Weekend Spy - Job Spec: Marnie Sirota

Each week we'll be asking people from all parts of the media industry - from channel controllers to catering staff, directors to digital technicians - to tell us about themselves and their job.

This week it's the turn of Marnie Sirota, who has been working at Tycoon's Peter Jones TV, which opened for business last year.

Name
Marnie Sirota

Job Title
Production manager

Age
33

Lives
Mill Hill, north west London

In the role since
February 2007.

Responsibilities
Looking after a team of one junior production manager, two production coordinators, a production secretary and five runners. Overseeing the build of Tycoon Tower, the daily filming schedules, our live finale show and ensuring that the Tycoon Series is delivered to ITV1 on budget and on schedule.

Best thing about your job
Working with creative, hard working and interesting people that are truly committed to their jobs.

Worst thing about your job
When answering the phone, being asking to be put through to the bed linen department – thinking that I work for Peter Jones the department in Sloane Square!

First thing you do in the morning when you get in
Plug my blackberry in, check my voicemail and make sure all of the production and crew are happy.

If Peter was your boss, what would you do to impress him?
Learn his 10 rules of entrepreneurial excellence off by heart and throw a couple of rules in to my daily conversations with him.

What question have you been asked most this week?
Can we spend more money please?

Any downsides to working in the media?
When I’m working on long running reality series, occasionally my friends and family forget I exist. Also, living out of an overnight bag when you don’t get a chance to get home before your next shift starts!!

First media job
Desmond Wilcox Productions as a production secretary/receptionist straight after university from July 1996 - 1998.

Biggest achievement to date
Leaving a secure staff job at LWT after 7 years and becoming a successful freelance production
manager.

Anything you wish you'd done differently
Not really. It’s all a great learning curve and any experience is good experience in my eyes.

Dream job/company/lifestyle
Setting up a US and Australian Production office for Peter Jones TV. Spending 4 months of the year in each office.

Best media jolly/event you've ever attended
Bafta TV awards and Bafta Film awards and coming face to face with George Clooney, Pierce Brosnan
and Jake Gyllenhaal.

If you were a contestant on Tycoon, what new product idea would you have pitched?
A waterproof iPod holder & earplugs that you can use whilst you’re swimming or chocolate that makes you lose weight!

Tycoon returns on Monday July 9 at 10pm.