Hi there! It’s Sandy - Director at Nowadays and, more importantly, for the purposes of this blogpost, a firm believer in sharing and talking about literally anything that I love.

I don’t believe in gatekeeping. And why should I? It’s hard enough getting into the creative industries. When I first started, the mountain of obstacles seemed paralysingly intimidating. But it was due to the helping hands, the recommendations and the conversations people were willing to have with me, that eased me into it all. If I could do one thing now, it’s to be that person who’s there to help others too. Now, I think it’s time I gave back in the same way.

Recently, I’ve started seeing a shift - content creators on TikTok, IG Reels and Linkedin are putting forward their knowledge, resources and tools, for anyone and everyone to learn from. At Nowadays, we’ve been doing our little bit by hosting Ask Away Thursdays - an open invitation for those aspiring to work their way through the production industry, to come and ask their burning questions and get our honest opinions!

Seeing all of this inspired me to put together a list of tools and resources that have certainly saved me (and my work). For the more seasoned creatives who’ve been around the block a few hundred times, you may already be familiar with some old favourites like Shotdeck, Filmgrab, Pinterest, Short of the Week and even Deck of Brilliance. These remain a brilliant and an important part of my everyday toolkit, however, here are some additional gems that you may not have clocked!

I’m hoping any creatively road-blocked people out there can breathe a slight sigh of relief as they stumble upon these resources. There’s loads more out there too - feel free to drop your rec’s as well! And hey, if you’ve got more questions, maybe check out our next Ask Away Thursday that’s coming up in November!

Over and out!

Sandy xoxo