RISING stars in the region’s growing creative industries are being backed to develop new ideas for TV, film, and online with more funding.
The West Midlands IP Fund is set to open for a second round of applications with grants of up to £20,000 available, thanks to the West Midlands Mayor, Richard Parker.
The fund has already played a starring role in the recently announced revival in Birmingham of the much-loved children’s classic Bagpuss, and new BBC drama The Hairdresser Mysteries, which will be filmed in the region.
They are among five TV series and three feature films that have been commissioned after being developed by production companies in this region thanks to funding through the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), Create Central and Creative UK.
Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands, said: “We’re already unlocking the potential of our homegrown creatives to help them get their ideas off the storyboard right here in the West Midlands.
“Our IP Fund is bringing Bagpuss back and won a BBC commission for a new daytime drama. That’s the success I want for more of our local talent. Because it’s the big ideas that will bring in more investment and exciting jobs and opportunities. That’s our plan to be centre stage of the UK’s growing creative industries.”
The Mayor, Create Central and the BBC signed a new agreement for the BBC to almost double its production spend in the region to £40m a year, creating more screen industry jobs and training opportunities for local people.
Backing up the BBC commitment, the IP Fund will help more local filmmakers and producers like Ché from Wolverhampton and Anton from Birmingham develop new on-screen ideas.
They run the Birmingham-based independent studio, Acclaimed Content, and secured their first commission thanks to support through Create Central.
Their 30-minute documentary, Queen of Trucks, was commissioned by BBC Three and followed Shannan Paterson as she ran a HGV driving school in Willenhall, with the goal to get young people into careers behind the steering wheel.
It was the springboard Ché and Anton needed and has led to more work from the BBC and Channel 4. They are currently filming a second series of their gameshow Family Face Off for Channel 4.
Ché said: “We had been pitching but just hadn’t been able to make the breakthrough, so getting a chance to develop the idea for Queen of Trucks with the BBC was the opportunity we needed. It was vital and valuable and without help it wouldn’t have been there.
“It gave us the first commission on our slate and got us in the room with commissioners. We’re now in an exciting position working with multiple broadcasters and now operating in the digital, branded space.”
Paul Ashton, head of film and TV at Creative UK, said: “We know how valuable development funding is for regional screen SMEs and we’re pleased to be working with WMCA and Create Central again to keep delivering this critical support.
“Recent announcements from fund recipients Mill Bay Media, Threewise Entertainment and Full Fat TV all show just how much indies in the West Midlands can achieve with the funding to help them realise their IP with real confidence and momentum.”
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