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New original drama supported by the North East Production Fund begins filming in the North East

Posted on 19 June 202320 June 2023 by North East Screen

New original drama, The Red King, has recently begun filming in the North East, joining an array of productions using the North East as their filming base.

The six-part series, supported by the North East Production Fund, is written by Toby Whitehouse (Being Human, The Game) and produced by Quay Street Productions, has been commissioned by UKTV for leading crime drama channel, Alibi.

North East Screen Chief Executive, Alison Gwynn, was thrilled to hear that The Red King had started filming in the North East. She said,

“I am delighted to welcome Quay Street Productions to the North East to film their new original drama, The Red King. Having this production based in the region not only shows faith in the adaptability of our stunning locations, but also supports our highly-skilled crew who are based here, being able to work in the region and sleep in their own homes.”

Following the successful North East Production Fund pilots, children’s TV series Cooking With the Gills (MCC Media Ltd), and feature film, Jackdaw (Anton Corp); The Red King is the last North East Production Fund pilot which is managed and delivered by North East Screen on behalf of the North East Screen Industries Partnership. The Production Fund is now open to expressions of interest and those interested parties should complete the form on our Production Fund page.

Open to both local and national companies, the fund aims to catalyse the sustainable growth of the North East’s film and TV production sector by investing in a portfolio of distinctive, high-quality project that will collectively contribute to the region, increasing the on-screen visibility and actively contribute to employment of locally based crew, spend in the region and improved equality, diversity and sustainability.

Speaking about the North East Production Fund being open, Alison Gwynn said,

“With the North East Production Fund now live, we will attract more high-end TV productions, feature films and returning series to the region. For every £1 we give out, we expect productions to spend at least £10 in the region driving inward investment and developing the region’s reputation as a destination for high level TV and film production.”

In the past year, North East Screen’s Film Office has supported 57 productions filming in the region, including The Old Oak, The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, Vera, The Dumping Ground, Robson Green’s Weekend Escapes, Danny and Mick, who have in turn spent over £12 million in the region. These join a growing list of feature film and tv productions who have filmed in the North East including Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Amongst Thieves, Blue Jean, I, Daniel Blake, 1917, The Last Kingdom, Emmerdale and Inspector George Gently.

The North East Screen Film Office supports both indigenous and incoming productions to the region with a vast network of locations, crew, facilities, studios, and a wealth of local knowledge. With a filming friendly agreement in place with all 12 local authorities, they can support facilitating productions in gaining permissions, road closures, parking permits and securing locations. For more information head to www.northeastscreen.org/film-office

Alibi commissions Toby Whithouse drama The Red King

Posted on 12 June 202312 June 2023 by North East Screen

UKTV’s catalogue of original drama continues to grow, with the latest commission of The Red King (6×60’) for leading crime drama channel Alibi, which is currently filming in the North East.

The six-part series is created and written by Toby Whithouse (Being Human, The Game) and produced by Quay Street Productions, in association with ITV Studios, which will handle international distribution, and supported by North East Screen.

Filming starts today and features a star-studded line up with Anjli Mohindra (The Lazarus Project, Vigil) playing Grace Narayan, Adjoa Andoh (Bridgerton, Queen Charlotte) as Lady Heather Nancarrowand Marc Warren (Van Der Valk) as Dr Ian Prideaux.

Further cast include Jill Halfpenny (The Long Shadow, Everything I Know About Love) as Ann Fletcher, Mark Lewis Jones (Keeping Faith) as Gruffudd Prosser, Oliver Ryan (Steeltown Murders, Pennyworth) as Mihangel Pugh, Sam Swainsbury (Mum, Fisherman’s Friend) as Father Douglas Carrisford, Lu Corfield (Showtrial) as Lowri Bain, James Bamford (Luther: The Fallen Sun) as Owen Parry and Maeve Courtier-Lilley (The Outpost) as Winter Bain.

Toby Whithouse said: “Working with Quay Street and UKTV has been a genuine joy. This has been a passion project for all of us. A genre bending mystery, combining drama, suspense and horror, starring some of the best actors in television. We’re so excited to share these characters and their stories with you.”

