Last week – Jake from Made. This week – Matt from Clusta.

Who are you and what do you do?

I’m Matthew Clugston, I’m creative director and co-founder of Clusta. I oversee all the creative output from the studio as well as managing jobs. I also do a fair amount of post-production and motion graphics work.

What was your route into this job?

I’ve always been into computer generated imagery, I used to obsess about pixel pushing on DeluxePaint 2 many years ago. I had a keen interest in art and graphics and this lead me to a do a foundation at Bournville. I then went on to do a degree at UCE on a course called BA Negotiated studies. The course allowed you to essentially teach yourself. Myself and a few colleagues used this 3 year period to teach ourselves around 9 different software packages, everything from 3dsMax through to After Effects Flash, Photoshop etc.

What do you think of the West Midlands as a place to work?

We’re based down by the Custard Factory and there’s quite a nice buzz down here. It’s good because you’re more easily noticed, whereas in London the competition is very fierce – however this of course works both ways, it would be nice to see more agencies springing up in Birmingham.

What events might we catch you at?

I’m usually at the Hare and Hounds in Kings Heath. It’s on my door step, which is rather lucky as i’d consider it one of the best venues in town now, for both atmosphere and events. Aside from that I often go to The Rainbow, I’ve been a big fan of Below since it started doing events down there.

How do you keep up with what’s going on in your industry?

Just keep browsing really, the whole team are quite keen on keeping up with trends, and if there’s anything really interesting it gets sent round the whole team. Also, Martin updates our blog with some really nice things, so its easy just to pop on there and see what’s going on.

Which tools of the trade could you not do without?

The Adobe and Autodesk suites.

What have you got on the walls?

We don’t have a lot in the studio, although ive been eyeing up some James Jean prints that i’d really like to buy.

Who makes the tea?

Every man/woman for themselves

Have you got any tips for potential employees?

Just make sure your portfolio is shit-hot.

Lastly, who should we speak to next?

Neil at Tak is a good dude and they do some really nice work

Last week Jo Sheridan passed the interview baton to Jake at Made Media:

Who are you and what do you do?

I’m Jake Grimley. I’m the MD at Made Media. I meet new clients, work up pitches and proposals, set the vision for where we’re going and make sure the money keeps moving.

What was your route into this job?

I did Physics at university, but I found the maths too hard to turn it into a career. I ended up doing this random NVQ in HTML & Javascript. It was a course for hapless graduates. That was in ‘97, before there was any semblance of a digital media industry in Birmingham. I had a feeling that people might pay for this stuff, and I’ve been running web agencies in Birmingham ever since. I think in reality it started a lot earlier though. I was one of those kids who wasted months of his childhood programming games on a ZX Spectrum instead of playing football. Most people at Made are like that, although they’re mostly too young to know what a Spectrum is.

What do you think of the West Midlands as a place to work?

As with most things in life, our greatest asset is also our heaviest burden. I can self-deprecate with the best of them, but this tendency is at the root of our perception problems outside the region. The best thing about running a business in Birmingham though is that the networks are just the right size for attaining critical mass quickly. That’s more difficult in London.

What events might we catch you at?

I don’t make it to that many events. I always intend to, and I don’t mind a glass or two of cheap Merlot, but my diary is so full of stuff. There’s always something pressing to deal with and clients take precedence over peers.

How do you keep up with what’s going on in your industry?

I’ve been using this brilliant online social media network for ten years now. It has all the best new stuff on it. It’s called the Internet.

Which tools of the trade could you not do without?

Powerbook (I still can’t bring myself to call it a ‘MacBook Pro’). Email. iPhone. Textmate for the fantasy life in which I still write code.

Have you got a hidden gem you’d like to tell us about?

The Chiltern line. People think it’s second-best because it takes an extra half hour over Virgin, but it’s more reliable and more civilised. I mean Moor Street to Marylebone beats New Street to Euston any day of the week. Cheap too. I’ve taken three people down to London for a pitch for less than £70, including Tube travel. Also, you will always see at least one Red Kite.

What have you got on the walls?

Some really rather tasteless promotional canvases from a Temper exhibition. Actually it’s not really on the walls so much as skulking around the skirting. Tim and I got a bit out of control at a charity art auction, but in the cold light of day we worried that new clients might not get our sense of irony.  It causes regular ‘Allo ‘Allo inspired routines where we rush to hide the pictures with the big boobies.

Who makes the tea?

Made Media is a coffee-drinking establishment. I like to imagine the coffee is made by Roger Federer because his picture was on the box that the machine came in. In reality, you go up to the machine, press a button and it gives you the coffee. If it required more organisation than that, nothing would get done.

