Spilling the T with Satmohan Panesar - Commissioning Editor, ITV

From his proudest moments to the biggest challenges within the industry, we recently spoke with Satmohan Panesar, Commissioning Editor at ITV, who is behind hit shows including?The 1% Club?to?Loaded in Paradise.?

Francesca Aita (Head of Marketing, Together TV):?You have worked on some of the UK’s most recognisable and culturally defining shows, which project are most proud of?

Satmohan Panesar :?I am proud of many projects for different reasons -?The 1% Club?with Lee Mack is a big new entertainment format and has been quite a big success for ITV. For Magnum Media – the brilliant small company that makes it - it’s really been amazing.?

I’m also really proud of the?Fresh Cuts?strand for Black directors, and one of our directors Jason Osborne was nominated for a BAFTA for Emerging Talent in Factual.?

Francesca:?Did?Jason first come to your attention as one of our Diverse Film Fund emerging filmmakers (his film Superheroes Wear Hoodies can be watched on Together TV free streaming service)??

Satmohan:?Exactly. It is really important to support people of colour, specifically Black people, within the industry, both on-screen and off-screen.?

I’m also really proud of all the shows I do on ITV4. It’s a very niche channel but we’ve created a group of shows that are really channel defining for our audience which is great. I love all my shows - it’s just really amazing to create new shows on a daily basis.

Francesca:?The lack of diversity is an ongoing, constant issue in the TV industry. Have you seen any improvements addressing this in the last few years?

Satmohan:?At ITV?all our decisions are made through the lens of social responsibility, whether it’s the environment or whether it’s people. You definitely feel that across the entire organisation, both on-screen and off-screen. It’s incredible how far we have come, but I think there is always work to be done on all fronts.?

When we’re crewing up, we’re looking at ensuring a good mix of diversity off-screen. For on-screen, we’re making sure that the stories reflect on the way we tell our stories have a diversity and inclusion lens, including hidden and visible disabilities.

Ultimately this makes shows better because you represent different and unique perspectives. For diverse viewers, you see your experiences reflected. For all viewers you see different and unique stories brought to life.?

Francesca:?Going?back to the very beginning of your career, could you tell me about your journey to your current position?

Satmohan:?After?university I came to London and did work experience at a production company – and started to work my way up from there. There wasn’t any formal sort of entry scheme, and I didn’t go on any of the grant schemes. So, I worked on entertainment shows with the usual tasks like driving vans around to pick up kits and props. I became a Researcher, and then Assistant Producer and chose the editorial route.?

Francesca:?Did you have a clear career path in mind from the beginning?

Satmohan:?No, not really - throughout my path I have stayed quite in the moment, taking a lot of enjoyment in doing everything.??

When I started working, I thought “I want to make really important documentaries about things” -?and then I worked in entertainment shows and thought “this is way more fun!” So, I just went where I thought the shows sounded interesting and fun or I was working with really great people.?

Then I went into development, creating ideas and selling them to channels. Eventually I joined ITV as a Commissioning Editor which basically means I was the one buying these ideas. When I started at ITV I thought “Oh gosh, this feels like really where I could be home.”??

Francesca:?What skills do you need to be successful in your role??

Satmohan:?First, you really need to understand what an audience wants, because no matter which channel you’re working for, you need to get those audiences to watch your shows.?

At ITV we need to be commercially minded and we need to be popular. You need to manage the creative process and editorially get from an idea to getting a program on-screen. Sometimes you have to manage very big characters in terms of off-screen and on-screen.?

And you also need to manage budgets as well as legal and compliance issues. Then you need to think about selling your show to an audience so all the marketing and press elements.?

Ultimately, all these things are about managing and getting the best out of the people around you.

Francesca:?What would you say to someone is starting their career now, and they want to become a Commissioning Editor?

Read Satmohan's answer as well as many more insights here >>