Smart, capable and by the book Grace Narayan (Mohindra) was flying high as an inner-city police sergeant before being forced into a ‘punishment posting’ on the small, antiquated island of St. Jory. Confronted by the forgotten and unsolved case of missing teenage boy Cai, Grace quickly discovers that she must overcome scarce evidence, extraordinary local characters, and the island’s strange cult history to uncover the truth.

The Red King is a character-driven mystery-thriller, that combines the powerful story of a knotty police investigation with chilling, atmospheric folk-horror through the island’s eerie past devotion to a pagan God called the Red King and the cult of the True Way.

The UKTV Original series has been commissioned by Philippa Collie Cousins, senior commissioning editor, with Pete Thornton, head of scripted, and ordered for Alibi by Emma Ayech, channel director, and Hilary Rosen, director of commissioning. Executive producers are Nicola Shindler (Nolly, It’s A Sin, Stay Close) and Davina Earl (Men Up, Safe, Come Home) for Quay Street Productions (part of ITV Studios), Philippa Collie Cousins for UKTV and Toby Whithouse. The series will be directed by Daniel O’Hara (Stay Close, The Stranger, Brassic), who is also executive producer, and produced by Guy Hescott (Without Sin, Whitstable Pearl).

Hilary Rosen said: “Toby Whithouse has created a clever and ambitious crime drama set in a vivid island location, and this dark and original tale will have audiences gripped. We are delighted to be collaborating once again with Nicola Shindler and her fantastic team at Quay Street Productions.”

Emma Ayech added: “We’re so excited to be working with the team at Quay Street Productions on this brilliant new series. The ensemble cast will perfectly bring the story to life, making this a fantastic addition to our growing portfolio of UKTV Original dramas on Alibi.”

Davina Earl, Executive Producer, Quay Street Productions said: “The Red King has been such an exciting project to bring to the screen, working with the team at UKTV. Toby Whithouse has a wonderfully distinctive voice, and his scripts are deeply intriguing, darkly funny and truly scary. The cast are a stellar mix of some of our most well-known and beloved actors. Plus, we get to showcase the North East as we create this compelling and atmospheric drama, which, as a North Easterner, is incredibly rewarding.”

The Red King is the latest UKTV Original for Alibi and will air in 2024. Other original dramas include The Diplomat, produced by World Productions, and Annika, which stars Nicola Walker and will return to Alibi for a second series later this year.

Two North East organisations awarded BBC Comedy grants

Posted on 26 May 202326 May 2023 by North East Screen

Laurels and Felt Nowt have both been selected to receive £5,000 from BBC Comedy to support their comedy outreach and inclusion projects.

The recipients of the comedy grants were announced by Jon Petrie at the BBC Comedy Festival in Cardiff on Thursday the 25th of May. The grants are an opportunity for BBC Comedy to increase engagement with companies and organisations that want to support growth and access opportunities in comedy.

Laurels, a popular entertainment venue in Whitley Bay, North Tyneside, will be using their BBC Comedy grant to help move comedy talent from lower socio-economic backgrounds off social media and into larger-scale development.

Felt Nowt plan to use its grant to extend its programme to focus on workshops for LGBTQ+ comedy performers in the region. They said: “We were delighted to receive this grant, it will help us on our mission to bring more comedy to the region and we are excited to find some exciting new comedians from underrepresented communities”

Lisa Laws, Head of Talent and Development at North East Screen said: “I’m really excited to see what Laurels and Felt Nowt can bring to the region’s emerging comedy scene supporting talent and audiences to imagine possibilities for crossing over from theatre to screen. They are both already doing some amazing work, and I looking forward to seeing what’s next.”

Deadline extended for Skills Cluster Evaluation Manager role

Posted on 25 May 202325 May 2023 by North East Screen

You now have until the 13^th of June to apply for the Skills Cluster Evaluation role with Screen Alliance North.

This role is full time (37 hours per week) on a three year fixed contract. You can be based at any of the partner offices in Sunderland, Hartlepool, Manchester, Liverpool or Leeds and will see work across all of the partner regions.

Screen Alliance North, a new £2.3m BFI Skills Cluster led by Screen Yorkshire, Liverpool Film Office, Screen Manchester and North East Screen, has been created to support the development and training of the screen sector workforce across the North of England.

Visit our careers page to learn more about this role.

