South West Companies Meet the Commissioners

The Media Innovation Network will be hosting a special event with BBC4and BBC South West on Monday 14th May.  Media companies from across the region will be given a chance to “Meet the Commissioners” when Richard Klein from BBC4 and Simon Willis from BBC South Westgive a special briefing to producers in Plymouth.

 The event will take place at Foot Anstey’s Salt Quay House HQ on Sutton Harbour and it begins at 2pm.  As well as listening to a general briefing some companies have also taken advantage of an opportunity for a one to one meeting with Richard.

Richard Klein became the Controller of BBC Four in December 2008.  Since he has been at the channel, Richard has overseen BBC Four’s highest-rating programme, Gracie! (1.5m) – which was part of the Women We Loved season of dramas. Other successes include the topical On Expenses drama (0.83m); Chemistry – A Volatile History (0.66m); Paul Merton Looks At Alfred Hitchcock (0.51m); The Art Of Russia (series average 0.4m); A History Of Christianity (series average 0.44m); and Newswipe With Charlie Brooker, which recently won the RTS award for best Entertainment programme.

The event is just one of the ways in which the Media Innovation Network supports and promotes creative companies in the South West and it is the latest in a series of training and business development events on offer.

Karen Stockdale, Manager of the Media Innovation Network, said “Opportunities for producers to hear about commissioning requirements are rare and we’re delighted that Richard Klein has chosen to talk to South West based companies.  This will be an amazing opportunity for producers to find out about the channel targets and output, and to hear about their programme and multi-platform requirements.”

For further information and to register to attend the event go to: http://www.mediainnovationnetwork.com/Events/MEET-THE-COMMISSIONERS.aspx

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Green Film Festival to be launched on Thursday 17th May

On Thursday 17 May, Portsmouth Film Society launches its first Green  
Film Festival in partnership with Portsmouth Climate Action Network,  
bringing a range of speakers and films to the city to promote and  
engage with some of the important issues facing the world today.

The film festival opens with the documentary Just Do It, by director  
Emily James, about young climate activists who challenge the law when  
protesting environmental issues. Emily James will be a guest of the  
festival. The film will start at 6pm , and entry is free.

Emily will then join a special panel discussion following her film.  
The subject of the panel will be “Can We Really Change the World”.  
Audiences are encouraged to come and take part in a no doubt lively  
debate. The panel starts at 7:30pm.

Panel guests:
The panel will be chaired by Owen Devine of the Portsmouth Climate  
Action Network, he will also be joined by

Richard Lanchester  Brighton climate activist  who has been involved  
with Climate Camp and the Anti-fracking campaign,
Chris Kennett, Portsmouth Summer Fair Organiser, and Trustee of Eco  
Health Festival and  Eco Community Project
Mark Stevenson, an adviser to family offices on asset allocation and  
is currently co-founding a new research and investment vehicle  
(Primary Energy Research).
Emily James, director of ‘Just Do It: A Tale of Modern-Day Outlaws’

Another important speaker will be award winning writer Mark Lynas who  
will introduce the film The Island President, which Mark contributed  
to, about President Mohamed Nasheed, the first democratically elected  
leader of the Maldives, an island archipelago whose very existence is  
threatened by the effects of climate change. Mark has written  
extensively about environmental issues and has often taken up  
positions that have sometimes made him a controversial figure in the  
green movement. His book Six Degrees was long-listed for the Orwell  
Prize in 2008, and won the prestigious Royal Society Prize for Science  
Books the same year. He was an adviser to President Nasheed, who was  
deposed in February by a military Coup. Mark Lynas will talk about  
some of the issues raised in the film and about events in the Maldives  
that have taken place since the film was completed.

Mark Lynas introduces The Island President at 8:30pm.

Single ticket costs £5 and online ticket service available.

Portsmouth Film Society chairperson Aysegul Epengin said, “We hope  
that the Green Film Festival will become an annual event bringing  
important films on environmental themes to the city, to get audiences  
involved with the issues and engaged with the debates.”

