Leading Deaf & Hearing Teams in the Media Industry

Deaf & Hearing Trailblazers and our co-production partners, Action Deafness, are proud to have completed another successful season of inspiring interviews with deaf and hearing leaders from all walks of life.

Since 2021, we have interviewed 16 prolific leaders for the UK Deaf Leadership Summit. These have been people from all backgrounds, sectors and industries and from all over the world.

We closed this year's schedule appropriately with a man who has been right there, in the mix of what has been a landmark year for deaf filmmaking and TV dramas in the UK, with the release of 'Reunion' on the BBC and 'Code of Silence' on ITV. The list also included a deaf-led, directed and produced feature-length film 'Retreat' which premiered last month at the Canadian International Film Festival in Toronto.

William's upbringing was shaped by a dismissive remark made by a medical expert, Thanks to the doctor for telling my mother I would not amount to anything, Mager has gone on to achieve international recognition and inspired many followers of his work.

25 years in the television and film industry has taught Mager a thing or two about leadership and management, and what it takes for both deaf and hearing producers and directors to ensure that they are getting the very best out of groups of deaf and hearing people who are brought together to produce the thrillers that we see on our screens.

We all sat wide-eyed and open-mouthed as William answered an audience question on risk-taking. I definitely do not recommend this to anyone!

Although humbled and appreciative of the accolades and praise sent in his direction, Mager wants us to truly understand what it would take to be labelled groundbreaking and truly representative and inclusive.

We have so much to learn from this man in the future as he contemplates the idea of sharing his knowledge with others.

You can watch the interview in full on our YouTube Channel