I’m a multidisciplinary backstage creative who specialises in live audio, stage production, and tour management, with a background in youth work, public speaking, and diversity consultancy.
Only 5–7% of the audio industry comprises women; if I’m being generous, maybe 1% are women of colour. That’s uncomfortable at times because it’s always, “Where’s the sound man?” When I’m the sound woman, I’m undermined a lot. I’m not going to be able to pick up that flight case without every Tom, Dick, and Harry saying, “Can we give you a hand?”
Growing up, I thought I’d be a big DJ in Ibiza and then realised there might not be a lot of life in that, so I honed my interest in sound systems and was really fascinated by cones inside speakers and soldering. So I took an apprenticeship in a venue to learn how to write a contract and how to send an email; I wanted to become comfortable in the professional world after leaving college. Going into that space allowed me to excel, and I stayed there for four years.
During that time, I was supported by an amazing man called Franklyn Sweeney, who has been mentoring me since the age of 15. He taught me that all you need is hope. All you need is someone to just see you. Frank saw me for who I was and who I could become. That gave me the confidence to enter spaces like this that might be a bit daunting. It gave me the confidence to go out and talk to people. What I quickly realised was that your network is your net worth. It’s not what you know, it’s who you know. From there on, I took every job that came my way. I was happy to fill up skips or unload a truck.
Only 5–7% of the audio industry comprises women; if I’m being generous, maybe 1% are women of colour
In 2019, I quit my job to launch Petok Productions, to increase representation of women, trans, and non-binary people working behind the scenes, screens, and lens. At first, I just walked around with business cards. I didn’t know what it was at that time, but I was just sick and tired of not having space for people who looked like me or came from marginalised communities or disadvantaged backgrounds – which accounts for a lot of the community that I grew up in.
The longer-term goal for Petok Productions was always to offer mentoring opportunities. I’m passionate about making sure that the younger generation is shown that these are possible career paths for them to get into. I’d like Petok to be the go-to place for hiring women, trans, and non-binary people working behind the scenes, screens, and lens. The biggest achievement for Petok is to have our global database used by major festivals, record labels, and independent organisations.
It’s been an amazing journey for us. Currently, we have 180 associates in Petok Productions from Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Australia, Canada, US, Europe, and India, to name a few. We’ve recently been funded by Nile Rodgers’ We Are Family Foundation, who are supporting us on this journey of growing the company. (I was Nile Rodgers and Chic’s tour assistant over the last couple of years.) And it’s been a privilege to show young people that the world is their oyster.
What’s been amazing is how many organisations have shown an interest in working with us. We have been able to do quite a lot of consultancy with organisations such as AMC, BBC, and Netflix. We’ve also managed to grow Petok Academy, which is
our arm for training, shadowing, and mentoring.
It’s amazing for me to get to where I am and share that with others. If you’re somebody who feels as though you’re the only one in the room, please talk up. And if you’re somebody who acknowledges that your advantage may offset somebody else’s disadvantage, please do that. Allyship isn’t just saying, “I’m not homophobic” or “I’m not racist,” it’s also about standing up for people from marginalised communities or disadvantaged backgrounds when they’re not there. You can’t be what you can’t see; representation is key.
This comment piece was taken from Pembe’s Soapbox Session, which took place at ILMC’s Futures Forum 2024.
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You can’t be what you can’t see; representation is key
Pembe Tokluhan discusses how her career in the male-dominated production sector inspired her to create Petok Productions
02 May 2024
I’m a multidisciplinary backstage creative who specialises in live audio, stage production, and tour management, with a background in youth work, public speaking, and diversity consultancy.
Only 5–7% of the audio industry comprises women; if I’m being generous, maybe 1% are women of colour. That’s uncomfortable at times because it’s always, “Where’s the sound man?” When I’m the sound woman, I’m undermined a lot. I’m not going to be able to pick up that flight case without every Tom, Dick, and Harry saying, “Can we give you a hand?”
Growing up, I thought I’d be a big DJ in Ibiza and then realised there might not be a lot of life in that, so I honed my interest in sound systems and was really fascinated by cones inside speakers and soldering. So I took an apprenticeship in a venue to learn how to write a contract and how to send an email; I wanted to become comfortable in the professional world after leaving college. Going into that space allowed me to excel, and I stayed there for four years.
During that time, I was supported by an amazing man called Franklyn Sweeney, who has been mentoring me since the age of 15. He taught me that all you need is hope. All you need is someone to just see you. Frank saw me for who I was and who I could become. That gave me the confidence to enter spaces like this that might be a bit daunting. It gave me the confidence to go out and talk to people. What I quickly realised was that your network is your net worth. It’s not what you know, it’s who you know. From there on, I took every job that came my way. I was happy to fill up skips or unload a truck.
In 2019, I quit my job to launch Petok Productions, to increase representation of women, trans, and non-binary people working behind the scenes, screens, and lens. At first, I just walked around with business cards. I didn’t know what it was at that time, but I was just sick and tired of not having space for people who looked like me or came from marginalised communities or disadvantaged backgrounds – which accounts for a lot of the community that I grew up in.
The longer-term goal for Petok Productions was always to offer mentoring opportunities. I’m passionate about making sure that the younger generation is shown that these are possible career paths for them to get into. I’d like Petok to be the go-to place for hiring women, trans, and non-binary people working behind the scenes, screens, and lens. The biggest achievement for Petok is to have our global database used by major festivals, record labels, and independent organisations.
It’s been an amazing journey for us. Currently, we have 180 associates in Petok Productions from Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Australia, Canada, US, Europe, and India, to name a few. We’ve recently been funded by Nile Rodgers’ We Are Family Foundation, who are supporting us on this journey of growing the company. (I was Nile Rodgers and Chic’s tour assistant over the last couple of years.) And it’s been a privilege to show young people that the world is their oyster.
What’s been amazing is how many organisations have shown an interest in working with us. We have been able to do quite a lot of consultancy with organisations such as AMC, BBC, and Netflix. We’ve also managed to grow Petok Academy, which is
our arm for training, shadowing, and mentoring.
It’s amazing for me to get to where I am and share that with others. If you’re somebody who feels as though you’re the only one in the room, please talk up. And if you’re somebody who acknowledges that your advantage may offset somebody else’s disadvantage, please do that. Allyship isn’t just saying, “I’m not homophobic” or “I’m not racist,” it’s also about standing up for people from marginalised communities or disadvantaged backgrounds when they’re not there. You can’t be what you can’t see; representation is key.
This comment piece was taken from Pembe’s Soapbox Session, which took place at ILMC’s Futures Forum 2024.
Get more stories like this in your inbox by signing up for IQ Index, IQ’s free email digest of essential live music industry news.