Hard though it is to believe, 2026 marks 40 years of The Knowledge! Yes, the first edition of the essential production services directory was launched in 1986 and is still going strong, and as in-demand as ever.

As part of our birthday celebrations, we sat down with the founders of the book to hear about how it came about, how the industry has changed and what they have been doing since…

The early days

The Knowledge was founded in 1986 by Julie Thompson, Tina Jamieson and Debbie Ellis; Debbie sadly died in 2018.

With the first two ladies now known as Jules Field and Tina Devereux, the triumvirate was completed at our meeting by Julie Wassmer (Julie W), who joined The Knowledge team very early on as sales manager. Julie W is now best known as the author of The Whitstable Pearl books, currently adapted for television.

The inspiration

Jules, Tina and Debbie were experienced production assistants, working largely in commercials and feature films. Following working trips to Los Angeles and using the LA411 publication, they were inspired to launch their own production services directory by pooling their extensive contact books.

It was important that The Knowledge should not only be crammed with essential information, but also that it was aesthetically pleasing. Art directors Ivan Bulloch and Diane James were hired to design the book, and new artists commissioned each year to design the front cover and dividers.

Julie W joined The Knowledge as advertising manager from her role at BBC Radio (drama and music), and to overcome any confusion from having two “Julies” in the office, decided to use a working pseudonym of Joan Collins – apart from the glamour factor, the team realised that potential sales leads would simply not want to say no to La Collins…






The testimonial – from a now-famous producer…

A now-notable member of the team back then was Kevin de la Noy: a runner at the time, de la Noy worked as a content researcher on The Knowledge.

He would later become one of the top producers/PMs/exec producers in the industry, with credits including Eternals, The Dark Knight, Titanic and House of the Dragon.

Kevin told me: “Working there [at The Knowledge] became a key foundation block in my education as to how this industry works. I could not have had kinder or more vibrant mentors. Guidance learned there is still being applied today in my work.”

Entries, updates and ‘tech’

Just as today, there were strict criteria for having a listing in The Knowledge: industry professionals had to have three credits to their name. Credits that were likely shot on 35mm – nothing had gone digital then.

One thing that has changed though (some would say thankfully; others perhaps not), was that 40 years ago, the crucial, yearly updates for the entries were verified by snail mail and a dedicated telephone team.

Most of the selling was carried out over the phone or in face-to-face meetings, some of which could become lengthy and lively. Sometimes the team would plaster marketing posters around media-centric Soho.

Cheques from advertisers would arrive in the post, and the pages would be sent off to the typesetters when ready.

International angle

An international section was included right from the very first edition, mainly with entries for service and facility companies. In fact, the team then set up The Knowledge production company, to service shoots coming into the UK from overseas.

Successful from the start

The Knowledge book was hugely successful right from the start. The team was already highly respected and well known in the industry, from their previous roles in production.

Moving on

After seven years, the ladies decided to pursue other realms. They had been involved intensively in the book for six months of each year, while also continuing to work freelance.

Other paths were starting to beckon, and The Knowledge was sold in 1992.

Jules (left) worked as a producer for the next eight years following the sale and headed up the commercials division at Tiger Aspect. A move to Suffolk inspired her to start another successful business, Jules & Sharpie, a food company producing chilli preserves.

Tina (right) worked for several years in film and television development and then in 2000 retrained as a garden designer.

Julie W (left) wrote a short film for C4 British Screen, produced by TD for the Knowledge Production Company, then secured an agent, and wrote for EastEnders for almost 20 years before the first Whitstable Pearl book was published in 2015.

Looking back

“I’ll always be grateful for the time I spent working at The Knowledge, learning so much from a group of amazingly talented women who, with expertise and a ‘can-do’ attitude, created a product that remains invaluable to this day”, Julie W told us.

A terrier always gets the last word

Among the staff credited in the front of The Knowledge book in the early editions was advertising manager ‘Jack Russell’. This was, in fact, a terrier belonging to Jules.

Although he came into the office regularly, the little dog’s role was also to provide a useful placeholder name – a kind of John Doe – for the team to cite when they were busy fielding calls, eg “Jack Russell will get back to you later”.

Jules told us: “He was well known around the studios – particularly the Shepperton bar where he could be found hanging out with the sparks!”

And who could deny a Jack Russell terrier his accreditation on the masthead of such a successful book…



With many thanks to Jules Field, Tina Devereux and Julie Wassmer for their time, input and images.


To secure your place in the 40th anniversary edition of The Knowledge, please contact Sarah on 07843 429611 and at sarah.keegan@mbi.london, or Alex 07967 471450 and at alex.curry@theknowledgeonline.com now, to find out about the packages on offer.