Lolly Austen
Image Researcher
I'm a footage researcher and creative development specialist with 15 years experience in advertising, production and in-house.
I work with heads of production, producers, directors and creative directors who need fast, culturally sharp support - footage research, references, music and treatment shaping. The kind of end-to-end thinking that moves a pitch from flat to fundable or helps studios to punch above their weight.
Past clients include Google, Guinness, BBC, Meta, FIFA, Waitrose, Instagram, Hugo Boss and the International Olympic Committee - across categories from beauty, fashion and sport to sustainability, gaming and social.
I love collaborating with creatives, directors and editors and bring the same instinct for emerging culture to every project - sharpened by 10 years running a music and promos blog, curating artists, scenes and sounds.
Quick responses, collaborative working and genuine cultural awareness.
Based in London. Available remotely and on-site.
Selected credits
Work History
| Date(s) | Company | Role |
|
2017-Dec - 2024-Dec |
Song Production Studios (nee Karmarama/Kream) |
Multidisciplinary Creative, Commissioning Lead and Production (multiple) |
|
2014-May - 2017-Nov |
Pulse Films |
Production (multiple) & EA |
|
2011-June - 2014-Aug |
Grey London |
EA, Team Assistant & Events Producer |
Short-form Production
| Date | Prod Co / Agency | Brand / Title | Type | Director | Producer | Role | |
|
2025 - Sep |
Untold Fable |
Meta / Instagram |
TVC & Social |
|
Dijian Eccles |
Footage, Stock & Image Research |
|
|
2025 - Aug |
Portas |
Pandora / Love Louder |
TVC & Social |
|
Effie Theos |
Stock & Image Research |
|
|
2025 - Jul |
Prodigious / Publicis |
Nivea |
TVC |
|
Sam Faulkner |
Stock & Image Research |
|
|
2025 - Mar |
Love Song |
Powerade |
TVC |
Will Dohrn |
Neil Andrews |
Footage Researcher |
|
|
2024 - Sep |
Song Studios / Accenture Song |
LIDL Fresh Apples |
TVC & bumpers |
|
Grace Matthews |
Stock footage researcher |
|
|
2024 - Jan |
Song Studios |
LIDL / SUPERmarket |
TVC |
Restless |
Grace Matthews |
Image Research, Director's Assistant, Talent Commissioner |
|
|
2023 - Feb |
Song Studios |
NCS / Outdated, Translated |
Online TVC |
Jason Yan Francis |
Sam Breen |
Director's Assistant, Creative R&D, Talent Commissioner |
|
|
2024 - Nov |
Song Studios |
BBC Media Action / Climate Change |
TVC |
Jon Harvey |
|
Stock Footage Research, Director's Assistant |
|
|
2022 - Mar |
Song Studios |
NCS / Mixtape |
Branded Content |
Ricky Gibb & Jade Spranklen |
Sam Kirby |
Director's Assistant, Image Research, R&D, Talent Commissioner, Music Consultant |
|
|
2019 - Aug |
Kream / Karmarama |
The Marketing Academy Foundation /Fundraising Film |
Conference Fundraising Film |
Lolly Austen |
Jeannine Mansell |
Director, Image Research |
|
|
2019 - May |
Kream / Karmarama |
Accenture Interactive Amsterdam / Robot x Dancer |
Online TVC |
Luke White |
Lauren Tyson |
Director's Assistant, Footage Research, R&D, Talent Commissioner |
|
|
2018 - Mar |
Kream / Karmarama |
Wiltshire Farm Foods |
TVC |
Jon Harvey |
Debbie Impett |
Director's Assistant, Image Research, Treatment Creation, Wardrobe & R&D |
|
|
2018 - May |
Kream / Karmarama |
