The Directors
Simon Hopkins
Simon’s twenty years in the media and culture & entertainment sector have seen him work in many guises: departmental head for a leading media production company and at the BBC, music journalist, web designer and developer, talent manager, A&R man, marketeer and press officer, new media consultant and, not least, musician.
Simon founded Double Shot after leaving the highly successful London-based cross-platform media production company Somethin’ Else, where he was Head of Interactive for two years, running the company’s twenty-strong new media production team and leading business development in the interactive sector for the entire company. While there he worked with clients as diverse as O2, Orange, Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, Hit40UK, the BBC, Saatchis, BBH and Channel 4.
Simon joined Somethin’ Else from the BBC, where he had been Head of Music Interactive for the organisation’s Radio (now Audio) & Music division. Simon led a thirty-strong team working on music-based websites and digital TV services (including those with a specific educational purpose), including the BBC’s music portal, the Radio 3 and Proms websites and the Parents’ Music Room. As part of the department’s core management team, Simon played a decisive part in shaping the strategic future of the department.
Simon first began working in new media in 1998, as a close associate of pioneering UK web outfit state51. During his time there, he learned the fundamentals of great interaction design and online content provision, working as a designer, client-side developer and, crucially, project manager. He was also a founder of and major contributor to the online music journal Motion (now Sonomu).
During this period Simon developed his career as a musician, notably recording and touring with composer Paul Schütze. He also managed several composers and musicians working in various areas of underground music, including Schütze, Techno Animal, Jon Hassell, Neotropic, Sons of Silence and Godflesh.
Simon worked throughout his 20s at the company he joined fresh out of school – Virgin Records (later EMI Virgin). He worked in a host of roles there, but it was the body of work released under his supervision in the latter years which is most of note: the so-called AMBT series of compilations and single artist releases which saw him working with such notable music journalists as David Toop, Kevin Martin and Kodwo Eshun. While still at Virgin Simon also contributed widely to The Wire magazine and was jazz reviewer for HiFi World.
Simon continues to work as a guitarist and is currently working on the avant-metal project Nape. He blogs on everything from media to metal and male menopause at Don’t Get Me Started.
Would you like to know more?
Web work
Music journalism
Live and recorded music
The AMBT series
Blog
last.fm
Flickr
Facebook
MySpace
Sarah Turner
Since March 2007 Sarah has been a contractor for UK Trade and Investment advising staff and clients on the UK digital media landscape in order to attract foreign direct investment into UK research and development. Prior to this she was an International Technology Promoter for the Global Watch Service, a UK technology partnering programme, where she brokered collaborations between UK and overseas organisations in fields such as computer games, eLearning, digital broadcast, mobile and broadband.
Previously Sarah was Managing Director of Wired Sussex, a private agency working with high technology and media companies to help them grow and establish Sussex as an internationally recognised centre for media and technology. Her role included helping companies develop new business nationally and internationally as well as attracting inward investment to the area. While at Wired Sussex Sarah helped to establish TIGA, the trade body for UK games developers, and was joint CEO and on the board during its start-up phase.
Sarah started her new media career back in 1997 with eLearning and simulation company, Maxim (now Knowledge Pool).
Justin Spooner
Justin graduated from Central St. Martins in Fine Art in the early 1990s and went on to set up design and interaction company 50% gray serving clients including British Telecom and Glaxo-Wellcome.
With a passion for emerging technologies he went on to design websites for Sony Playstation, Bupa and the artists Gilbert and George, before joining the BBC in 2000 as the Interactive Editor for Radio 3 and The Proms.
At the BBC, Justin created and delivered the interactive strategy for the countries leading cultural broadcaster. He led the design and editorial direction for all projects across the web, mobile and interactive TV for Radio 3, The Proms and Classical Music Television.
In 2008, he left the BBC to begin working with numerous arts and culture organisations in the development and implementation of their digital strategies. As an editor, designer and commissioner working cross-media for many years, he has a strong sense of how to deliver bold and imaginative interactive communication that builds a confident and meaningful relationship with audiences. He worked with Double Shot as an associate from the Spring of 08 onwards and joined the company as a director in September 08.
He has created his own digital record label, Eva Hipsey, that feeds his love for making music and art.
"I have known and worked with Justin Spooner for seven years... I benefited hugely from having him as a colleague and the whole of our department of the BBC was the lucky to have his creativity and personality in our workplace. He makes an impression immediately - by his questioning spirit, his ability to look at issues in fresh ways and his wide-ranging interests – never through the demands of his ego."
Roger Wright, Controller, BBC Radio 3 & The Proms
"Justin Spooner worked with me as Interactive Editor BBC Radio 3 & Proms over 7 years, and during that time he proved himself to be a dynamic, creative and pro-active editor in the digital space, with a deep understanding of new media issues, from technology to rights to user experience. Justin also excelled at team management and leadership, inspiring his immediate team and other colleagues in the department. Justin was a pleasure to work with and was a very popular member of the interactive department and of BBC Radio 3. His impact on Radio 3 and the Proms has been significant."
Chris Kimber, Managing Editor, BBC Audio & Music Interactive