10 minutes with… Gráinne Coleman
Gráinne works as a Programme Sales Executive for RTÉ.
She joined RTÉ in 2009, having working in the film industry for 11 years. She worked with Geraldine O’Leary, Group Head of Commercial, as her PA before joining International Programme Sales in 2018. Programme sales is the distribution arm of RTÉ representing both in-house and independent producers and offering high quality content for broadcast on all content platforms worldwide.
The best piece of advice I was ever given…Actions speak louder than words. My Dad always said this to me and it is a motto that I use in my personal and professional life. |
What was your first job?Does babysitting count? £5 for the night when I was 13 – enough to buy Smash Hits and a few sweets |
The best part of my job is…Meeting people. Bi-annually, I attend MIPTV & MIPCOM. Morning till night, it is meeting & networking with people from across the globe. I love seeing and hearing what content is being produced in other territories especially the reality formats that would never get commissioned in Ireland. |
The most rewarding part of my job is…Making the sale. I get such a buzz of excitement from it. Being able to sell our amazing content all over the world is so rewarding. Imagine being on holiday in Romania and turning on the TV in your hotel room and there is “Room to Improve”. Another rewarding part of the sale is contacting the Producer of the programme you are representing and telling them you have sold it to another territory. |
Digital detox - yay or nay?Yes. Yes. Yes . Finding it harder and harder but I definitely detox. I love when I can mute group notifications and spend time outside. |
The one electronic device I couldn’t live without is…My Phone. I can’t remember a world without it. |
What was the last book you read?“When All That Is Said “by Anne Griffin – I love Irish writers and this is an incredible debut novel. If I could I would option it as this is one that will definitely make the small screen. |
Which two organizations outside your own do you know the most people at and why?I work closely with a large number of independent production companies and post-production houses so it is very difficult to narrow it down and ironically this is the hardest question to answer. But if you really need two; The Element Post-Production (where I temped for 9 days & met my husband) and World 2000 Entertainment (where I worked) |
How do you define success?I don’t think success can be defined as it really depends on people’s perspectives. But for me, it is work/life balance. I am ambitious and I want to spend time with my four girls so it is striving for that balance! |
Have you ever met anyone famous?Yes. Having worked in the film industry for years I have been fortunate to have met, worked and partied with some Hollywood A-Lister’s. |
What's your favourite app?Revolut. Only downloaded it a few months ago & I don’t know how I lived without it |
What is your favourite brand and why?Netflix. They are the market leader in creating and distributing original content and I have to watch it all the time for “research purposes”. |
Tell us something interesting that people may not know about you?My Grandpa was the famous Abbey Theatre actor Harry Brogan and his portrait still hangs proudly in The Abbey. Ask your parents or your grandparents about him. |
What or who are you a ‘closet’ fan of?Cheesy romantic movies that I watch when the kids have gone to bed. I switch off and don’t have to actually use my brain. |