Student Ariana Ciju: Stepping into the role of Live TV Producer

What drew you to study Creative Business? 

Ariana: ‘When I was in high school, I honestly wasn’t sure what I wanted to do. I just knew that I was creative. When I found the Creative Business programme at BUas, it immediately stood out because of how broad it is. You get to explore so many different areas, and that really appealed to me.’ 

‘Over the past few years, I’ve created a magazine, worked on short a film, learned how to code, and even developed prototypes. I never imagined I’d be doing things like that. What I love most is how practical the course is. There’s enough theory to give you a solid foundation, but the focus is really on making and creating. You’re constantly working on real projects, often in groups, which prepares you for the industry.’ 

‘You also develop soft skills. Learning how to collaborate, communicate, and deal with different personalities is just as important as technical skills. That’s one of my favourite aspects of the programme. You don’t just learn about things, you actually do them.’ 

Can you tell us about the Live TV Show assignment? 

Arianna: ‘The assignment was to create a twenty-minute live television episode from scratch. We had specific requirements. It needed three segments, a commercial break, a promotional video for another group’s show, a sit-down interview with a guest, and an activity. Everything had to be timed down to the second. If you go over time in live TV, you get cut off, so precision is everything.’ 

‘Unlike short films, where you can edit afterwards, live television is a completely different process. All the documents, scripts and cues have to be incredibly detailed because everything happens in real time. We also had to find our own guest. It couldn’t be someone from the university, and we had to build the entire concept around our chosen theme. It was intense but incredibly exciting.’ 

You were the executive producer. Why did you choose that role? 

Ariana: ‘Throughout my studies, I’ve often taken on leadership roles. I realised that while some of my classmates have very specific technical strengths, like editing, camera work or sound design, I naturally gravitate towards overseeing the bigger picture.’ 

‘When I looked at the list of roles, I didn’t feel I fit perfectly into any single technical position. But as a producer, you’re responsible for the overall vision and making sure everything comes together. That really suits me. I like being in control of the process and ensuring the final product is the best it can be. It was very stressful, I won’t lie, but I’m very glad I chose it.’ 

What was the concept behind your show, ‘Offended Yet’? 

Ariana: ‘Our show was called Offended Yet, and it focused on controversy and cancel culture. We explored questions like: Is it okay to cancel someone? Where are the boundaries of humour?’ 

‘We invited two well-known comedians as our guests. Interestingly, we discovered they already knew each other, which created a great dynamic on stage. We weren’t allowed to script their answers. Everything had to be live and spontaneous, but they were fantastic. They were funny, insightful and really engaged with the topic.’ 

‘We also created additional video segments, including a street interview where we asked people whether certain celebrities should be ‘kept’ or ‘cancelled’.’ 

What was it like managing a team of twenty students? 

Ariana: ‘That was definitely the most challenging part. Managing twenty people with different ideas, preferences and working styles is not easy. You have to know when to say no, but also recognise when someone’s suggestion could genuinely improve the project.’ 

‘I really wanted everyone to feel heard and appreciated, because it was just as much their show as mine. Especially on rehearsal day, people would constantly come to me with questions or problems about camera angles, timing issues or transitions between shots. It felt like controlled chaos.’ 

‘One important lesson I learned was the value of trust. As a producer, you technically have control over everything. On the day of the live show, I consciously chose to trust everyone in the room. We had worked so hard for two and a half months, and I genuinely believed in the team.’ 

‘After the show, we were all congratulating each other. It was one of the most rewarding projects I’ve ever done.’ 

What did you learn most from the experience? 

Ariana: ‘I learned how to lead under pressure. Live television leaves no room for mistakes, and the timing aspect was incredibly strict. Overall, I learned how to balance control with collaboration. Leadership isn’t about doing everything yourself. It’s about enabling others to do their best work. That’s something I’ll definitely carry forward.’ 

Are you considering a future in production? 

Ariana: ‘I’m definitely drawn to it. Producing suits my personality and strengths, but it’s also a very competitive and stressful industry. With graduation approaching, there’s a lot of pressure to decide what comes next.’ 

What are you working on for your graduation project? 

Ariana: ‘For my graduation project, I’m creating a corporate video for a bakery. The brief is to showcase their values, traditions and what they stand for as a company.’ 

‘It’s been a great experience because the environment is very different from university. The people there are genuinely passionate about their craft, and I’m learning so much just by talking to them and understanding their story. I also have more flexibility compared to some of my classmates, who are doing full-time office placements focused on research or marketing.’ 

‘What I really appreciate is that I can apply everything I’ve learned over the past three years, from storytelling to filming and structuring a narrative, into one cohesive project. It feels like a true culmination of my studies.’ 

Visit Ariana's portfolio website.