In the Spotlight: Bitesize Bio’s Production Assistant, Sam Macdonald
This month’s spotlight is on Sam Macdonald, Bitesize Bio’s Production Assistant. He’s the person keeping everything running smoothly behind the scenes (hosting webinars, editing podcasts, designing graphics) and somehow making it all look easy.
Sam Macdonald is a production assistant at Bitesize Bio (though that title barely scratches the surface of what he does)
On any given day, he might be hosting a webinar, recording a podcast, editing videos, or designing graphics in Canva. When asked what he does for a living, he usually just says “events” because explaining the full scope takes too long.
He fell into the field completely by accident. Fresh out of university with a French degree, he took the first job that would actually use it: running audio conferences. The role snowballed from there, evolving through web conferences and beyond. These days, he doesn’t use his French degree much at all, but he’s built a career he genuinely loves.
The appeal? No two days look the same.
The work ranges from technical troubleshooting to creative design, from live hosting to post-production editing. One day he’s behind a microphone, the next he’s deep in video edits. It’s the kind of role where you need to be comfortable doing a bit of everything, and Sam thrives on that variety.
Sam has learned to steady the ship regardless of where technical problems actually originate. His philosophy is to stay calm. If he’s panicking behind the camera, that energy transfers straight to whoever’s presenting. His job is to make the talent look good, to be the glue holding everything together in the background. He describes it as being like a swan: serene above the water while your legs are paddling frantically underneath.
Outside of work, Sam’s an introvert who recharges through long hikes; the kind where you can walk for hours without encountering another person.
He used to live near the Welsh border, where he could disappear into the woods for a 15 or 20-mile trek straight from his doorstep. These days, with a young son, those escapes are rarer. He squeezes in gym sessions or swimming when he can, but most of his free time goes to “dad mode.” He’s teaching his son where food comes from, how to grow it, how to prepare it. His son has his own set of knives and spends summer days eagerly checking if the strawberries in the hanging baskets are ready yet. Patience is a hard lesson when you’re that age.
The best place Sam’s travelled? Slovenia. Lake Bled, specifically. Lush, green, unspoiled, quiet. A place with mountains and cities and countryside all within reach, and the kind of serenity he naturally gravitates toward.
If he won the lottery, Sam would probably do something outdoors full-time, though he acknowledges that if hiking became work, it might lose its appeal. For now, he’s content being the person behind the scenes, making sure everything runs smoothly while everyone else stays focused on the task at hand. Calm, capable, and keeping the wheels turning.
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