Location: London hybrid
Team: Mako Studios
Reporting to: Founder and CEO
About Mako Studios
Mako Studios is a digital entertainment studio creating original formats, developing YouTube and social audiences, and producing entertainment for brands, talent and media partners. We bring audience strategy, development and production together to make content people choose to watch and formats that can grow beyond one campaign.
The role
Turn original entertainment ideas into formats that can be pitched, tested, produced and repeated. Work on concepts for brands, digital platforms and Mako Studios’ own intellectual property. We need someone who can generate ideas, give them structure and make them compelling for audiences while remaining realistic about talent, time and budget.
What you will own
- Generate and develop audience led concepts for YouTube, social video, live experiences and future distribution.
- Write compelling loglines, treatments, format outlines, pitch materials and episode structures.
- Research audiences, comparable programmes, creators and emerging formats to strengthen each proposition.
- Design clear format mechanics including rules, episode progression, talent roles, stakes and repeatability.
- Work with the YouTube Strategy and Audience Lead to test the viewer promise and programming potential.
- Collaborate with production and delivery colleagues to test feasibility, casting, locations, schedules and budget implications.
- Help prepare casting briefs, talent research, pilots, development shoots, scripts and running orders where relevant.
- Use client and editorial feedback to improve concepts while protecting what makes the idea distinctive.
What you will bring
Essential experience and capabilities
- Examples of original ideas developed into pitches, programmes, pilots, produced content or credible tests.
- A strong feel for entertainment pacing, character and talent chemistry, tension, humour and repeat viewing.
- The ability to structure an idea so another producer can understand how an episode actually works.
- A practical understanding of production, including the need to shape ideas to a real brief, budget and schedule.
- Curiosity about digital culture, creators, online viewing and what makes entertainment travel between platforms.
- Strong writing, creative collaboration, feedback skills and the ability to develop more than one concept at a time.
Helpful additional experience
- Development experience in unscripted entertainment, game shows, competitions, reality or talent led formats.
- Ability to create visual treatments, decks, storyboards or sample scripts.
- Experience with casting, workshops, proof of concept shoots or production handovers.
Priorities in the first three months
- Understand active briefs, development priorities, target audiences and available production resources.
- Create a prioritised slate of ideas, each with a clear viewer proposition and next development step.
- Take selected concepts through a complete treatment and feasibility discussion ready for a pitch or pilot decision.
What success looks like
- Ideas become formats with clear mechanics, episode structures and talent roles.
- Pitch materials communicate what audiences will watch and how the format can be produced.
- Development responds to research and feedback without losing originality.
- Production teams receive documents that make the creative intention clear before filming.
How we review applications
We will look at concept development, format mechanics, creative writing, pitching, problem solving and projects that reached production or an informed test. Relevant portfolios and transferable work will be considered alongside traditional credits.
We value relevant achievements, transferable experience and potential. A specific degree is not required where practical experience demonstrates the capabilities needed for the role.
How to apply
Upload your CV and complete the assessment on assessment.makostudios.co.uk