ADCAN & United We Dream / Time To Tell The Truth |
Online TVC |
Meigan & Tobias |
Sam Kirby |
Director's Assistant, Image Research, Wardrobe, Art Department |
|
|
2021 - Jul |
Song Studios |
The British Army / A Soldier Is A Soldier |
TVC |
Hannah Berry George |
Bev Wells |
Image Research, Director's Assistant, R&D, Talent Commissioner |
|
|
2024 - Sep |
Song Studios |
LIDL / Fresh Apples |
Online TVC |
Ben Lancaster |
Grace Matthews |
Directors Assistant, Talent Commissioner |
|
|
2023 - Jul |
Song Studios |
LIDL / Fresh Berries |
Online TVC |
Jon Harvey |
Grace Matthews |
Assistant Director, Director's Assistant, Image Research, Treatment creation |
|
|
2023 - Jan |
Song Studios |
Teenage Cancer Trust x Royal Albert Hall / Callum's Story |
Event Fundraising Film |
Lolly Austen |
Grace Matthews |
Director, Creative/ Art Director |
Ad Agency TV Department & Production
| Date | Agency | Type | Director | Producer | Role | |
|
2025 - Nov |
NewGen |
Social |
|
Madeleine Martinez |
Image Research |
|
|
2025 - Oct |
Buck |
TVC |
Joe Brooks |
Bénédicte Gold-Dalg |
Footage & Stills Research |
|
|
2025 - Sep |
Untold Fable |
Social film |
|
Dijian Eccles |
UGC Footage & Stills Research |
|
|
2025 - Jun |
Saatchi & Saatchi |
Pitch Film |
|
Sam Faulkner / Sandy Lund |
Footage & Stills Research |
|
|
2025 - May |
Anomaly / Unreasonable Studios |
Online |
|
Jake Graham |
Stock & Stills Research |
|
|
2025 - Apr |
AMV BBDO |
Pitch film |
George Hackforth-Jones |
Sam McGeorge |
Footage, Stock & Stills Research |
|
|
2025 - Apr |
AMV BBDO |
Mood film |
Tim Riley |
Ken McKerracher |
Footage & Stills Research |
|
|
2025 - Mar |
Adam & Eve DBB |
pitch film |
|
Linda-Aileen Macfarlane |
Footage & Stills Research |
|
|
2025 - Feb |
Prodigious |
Mood film |
|
Sam Faulkner |
Footage, Stock & Stills Research |
|
|
2023 - Jun |
Song |
Pitch film |
Luke Ramm & Joe Holt |
Bev Wells |
Director's Assistant & Footage, Stock & Stills Research |
|
|
2024 - Jul |
Song |
Conference film |
Meigan Brown, Tobias Owen |
Bev Wells |
Directors Assistant & Footage, Stock & Stills Research |
|
|
2024 - Aug |
Song |
Pitch Film |
Meigan Brown & Tobias Owen |
Bev Wells / Lolly Austen |
Director's Assistant & Footage & Stills Research |
|
|
2024 - Feb |
Song |
Pitch Film |
Matthew Lancod & Robert Amstell |
Jane McGee / Lolly Austen |
Director's Assistant & Footage, Stock & Stills Research |
|
|
2023 - Oct |
Song |
D&AD Awards entry |
Matthew Lancod & Robert Amstell |
Bev Wells |
Director's Assistant & Footage, Stock & Stills Research |
|
|
2024 - Aug |
Song |
Pitch film |
Matthew Lancod & Robert Amstell |
Bev Wells / Lolly Austen |
Director's Assistant & Footage, Stock & Stills Research |
|
|
2023 - Jul |
Accenture Song Paris |
Pitch Film |
Kate McMullen |
Bev Wells |
Footage Research & VO Session Producer |
|
|
2024 - Oct |
Accenture Song Paris |
Conference film |
Kate McMullen |
|
Footage, Stock & Stills Research |
|
|
2022 - May |
Song Studios |
Pitch Film |
Jon Harvey |
Bev Wells |
Footage Research, Director's Assistant, Post Director |
|
|
2021 - May |
Song Studios |
Presentation Film |
Jon Harvey / Lolly Austen |
Bev Wells |
Footage & Stock Research & Director's Assistant |
Documentaries
| Date | Prod Co | Title | Type | Director | Producer | Role | |
