Digital Accelerator

Phase One Cohort

“We are thrilled to be selected for the Digital Accelerator. It’s really encouraging to see programmes like this recognising the strength of creative companies based in the North East, and we’re excited to build on that momentum as we develop our digital ambitions.”

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Adventure Alliance Films are a young, dynamic and award-winning production company specialising in bold, character-led adventure storytelling and factual entertainment for television, digital and film.
We make premium documentaries and series that place real people at the heart of high-stakes environments, with current series in production across North America, Africa, Asia and the UK.

Our films combine cinematic ambition with journalistic rigour, balancing spectacle with intimacy, and action with emotional truth. We’re drawn to stories about resilience, skill, risk, and identity, often rooted in strong regional voices and underrepresented communities.

Based in the North East of England, our regional identity is central to who we are. It shapes our perspective, our relationships, and the stories we choose to tell. We’re committed to championing voices and talent from outside the traditional centres, embedding locally while working on an international stage.

“Being selected for the Digital Accelerator is a real opportunity for Candle & Bell. We’re looking forward to working with BBC and NES to develop our strategy around digital content and the commercial partnerships we’re building.”

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Fiercely independent and earning a reputation for bringing ambitious stories to the big screen, Candle & Bell stands out as a company capable of delivering underrepresented stories for international audiences. Founded in 2013 and named one of Creative England’s Top 50 Emerging Creative Companies in 2017, we champion voices ignored by the mainstream—from regional communities to global stories demanding attention.

Our scripted track record speaks to our ambition: producing indie feature ‘The Date‘ by Alex Barrett (2026) and co-producing ‘Soy Nevenka‘ directed by Iciar Bollain, with projects in development with BFI, Film4, and Torino Script Lab. Three-time recipients of the BBC Small Indie Fund, we’ve produced “Doppelgänger” for BBC Three (TX February 2026), our BBC Radio 4 sitcom “Tom and Lauren are Going OOT!” and are developing comedy with BBC Studios.

These values drive our branded and digital work. For clients including Adidas, END., Penguin Books, Pinterest, Newcastle United, and Greggs, we emphasize story and impact—creating content that cuts through, connects with audiences, and delivers real results. Whether feature film or brand partnership, we bring the same commitment to storytelling that matters.

“We’re delighted to be selected to take part in Phase One of the BBC and North East Screen Digital Accelerator. FilmNova has always combined creative ambition with technical excellence, and this programme aligns perfectly with our growth strategy as we continue to invest in producing digital-first ideas, scalable production models and new opportunities for delivering high-quality content. Being involved at this stage is an exciting opportunity to help shape the future of production in the North East while strengthening our position as a leading UK independent.”

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Founded in 1988 by Sir Brendan Foster, FilmNova is an award-winning independent television production company specialising in live sport, major events and premium factual content. Based in Gateshead, it combines technical expertise with strong editorial storytelling across linear TV and digital platforms, in both multi-camera live and post-produced environments.

The company is known for delivering complex, high-pressure live productions alongside creative documentaries and short-form digital content, working with major UK broadcasters and platforms to provide end-to-end production services.

With a focus on innovation, FilmNova develops new approaches to remote production, cloud-based workflows and scalable digital distribution, making high-quality broadcast output more accessible, flexible and cost-effective. Committed to growing the North East’s production ecosystem, the company invests in talent, technology and production models that support regional and national growth.

Recognised as one of the UK’s leading independent sports and live-event producers, FilmNova continues to expand its reputation in factual and branded content while embracing the future of digital broadcasting.

“We’re really pleased to be selected for Phase One of the BBC & North East Screen Digital Accelerator. It’s a great opportunity for us to step back, test ideas properly, and learn more about how digital audiences engage with new formats.”

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At Media Borne, we approach all content we create for clients with the goal of building an engaged audience that will endure. We aim for long-lasting results by incorporating our three pillars into every project we work on. All content we create alongside your business or brand-whether through video, photography, virtual production, or social media—will entertain, educate, or inspire your target audience.

