Adam Dolman
Managing Director, UNIT9 Films
Adam Dolman, Managing Director, UNIT9 Films
Adam Dolman has almost 20 years’ experience in the creative industry, which includes his current role as MD at London production studio UNIT9 Films, as well as a long list of films he’s produced for brands including adidas, Samsung and M&S. Outside of his work in advertising, Adam is the recipient of several awards for his feature film The Last Sparks of Sundown, as well as a BAFTA for the Channel 4 drama series Run, which he created and produced.
What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned over the last two decades?
Never be afraid to ask questions if you don’t understand something. And always challenge things (diplomatically of course) despite fear of pushback or ridicule. All the mistakes I’ve made (and continue to make) have been born out of pride or fear, whether that was being embarrassed about not knowing the answer to something I thought my peers would expect me to know the answer to, or not questioning someone else’s decision out of fear of looking stupid or being told off.
What are some of the biggest changes you’ve noticed?
Technology is certainly the driving factor, for good and bad. From the ease and speed of comms, remote working, doing everything in Google docs, being available 24/7, digital cameras, all that data, the 48-hour pre-production turnaround time, the 24-hour post production turnaround time, no Tipp-Ex on call sheets and all those frickin’ Zoom calls (even before Covid), to all the different ways we consume content nowadays. I love and hate it all in equal measure. But the best thing technology has brought us, and perhaps the biggest change, is the democratisation of talent. The ease with which people can make films nowadays is amazing and it’s really exciting to see so many new and unique voices coming through.
And what is it that the creative industry still needs to work on?
Accessibility. There’s rightly a big focus on diversity, but we need to help people more at the start of their careers too if we actually want to make a change and encourage people from less-privileged backgrounds into the industry. It’s no surprise the industry attracts the middle class when we pay runners and work experience kids nothing. There needs to be more support financially from the outset, along with a focus on educating the next generation that there’s more to filmmaking than just acting or directing.
UNIT9 is very involved in the APA mentorship programme and plans to have paid apprenticeships starting as soon as we’re back in the office. Each year, we put a pot of money aside to invest back into our directors, whether that’s funding a short film or music video they’d like to make, or buying them some equipment.
How much of a difference do you believe creativity can make to some of the social issues we face?
Creativity and art in general can have a huge impact. Much like sport, encouraging people from less-privileged backgrounds to take part in art can help provide an opportunity for them to build social connections, learn to work as part of a team, meet people outside of their usual social circles and help people to learn how to follow their interests. They can try out new ideas and acknowledge and celebrate their own uniqueness, diversity and self-expression. But creativity and art also have the ability to focus an audience on any number of social problems. A great film or installation highlighting a particular social issue with the right platform or PR behind it can make a huge difference.
Is there a responsibility for leaders in the industry to take steps to make a change?
Absolutely. It’s vital we educate and nurture the next generation of creative talent coming through. They need support practically, mentally and financially, while at the same time being afforded the freedom to experiment. But it’s also important that those opportunities aren’t for a limited few.
Interview by: Emma Tucker
