Designing the Future: Mentorship in Themed Entertainment

With International Mentoring Day just around the corner, we asked some of our team about their experience as mentors, and what it means to them to be one. Enter Cathrin Winsor, (Projects Director), Victoria Meadows (Creative Manager) and Ben Millerman (Project Producer).

What made you want to be a mentor?

• Cathrin: It’s come naturally over the years. I started my career as a stage manager for theatre and events, and in that role you are constantly leading, instructing, and encouraging the team around you. This year, I was excited to volunteer for the TEA mentoring program because I enjoy connecting with new people and helping them find their way.

• Victoria: For a lot of my career, I’ve really yearned for someone to mentor and help guide me as I try to figure out the best path forward. Having had a few people dip in and out of my life adding to my journey, I’ve wanted to contribute back to see if I could fill the gap for where I so desperately wanted someone to fill. Stepping into a mentorship role gave me the opportunity to give back and help others.  

• Ben: I want to support people and help them grow. I was lucky when I was young to be able to receive advice and have learning sessions with industry professionals and I want to be able to give back. 

  
  

Who are you a mentor for, and for how long have you been one?

• Cathrin: Oh gosh, I couldn’t even say! I took my first teaching job as an arts instructor for a children’s after school program back in 2009. Does that count? In all seriousness, I don’t know who has considered me to be their mentor. What I can say is that I’ve connected personally with hundreds of students, young professionals, and career pivoters. I love seeing their names pop up in industry news, seeing them progress.

• Victoria: The TEA mentor programme is my first ‘official’ mentorship and it started about 4 months ago. I was fortunate to get paired with a young individual from Disney. I’ve learnt a lot from them so it has really been an equal partnership, I hope at least! 

• Ben: I started off as being a Mentor for NextGen Showcase for a year (now Immersive Design Agency), through this current TEA mentor program I’m actually mentoring someone I mentored before and it’s great to see their progression to date.

  
  

Have you ever had a mentor yourself?

• Cathrin: During my MFA program at CalArts, we were assigned mentors according to our area of study. My mentor was Gary Kechely, head of production management. CalArts is all about experimentation, and Gary gave us the support we needed to find our way as managers in uncharted territory.

• Victoria: Not officially but I’ve been fortunate to have some really great managers who have taken me under their wing, each bringing their own lessons, a lot about team working and people relationships. 

• Ben: My mentors largely came from the Theatre industry. I was lucky enough to receive great advice from people like Thomas Schumacher, Michael Harrison, Michael Rose and be mentored by Chris Moreno. They all gave me great insights into how they forged their career, tips and general help on productions I was working on.

What aspects of being a mentor do you find the most rewarding?

• Cathrin: I live for the ‘aha!’ moment: when it clicks, and someone realises that this dream they thought was out of reach is achievable… and showing them how.

• Victoria: Seeing people unlock their talent and really love and embrace their unique abilities. I hope to create an environment or give people the tools to help them thrive and be the best that they can be. Seeing people shine and understand who they are really brings me a lot of fulfillment. 

• Ben: I find it rewarding when you see Mentees get their foot on the ladder and thrive. I enjoy helping them forge their careers and get the pay off when they succeed.

If you could pick anyone to be your mentor who would it be?

• Cathrin: I am in love with Kate Winslet. Watch her in any interview, she is so kind and professional, and has gone from being slagged off hard by the media to being a self-assured badass. I feel like she could help me through any problem.

• Victoria: Possibly Brené Brown or Simon Sinek. I’d want to hear their story while sitting on a sofa rather than reading their books.  

• Ben: Walt Disney is an obvious one, he was an absolute visionary and sacrificed so much but achieved so much. I’m interested in people who have made storytelling, across multiple platforms, their career so the likes of Cameron Mackintosh, Roland Mack, Billy Butlin, Bob Weis.

Final thoughts

• Cathrin: I’m a big believer in the power of openness and collaboration. We need more knowledge sharing, more skill sharing to build a bright future. Whether you do that as a mentor/mentee or just as friends and colleagues, connecting with other people is more important than ever.

• Victoria: Share your story, you’ll never know how someone else could relate to it and you’ll find a connection. 

• Ben: We’re not here forever, so it’s important to pass on the skills, knowledge and opportunities to the future generations. As a teenager I was desperate to learn everything I could, I believe by learning the craft inside and out you can become a great professional. That’s what I want to help people with.