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The BBC and Middlechild Productions bring career workshops to Sunderland and Hartlepool Colleges

Posted on 18 May 202318 May 2023 by North East Screen

BBC Academy and Middlechild Productions visited two colleges in the North East today, bringing an interactive Q&A workshop for students looking to start a career in factual filmmaking and production.

The visit was to celebrate the launch of BBC Three’s Therapy: Tough Talking documentary, which features North East actor and rapper Kema Sikazwe (aka Kema Kay). The film follows Kema’s journey through therapy as he faces his past traumas. Students at Sunderland College and Hartlepool Sixth Form got to speak with the producers about job opportunities and gaining experience for a career in television.

Students also pitched their own ideas for factual programmes, inspired by their own lives in the North East, and received feedback from television professionals. A special recorded message from Kema was also played for each college, and his therapist Hayley Tyson- Adams discussed the importance of mental health support and finding help.

This workshop is part of the BBC’s Across the UK Strategy, which seeks to invest more in training and production outside of London to better represent and serve the whole UK. This comes after the BBC announced to commit £25 million to the North East, partnering with companies like Northern Child, Middlechild’s sister company, to increase production and opportunities in the region.

Diana Hare, Commissioning Editor at the BBC, said: “Therapy: Tough Talking is a unique project. Kema’s courage, in allowing cameras in the therapy room, will help demystify and destigmatise the process. We’re grateful that we can continue to foster creativity in the North East by bringing this workshop to local colleges.”

Andrew Eastel, Creative Director at Middlechild, and the director of the documentary, said, “Everyone on the team has felt extremely privileged to have worked on Therapy: Tough Talking. To be granted the unique access to film Kema’s therapy has been both enlightening and fulfilling. By bravely allowing cameras into the room, Kema and Hayley have shone a light on the power of therapy and addressed many of the misconceptions associated with it, especially amongst younger people. We’re delighted to have this opportunity to screen the film to students in Sunderland and Hartlepool. Not just because some of them may relate to the subject of the film, but also to highlight the power of documentary filmmaking, and hopefully inspire some filmmakers of the future.”

Ruth Magnus, Director of Student Services at Education Partnership North East, which includes Sunderland College and Hartlepool Sixth Form College, said: “We were pleased to be among the select number of colleges involved in the screening of the Therapy: Tough Talking documentary. Across our colleges, we have a responsibility for the positive mental health of our students.

“Through this experience, we will be able to challenge the misconceptions of mental illness, raise awareness of symptoms and demonstrate compassion.”

Watch Therapy: Tough Taking on BBC iPlayer here.

Former Channel 4 Commissioner joins Wander Films

Posted on 10 May 2023 by North East Screen

Former Channel 4 commissioner and Big Brother Producer, Ramy El-Bergamy, has been appointed as Head of Development by industry trailblazers, Wander Films. With nearly 20 years of experience in the TV industry, Ramy brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to Wander, taking the well-established Middlesbrough based content marketing agency to the next level.

Over the last 5 years, the team of 20 has had incredible growth, creating social media content for brands around the world such as KPMG, Hampton by Hilton and McDonalds. The agency feels like now is the perfect time to break into the world of TV, developing IP and original, groundbreaking formats in the factual entertainment genre.

Before joining Wander, Ramy served as the On-Screen Diversity Executive at Channel 4, where he was responsible for promoting diversity and inclusivity in on-screen talent, before moving into commissioning in the Daytime team, where he looked after some of the channel’s biggest brands, including Four in a Bed, Come Dine With Me and A Place in the Sun.

“I’m very excited to join the team at Wander and help them grow their ambition of moving into TV and digital. The North East has some huge creative potential, and I’m very excited to be working with such talent in an already strong and sound infrastructure in Wander”

Under Ramy’s leadership, Channel 4’s On-screen Year of Disability initiative in 2016 saw a significant increase in diverse representation, with more than 20 of the network’s flagship programmes featuring double the number of individuals with disabilities than in previous years. Ramy brings this same dedication and passion to his new role at Wander, where he will continue to positively impact the TV industry, aligning with Wander’s values of an inclusive culture where everyone has the opportunity to be seen and heard.

