Spotlight on Arts with Andy Gundelach
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This edition of Spotlight on Arts features a thoughtful and grounded conversation between John Coster, Rob Watson and their guest Andy Gundelach, a Leicester-based filmmaker and founder of the Film Leicester initiative. As the producer of the programme, what stands out about this episode is its calm but searching tone, offering space for reflection on creative work, education, and the motivations behind building something meaningful in the place you call home.
Andy shares memories of his early creative experiences, starting with a fascination for making things as a child, through to picking up a camera for the first time thanks to his dad, who worked as a drama teacher. These formative moments weren’t about glamour or ambition, but about discovering a way of looking at the world that made sense to him. That quiet curiosity still shapes the way he approaches filmmaking and collaboration today.
The conversation moves naturally between personal reflection and wider questions about how people enter the creative industries. Andy talks about the students he’s worked with through placements and projects, challenging common assumptions about young people’s attitudes to work. He offers an alternative view, where real engagement comes from being given the chance to experiment, make mistakes and understand where your strengths lie. There’s an honest recognition that not everyone finds their niche straight away, and that a creative path isn’t always linear or clearly signposted.
John and Rob draw on their own experience teaching and mentoring, and it’s clear they share Andy’s interest in what happens when people are encouraged to follow their own questions rather than fit into someone else’s plan. The conversation touches on the importance of building a portfolio beyond formal coursework, of seeing creative work not just as an outcome, but as a way of exploring identity and purpose.
As Andy talks about the thinking behind Film Leicester, the conversation shifts to questions of infrastructure and visibility. He outlines a quiet determination to help build something that gives Leicester’s creative community more presence—not as an echo of London or Manchester, but in its own right. There’s no sense of waiting for permission. Instead, it’s about making use of what’s already here: the people, the stories, the places that often go overlooked.
The conversation finishes on a more introspective note. Andy speaks openly about self-reflection, the emotional demands of running a business, and the importance of staying connected to your values. He doesn’t present this as a polished narrative of success, but as something ongoing and unfinished. It’s a useful reminder that growth isn’t always about scaling up—it can be about paying attention to where you are now, and asking what kind of work still feels worth doing.
This episode is available now on the Soar Sound website and through the usual podcast platforms. It’s one to listen to slowly, and perhaps return to when the noise of the day quiets down.
