Announcing the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Group (EDIAG)
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Creative Enterprise is excited to announce the first cohort of the new Accelerate: Film & TV programme. The 12 participants are embarking on an intensive business development programme that will help build and strength the foundations of the business and give participants the skills required to optimise growth.
Amidst the disruption created by Covid-19 and constant evolution and competition amongst content creators, emerging and start-up Film and TV/SVOD companies require more strategic support and direction than ever before. Accelerate is an intense business development programme specifically designed to address that need, focussing on the early stage demands and challenges facing content makers in a fast changing market.
Accelerate: Film & TV will be delivered through a combination of intense workshops and mentoring sessions with opportunities for networking and to hear from the financiers and commissioners making decisions.
Meet this year’s Accelerate: Film & TV cohort:
F B Films – Jackie Wetherill
FB Films is an independent Film & TV Production Company based in Cornwall, who are dedicated to telling stories that surprise and that explore the strength of human spirit. We love stories that move us and challenge us to reconsider what we know about history and the real people behind it. We like to explore characters who are complex, whose individuality made a lasting impact on our world and have the audience wonder why they have not heard of them. Telling their story in a way that breaks away from traditional period films and resonates with issues we face today is equally important.
Through documentaries and drama, we aim to explore Cornwall and the region’s culture/heritage by showing the rich history, dispelling the narrow images portrayed by travel and food programmes. After 25 years working in Film and TV, we aim to be a creative hub in Cornwall, ever looking forward to developing creative relationships and making films that have passion and human spirit.
Cristian Nicolescu
Cristian Nicolescu is an OSCAR and BAFTA-nominated film producer/co-producer and the co-founder of DIGITAL CUBE and Avanpost – one of Eastern Europe’s most significant post-production hubs. He has over 15 years of experience in post-production for films, and he was a film editor and post-production supervisor for more than 50 pan-European and highly international films, TV and SVOD titles. In the last 6 years, he mainly focused on film and high-end series project development including production financing regulations globally, attached as producer to multiple award-winning projects and some of the most significant international talent.
He is a Screen Leaders 2018, Inside Picture 2019 and EAVE 2020 alumni. He is undergoing a Master’s Degree course at NFTS London in Creative Business for Entrepreneurs and Executives.
His latest projects include co-producing “Donbas” (directed by Sergei Loznitsa, Un Certain Regard Award, Cannes 2018), the Silver Bear winner, “Ana Mon Amour”, Berlin 2017 and Critic’s Week winner, “Albüm”, Cannes 2016. More recently, Cristian is co-producer for “Quo Vadis, Aida?” directed by Jasmila Zbanic, a nine countries co- production. In addition, he is a producer for “Nowhere Special” (directed by Uberto Pasolini, an UK-Italy-Romania co-production) starring James Norton. Both premiered in Venice in 2020. “Quo Vadis, Aida?” won the top prize
at the European Film Awards and was nominated for the OSCARS and the BAFTAS in 2021. Currently, he has a full slate consisting of a documentary, a series and a feature all in development, some based on a solid curated collection of books he optioned.
Fly High Stories – Jemma Gross & Rachel Barnett-Jones
Fly High Stories was founded by old friends, director Jemma Gross and writer Rachel Barnett-Jones, to create work for family audiences with an emphasis on growth mindset and confidence building. Both mothers, they were inspired by a desire to create accessible stories on stage, screen and radio which their children would be captivated by. They are committed to making work which can be enjoyed and understood by young audiences everywhere.
Gambol Films – Ryan Davis
Set up in 2021, after the release our first feature film, “Fixed”, Gambol Films is an Independent Film and TV production company based in Birmingham, UK. We make exciting, moving, funny, character-driven films with an edge. Not always feature films. We make documentaries too. We love and believe in the West Midlands, and have committed to using as much of the regions talent to crew and cast our next three features.
Hidden Kingdom Studios – Audain Thompson
Hidden Kingdom is a small, integrated studio bringing together the next generation of storytellers who manipulate pixels and images into delicious content for film, TV, branded entertainment, music, and commercials.