The expansion to TV has always been part of Wander’s long term strategy, selected as a Pact Future30 company for being one of the UK’s most exciting up and coming indies, Wander was also recently in paid development with BBC Three. Founders Lou Tonner and Chloë Clover are excited to continue scaling and developing Wander.

“We’re stoked to have a proper TV legend like Ramy join the team! It’s a super exciting time with a lot of momentum in Wander. The TV & digital space right now is ready to be shaken up and we’re going to be part of the movement, 100%.”

This appointment has been supported with match-funding from the REACH Film and TV Development Grant Award. The grant from North East Screen is designed to support the development of exceptional content for screens and support the growth of creative businesses based in the North East of England.

Lisa Laws, Head of Talent and Business Development at North East Screen, is focused on providing support to the region’s creative business talent who are making waves on a range of platforms.

Speaking on Ramy’s appointment, she said:

“Ramy’s appointment, with his exceptional track record, feels like the perfect fit to drive Wander’s broadcast TV development slate forward. He has the connections and experience to develop and win broadcast commissions. Wander brings a new voice, fresh perspectives and a real appetite for television that audiences and commissioners will love. We cannot wait to see what new formats and stories the supercharged team uncover for our screens.”

Newcastle based TV Post-production house lands work for BBC Comedy short film

Posted on 9 May 2023 by North East Screen

The Church Post, an editing facility in Byker, Newcastle has completed the post-production of a BBC Comedy short film, ‘Where it Ends’ for London production company Tiger Aspect.

‘Where It Ends’, a short film produced by Tiger Aspect was written, developed and shot entirely in the North East of England with all cast and crew from the region. The Church Post was commissioned by Tiger Aspect to complete the post-production of the comedy short making it a fully North East produced programme.

Lisa Laws, Head of Talent and Business Development at North East Screen said;

“We are delighted that The Church Post along with East Wing Sound were contracted to deliver this work which shows we have the talent and drive in the North East to grow businesses that will support more commissions to be developed, filmed and edited in the region.”

The Church Post provided Tiger Aspect with the Offline Edit, Online Edit, Colour Grade, VFX, Dubbing mix, ADR, QC and Dispatch. Their new editing suite in Newcastle has three offline edits running Avid and Premiere and one finishing suite in Resolve alongside the dubbing and ADR suite.”

Sheree Black, Production Executive at Tiger Aspect Productions said;

“This was our first time working with The Church Post and it has been an excellent one. It is a top end facility with a knowledgeable, creative and helpful team which helped make our BBC short, ‘Where it Ends’, something we’re extremely proud of. We are looking forward to working with the team again.”

James Baxter, Founder of The Church Post said;

“We are looking to expand to five edit suites over the next year and we have employed post-production producer Emily Ballantyne to support us in our growth. We are also looking to bring on two trainee editors/ edit assistants from the North East and invest in the infrastructure of the building with faster internet connection and a larger storage space.

I am delighted with how ‘Where it End’s has turned out which is thanks to our hardworking and talented team of Mark Lediard, Rich McCoull, Emily Ballantyne and David Scott. We would welcome more post-production in the North East.”

Lisa Laws continued;

“To have this sort of facility here is exactly what we’re aiming for as part of the wider North East Screen Industries Partnership as it shows a real commitment from broadcasters and out of region production companies to grow not only our talent and companies but also our infrastructure. It ensures that once a production company has filmed here, they can stay to complete the editing, keeping investment in the region and sustaining work for our talented and specialist post production crew.”

Robson Green’s Weekend Escapes recommissioned for a second series

Posted on 27 April 202328 April 2023 by North East Screen

Announced today (27^th April) at the Creative Cities convention in Newcastle, Robson Green’s Weekend Escapes will return for a second 15×30 series on BBC Two after its hugely successful debut earlier this year.

Robson will again be taking the roads less travelled around his beloved North East, journeying to many of the hidden gems that reside within the region as well as venturing into the Lakes and the Scottish Borders. Immersing themselves in the great outdoors Robson and friends will travel to the North and South Tyne valley along with the Pennine Way as well as through the charismatic County of Cumbria which includes the jaw dropping vistas of The Lake District and of course the amazing outdoor adventures in the beautiful Border county.

Joined by family, friends and famous faces the series will once again highlight the importance of blending into the outdoors to relax, recharge and re-connect along with breathing in nature. Robson and friends will travel to the North and South Tyne valley and everything in-between.

