Friends & Patrons

Carolina Giammetta (Patron)

When Bigfoot started in 2000, I became one of their first ‘After school Drama Club) teachers. I loved their passion and ambition for bringing drama into schools and making it affordable and accessible for children from different backgrounds. There was a small pool of us teachers that had trained as actors and it gave us the chance to share our skills and knowledge with a wider community. As Bigfoot grew, so did the need for more programmes in schools. I went on to becoming the companies Master trainer, not just training new and ongoing Bigfoot staff but also running INSET’s in schools with teachers training them how to make their teaching practice more creative and interactive. That was 25yrs ago and the company is still thriving and has one of the best drama in education reputations in London and across the country. Whilst I now work in Film & TV, I still have such admiration for the work Bigfoot has done over the years, transforming the lives of young people and teaching practices. Their energy is infectious and the staff that work for them continue to push the boundaries of an artistic and creative approach to learning. I am very proud be their new Patron. Carolina Giammetta is an award-winning TV & Film director and writer. She trained and worked as an actress as well as a drama and film studies facilitator and trainer and now works as a director in Television. She was recently appointed Director of Drama for ITV Studios’ scripted indie, Eagle Eye Drama. She currently completing production on upcoming series Bookish which she directed, created by and starring Mark Gatiss, which will air later this year on UKTV’s channel U & Alibi. Her other recent credits include Suspect Season 2 with Anne-Marie Duff for Channel 4 and Before We Die, Season 2, starring Lesley Sharp also for Channel 4. In her new role she will continue to develop and direct new dramas for the company whilst also coming on board as executive producer for the company’s growing slate. In 2021 she directed a four-part ITV drama, Hollington Drive starring Anna Maxwell Martin. Prior to this, in 2020, she directed her first authored piece – the four-part series, The Drowning, for Channel 5, starring Jill Halfpenny, Rupert Penry-Jones and Jonas Armstrong.