Lucy Haken | Alpha Energy: Confidence, Creativity and living a Freelance Life

Lucy Haken has spent over 20 years producing science and history documentaries for the BBC, Channel 4, and National Geographic. As a Series Producer, she leads teams through complex productions — balancing creative vision with tight budgets and evolving technology.

In this episode of CreatED, Rob Pepper talks to Lucy about building a freelance career in factual TV, learning to back yourself, and why AI is transforming how stories are researched, edited, and told.

They also unpack the structural barriers facing new entrants — from unpaid work to the impact of parenthood — and how flexible models are beginning to shift the industry.

A clear-eyed conversation about confidence, adaptability, and the real skills that shape a creative career.

What does it mean to think in both pictures and spreadsheets — to blend instinct with insight? In this episode, Rob Pepper is joined by Jenna Littler, whose career has spanned luxury fashion, public policy, and global communications, including a decade at Burberry.

Jenna reflects on the growing value of “50/50 thinking” — where creativity and strategy are no longer siloed, but interwoven. She shares her journey from government to the fashion industry, and offers advice for young people trying to build confidence, find their voice, and navigate careers that don’t follow a linear path.

This conversation explores the skills that matter most in today’s world of work — from adaptability and storytelling to the ability to translate between teams and mindsets. Whether you’re just starting out or rethinking your direction, Jenna offers a grounded, generous perspective on how to lead with clarity, curiosity, and care

From Snow Patrol and Jake Bugg to Grammy nominations and mentoring the next generation, Iain Archer has spent decades crafting the soundtrack of modern life. In this episode of CreatED, Rob Pepper and Iain explore what it means to build a sustainable creative career — and how education, storytelling, and resilience shape the path.

They dive into how creativity evolves over time, how AI and tech are changing the music landscape, and why teaching the next wave of artists might be as powerful as making the work itself.

If you care about music, making things that matter, or the future of creativity — this one’s for you.

The world is shifting fast — in education, in employment, and in how we define creativity itself. In this opening episode, CREATED host Rob Pepper (artist, educator, and Principal of the Art Academy London) introduces the mission behind the mic: to reimagine how we equip young people for a future shaped by AI, automation, and radical change.

Rob makes the case for centring human skills in a tech-driven world — from creative risk-taking to resilience, empathy to imagination. He explains why higher education is broken, why Creative Tech offers real opportunity, and why now is the time to rethink access, skills, and value in the UK’s £125B Creative Industries.

This series is about the people shaping that future — from award-winning artists to recruiters, producers to founders. Welcome to the space where creativity meets technology, and new pathways get built.