sourced and negotiated with vendors, liaised with the Bursar and General Manager to confirm spaces, ordered stock, cleaned out the cellars, and dressed the rooms. For the Easter Garden Party, I drove to Emmanuel College to collect AV equipment, loaded it into my own car, transported it to Sydney Sussex, showed vendors and bands to their spots, briefed a crew of 7, and managed the floor throughout. See the events here. I enjoyed it because the work was dynamic, physical, and involved quick problem-solving, and it is what draws me to production specifically.
Keeping the people at the centre of something performing at their best is something I understand from experience. As Speakers and Events Manager at the Cambridge Union I handled sensitive correspondence with agents and publicists through a high-volume shared inbox, and managed live events with figures including Robert De Niro and Wim Hof - running the floor, moving furniture, distributing Order Papers, handing microphones to audience members, greeting guests on arrival, and interviewing Wim Hof. As Secretary, I was responsible for membership relations, as well as greeting, dining with, and briefing high-profile figures such as John Bercow and Laurence Rickard. Through the Cambridge Scholars Programme I managed travel arrangements and airport transfers for international students, providing 24/7 support across a two-week residential programme. Six years of producing, editing, designing, and distributing Sphinx Thinks independently gives me a working understanding of what production requires before the runner even arrives on set. My background in customer-facing roles - as a barista at Café Ventoux and on the shop floor at Waitrose - gave me a grounding in hospitality and the kind of calm, attentive service that a runner needs to provide to staff and high-profile clients alike.
I currently work as a Research Assistant with a team at the University of Oxford and as a Content Writer and Business Support at WhatPrice. I am proactive, calm under pressure, happy to do whatever needs doing, and genuinely passionate about documentaries. I would be glad to be considered for any entry-level production support roles such as runner. Read Less