Indies plan for the future
Peter Bazalgette, Janey Walker and John McVay joined Indies on Friday (30 April 2004) to discuss future business growth in an increasingly competitive sector. The panel and networking event was held by Skillset as part of its Business Growth Opportunity Scheme, an initiative enabling 39 small to medium independent production companies to gain subsidised access to expert consultancy to produce a strategic business plan.
Peter Bazalgette, Chairman of Endemol UK, and Skillset Patron, said:
"To be a successful independent producer in today's highly competitive multi-channel world you are going to need a certain amount of size. One off commissions are decreasing in number. Longer, repeatable series that make a statement in the schedules are the trend, the big prize to go for and to deliver those sorts of commissions to the broadcasters' satisfaction, Indies need scale which takes planning."
Janey Walker, Managing Editor, Commissioning, Channel 4, told us:
"Business planning is key to an Indies future success. Every company needs to know what it's trying to do and what its trying to be - the areas they want to work in, how fast they want to be growing. They also have to be very clever in spotting where the gaps and opportunities are - it's such a fast moving business and the copycatting is so quick - you've got to be ahead of the curve in what you're offering to a broadcaster."
Ian Pelling of Darlow Smithson Productions Ltd, the makers of 'Touching the Void', who are taking part in the scheme, said:
"The timing of this Skillset initiative was just right for us. The company has been going through a lot of change and the marketplace - with things like the Communications Act - is also changing. The expert consultancy available through the scheme helps us to validate what we wanted to do at a top level and work out how to put that strategy into practice."
Developed in consultation with Pact, major broadcasters, Regional Screen Agencies and a selection of successful Indies, the scheme represents more than £10,000 of consultancy reduced to a cost of just over £1000. The scheme is funded by the European Social Fund and Learning and Skills Council London Central. The Independent Production Training Fund has also supported extra places on this scheme for black and minority ethnic owned companies.
-ENDS-
For more information please contact the SKILLSET Press Office:
Eve Ragout 020 7520 5752 / 07968 010 325 eve@skillset.org
Photography of the event is available on request
Notes to Editor
1. Skillset is the Sector Skills Council for the Audio Visual Industries. Audio visual industries in this context means, Broadcast, Film, Video, Interactive Media and Photo Imaging. Skillset was the first Sector Skills Council to be licensed by the Secretary of State for Education and Skills and by Ministers in the devolved administrations in 2002 to tackle the skills and productivity challenge. Sector Skills Councils (SSCs) are independent, UK wide organisations developed by groups of influential employers in industry or business sectors of economic or strategic significance. SSCs are employer-led and actively involve trade unions, professional bodies and other stakeholders in the sector.
Peter Bazalgette, Chairman of Endemol UK, and Skillset Patron, said:
"To be a successful independent producer in today's highly competitive multi-channel world you are going to need a certain amount of size. One off commissions are decreasing in number. Longer, repeatable series that make a statement in the schedules are the trend, the big prize to go for and to deliver those sorts of commissions to the broadcasters' satisfaction, Indies need scale which takes planning."
Janey Walker, Managing Editor, Commissioning, Channel 4, told us:
"Business planning is key to an Indies future success. Every company needs to know what it's trying to do and what its trying to be - the areas they want to work in, how fast they want to be growing. They also have to be very clever in spotting where the gaps and opportunities are - it's such a fast moving business and the copycatting is so quick - you've got to be ahead of the curve in what you're offering to a broadcaster."
Ian Pelling of Darlow Smithson Productions Ltd, the makers of 'Touching the Void', who are taking part in the scheme, said:
"The timing of this Skillset initiative was just right for us. The company has been going through a lot of change and the marketplace - with things like the Communications Act - is also changing. The expert consultancy available through the scheme helps us to validate what we wanted to do at a top level and work out how to put that strategy into practice."
Developed in consultation with Pact, major broadcasters, Regional Screen Agencies and a selection of successful Indies, the scheme represents more than £10,000 of consultancy reduced to a cost of just over £1000. The scheme is funded by the European Social Fund and Learning and Skills Council London Central. The Independent Production Training Fund has also supported extra places on this scheme for black and minority ethnic owned companies.
For more information please contact the SKILLSET Press Office:
Eve Ragout 020 7520 5752 / 07968 010 325 eve@skillset.org
Photography of the event is available on request
Notes to Editor
1. Skillset is the Sector Skills Council for the Audio Visual Industries. Audio visual industries in this context means, Broadcast, Film, Video, Interactive Media and Photo Imaging. Skillset was the first Sector Skills Council to be licensed by the Secretary of State for Education and Skills and by Ministers in the devolved administrations in 2002 to tackle the skills and productivity challenge. Sector Skills Councils (SSCs) are independent, UK wide organisations developed by groups of influential employers in industry or business sectors of economic or strategic significance. SSCs are employer-led and actively involve trade unions, professional bodies and other stakeholders in the sector.
