Indie TV and film producers in the region could benefit from the launch of a scheme designed to grow their businesses.
Industry development agency North East Screen and national trade body Pact have joined forces to offer a two-year development programme that will give up and coming production companies access to established experts who can provide guidance. The Future North East scheme was launched at this week's Creative Cities Convention in Newcastle, which saw top BBC, ITV and Channel 4 executives speak.
Firms are being invited to apply via a video pitch with the process opening next week. Organisers say a panel of experienced producers and experts will assess the pitches before successful teams will be announced at the end of May, with the first "bootcamp" taking place in June.
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Ten promising producers are being sought for the scheme, which is open all firms regardless of whether they are Pact members. David Parfitt, chairman of North East Screen said: “We have a developing network of indies here in the North East, and are delighted to be launching Future North East with Pact. This presents a unique opportunity for North East indies to benefit from the deep knowledge of leading industry experts to help prepare them for global business opportunities.”
Pact’s managing director of business development and global strategy Dawn McCarthy-Simpson said: “Following the success of Pact’s Future30 scheme over the past two years, we are delighted to be able to roll this out in the North East in partnership with North East Screen. The North East has a wealth of talent and we look forward to working with the selected indies to help them grow their businesses."
The push to develop indies in the North East comes amid a flurry of news for the regional screen industry. Earlier this month North East Screen announced it had joined forces with Screen Yorkshire, Liverpool Film Office and Screen Manchester to form Screen Alliance North, a BFI skills cluster which has collectively been awarded £2.3m of BFI National Lottery Funding to make the sector more accessible and representative.
And little over a week ago, Fulwell 73 Productions the makers of Carpool Karaoke and Sunderland Til I Die, told attendees of a North East England Chamber of Commerce event about its ambitions to create a multimillion-pound, 8,500-job film studio complex in Sunderland with partners Cain International. Leo Pearlman, co-founder and managing partner at Fulwell 73, said that while the North East was known for its coal mining, ship building and heavy industry heritage, in the future it would be known for TV and film production.
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