Have you got any tips for potential employees?

Show us something good. Know your day-rate. Decide what your core skill is and become the best at that. If you’re a print designer trying to transition to web then just get on with it. There’s no shortage of free information on the Internet and there’s no-one stopping you. You might have to reassess what being a designer really means though.

Lastly, who should we speak to next?

We seem to have a bit of a Jewellery Quarter run going, so I’ll nominate James Glover at Fluid.

Empty Creative’s Jo Sheridan was nominated by Ruth Ward in our last interview, so here she is to answer some questions:

Who are you and what do you do?

I’m Jo Sheridan, Managing Director of Empty Creative Ltd a creative design and marketing company based in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter.

My role is to ensure all areas of the company run smoothly and that Empty develops at a financially successful and sustainable rate. The key areas I oversee include client and project management, and sourcing and securing new business.

What was your route into this job?

I didn’t take a straightforward route to this job at all! I decided against the traditional step of going to university and started work as an admin assistant after my A-levels. After working in a variety of bad admin roles, I was fortunate to get a job as a PA for Willoughby PR in 2000 which was a real turning point for me as I found myself in an industry and company that I really loved being part of. In 2005 I was given the opportunity to work for Willoughby’s sister company Neon as an account handler on their marketing side and was quickly promoted to account manager.

After a whirlwind two years I decided to take the leap to go into business with my partner (now husband) Mark Townsend who was a freelance graphic designer. We combined our individual skills to offer a full service creative design and marketing company and in September 2007 Empty Creative Ltd was born!

What do you think of the West Midlands as a place to work?

I think the West Midlands and specifically Birmingham are a great place to work. They city has really grown up over the past ten years and feels more confident in its own skin. The creative industries in particular have a great connection and this is evident through the fantastic network of clients, partners, colleagues and friends we have built up over the past few years.

What events might we catch you at?

I try to attend a mix of events but my favourites are ones such as Likemind where you can network without feeling like you’re networking.

We’ll also be attending events such as Brilliantly Birmingham, Hello Digital, The RTS Midlands Awards and Screen WM Festival of Film, a few of which we’ve been lucky enough to be involved with.

How do you keep up with what’s going on in your industry?

We get a lot of info through our friends and colleagues in the industry and Twitter is great for keeping up-to-date with local news and viewpoints but I’m an old fashioned girl at heart and really enjoy a good read through the printed industry magazines we subscribe to.

Which tools of the trade could you not do without?

I couldn’t be without my blackberry – I love it (quite a brave statement when I’m surrounded by iPhone lovers in the office each day!)

Have you got a hidden gem you’d like to tell us about?

Maybe not your typical place to visit but Warstone Lane Cemetery in the Jewellery Quarter is the most stunning and naturally beautiful place to visit. We’ve recently done a photoshoot there and everyone was amazed by how beautiful it was.

What have you got on the walls?

Concept visuals and a variety of timeplans and schedules for projects we’re busy trying to deliver!

Who makes the tea?

We all chip in but I’m an incredibly fussy coffee drinker so I think everyone dreads it when I say yes to the round!

Have you got any tips for potential employees?

Don’t think you know it all, just be enthusiastic, flexible and open to everything you’re given as it’s the only way to learn a job.

Lastly, who should we speak to next?

Jake Grimley or Tim Kitchen from MADE Media.

It’s been a while since the last interview but we’re back on it again. Many moons ago 383 Project’s John Newbold nominated Ruth Ward:

Who are you and what do you do?

I’m Ruth Ward, Managing Director of Rewired, a PR and events consultancy based in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter. As the MD of a small company, my role involves generating new business and managing client accounts, amongst plenty of other things! Our client list includes Cadbury, Retail Birmingham, Wolverhampton Art Gallery, Punch Records and the Royal Television Society.

What was your route into this job?

I graduated from Birmingham University with a degree in History, and after two work placements both in-house and for a small PR agency I got my first job as a graduate trainee at Willoughby PR in 2000. After four years I became a Director of Neon, a sister company to Willoughby, before leaving in 2007 to set up Rewired.

What do you think of the West Midlands as a place to work?

I haven’t worked anywhere other than Birmingham, and it has proved to be a fantastic place to start a new business. The creative sector is massively supportive, and companies have a real desire to raise the profile of the region and its creative output. London will always be a big draw for people looking to work in PR, but I think you can make your mark more quickly in Birmingham without sacrificing the opportunity to work on big brands. There is a great mixture of small and large agencies here and you can feel like you’re really part of something.

What events might we catch you at?

