Well what a year 2008 has been!
I started the year four months into my role as CEO, with a clear plan to take Screen WM and the regional screen industries to their next level of growth.
The digital opportunities for screen media companies were very clear, and so were the huge challenges many companies in the region face at time of considerable industry change.
The first thing I needed to do was to ensure that Screen WM had the right skills and talent in-house to be able to support the industry through this challenging and exciting time.
So the first few months of the year were spent restructuring the agency. This saw the creation of two new departments – Innovation, New Markets and Skills and Education, Archive and Audience Development…New staff members…Promotion of existing staff…New Chair and Board Directors.
With the dream team in place, new funds were needed…and in 2008 we secured more funds than ever before to invest in the West Midlands screen media industries…over £16m in total. Click here to find out what we fund.
We then developed more formal partnerships with the other agencies, to ensure that our investments and priorities are joined-up– AWM, Arts Council WM, Business Link, UKTI and Government Office to name a few.
With the team, funds and partnerships in place we’ve been able to achieve a huge amount in 2008…my highlights are:
· * Channel 4’s 4IP – Birmingham as the first 4iP Hub and a £10m partnership with Channel 4 and Screen WM…find out more here
* Investing in 7 feature films, with a record 4 in production at the same time over the summer…taking our investment to 14 regional features films… find out more here
* Working with the BBC to secure the Drama Series Doctors for three more years at the Drama Village at Birmingham University
* Supporting 8 regional festivals, including Hello Digital, Flip Animation, Black International Film Festival and Deafest
* Showcasing the region across the globe…Cannes Film Festival, Berlin Film Festival, Toronto, Dinard and Japan
* The West Midlands leading the way in the UK on strategic partnerships with the key agencies
I would like to say a huge thank you to the Screen WM team for all their efforts in 2008
Our main priority as we enter 2009 is to enhance our support for businesses across the region who are facing a hugely challenging time. I hope that the foundations we have put in place this year will ensure continued growth and reputation of our film, TV and digital industries in the year ahead...