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Media Innovation Awards Deadline 14th March

Creative companies across Dorset are being encouraged to enter the 2012 Media Innovation Awards which is the region’s most prestigious awards event for people working in the creative industries.  The deadline has just been extended to 14th March and the event is a great opportunity to celebrate and promote the most innovative work in the region.  The prizes will be presented at a glitzy gala dinner taking place in Bristol during the Autumn.

A stellar line up of judges has been brought together to judge the 2012 awards including: Shirani Sabaratam from UKTV, Adam Powers from Bartle, Bogle & Hegarty, Ravi Amaratunga from Channel 4, and Matthew Annal from games studio Nitrome.

The competition is open to all members of Wessex Media Group, Dorset Design Forum, Meet Draw and other South West clusters. You can enter online or download an entry pack from www.mediainnovationawards.com. Media and design companies and their clients can enter up to five categories and nominate for the new talent and outstanding contribution awards.

Mutant Labs, a company based in Plymouth, won the Games Design award in 2011 for their project “Sonic Boom”.  Alex Ryley, Managing Director of Mutant Labs, said: “Winning a Media Innovation Award was an honour for the Mutants. The prestige of the awards has helped us to promote the work that we do and build our reputation in the South West.”

The 16 categories in the 2012 awards include 3 new categories for Animation, Advertising & Marketing B2B and Advertising & Marketing B2C.  The categories are:

  • Television, Video or Film
  • Website Design and Use
  • Mobile Application
  • Graphics
  • Animation
  • Installation/Exhibition/Live Events
  • Radio/Audio/Music
  • Games Design
  • Branding
  • Marketing and Advertising B2B
  • Marketing and Advertising B2C
  • Collaboration between Business and Young People
  • International Trade
  • Entrepreneurship
  • New Talent
  • Outstanding Contribution to Innovation

To find out more and to enter the awards go to: www.mediainnovationawards.com

 

8th March 2012

Media Innovation Awards Judges Announced

A stellar line up of industry leaders has been lined up to judge the 2012 Media Innovation Awards.  The panel of creative and digital media experts includes:

Ravi Amaratunga from Channel 4

Adam Powers from international communications agency Bartle, Bogle & Hegarty

Shirani Sabaratnam from UKTV

Bill Lawrence a Director of Creative England and film industry partnership Reel Solutions

Mark McKeever from web development agency bit10

Matthew Annal from games studio Nitrome

Linsay Duncan, co-founder of marketing consultancy Marke2ing

Ben Tomlinson, Creative Director of Poke

Daniel Campbell, Art Director at WGSN

The Chair of the panel will be Stephen Gray, founder of digital agency Stickee, and more judges will be announced later this month for the competition which celebrates the most innovative work produced by media, design and music companies during 2011.

The competition is open to all members of creative networks and clusters in the South West as well as their clients.  If you run a business that has recently published a new website, run a marketing campaign or launched a new brand and you’ve commissioned the work from a company based in the South West then you’re urged to enter the competition by the deadline of 28th February. You can enter online or download an entry pack from www.mediainnovationawards.com. Companies and individuals can enter up to five categories and the search is on for the most innovative New Talent and the company or person worthy of the Most Outstanding Contribution to Innovation award.

The glitzy award ceremony will take place in Bristol in the Autumn and the 16 categories in the 2012 awards are:

  • Television, Video or Film
  • Website Design and Use
  • Mobile Application
  • Graphics
  • Animation 
  • Installation/Exhibition/Live Events
  • Radio/Audio/Music 
  • Games Design
  • Branding
  • Marketing and Advertising B2B
  • Marketing and Advertising B2C
  • Collaboration between Business and Young People   
  • International Trade   
  • Entrepreneurship
  • New Talent
  • Outstanding Contribution to Innovation

Karen Stockdale from the Media Innovation Awards said: “We’re honoured to have such eminent judges this year.  It’s a great opportunity for entrants to have their work seen by these industry leaders and for their talents to be celebrated across the region.  This initiative shows off the incredible diversity, creativity and innovation in companies across the South West.”

 For more information please visit the website at: www.mediainnovationawards.com, call Karen Stockdale on 01752 346530 or email on info@mediainnovationnetwork.com

11th February 2012

Apply now for Mentoring and Investment

South West Screen launch two programmes for creative businesses

Apply now for Mentoring and Investment Readiness. Deadline: 9 December 2011

15 November 2011: Applications are now open for two exciting new programmes of support for the creative industries in the South West.

The two programmes – Investment Readiness and Mentoring – have been launched by South West Screen to allow businesses to thrive with the help of industry experts, mentors and workshops.

To apply for the Investment Readiness programme, visit bit.ly/osuOhj
To apply for the Mentoring programme, visit bit.ly/nPbDfJ

Investment Readiness will help participating business leaders develop an investment proposition which is more likely to generate investor interest.