Working in this job means that when you aren’t organising events you’re attending them on behalf of clients, or to generate new clients! The team are usually out at least once or twice a week, at everything from fashion shows to gallery openings to networking events.

How do you keep up with what’s going on in your industry?

I get most of my industry news online, either through trade sites or by reading the blogs of people I respect. I also go to relevant industry events – for the last two years I’ve gone to SXSWi which has helped me to get my head around how digital media will revolutionise the PR industry, and the challenges and opportunities this presents for a company like mine.

Which tools of the trade could you not do without?

My Blackberry, it’s my mobile office. And my notebook – I keep it with me all the time to scribble down ideas or contacts.

Have you got a hidden gem you’d like to tell us about?

I like Saint Caffe in St Paul’s Square, friendly staff, a great selection of teas, and home of the fantastic Likemind coffee mornings!

What have you got on the walls?

Press cuttings from some of our favourite campaigns, artwork from The Big Picture (a massive arts project we worked on last year) and most importantly, the holiday chart!

Who makes the tea?

We all do, which is a good job as we get through plenty.

Have you got any tips for potential employees?

Get some work experience under your belt, try and make as many contacts in the industry as you can and persevere! It’s a very people-orientated industry, so if you meet someone through a work placement or at an event and you make the right impression, that contact could prove invaluable.

Lastly, who should we speak to next?

Jo Sheridan at Empty Creative.

Lee Kemp, our last interviewee, set us the task of tracking down John Newbold from 383 Project. We were just about equal to the task:

Who are you and what do you do?

I’m John Newbold, Creative Director of 383 Project which I co-own along with Sukhi Dehal and has been going over three years now. I mainly do front-end design and branding – anything from logos to print work. I steer clear of any coding though!

What was your route into this job?

I originally studied Multimedia at Coventry University but I didn’t enjoy it much, except for a module on graphic design so I swapped to the Graphic Design course.

After a little freelancing I started work at a design agency on the same day as Sukhi – not so long after we left to start 383 Project.

What do you think of the West Midlands as a place to work?

I really like it, in fact I came up from the south to work here. There’s a good client base and plenty of work to go round meaning that similar companies aren’t snapping at the same jobs so much – we tend to have our niches and do well within them.

I find that Birmingham in particular is great for networking – there are pockets of the creative industries here that are very well connected. We like to collaborate with other companies and it’s something that comes very naturally here.

What events might we catch you at?

I think the university degree shows are well worth attending to see the what the students are doing and who’s coming up. I’m off to FEED at Matthew Boulton College tonight, for example.

How do you keep up with what’s going on in your industry?

For the wider industry I read a lot of blogs with Google Reader like Fubiz and QBN . Locally, I use Twitter to keep up with what people are doing but I don’t tend to think of it as something I’d use to get work but it can lead to face to face meetings.

Which tools of the trade could you not do without?

Most of Creative Suite! We’re all on Mac’s here so my Mac Pro but Twitter’s a great help too – since I’ve been using it I’ve done less general browsing. Having to do less research to keep up with what’s going on has made me more productive.

Have you got a hidden gem you’d like to tell us about?

I think the Jewellery Quarter in general is lagging behind in terms of shouting about the creative firms located here. We’ve just moved into Victoria Works and within the area we’re surrounded by fantastic companies like Rewired PR, Made Media and Fluid.

What have you got on the walls?

Well we’ve just moved in, so not much at the moment, but we’ve got a few vinyl toys on desks and I’m currently looking at a spray-painted white gnome!

Who makes the tea?

There tend to be arguments about who made it last. Actually before the Tea Round app came out we coded something similar in-house. We’ve got a bit of a rota now so things aren’t too bad.

Have you got any tips for potential employees?

I think industry experience is very important. There’s a lot to be said for freelancing and for students to have some live client work in their portfolio, even if it’s from offering their services to a charity. If someone’s got something about them then they’ll get themselves out there and working. It shows initiative and passion and that’s what I’m looking for.

Lastly, who should we speak to next?

Ruth Ward at Rewired PR.

Having been nominated by Andy Hartwell in our last interview, this week it’s Fullrange’s Lee Kemp getting a grilling:

Who are you and what do you do?

I’m Lee Kemp and I’m the Managing Director of Fullrange, a digital film company. We specialise in corporate film providing everything from creative concepts to delivery and duplication. So we might do a single online film or 10,000 copies of a DVD. We work with anyone from smaller brands to global ones like 3i, American Express and Land Rover.

What was your route into this job?

I joined the army at 19 and, after eight years, I moved into telecomms. I didn’t like that too much so went back to the army to save for university. I studied Film with TV Studies at Warwick University and while I was there I met a couple of people who’d just set up the film company that became Fullrange.