It’s these three pillars that set our work apart from one-off pieces of content that don’t fit into a wider brand strategy. We believe that all content your business shares with its audience should provide real value. When we say ‘value,’ we mean it should deliver at least one of our pillars: entertainment, education, or inspiration.

Whether it’s video content, photography, virtual production, or social media content, at Media Borne we strive to help build your brand by creating an engaged audience that genuinely values your content. We provide more than just videography and photography- we create bespoke marketing strategies that entertain, educate, and inspire your audience for long-term success.

“We’re very grateful to the BBC and North East Screen for giving us a chance to pitch to be a part of this exciting initiative. Developing digital-first strategies will not only be a big part of our business in the future, but the changing face of the television industry too. It’s a real privilege for Indies in the North East to be given a chance to help establish the region as a leading creative hub for digital content and innovation; all the talent to achieve that is definitely here.”

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Northern Child opened its doors in the Ouseburn area of Newcastle at the beginning of 2022. Specialising in unscripted, the indie has produced documentaries and series for the BBC, Channel 4, and Channel 5 – including an award-winning documentary for 4 Digital in 2025, which led to changes in the law around plastic printed firearms.

“We’re thrilled to be selected in Phase One of the BBC Digital Accelerator with North East Screen. Opportunities like this don’t come around too often so we can’t wait to develop our ideas and strategies in line with what is an exciting evolution for the BBC in the ever-changing digital landscape. It speaks volumes about the progressive approach of North East Screen that they were able to create this pathway for companies like ours and the unwavering support they offer us that we can take part in this.”

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MOTIF is a North East production company based in Gateshead. Since forming in 2020 they have won multiple awards and have delivered productions all over the world for global streaming platforms as well as local companies, organisations and charities.

With a focus on the untold, unheard and unseen, our mandate is to create original programming that is bold, unique and on a global scale while remaining true to our roots in the region that we love.

“Being selected for Phase One of the BBC Digital Accelerator is an important opportunity for us to develop our digital storytelling and show how professional wrestling can be relevant to contemporary culture, while challenging long-held preconceptions.”

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NORTH Wrestling is an independent UK professional wrestling company founded in Newcastle upon Tyne in 2016. What began as a grassroots live event has evolved into a distinctive cultural brand blending sport, storytelling, and premium digital production.

NORTH is known for creating inclusive, high-energy live experiences in unconventional venues, supported by strong visual identity, cinematic production, and long-form narrative arcs that reward repeat engagement. Its audience is community-led, digitally native, and highly engaged, with a particular resonance among younger fans seeking alternative sports and entertainment experiences outside traditional formats.

Alongside live events, NORTH produces original digital content across on-demand platforms and social channels, using wrestling as a framework for character-driven storytelling, documentary-style features, and short-form social video. The promotion has provided an early platform for talent now featured internationally, while continuing to develop emerging UK performers and creative voices.

With a track record of sold-out shows, loyal supporters, and scalable formats, NORTH Wrestling is focused on building digital-first IP that can travel beyond live events into broadcast, streaming, and short-form ecosystems.

“Nrthrn Baby has always been rooted in youth culture, and digital content has been a key part of how we connect communities and deliver impactful projects. As the team continues to grow, it feels like the right time to refine our production skills, strengthen our digital delivery, and build a more consistent creative output. We’re really excited to have been selected for the BBC Digital Accelerator and we’re looking forward to taking this next step.”

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Nrthrn Baby is a music and culture agency based in the North East, creating youth-led programmes, events and digital content rooted in community and real cultural insight. Working across talent development, cultural strategy and brand partnerships, we help artists, organisations and brands build meaningful connections through experiences that feel authentic and locally grounded. From live showcases and cyphers to creative campaigns and community activations, Nrthrn Baby is focused on developing emerging talent and pushing the region’s culture forward on a national level.

“We started out in digital, and it feels like we’re coming full circle. The difference now is we’re bringing everything we’ve learned from developing and producing for broadcast back into that space.”

