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Wessex Media Group

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

YouthDocs & ‘Beyond the Brickworks’ at the Bursledon Brickworks National Heritage Open Day

 Thanks to an award from the Heritage Lottery Fund, young people from Solent Youth Action were able to make films about the Bursledon Brickworks, the last steam driven brickworks in the UK. Over three weeks they worked with filmmakers, The Butterfly Fx, to portray the working life of the site, through animations and drama reconstructions. The testimonies of former employees were recorded to understand how the site used to work and capture their experiences.

On the 8th of September 2011 the Bursledon Brickworks Industrial Museum (BBIM) will be hosting an arts and photography exhibition displaying work by local artists, photographers and craftsmen for the National Heritage Open day.  BBIM has been exploring its local history over the last year via all kinds of avenues including the Hidden Histories project. They have also been searching the newly released 1911 Census which will be on display as part of the exhibition.   His Worshipful the Mayor of Fareham, Councillor Trevor Cartwright MBE and Mayoress Mrs Ruth Cartwright will be attending as honoured guests from 11am.

Beyond the Brickworks films will be screened as part of the event. Please come along and celebrate the young people’s achievement. There will be a special presentation about how the films were made at 1pm and an opportunity to meet the former employees and young people involved. Lena Samuels from WMG will also be launching a new documentary film making competition for young people called YouthDocs at 2pm. Admission is free

Lisa Calder, Director of The Butterfly Fx said: “This is an exciting project for young people to explore the heritage on their doorstep, whilst learning new media skills.  The films made by the young people will be a permanent installation helping future visitors to understand the working life of the Brickworks.”

Lena Samuels, Director of WMG said: “YouthDocs 2011 with its theme A Sense of Place gives young people such as those from Solent Youth Action and any young person in the South, an opportunity to create a short film, a piece of audio and a blog as part of the competition which recognises both their talent as well as gives them a chance to explore and develop their media creativity. ”

The competition is now open for entries with a deadline for submissions of 2nd March 2011. For more information email: lena@wessexmediagroup.co.uk

 

5th September 2011

DOCUTAH the Southern Utah International Film Festival

DOCUTAH is a Southern Utah International Film Festival presented by Dixie State College in St. George and takes place between the 8th and 17th September 2011.

The organisers advise that “festival goers come for the films, stay for the scenery and depart having experienced inspiration. By blending the attractions of breathtaking Southern Utah with a love of documentaries, the inaugural year encouraged 430 submissions; engaging professional and student film makers from 36 different countries.”

To watch trailers and find out more visit:

3rd September 2011