How do you keep up to date with what’s going on in your industry?

I try to keep more up to date with what’s new in marketing, business and technology as well as digital film technology. So there’s a lot of blogs, podcasts, feeds and just email flying around the place. We also talk alot amongst the team about ‘new cool things we’ve seen’. Also, we’re quite well networked so we tend to pick up on things that get passed around. Working a lot with freelance crew you tend to hear a lot of people chatting about new things they’ve seen and we also get put on to things by clients who’ve been excited by what they’ve come across.

And what events might we catch you at?

We tend to go to a fair few of the creative networking events but not to win work. We go to a lot of business networking events because that’s where our customers are.

What are the most important/useful tools for doing your job?

We’re an Apple company through and through so the Final Cut Studio Suite is the only system we absolutely rely on consistently. In terms of cameras we use what’s appropriate for the job, everything is shot on at least HDV. I’d say I rely on Gmail the most though. We began as a student company so didn’t have money for sophisticated IT solutions so needed freely available tools that worked and allowed us to work remotely.

What do you think of the West Midlands as a place to work?

We started in Hatton, just outside Warwick. Moving to Fazeley Studios in Birmingham has been very good for us. Also, because our industry is pathologically London-centric I think there’s a gap in the Midlands that we’ve slotted into quite well, picking up a lot of local automotive work. We pick up work from London because our overheads are lower than companies in the capital and we’ve done a range of international work for British clients.

Have you got any tips for potential employees?

When you’re applying for a job it’s fair to say that employers will look for reasons not to employ you before looking for reasons to employ you. For that reason it’s important to get the details right – tweak your CV towards a particular job and check for typos. Also, especially in our industry, you need persistence.

Who makes the tea?

I do at least once a day, otherwise it’s a case of who breaks first! Actually, I make a point of doing it because I think it’s an MD’s job to create an environment in which others can get on and do their jobs properly rather than just get people running around for you.

What have you got on your office walls?

We’ve got a client logo wall and some testimonials. We’ve also got film posters – Jaws, Dirty Dancing, The Exorcist, Heat and Blade Runner. Our edit suites are named after directors too and we have the respective posters in the suites; Fight Club, Munich and Dr. Strangelove.

Finally, who should we speak to next?

John Newbold at 383 Project.

The plan is that every week we’ll have a chat with the sort of people who might find themselves on Jobplot doing the hiring. To kick things off we’ve got Substrakt (and Jobplot)’s Andy Hartwell answering the questions.

Who are you and what do you do?

My name’s Andy Hartwell. I’m 28 and I’m the Managing Director of Substrakt, a new media and graphic design agency. I came to Birmingham in 2001 to study Multimedia Technology at Birmingham City University (or UCE as it was back then) and I set up Substrakt in the summer of 2006.

What sort of training have you had?

Well, after the degree I did a part-time MA in Media Enterprise at BCU. There were modules on the creative industries and cultural entrpreneurship. It was early days for the business so I had a bit more time to spare but it’s something I’d recommend for anyone looking to start a similar business. I was able to use Substrakt as a case-study for some of the modules so even while I was learning I was still working on the business.

How do you keep up to date with what’s going on in your industry?

I subscribe to quite a few blogs for news about my industry and about the region generally. Twitter’s useful for keeping connected with people too.

And what events might we catch you at?

I try to get to most of the digital events around Birmingham – Hello Digital was good back in October – some of the Creative Republic events and I get down to the Birmingham Social Media Cafe occasionally. I get out to some of the art launches around Digbeth too – I work in Digbeth and am passionate about the area. Lower Eastside Dialogues was especially good.

What are the most important/useful tools for doing your job?

We use a lot of the 37 Signals tools. Probably the most useful one day-to-day is Basecamp which is used for online project management.

Have you got a hidden gem you’d like to tell us about?

I don’t think the guys at Jibbering get quite the level of recognition they deserve for what they’re doing in Birmingham. They put a lot of effort into what they’re putting on and have been showcasing some great artwork and some great bands at the Hare and Hounds.

Other than that Sabai Sabai – the most awesome Thai food you’ll ever have and it’s at a little restuarant on Woodbridge Road in Moseley.

What have you got on your office walls?

We’ve got wall vinyls designed by Substrakt’s very own graphic designer, Claire Hartley. We’ve also got a big whiteboard for ideas and projects and a smaller one for the pool league.

Who makes the tea?

We all take our turn. There’s an iPhone app called Tea Round that’s pretty useful when no-one wants to volunteer.

Who do you reckon we should speak to next?

Steffan Aquarone or Lee Kemp at Fullrange.