Peter Mercer
Managing Director - Multi-Media CompanyWhat does your company do?
Newangle is a design/production company that specialises in producing large-scale immersive audio visual and interactive experiences for museums, galleries and corporate visitor centres.
What is a typical day in your job?
There are no typical days and that is why I like it. However, there are a number of things I need to do each week. The first is to check up on the progress of the projects that are going through the studio. This is to ensure that nothing is falling behind or that any production ‘log jams’ are forming. The second thing I do is to have a good look at how the cash flow is going. If any problems are starting to develop I can do something about it. I usually present one pitch a week to get in new business. Also I always try and go out to see at least one existing client a week to find how they are experiencing working with Newangle and discover what their present and future needs might be.
How did you get into your role?
I did not enter this business until I was in my later 30’s having been a teacher for 15 yrs. When I left teaching I became a producer for a large corporate communications company and then became a freelance producer/director. Fiat asked me to set up my own company to make programmes for them. They had no objections to me making programmes for other people providing they were not competitors. I have always been interested in producing experiences that contribute to people learning so it was a natural move into museums and exhibition media.
What skills have you come to rely on the most in your job?
I try to constantly develop the skill of being clear both in my thinking and communication. This helps me provide the leadership which my colleagues and clients seem to value.
If you had to pick one positive and one negative aspect of your job what would they be?
The positive is seeing the quality of the work which Newangle produces and the pleasure this gives to our clients’ visitors. The negative aspect is the boring but necessary admin I can get bogged down in as the company grows.
Where would you like your work to take you?
I would like to see the company doing more corporate visitor centres and big art installations. I also believe that e-learning is now ready to move into a very exciting phase and I would like to be at the forefront of that development.
Is there any advice you would give students hoping to pursue a career in this field?
What I really look for in the young people we employ is not only real talent in their chosen field but a positive attitude. Good listening and communication skills are absolutely vital. The desire to learn and improve is also essential to any person who really wants to succeed.
