It’s a pleasure to introduce to you, the bold and high spirited, Ms. Hana Walker-Brown. Tune into the vulnerable read, where we have the multi-award-winning documentary maker, composer, podcast executive and creative director discussing the hardships behind her early day career, her journey to understanding her ADHD and the improvements she feels greatly needed within the diverse creative industries.
Q N°1: Tell us what you do and currently up to!
I do a lot! If we’re going for titles I’m the Creative Director for Broccoli Productions, a joint venture production company with Sony Music Entertainment that was set up in response to the lack of diversity for minority talent in front of and behind the mic I’m also an (multi-award-winning) freelance documentary maker, composer and author.
Fundamentally I’m just telling stories, across all mediums. I make podcasts and audio documentaries, compose music for stage, screen or virtual reality, give talks and masterclasses.
My critically acclaimed first investigative non fiction book “A Delicate Game” (Hodder 2022) which tells the story of the degenerative brain disease Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) through first-hand intimate interviews with sufferers and their families, leading researchers and campaigners, and the players themselves uncovering the truth about CTE and the human stories behind the statistics.
I’m currently writing my second book, having signed a two-book deal with Hachette a couple of years ago. I’ve also got some cool documentary stuff on the boil at the moment that I can’t talk about yet!
I’ve always been a juggler — a hyphen by name, hyphen by nature type. I’m very comfortable in chaos, so I have a tendency to take on a lot at once– but it’s just the way my ADHD brain is wired — I thrive in the deep end. But ultimately whatever format it takes, underpinning all of my work, across all mediums, is the drive to tell stories that empower.
Q N°2: Where is home for you?
Dalston in East London. This is the first year I’ve properly put down roots and it feels really grounding. I’m used to pinging about all over the place but not in a transient way — I really put in effort to find a “home” wherever I go by embedding myself into the community or country I find myself and I’m lucky to travel so much for work, but right now I’m enjoying being in London, there’s a different pace and ease that comes when you make a commitment to the city — it appreciates your effort — she’s very high maintenance!
Q N°3: Describe your creative life in 4 words?
Oh fuck! / Fuck yeah!
Q N°4: What advice would you give your younger creative self?
I’d let her know she had ADHD so that she could harness it earlier. I’ve worked against it for 30 years and with it for 2. I’m still a little sad for her that she didn’t know for so long — it was incredibly isolating at times — but she’s flying now so maybe we’ll just keep it all as a surprise.
Q N°5: Was there a moment or learning curve that dramatically shaped your path as a professional?
It’s not very glamorous but I was really burnt out from working full time bar shifts while doing my Masters Degree and I fortunately got a gig with a big beauty brand for a global conference they were doing at the Roundhouse Theatre in London.
I was sent in to create some bubble sounds and record and cut some interviews about women’s relationships to their armpits (!) and a few other bits and pieces.
The money from that job meant I could quit my bar job that month and focus on pursuing audio full time. I’d say that was my biggest break and I’ll always be thankful to Karl James for the gig.
Q N°6: What’s one thing within your creative industry that could be improved?
Like almost every industry on the planet, women and diversity are severely lacking at every level. It’s an uphill struggle and there isn’t a silver bullet that can fix it — imagine! But we have to keep going. We have to constantly educate ourselves, speak out loud about the difficult questions, and not look away because we’re uncomfortable; Sometimes it’s good to get mad and ask: Who is being shut out? Whose voices are being turned down?
We have a responsibility as makers, journalists and producers to amplify those voices; to use this insane privilege that we have and ensure that we are pointing the microphone in the right direction and leaving the doors that have been opened for us, unlocked. I’m always questioning whose voices are missing and why? Then striving to pass them the mic — literally or metaphorically through platforming those stories across all mediums.
Thanks for reading Heart to Heart with Hana Walker-Brown (@hana_walker_brown)!
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