Portsmouth Film Society started in 2010 with a mission to bring the  
best in international art cinema and independent film to Portsmouth  
through regular screenings. In 2011 the society was honoured with a  
number of awards and commendations at the National Film Society Award  
from the British Federation of Film Societies, including winning the  
Community Award. The Green Film Festival is their first film festival  
and runs till Saturday 19 May, including a day of events at Victoria  
Park as part of the Summer Fair.

For more information visit

  www.portsmouthfilmsociety.org.uk/green-film-fest.html
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BEST OF BRITISH – 3 CLASSIC DICKENS ADAPTATIONS AT No. 6 Cinema

POMPEY’S COMMUNITY CINEMA PORTSMOUTH FILM SOCIETY PROUDLY PRESENTS:

BEST OF BRITISH – 3 CLASSIC DICKENS ADAPTATIONS AT No. 6 Cinema

As part of this year’s Dickens bicentenary celebrations, Portsmouth Film Society in partnership with the University of Portsmouth’s Centre for Studies in Literature, is proud to present three classic British screen adaptations of the novelist’s finest works.  Douglas McGrath’s acclaimed interpretation of Nicholas Nickleby emerged in 2002 from under the shadow of Trevor Nunn’s RSC tour de force broadcast in the early days of Channel 4. A Nickleby for modern times, this Golden Globe nominee features an all-star British cast including Jamie Bell (Billy Elliot), Jim Broadbent, Tom Courtenay, Alan Cumming, Edward Fox, Christopher Plummer, Timothy Spall and Juliet Stevenson. Nicholas Nickleby will open the Dickens season on 2 May, with differing perspectives on the adaptation offered by Dr Chris Pittard of the University’s Centre for Studies in Literature, and film historian Dr Justin Smith.

The second film in this bicentennial celebration stars British matinee idol Dirk Bogarde alongside Dorothy Tutin in Dickens’ romance of the French Revolution, A Tale of Two Cities.  Directed for Rank by Ralph Thomas in 1958, the story of political corruption, social upheaval and Anglo-French passion found a new contemporary resonance in a Britain on the cusp of the 1960s.  This presentation is introduced by Dr Patricia Pulham of the University’s Centre for Studies In Literature.

The final offering in the trio is an all-time classic.  In the late 1940s acclaimed British director David Lean made two adaptations of Dickens novels. In 1948 he transformed Oliver Twist into a taut, brutal black-market thriller, while Great Expectations, with bravura performances by John Mills and Alec Guinness, became a supernatural tale of intrigue, loss and remorse. Guy Green’s atmospheric black and white cinematography won an Oscar at the 1948 Academy Awards.  Dr Justin Smith commented: “This is not simply one of the best adaptations of a Dickens novel, it is one of the highpoints of British cinema.  Not to be missed!”  This screening will be introduced by Sue Harper, Emeritus Professor of Film History at the University of Portsmouth.

Aysegul Epengin, Chair of Portsmouth Film Society said: “We are delighted to be working with the University and No. 6 Cinema in celebrating the finest of Dickens on British film”.  All three Dickens films are screening at No. 6 Cinema, Portsmouth Dockyard, at 7.30. Admission £5 or £10 for all three special offer!  You can buy tickets online on the link http://www.portsmouthfilmsociety.org.uk/

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Creative Business Base – Improving Your Competitive Edge

Creative Business Base: A Free 6-month Creative, Business and Entrepreneurial Development ProgrammeCreative Business Base: A Free 6-month Creative, Business and Entrepreneurial Development Programme

Deadline 2nd April

Screen South, Maidstone Studios, Peter Jones Academy and Amersham & Wycombe College

Present:

Creative Business Base
*Revised Deadline, Terms and Conditions*

The Free 6-month Creative & Business Development Programme – Helping you to greatly improve your competitive edge and professional skills. Supporting skills development of your:
Script, Creative Projects, Creative and Business pitching, Understanding Legal contracts and IP issues, Project and Business Exploitation and planning, National and International Market Strategies, Project and Business Investment Sourcing, National and International Finance Sourcing, Creative Entrepreneurial and Cross-media thinking and strategies.

