Jeff Nottingham
BA (Hons) Media and English Literature 2001
Position and company: Senior Producer at McKay Williamson/Writer
As a Senior Producer and Art Advisor at McKay Williamson, Jeff is a master of his craft in producing projects across film, art, and design. He works with clients to develop very personal creative projects from conception to reality.
With his passion for storytelling, Jeff's debut crime novel, Jasper's Brood, was published in 2023 by Black Spring Crime, a series edited by bestselling author Luca Veste. Jeff's book is set in and around Sunderland and Penshaw, and it has been championed by some greats of the genre including Ian Rankin, Val McDermid, and Lee Child.
When asked about his greatest achievements Jeff replied: “They have been getting Jasper’s Brood published, taking by debut play ‘Lost in Mozart’ to the Edinburgh Fringe, and transferring to London’s Notting Hill Tabernacle.”
Despite his success, Jeff acknowledges the challenge of continuing to write while prioritising his career as a creative producer and raising a family. His advice to current students on getting a foot on the career ladder is to keep their options open and to consider further study.
“Employers generally want somebody trustworthy, diligent, and teachable, not necessarily with the exact skills and course that fit the job,” he advised. “I managed an inner-city youth centre through my 20s after my BA. It drew on my course because it was related to PR, which had been part of my BA.”
Jeff's attraction to the University of Sunderland stemmed from the brand-new media facilities and the wide-ranging and dynamic course.
He said: “I loved my course and met a lot of great people in Sunderland. I enjoyed Sunderland itself for a great social life, good student pubs, and a real variety of places to visit and hang out, like trips to South Shields, walks along the renovated docklands, going to gigs at Manor Quay. I enjoyed the library too as a great place to work and study.
“A very strong memory is also my time in hospital at the end of my first year after catching a serious strain of Meningitis. It was touch and go for the best part of ten days, and my parents were told to expect the worst, or at least that I’d lose a limb to septicaemia. I thank God (and the hospital staff!)."
Jeff's future plans include continuing to write novels and enjoying creative challenges in his day job.