Leaders of small to medium sized enterprises (SME) from any creative sector will receive workshops, pitching session and free advice session from legal partner Thrings and accountants Baker Tilly. Sessions will take place in Bristol in the first three months of 2012.

Mentoring, established in conjunction with NESTA, is a programme which allows business leaders to get expert advice from highly successful creative entrepreneurs.

Throughout 2012, leaders of SMEs accepted onto the Mentoring programme will receive advice sessions with a proven, experienced creative business leader; one-day workshops to make sure they get the most from their mentoring; and one-to-one sessions with a specialist business coach to help them stay on track.

South West Screen Innovation Director Anthony Story said: “Creative companies are often set up by people with creative-led expertise; however this doesn’t diminish their commitment to growing solid and successful businesses.

“These two programmes provide creative people with access to expert management advice. This advice will allow them to place their creative venture onto a firm business footing; developing clear business strategies and securing growth by commercialising new innovation.”

The Mentoring and Investment Readiness programmes are supported by the Creative Industries iNet, part of Solutions for Business, funded by the European Regional Development Fund and led by South West Screen.

Visit www.swscreen.co.uk for the latest news on Mentoring and Business Readiness.

16th November 2011

DCMS Launches Film Policy Review

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has announced today that it is launching a film policy review which will set out the future priorities for supporting film in the UK. The principal objectives of the review will be to identify the market failures preventing the creation of a more successful British film industry, determining how best to set policy directions for Lottery funding and public funding so as to support growth in the UK film sector, developing and retaining UK talent, and increasing audience demand through education and access to screen heritage.

It will look at skills support for British creativity, film development and production, distribution and exhibition as well as the support structure needed for continuing to attract international filmmakers to the UK. Lottery money for British film will increase by 60% to around £43 million a year after the 2012 Olympic and Paralymic Games. The review will be led by Lord Chris Smith, the former Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, working with a panel of industry experts including representatives from the Board of BFI Governors.

The panel will comprise: Will Clarke, innovative film distributor and co-founder of Optimum Releasing; Lord Julian Fellowes, the Oscar®-winning writer, actor and director; Matthew Justice, film producer and Managing Director of Big Talk Productions; Michael Lynton, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Sony Pictures Entertainment; Tim Richards, Chief Executive of Vue Entertainment; Tessa Ross, Channel 4 Controller of Film and Drama; Libby Savill, Head of Film and Television for Olswang; and Iain Smith, producer and Chair of the British Film Commission Advisory Board. Lord Smith and the review panel is expected to report by the end of the year. Greg Dyke, Chair of the BFI, said: “The BFI is very keen to work with Chris Smith on the Policy Review, which will principally look at how the film industry in Britain can grow further.  We welcome being fully involved in the process and are glad that three of our Governors will be on the panel and that we will be leading on part of the review itself in the areas of learning and audience engagement. During this time, we will be developing the BFI’s own strategic forward plan, which will obviously be influenced by the Government policy review.” Complete the online survey here. Deadline for submissions is 9 September. The Review is expected to report to Mr Vaizey by the end of the year.

28th July 2011

EastEnders Actress Shana Swash Comes of Age in retro film Gang Girls

Film Hair and Make-up Artist as well as award winning filmmaker, Sharon Holloway, has just completed a new short film with a retro feel. Gang Girls, starring Shana Swash, was shot in and around Southampton and celebrates the south coast’s diverse retro and vintage talents. Produced by Sharon’s hairdressing salon, Vintage Hair Lounge, which is based in the City’s French Quarter, Gang Girls delights in showcasing mod and rockabilly style against a backdrop of local waterfront locations. Sharon explained the film process and why she did the film:

“I was inspired to do this film because I wanted to portray a fresh interpretation of local “vintage” life. Dozens of people turned out to take part, from Hampshire scooter clubs to Bournemouth burlesque performers, so a big thank you to them all. Aside from getting our main girl gang cast ready with sixties styled hair and make-up, along with clothes by Classy Chassis, once I turned the camera on, it only took 4 hours to shoot the whole piece! Then we went in to the studio with singer Miss Annie to record a new version of classic sixties anthem Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down) for the soundtrack and then on to the post-production work with Chair of the Isle of Wight Film Network, Andrew Wilks, who helped create the stylish finished product. I am over the moon with the result. You can watch the film on YouTube at http://youtu.be/T7uzLvJuFnw  and we’d be delighted to hear what people think of it.”

Sharon Holloway is the latest new member of WMG and we released her press release to the Arts pages of The Guardian and The Times as well as to The Daily Echo and The County Press.

Photograph Courtesy of Scott Chalmers.

28th May 2011