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Sea & Sky Pictures is an independent production company developing distinctive film and television across scripted and unscripted. The slate spans comedy, drama, horror and factual entertainment, with a focus on character-led stories, bold concepts and formats that can travel across platforms.

Founded by producer Adam Bouabda, the company develops original IP for broadcasters, streamers and digital-first audiences, alongside innovative short-form and emerging-format work. Sea & Sky is interested in stories that blend humour with edge, emotion with ambition, and strong creative voices with commercial intent.

Whether scripted or factual, cinematic or digital, Sea & Sky Pictures makes work designed to connect, entertain and cut through.

“Like any small indie we’re constantly searching for inventive ways to produce and share the extraordinary stories we encounter. For us the Digital Accelerator allows us to explore the vast range of creative and commercially-viable routes to reaching new audiences, alongside some of the most brilliant filmmakers and content creators in the country.”

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Collaborative. Experienced. And endlessly inventive.

Our films find the extraordinary in every story.

Now based in Sunderland, We met in the Falkland Islands, of all places. In January (technically summer, practically hurricane season).

Glen was a camera operator / editor / presenter / sheep-shifter at what might be the world’s smallest, national news station. Mark was a former-economics graduate turned TV researcher who’d flown 8000 miles to make a taster tape, in need of an all round shooter and island guide.

Six months later we were working together again at an indie, producing factual childrens TV.

After two years we left to start Second Draft.

The company wasn’t launched in 2016. It was slowly, steadily sewn together from wages working construction (Glen), free business workshops, and a supportive partner (Mark’s) whose social worker salary paid the mortgage.

Since then we’ve worked with everyone from architects to artists, tech start-ups to the Space sector, conducting over 400 on-camera interviews.

Our ambition has always been to bring tireless curiosity to the stories we tell, and to celebrate and share lesser-heard voices with the widest possible audience.

Whether in the community, creating commercial content or producing documentaries we foster a genuine connection with everyone we meet.

“We’re delighted to be part of stage one of this programme.  We have so much we want to do in this space so to have help shaping and progressing our ideas is a brilliant opportunity.”

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Based in Gateshead in the UK’s North East, with a satellite office in London, Twenty Six 03 is a truly independent production company creating wide-ranging content for a global audience.

Twenty Six 03 works with the best talent across the UK and key productions include ITV’s Sara Davies’ Christmas Craft Off, BBC ONE series Making It with Sara Davies and Joanna Page’s Wild Life, 24/7 Pet Hospital (BBC ONE), Discovery + factual series Inside The Heist, Angels Of The North (BBC THREE), ITV Be’s Hannah Spearritt: Me and Breast Implants, Retreat Yourself (ITV Hub), You vs Chris & Kem (ITV2), Me, My Brother and Our Balls (BBC THREE), and Bring The Noise (Sky One).

Prior to founding Twenty Six 03 in 2015, Duncan Gray led departments at a number of major channels in the UK and US, commissioning iconic formats such as Britain’s Got Talent and executive producing key series like Jimmy Kimmel Live. During her time running Sky Living, managing director Antonia Hurford-Jones commissioned series such as critically-acclaimed Enfield Haunting and Doll & Em and has executive produced hit series such as Let’s Dance for Comic Relief.

“We’re absolutely buzzing to be selected for the Digital Accelerator. Wander started life working with brands as a content marketing agency back in 2018, before kicking off our TV journey around three years ago creating factual content for UK broadcasters. Colliding the worlds of social and TV has always been part of the plan and we’ve just launched our first digital channel, Wanderland, with our debut self-funded series Unthinkable out now. This opportunity has landed at the perfect moment for us to learn, collaborate and develop bold new IP built for digital-first audiences. We’re super excited to do this with the support of BBC and North East Screen.”

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Wander is a multi-award-winning content agency and TV production company, creating next-level visual content to #beatthescroll®. We BLOW UP brand personality. MINT content and BOLD strategy. Creating ATTENTION, defining the way people FEEL & ENGAGE with your brand. Co-founder and CEO Chloë Clover was named in Forbes 30 Under 30 and Wander was recently selected for Channel 4’s Emerging Indie Fund 2026.