You may think that you do not need some of them but these are essential skillsets in today’s professional industry.

Application Deadline Noon Monday 2nd April 2012

This scheme is supported by the Skillset Film Skills Fund as part of A Bigger Future 2

Screen South is looking for 8 Creative Business Teams (with projects for the screen) to develop their scripts, script development skills and (in these days) necessary entrepreneurial and businesses skills and that will give you and your business the best chance of moving up the ladder.

The programme is built around the group of 8 participating creative teams that have at least one viable feature length script.

The participating creative teams and their projects will be developed over the entire 6-month period with seminars, master classes, continuing script development, bespoke 121’s, and training days most of which happen every fortnight. These are all supported by:

  • Team specific Script Development 121 surgeries with top Industry Professional Script  Developer – Britt Harrison
  • Professional Development 121’s with David Castro (Development and Training Exec for Screen South), Jo Nolan (MD Screen South) and Geoff Miles (CEO Maidstone Studios)

The teams can be existing businesses or newly formed partnerships (minimum 2 members max 3) – minimum 1 person attending on the scheduled days, maximum 3 people per team attending on the scheduled days.

Alongside all of the development Seminars, master classes and 121’s you will also have access to hot desks, phones, Internet etc and a meeting space which is available at The Maidstone Studio every day over the programme. The programme concludes with all 8 teams pitching (both your Projects and Businesses) in London with top industry Financiers, Producers and Business Angels.

Creative Teams will also have:

  • Access to (up to) £500 bursary (available for a variety of expenditures that you will encounter during the programme, e.g., Contributions towards writers / legal fees, International travel, Marketing costs, etc,
  • Access to (up to) £500 hardship fund, which can be used towards transport to and from Maidstone Studios.
  • Free access to the four live public events that will also be running over the same 6-month period at Maidstone Studios and they will also have opportunities to meet with the guest industry panelists.

The live public events will be covering Finance (Business and Project), Creative Development, Distribution & Selling and ‘How the New Frontier of digital and internet can be tamed for your benefit’.

More about The Creative Business Base Programme 
The Creative Business Base programme will be delivered by current industry practioners and will cover subjects including:

  • Script and Project Development
  • Legals and contracts
  • Entrepreneurial mind-set and skills
  • Planning and Pitching
  • Creative Business – planning and development
  • Sources of Funding and Finance
  • Single project and Business Investments
  • Ways to market (Traditional vs. new media inc social networks)
  • Sales Distribution Exhibition – what are they looking for?
  • Working with the global markets UK and International
  • Understanding exploitation potentials of projects (IP)
  • Use of new medias and IP
  • E-marketing and promotion

Participants Eligibility
This is a free programme for companies and freelancers from the Kent, Essex and East Sussex LEP area (http://southeastlep.com/area-map.) as well as North Seas Area (http://www.northsearegion.eu/ivb/countries/). Priority (but not exclusivity) will be given to those actively operating or developing from a Kent base. Please check eligibility, as you will need to verify this in your application.

Participant Requirements

  • All participants must be over 18 and not full or part/time students.
  • All participant teams must have produced a short, feature, TV, promo, advert corporate etc that has been sold or distributed.
  • Participant teams must have at least three ideas – one project at full script stage. The other ideas can be TV or interactive projects.
  • Participating teams must have at least one person from each creative team able to attend dates shown below April – October 2012. This does not have to be the same member each time.