Inclusivity Films – Sarah Leigh
Inclusivity Films is a new narrative and documentary film production company set up to tell stories that raise awareness to social issues, advocate for others, and represent the disabled and neurodivergent community both on and off the screen. Inclusivity Films are committed to 50% of their cast and crew on each project identifying as disabled and/or neurodivergent. They include Access Riders with every production and ask everyone involved in their films if they have access needs, regardless of how they identify. They work alongside individual collaborators to ensure that their sets are fully accessible and that barriers to work are removed. They want disability truly represented on screen but also to have disabled actors in roles where their disability isn’t part of the plot. They push for equality and inclusion.
The company is founded by Sarah Leigh. Sarah is a neurodivergent advocate and storyteller. She also runs the talent agency iNCLUSIVE Talent, who forefront disabled and neurodivergent actors. Sarah’s first screenplay One Day, developed with the Sundance Institute, is a current finalist in the Outstanding Screenplays competition and is based on her experience of raising her disabled son.
Inclusivity Films’ slate also includes Tourette’s & I by autistic writer-director Jack RH O’Sullivan & Will Spires, Fall Distance by writer-producer Katharine McEwan, Revolt! a female-led TV Pilot with a neurodivergent lead, and the short film I’m Non-Typical, Typical with Bedazzle inclusive Theatre. A micro-doc on essential equipment for disabled children is in pre-production.
Leapling Films – Chris Lane
Leapling Films is a Manchester based production company, founded by leap year baby Chris Lane. Leapling’s latest film ‘Inertia’ recently won Best Drama Short at Out On Film, making it eligible for the 2022 Academy Awards. The company’s first funded short film ‘A Father’s Day’ screened at 160 film festivals and received 4 million views online. The company is currently developing a slate of feature films with a focus on stories set in the regions.
No Class – Karl Dixon
No Class is a Video Production company based in Coventry, established in 2019 by Filmmakers and partners Karl and Rachael Dixon, after over a decade creating work for the UK’s arts, music and theatre industries.
The No Class spirit was born out of a holistic love of the arts that transcends social and cultural boundaries. We passionately believe that all arts have equal value, validity and impact on our lives and should be given equal standing with equal access opportunities for everybody. With London, Bristol and Manchester all 2 hours away, our location in the heart of the country gives us the perfect starting point for projects that reflect the length and breadth of the country, and geographic diversity is something we are very passionate about.
We are fascinated by the British Isles and the fabulously weird and wonderful people within. We strive to tell uniquely British stories with intimacy, tenderness and empathy.
Nocturnal Pictures -Chloe Chudasama
Nocturnal Pictures is an independent film production company based in Kent, who produce dark, high concept story driven narratives excelling in the horror, action, and thriller genres.
Comprised of highly enthusiastic individuals with an intense work ethic and a passion for storytelling, Nocturnal Pictures combines the perfect balance of ingenious creativity and strategic business heads.
” Light loses its relevance without darkness.”
Oakhill Productions – Ali Causon
Oakhill Productions was initially set up for producer Ali’s passion projects… from music videos then on to short films, Oakhill Productions is now an award-winning company focusing on narrative-led content for features and broadcast.
There is a common theme to our IPs – our stories focus on subject matters that are misunderstood or often poorly portrayed in the media.
Through our research and development stages, we find the best and most creative methods to bring the project to life and alongside the most talented teams of collaborators, we make concepts a reality.
Premise Pictures – Paula Dinan
Premise Pictures was established to promote the development of intelligent and engaging multi-platform commercial franchises for international audiences.
Each project has, at its core, a clear genre, unique characters and a thought provoking premise.
Sea and Sky Pictures – Adam Bouabda
We are BBC and Channel 4 commissioned production company based in Hartlepool with a proven track record of delivering high quality content. This year we have made our first feature film and also a BFI short film, as well as comedy sketches for NewsThump. We have pitched content to every major broadcaster and streamer and have a script commission with BBC Comedy. We have recently been accepted onto the Channel 4 Emerging Indie Fund. One of only twenty companies in the country to have done so!
