Jessica Rhoades on Supporting Writers, Collaborating with Charlie Brooker, and Growing Pacesetter Productions in the UK
Jessica Rhoades, a veteran television producer, is entering a significant milestone as her company, Pacesetter Productions, marks its 10th year. Known for her work on acclaimed series like Sharp Objects, Station Eleven, and Black Mirror, Rhoades has made a notable impact in the industry over the last two decades.
Recently, Rhoades relocated from California to London and has established a UK office. Her latest project, Ponies, a new eight-part Cold War espionage thriller featuring Emilia Clarke and Haley Lu Richardson, debuted on Peacock. Co-created with Susanna Fogel, known for The Flight Attendant, and David Iserson from Mr. Robot, the series exemplifies Rhoades’ evolving vision in television.
Last year, Rhoades completed an untitled limited series set in Newfoundland with Josh Hartnett for Netflix, along with Project Codename, a four-part detective series featuring Paddy Considine and Lena Hadley. Looking ahead, she is also working on Season 8 of Black Mirror and adaptations including Chris Van Dusen’s Girl Abroad and an erotic thriller, Teach Me, produced by Mandy Moore.
“From the get-go, the idea with Pacesetter was that it would be a turnkey producing partner for writers,” Rhoades explained. “If you’re a writer and you want to showrun – whether you’ve done it before or you’ve never done it – we’re your producing partner.” Pacesetter Productions currently employs nine staff members, split between the UK and Los Angeles, including key figures like Head of Production Mark Kinsella and Executive VP Alison Mo Massey.
Rhoades emphasized her commitment to nurturing high-caliber writers, stating, “On all of our shows, we keep the writers very close to us and it’s a very writer-driven model.” She asserts that all team members at Pacesetter engage with the material, ensuring a unified vision throughout production.
During her tenure with Black Mirror, Rhoades changed the production approach by treating each episode as a pilot. “We look at them as five or six pilots from the same showrunner and then we think about what we are going to do differently at every step,” she noted. This method enhanced collaboration with showrunner Charlie Brooker, who remains a cherished colleague.
As Pacesetter’s influence expands, Rhoades plans to grow her UK production team and bring on new executives to support their initiatives. “I’ve been very careful my whole 10 years of having the company that I never wanted to scale just to scale,” she said, reflecting on her prudent approach.
Rhoades, a self-described workaholic, is embracing the UK’s distinctive work-life balance. “People can live their lives, and it doesn’t take away from their passion and their commitment,” she observed. “To be able to build a real life around this craft … there’s a magic to it.”