Schedule as follows:
Daily Hours 10am – 5pm
Location Maidstone TV Studios (except final presentation in London)
19/03/2012 Open Application
02/04/2012 Close Application 7pm.
05/04/2012 12 selected, Participants informed of meeting
11/04/2012 Selection panel meet participants (1/2 hr. each)
11/04/2012 Selection down to 8 made at end of meeting.
11/04/2012 Successful applicants (8) informed via email
26/04/2012 Workshop 1 and Masterclass 1
10/05/2012 Masterclass 2, Live Public Event 1
24/05/2012 Masterclass 3, 121’s
07/06/2012 Masterclass 4, Live Public Event 2
21/06/2012 Workshop 2 , 121’s
05/07/2012 Workshop 3, Live Public Event 3
19/07/2012 Masterclass 5, 121’s
02/08/2012 Workshop 4, Live Public Event 4
16/08/2012 Workshop 5, Business Project planning
30/08/2012 Workshop 6, Pitching and Project development
13/09/2012 Workshop 7, 121’s
27/09/2012 Masterclass 6, Pitching and Project development
11/10/2012 Workshop 8, Rehearsal for presentations
18/10/2012 Final presentations, London (Location TBA)
*All dates are currently correct but may be subject to change

Click here to apply

This programme is free to participants made possible by support from Screen South, Skillset, and the North Sea Screen Partnership Interreg Programme

This scheme is supported by the Skillset Film Skills Fund as part of A Bigger Future 2

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Harry Hill takes on a cameo role in Kent’s own international comedy film festival!

2 Days Laughter Comic Film Screening 2012 FREE ADMISSION OVER 18′s ONLY

Kent media company Beeping Bush Productions is bringing the sound of laughter back to the British seaside with this year’s exciting comedy short film competition.

The team behind the incredibly successful 2 Days Later Short Horror Film Competition are setting their sights once again on making audiences scream with laughter with The 2 Days Laughter Short Film Competition.

The annual event aims to give filmmakers, comedians and writers the opportunity to produce a five minute comedy short in a total of only 48 production hours and on minimal budgets.

With over 350 international downloads for this year’s competition brief; the competition received 40 film entries from Cornwall and Ballymoney, to France, Switzerland and California. 15 comic entries are from Kent based filmmakers, and Harry Hill makes a guest appearance in The Thora Hird Man; a suitably anarchic comedy by the Whitstable filmmaking comedy team of Nick Wilty and Maxine Pearson.

The 39 qualifying  film submissions will be shown at the April Fools’

Screening on Saturday 31st March 2012 at the Theatre Royal Margate, and hosted by a mystery stand-up comedian yet to be revealed!

Further update details will be posted on the www.2dayslaughter.co.uk website.

To book your free tickets please fill in online request at www.2dayslaughter.co.uk/screen/screen.html

Dates:      April Fools  Screening   Saturday 31st March 2012 – 3:00pm -10.30pm

Venue: Theatre Royal Margate, Addington Street, Margate, Kent, CT9 1PW Admission FREE, BUT Over 18s Only

Contact Details: For further information concerning the competition, or the April Fools  Screening event then please feel free to contact Mick Etherton/Chris Cordwell of Beeping Bush Ltd on:

Tel:  (+44)1843 223800

Email:      info@2dayslaughter.co.uk

mick.etherton@2dayslaughter.co.uk

chris.cordwell@2dayslaughter.co.uk

About Beeping Bush Ltd

www.beepingbush.co.uk

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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

 

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Lighthouse Launches BFI Shorts 2012 Production Scheme

 Lighthouse and the BFI today announce the BFI Film Fund’s brand new UK‐wide short film production
initiative is open for applications.
BFI Shorts 2012 is an exciting new scheme to help a broad range of creative talent make outstanding
short films showing they are ready to make the transition to feature films. It is open to directors,
writers and producers who have a strong track record of making work which demonstrates a distinct
voice and compelling storytelling ability.
The scheme welcomes submissions from talent working across a wide variety of creative disciplines,
including film, TV drama, theatre, online drama, commercials, documentaries and artists’ film and
video. Applicants should show how their short film proposal complements their longer term career
progression into making feature films. 

