By TVBEurope Staff
Published: April 17, 2024 Updated: April 18, 2024
Rory Springthorpe, founder and director at outside broadcasting company Vivid Broadcast, talks to TVBEurope about his route into the industry and understanding the value of teamwork. Talk us through an average day in your role I think that's probably one of the great things about working in media there really isn't such a thing [ ]
target=_blank title=Share on LinkedIn class=share-linkedin>
Rory Springthorpe, founder and director at outside broadcasting company Vivid Broadcast, talks to TVBEurope about his route into the industry and understanding the value of teamwork.
Talk us through an average day in your role I think that's probably one of the great things about working in media there really isn't such a thing as an average day. One day it's meeting with a major fashion brand, then meeting internally with the team on a project or jumping on a plane to do a show in India or New York. I guess the more consistent thing is what am I responsible for? I spend a lot of time thinking about the next thing where are we going, what do we need to do to get there and what is holding us back. Our industry is all about the people yes the equipment is important but without people we're nothing. So a key part of my role is around building the right teams to work on each project and finding the way to look after those people.
Running an outside broadcast and production company is anything but a straight line there are bumps, mountains and ditches along the way that need to be navigated, and the earlier they are spotted the easier it is to deal with them, rather than waiting until you're deep in a ditch and trying to find the way back up. Having the right people around you for each stage of the journey is so important, and recognising that the right people might vary for different seasons. I'm keen to support staff to be all they can be irrespective of whether that means they stay with us or whether that journey takes them another route whatever is best for them is ultimately the best for the company. That support comes in a number of ways, from making sure people have the right tools for the job, making sure colleagues feel supported in their roles and also ensuring people always feel part of a bigger team, whether they be in the office or on location. So overall, I'm looking at how to develop people, provide the right opportunities, provide stretch moments whilst in a supported environment.
How did you get started in the media industry? Accidentally is probably the most accurate. My dad was a professional industrial photographer and I would help him on shoots, travelling around the country taking pictures of fascinating things, setting up equipment and being able to be in places that otherwise you just wouldn't find yourself. I initially started working in the charity sector for the first few years and then a friend and I started Vivid in 2005, initially mainly to be able to develop the work in the NGO and not-for-profit sector but that quickly expanded into multi-camera production and more and more work for broadcasters before becoming an approved BBC supplier (our first project was Radio 1 Big Weekend and then closely followed by Antiques Roadshow).
Over the years we've just kept turning up, kept saying yes to new challenges and tried to keep production values and great people at the centre of what we do. Today we have a staff of over 20, have filmed in over 30 countries around the world and produced literally thousands of hours of live television from Glastonbury to National Theatre, ColdPlay to Burberry. Festivals, theatre, sport, music, fashion, comedy, factual, studio and sitcom.
What training did you have before entering the industry? I trained to be a pilot so not too connected! I was home educated and after sixth form college went straight to working in outdoor pursuits, during which time I set up my first business building tree houses in Kent (yes that is a thing). I think you can learn lessons from wherever you are and whatever you do. Flying teaches you to do things like how to scan instruments and scan outside a sequence of intense, fixated observations. It teaches you to not focus so much on one thing that you miss something coming up, it makes you understand the importance of trusting your instruments and not ignoring the information they are telling you. All principles that can be transferred to business.
Why do you enjoy working in the industry? The variety of people and projects. From filming underwater to in helicopters, meeting kings and queens, telling stories of the forgotten and the marginalised, working with famous musicians and artists from around the world. The opportunities that come with this industry are incredible. I love that our work isn't about what I can achieve, but what a group of people working together can achieve. You can be the best director in the world but if you don't have engineers, riggers, camera crew and lighting directors to work with you then you are nothing each production has to be a team working at their best, respecting each others' role, supporting each other. At Vivid, we're passionate about starting as a team and finishing as a team just because your job is done, if there are issues in another area or someone else is struggling, then we all jump in and help all for one and one for all. I think staying involved in the details but letting others make the decisions is important. I love being surrounded by people who are much better at many things than I am. Knowing the difference between micro management versus staying engaged in different areas is really key. As a team we run quite a flat structure where anyone within the company can influence any area of the business ultimate
Europe Stories
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
02/05/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
01/05/2026
January 5 2026, 18:30 (PST) NBCUniversal's Peacock to Be First Streamer to ...
15/04/2026
From immersive storytelling to laugh-out-loud comedies, podcasts are booming in ...
15/04/2026
Books have always moved with us, whether tucked in our bags or humming in our he...
15/04/2026
For many artists, independent venues are where music careers begin and fan communities take shape. Independent venue operators work hard every day to keep local...
15/04/2026
From gripping thrillers to poignant memoirs, the 21st century has had no shortage of unforgettable books. To celebrate the standout storytelling of our modern e...
15/04/2026
Vintage broadcast experts release second plug-in
Telsie T is the second plug-in to be released by SonicWorld, a German audio company who specialise in servi...
15/04/2026
Includes eight free UAD plug-ins
Universal Audio's latest bundle brings together a selection of their renowned plug-ins and virtual instruments, and is ...
