Name
Krystyna O'Brien
Profile name
Krys O'Brien
Occupation
Writer, Radio Presenter and Actress
Is this your own enterprise?
Yes
How many years have you been doing this job?
Radio Presenting since 2007
How did it all start?
I started acting when I was in school - I played Alice in Alice Through the Looking Glass when I was 7. At the age of 14 I got my first professional job at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, where I played the part of a girl called Anne. The production was called Final Wave by Stephen Bill and starred the actor Gordon Kaye, who's most famous for playing the hapless French cafe owner in 'Allo 'Allo. Whilst at school I was invited in to Sheffield Radio to talk about Shakespeare and loved doing it.
In 1984 I was awarded a full scholarship by the Polish Government to study Polish at the Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Poland, for a year. I then returned home to do my four year BA (Hons) degree in Polish studies at SSEES, University of London. In 2007 I attended an interview on Meridian FM about my acting career. They got me to do a weather reading, after which I was asked to co-present a show. My own shows followed after this and I became the station’s ‘Rock Chic’! I've also done some Hospital Radio, joined Uckfield FM in 2013, who I'm still with, and then became a Traffic and Travel Presenter for Radio Jackie in 2016.
What does the job involve?
You need to be good at doing research as you have to be able to find material that is current and relevant to the days you are on air. Local newspapers are always a good source for this as they can cover all kinds of subjects for you to talk about. The playlist is done by the station manager so I don't need to worry about selecting tracks for my shows, unless I do an evening’s ’Specialist Show'. Depending on what shift I'm doing, there may be competitions to do, guests to interview - either live in the studio or via the phone - or on location during an outside broadcast. There are also vox pops to record and features to create and edit. Alternatively I could be doing simple “infills” or “links" between songs. No two days are ever the same. I also write, record, act in and sound edit radio plays. These are hard work but great fun creatively.
What qualifications do you need?
Although I have a BA Hons in Polish Studies it's not the academic side that's important in a job like this, although you do have to be technically competent to work the equipment. As long as you have a good personality, are able to present well and can “wing it" then you are fine. However, punctuality is a must so you do need to be self disciplined.
What’s the best part of the job?
Communicating with people. Knowing that you are someone's friend. Being kept on your toes and one step ahead of yourself, and of course the music!
What’s the worst part of the job?
Getting up at 4am to do a breakfast show starting at 6am. Especially on winter mornings. And encountering huge egos, which seem to go with the territory.
What advice would you give to someone who was looking to do this as a career?
Find a local community radio station or Hospital Radio and see if they will take you on. In most cases you will be working on a voluntary basis so be prepared not to receive any income straight away. Make demos of yourself and send them out to stations. Another good place to start is on Student Radio at University. I love doing this job especially as it can give you a huge buzz which makes you forget all your problems when you are in the zone. If you are having a bad day when you go into the studio, you can end up going home a different person.
About the interviewer:
To contact David please email: davidwalkerfj@gmail.com
Click here for David's LinkedIn profile.
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Click here for David's LinkedIn profile.
Click here if you want to be part of this blog
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