Creative Melanie turns internship into exciting full-time job at LEGO® Agency
When Melanie Nogueira graduated in Advertising & Digital Marketing last Summer, she was not sure which field within Advertising to specialise. One year later, not only did she complete an exciting internship at LEGO® Agency which helped her figure out she wanted to become a producer – she also got surprised by her people leader Charlie Cooper Henniker with an offer to a new full-time position.
“I was really shocked because I wasn’t expecting it at all, so I kind of went blank as they told me, and I remember saying, ‘Are you serious?’ I was so happy and jumped around with excitement after the call,” recalls Melanie with a big smile.
“This internship has definitely helped me figure out that I’d like to become a producer. In only a few months, I had the opportunity to shadow on very cool projects like my first ever shoot for a new (still confidential) campaign with inspiring young girls and produce my first project on my own. I feel super excited and grateful that I get to continue learning and creating amazing work with my talented colleagues.”
Charlie Cooper Henniker, Director of Film Production in LEGO Agency, says: “What my team and I expected from the internship scheme was a support function and the opportunity to mentor someone. What we got was a true production talent who has now joined our team permanently, making us even stronger!”
First time producing on her own
The first project that Mel, as her colleagues call her, produced on her own has just been released. It’s a short animation for a LEGO® City Wildlife Tag On television commercial (TVC).
Mel: “As the producer, the bulk of the process is working with creatives and production agencies to bring the story to life. It takes a lot of responsibility, but it’s also a lot of fun. The initial brief for this project was an animation of a lion coming onto the screen and showing the different sets. I first briefed the animators from the production vendor, then I managed the various rounds of feedback between the two ends, helping adjust the script, soundtrack, and edition until everyone was happy with the result.”
“The video was only a few seconds long, but I got the experience the whole process, and it was a great learning curve. I will never forget it.”
Continuous learning & lots of questions
Two aspects that won’t change with her new role are her curiosity and appetite for learning. It’s not by chance she has built a reputation as ‘someone with lots of questions’ – in the most positive sense.
“I had so many questions that every time I met someone new, they would say in a fun way: ‘So let’s hear all your questions that everyone’s been talking about.’ At the beginning, I was scared to join such a big agency, but the more I met new colleagues, the more I learned how kind and helpful everyone was,” she says.
Being born and bred in London, with mom from Brazil and dad from Cape Verde, Mel believes that her multicultural background helps keep her curiosity and creativity sharp. “I grew up celebrating different cultures and ideas, and I think this diversity of perspectives has always inspired me.”
Mel took over her new position as Associate Producer on 16 August and can’t wait for what comes next. She’ll be focusing on ‘Always on’ productions for our global social media channels – and continue building with LEGO bricks in her spare time. “I’ve become addicted to building!”
Mel joined the LEGO team via OPEN_, a program that specialises in finding game changing young talent from minoritised backgrounds, setting the talent up for success in the creative, tech and media space. LEGO Group supported and participated in the inaugural OPEN_ program – a joint venture between agencies LIVITY and HIDDEN.