BFI Shorts 2012 will support up to 20 live action shorts, each with a duration of 10 – 30 minutes and
with budgets ranging from £25,000 to £50,000. The films will be fully funded by the BFI and will be
delivered by the end of December 2012.
Emily Kyriakides, Programme Producer at Lighthouse, is working in partnership with Nicky Bentham of
Neon Films, who co‐produced Duncan Jones’ BAFTA award winning Moon, and development producer
Becca Ellson to oversee the selection and executive production of the films made through the
scheme.
Emily Kyriakides comments: “Having worked for years with emerging talent across different creative
sectors, we know that there is a wealth of outstanding talent in the UK. We’re very excited to be
working with the BFI to support a diverse and inspiring slate of films which will delight audiences and
help to launch some brilliant feature filmmaking careers.”
Chris Collins, BFI Film Fund Senior Executive, said: “We’re pleased to be working with Lighthouse on
BFI Shorts 2012, an important scheme for emerging filmmaking talent across the UK. By opening the
opportunity to experienced creatives working across a range of disciplines, we hope the scheme will
uncover some exciting new filmmakers with the potential to go on to great things in the future.”
Lighthouse was selected to manage BFI Shorts 2012 in recognition of its exceptional hands‐on work
with UK filmmakers, and the successful delivery of schemes such as BBC Drama Shorts and Guiding
Lights, the UK’s leading film mentoring programme, which connects film talent with some the
industry’s biggest names, including Sam Mendes, Tim Bevan, Barbara Broccoli and Kenneth Branagh.
For details about the BFI Shorts 2012 application and selection process, please see:

http://www.lighthouse.org.uk

The deadline for applications is 5pm, Friday 23 March 2012.

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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

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reed.co.uk Short Film Competition 2012: call for entries


 Are you a short filmmaker? Would you like to win £10,000? Well take note, as the reed.co.uk Short Film Competition is looking for your entry right now.

Here’s the pitch:

We’re looking for up-and-coming, talented and exciting filmmakers, to create a short film (three minutes max), centred on the competition’s theme: ‘The Boss.’   

 You may be a student, amateur or a seasoned pro. You may choose to shoot your work on 33mm film or just on your mobile. Whoever you are, however you make your film, by entering, you’ll be in with a chance of winning the £10,000 Grand Prix – and some priceless industry exposure.

The competition, now in its third year, will be judged by a panel of industry professionals, who are looking for original ideas, inspiring scripts and great execution. They’ll choose this year’s Grand Prix winner, who will take home a £10,000 cash prize, membership to London’s Hospital Club and a year’s subscription to Shooting People.

In addition to the Grand Prix, prizes of £1,000 will be awarded to additional category winners, including the ‘People’s Choice Award’ and ‘Best Animation’.

Mark Rhodes, Marketing Director at reed.co.uk, explains how the previous two competitions have exposed a rich seam of talent and created genuine opportunities for the winners:

 “The shorts we’ve seen in the last two competitions have been inspiring, so we’re really keen to see what this year’s competition brings, so we can start showcasing even more talent.

 “At reed.co.uk, our business is all about giving people opportunities and the Short Film Competition has been an excellent way of doing this for creative talent: our first Grand Prix winner went on to win the coveted Virgin Media Shorts competition and was long listed for a BAFTA, whilst one of last year’s winners has since gone on to make a national TV ad for us. ”

 

 Rhodes continues: 

 “We’re extremely proud to be continuing our support for short film and this year we’re delighted to have the support of The Hospital Club as a headline partner. This partnership will allow us to reach more filmmaking talent and further strengthen the position of the reed.co.uk Short Film Competition within the UK film industry.”

 

The deadline for entries is 25 March, 2012. Full details of this year’s competition, including information on how to enter, can be found at reed.co.uk/film.