15/04/2026
Maximum uptime for broadcasters: Rohde & Schwarz launches R&S BroadcastShield at...
15/04/2026
aconnic AG (ISIN: DE000A0LBKW6), Munich, announces the market launch of the ACCE...
15/04/2026
April 15 2026, 13:34 (PDT) EVO Entertainment to Bring Dolby Vision Atmos Across Its EVX Auditoriums
Integration would cover 17 screens across Texas, New Mex...
15/04/2026
Wednesday 15 April 2026
Introducing Smart Home from Sky, a simple way to stay c...
15/04/2026
Wednesday 15 April 2026
The Burbs confirmed to return to Sky and NOW for a second season
Mystery-comedy series, The Burbs, will continue its exclusive resid...
15/04/2026
With new broadcast standards evolving all over the world and OTT streaming striving for the pole position in media consumption, both next-gen video and audio co...
15/04/2026
Harmonic's XOS Media Processor Delivers Exceptional Video Quality to More th...
15/04/2026
Five Decades of Box Office Intelligence: Comscore Celebrates 50 Years of Movie M...
15/04/2026
Two Cities Television and Keeper Pictures to produce six-part series in association with Screen Ireland for RT and ITV Studios
RT has commissioned Two Citie...
15/04/2026
RT 100
RT unveils The Signal' a specially commissioned 60-second film
...
14/04/2026
ToolsOnAir and Omnistream Bring Mobile SRT Contribution into Professional 24/7 P...
14/04/2026
Captures a trio of renowned polysynths
The latest software to join AIR Music Tech's extensive catalogue captures the sound of three sought-after polysyn...
14/04/2026
Free offering includes 10 powerful plug-ins
United Plugins have announced the launch of a new bundle that brings together 10 of their pro-audio plug-ins, an...
14/04/2026
Julian Coryell joins virtual session player line-up
Announced at NAMM 2026, Celemony's Tonalic kits DAW users out with real performances by world-class ...
14/04/2026
X-Rite Pantone Color Academy Grand Opening in Shanghai
On March 27, 2026, X-Rite Pantone, the global authority in color standards and color science, held the...
14/04/2026
14 Apr 2026
VEON and JazzWorld Receive Competition Commission of Pakistan Appro...
14/04/2026
Tuesday 14 April 2026
Nicola Coughlan and Aimee Lou Wood to host next two episo...
14/04/2026
Lead writer and executive producer Jack Lothian joins alongside lead director Je...
14/04/2026
Wuppertal April 14, 2026
Thomas Riedel Acquires Premium Manufacturer ARRIStrategic Alignment With the Riedel Group for Innovation and Growth
Thomas Riedel, f...
14/04/2026
New Service Simplifies Integration of AI Applications with Exceptional Reliabili...
14/04/2026
Luxembourg, April 14, 2026 - SES, a leading space solutions company, today annou...
13/04/2026
ToolsOnAir Composition Builder 2026 Boilerplate
More Details: The Composition Builder 2026 application for macOS enables TV stations and Live Event broadcast...
13/04/2026
ToolsOnAr just:live pro 2026 Boilerplate
More Details: just:live pro 2026 is a Multi-Channel Live Production Playout solution for video and static or real-ti...
13/04/2026
ToolsOnAr just:play pro 2026 Boilerplate
More Details: just:play pro 2026 is a Multi-Channel automated 24/7 Master Control playout solution with SD, HD and U...
13/04/2026
ToolsOnAr live:cut 2026 Boilerplate
More Details: live:cut is an option to just:in mac pro 2025 and enables multicamera production workflows for up to 16 cam...
13/04/2026
ToolsOnAir Just In Mac Lite NDI 2026 Boilerplate
More Details: The Just In Mac Lite NDI application is a streamlined media capture solution designed specific...
13/04/2026
ToolsOnAir Just In Mac Lite 2026 Boilerplate
More Details: The Just In Mac Lite application is a streamlined media capture solution designed specifically for...
13/04/2026
ToolsOnAir just:in mac pro 2026 Boilerplate
More Details: just:in mac pro is a macOS-based client-server multichannel capture solution to record SDI, HDMI, N...
13/04/2026
Intuitive EQ plug-in gets an upgrade
Following its official launch back in February 2026, Musik Hack's intuitive EQ plug-in has been treated to its firs...
13/04/2026
Flagship soft synth collection expanded
The latest version of UVI's flagship vintage-inspired soft synth collection has just arrived, expanding the suit...
13/04/2026
Free version of innovative string library arrives
Released in October 2025, Lux Orchestral Strings was said to be Sonuscore's most ambitious library to ...
13/04/2026
The Girls' Research Camp is part of the Technology - Future in Bavaria edu...
13/04/2026
Rohde & Schwarz transforms submarine communications for real time underwater dom...
13/04/2026
Rohde & Schwarz enables Pulsar signal simulation to support next-generation navi...
13/04/2026
The search for Ireland's newest country music star is live on Friday 17 Apri...
13/04/2026
Monday 13 April 2026
Global environmental action NGO WRAP brings recycling to l...
13/04/2026
J nger Audio has joined the EBU ADM Implementers Group (ADM-IG) as a founding me...
By TVBEurope Staff 