|
2019 - Nov |
Kream / Karmarama |
Fabric of Britain |
Cultural Strategy Documentary |
Murat Gökman |
Sam Kirby |
Director's Assistant, Talent Commissioner, R&D |
Corporate
| Date | Prod Co / Agency | Brand / Title | Director | Producer | Role |
|
2022 - Dec |
Song Studios / Accenture Song |
AstraZenica |
Jon Harvey |
Sam Faulkner |
Stock research |
|
2021 - Nov |
Song Studios / Accenture Song |
Standard Chartered Bank Onboarding films |
Jon Harvey |
Bev Wells |
Stock research, R&D |
|
2022 - Oct |
Song Studios / Accenture Song |
CNS Summit film |
Jon Harvey |
Sam Faulkner |
Stock research, R&D |
|
2021 - Oct |
Song Studios / Accenture Song |
CNS Summit film |
Jon Harvey |
Sam Faulkner |
Stock research, R&D |
Web Series
| Date | Prod Co | Title | Director | Producer | Role | |
|
2021 - Oct |
Kream / Karmarama |
Institute of Coding / Shift CTRL. Series |
Lolly Austen |
Grace Matthews |
Director, Art Director, Music Coordinator |
|
|
2021 - Aug |
Song Studios |
Accenture's African & Caribbean Network / Black Is... Series |
33 Bound, Troy Browne, Lou Jasmine, April Walker, Dipo Kayode-Osi, Lolly Austen |
Sam Breen |
Director's Assistant, Treatment & Image Research, Talent Commissioner, Studio Shoot Director |
Other Related Experience
| Date(s) | Client | Prod Co / Agency | Brand / Title | Director | Producer | Role | |
|
2017-08 |
BBC 2 |
Pulse Films |
Untitled TV show |
Nathan Eastwood |
Ed Hall |
Runner, Development & Testing |
|
|
2022-07 |
The British Army |
Song Studios |
The Locker Podcast - Series 2 |
Lolly Austen |
Grace Matthews |
Director, Footage Research, Art Director, R&D, Music Search |
Countries Worked in
- Denmark (remote)
- France (remote)
- Germany (remote)
- India (remote)
- Italy (remote)
- Kenya (remote)
- Netherlands (remote)
- Singapore (remote)
- South Africa (remote)
- Spain (remote)
- USA (remote)
Directors Worked with
- 33Bound
- Alex Boutell
- Andrew Gaynord
- April Walker
- Ayla Spans
- Ben Lancaster
- Brad Lubin
- Connor Pearce
- Dipo Kayode-Osi
- Fred Scott
- Hannah Berry George
- Jade Spranklen
- Jason Yan Francis
- Joanna Nordahl
- Jon Harvey
- Juliette May
- Kate McMullen
- Lou Jasmine
- Luke White
- Murat Gökmen
- Restless
- Ricky Gibb
- Steve Qua
- Troy Browne
- Will Dohrn
- Wriggles & Robins.
Education
- 2007 - BA (Hons) Fashion Communication (2:1) Southampton Solent University
- 2004 - Art and Design Foundation Diploma (Merit) Winchester School of Art
Ad Agencies Worked with
- Accenture Song
- Adam & Eve
- AKQA
- Droga5
- Droga5 Ireland
- Grey London
- Karmarama
- OMD UK
- Prodigious
- LADBible.
Genres Worked in
- AI
- Animation
- Automotive
- Banking
- Beauty
- Charity
- Documentary
- Education
- Events
- Fashion
- Food & Drink
- Gaming
- Medical/Health
- Military
- Music Video
- Podcast
- Social
- Sport
- Supermarket
- Sustainability
- Technology
- Travel
- Youth Culture
Technical Skills
- Photoshop - Intermediate
- InDesign - Basic
Additional Skills
- Content Direction
- Art Direction
- Associate Director (Creative & Production)
- Talent Commissioner
- Creative research and development
- Wardrobe Stylist
- Music Consultant
- Wellbeing Coach
- Mental Health First Aider
Awards
- ADCAN
- Creative Circle
- DADI
- Drum Content
- Lovie