Further information:

http://www.reed.co.uk/film

http://www.youtube.com/reedfilm

http://www.facebook.com/reedfilm

http://www.twitter.com/reedfilm

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Visual Soundtrack Launched Apply by the 6th February 2012

Visual Soundtrack 
Registration Now Open!

 The South West Creative Industries iNet are supporting a new programme designed to assist and support businesses involved in the creation and distribution of music visual content. The Visual Soundtrack programme is open to all Creative Industries businesses based in the South West of England and offers unique access to, and support from, a distinguished Advisory Panel of digital music industry specialists assembled to help participating businesses grow and compete in a rapidly evolving commercial landscape.

What is the aim of the project?

To encourage growth and innovation in South West based music visual content businesses. The Visual Soundtrack project is taking a two pronged approach. Firstly, to support high growth potential creative businesses in the region. Secondly, to develop and test new commercial music visual products and services. Simply, to help businesses involved in creating music visual content to earn more money out of the content that they produce.

Who is behind the project?

The project is run by Geoff Foulkes, Project Director at the Gloucestershire Media Group and a former Director of Film Acquisitions at Warner Music International. Supporting Geoff is the Visual Soundtrack Advisory Panel, a designated team of experienced music visual professionals with a wide range of skills across project management, audio visual technology, digital music marketing, business development, and international distribution. What the members of the Advisory Panel all have in common is that they work successfully at the sharp end of the music visual content business. The project is supported by the Creative Industries iNet, part of the Government’s Solutions for Business portfolio, funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and led by Creative England.

Who are you looking for?

If your business is involved in making music visual content we want to hear from you. If you are a producer or director, a camera operator, a make-up artist, an audio engineer, a FCP editor, a visual artist; whatever your specialist skills – we want to hear from you. We can accept applications from limited companies, partnerships, or sole traders. If you are a growing small or medium sized business working in this field, we definitely want to hear from you.

How will it work?

The Visual Soundtrack project is operating throughout 2012. We will work with each selected business to help deliver tangible commercial results over the lifetime of the project. We will mutually agree with each business a flexible programme of support, of defining aims and establishing a “plan of attack”. Each business plan of attack will be assessed and reviewed at quarterly group sessions, at a number of one-on-one meetings with an Advisory Panel specialist, and through a bespoke interactive digital networking platform. Each business will have a first point of contact and feedback for all enquiries during the project.

How do I get involved?

To apply for a place you must complete and return an application form. We will respond with initial feedback to your application, followed by a meeting to discuss how we can help your business grow and to achieve set goals. Enrolment is strictly limited to just TEN businesses across the region and the competitive application process will focus on each applicant’s potential for growth and a commitment to trying new ways of commercialising what they do.

How much will it cost?

Enrolment in the project is absolutely FREE for participating businesses. The support and advisory elements of the programme will be delivered without charge, with substantial funding coming from the ERDF and the project’s other supporters. Businesses will be asked to contribute to the costs of optional events and other specialist elements of the project, but these elements will in turn be subsidised through the LMAS at a rate of 50% and will not exceed £500 per business over the course of the total 2012 programme.

What commitment do I need to give to the project?

We will expect you to stay with the project from start to finish. The project is flexible by design and the time commitment for meetings and for participation in other events will depend entirely on the business “plan of action” that we identify at the outset. On commencement we will ask you to sign a simple short agreement stating your commitment to the project. At the end we will ask you to fill out a short completion document which will review your involvement in the project.

When does it start?

The Visual Soundtrack project is now open for business. We are accepting applications until Monday, the 6th February. We will give feedback to all applicants on or before Friday, the 10th February with inaugural meetings taking place before the end of February.

When does it finish?

The project will run throughout the year and final reviews and feedback for businesses will be completed by December 15th 2012.

How do I apply?

Please complete an Application Form and return to geoff@thegmg.org or by post to Gloucestershire Media Group, Alexandra Warehouse, Gloucester Docks, Gloucester, GL1 2LG

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