Joining Robson on his travels this series will be guests such as Kevin Whately, Tanni Grey Thompson and Shola Ameobi to name a few. And of course the family will be getting involved, including Robson’s Uncle Matheson, back by popular demand!

Robson Green comments, “I am delighted that my Weekend Escapes is coming back for a second series. The response from the first, and especially up in the North East was fantastic. It is so important to know what’s on your doorstep and explore your local area in times when you could be feeling burnt out, so I’m excited to take viewers around the North East again with my family and celeb friends – I can’t wait! Not only do I get to showcase a region I adore and its people, I’m also able to showcase the talent that exists in the area both in-front of and behind the lens. We also provide a training ground for those who aspire to work within this wonderful industry.”

Rob Unsworth, Head of BBC Daytime and Early Peak Commissioning comments, “The first series of Weekend Escapes was a real treat, and a big hit with viewers, so we’re excited to see what adventures Robson takes us all on next. I’m also proud that BBC Daytime is commissioning programmes supporting and showcasing the North East, and look forward to developing more ideas with the talented companies in this part of the country.”

Robson Green’s Weekend Escapes is a co-production made by Signpost and Rivers Meet productions, both based in the North East companies and is commissioned for BBC Two Daytime and iPlayer by Helen Munson.

Northern Child wins BBC Tender and goes inside the therapist room

Posted on 26 April 202326 April 2023 by North East Screen

Northern Child, the North East branch of Brighton based indie Middlechild, has won the tender for a 30-minute documentary issued last year to indies operating in the North East by BBC Three, BBC England, and North East Screen.

The documentary was won by Northern Child following a successful application to the BBC’s NE Voices Scheme.

Using fixed rigged cameras, Therapy: Tough Talking goes inside the therapy sessions of Newcastle based rapper and actor, Kema Kay.

On the surface, Kema is a positive, ambitious, and talented young man who has forged a successful career but beneath it all, he is dealing with a lifetime of trauma. Before and after the death of a close family member when he was younger, Kema’s world was full of turmoil as he adjusted to life as a child from Zambia trying to fit in after his family moved to the UK.

This has all contributed to an ongoing battle with his mental health in adulthood and recently, what Kema describes as, “destructive thoughts”. His doctor suggests these may be signs of depression and advises he tries therapy. He has no idea what to expect, is fearful of what might be uncovered, and unsure whether the courage it takes to start the process will be worth it in the end.

The film reveals the process of therapy, especially confronting, understanding, and processing traumatic experiences, recognising triggers and the coping mechanisms that might lead to a healthier mind in the future, as well as tackling the misconceptions that still exist today.

Andrew Eastel, Creative Director at Middlechild and the director of the film, says: “For Kema to allow us inside his therapy is incredibly brave of him. To see someone go through treatment for their mental health struggles as it happens is an incredible privilege, and one we don’t take lightly. There are a lot of misconceptions about talking therapies, especially amongst younger people, I hope anyone struggling with their mental health might be inspired to consider it themselves after seeing Kema’s journey into that world”.

The film marks the second BBC commission for Northern Child after their series, Northern Justice (10×30’) was commissioned by BBC Daytime last year.

Commissioning Editor for BBC Three, Yasemin Rashit, says: “It’s an extremely personal and immersive film, vital viewing that we hope will benefit audiences across the UK, we are proud to platform such important content. Thank you to Kema who has bravely allowed us to follow his journey, as he confronts his past to help him move forward towards an even brighter future.”

Diana Hare, Commissioner for BBC England, says: “The opportunity to follow someone through therapy in real time is extremely unusual and powerful. As well as being fascinating for audiences it serves an important purpose, raising awareness of options for helping those facing mental health issues.

“We are always on the lookout for great access and new story telling opportunities in England. So, we’re delighted to be working with Northern Child.”

Therapy: Tough Talking was commissioned by Yasemin Rashit for BBC Three, and Tony Parker and Diana Hare for BBC England.

Screen Alliance North are hiring – Skills Cluster roles

Posted on 26 April 202324 May 2023 by Jo Macleod

Screen Alliance North, a new £2.3m BFI Skills Cluster led by Screen Yorkshire, Liverpool Film Office, Screen Manchester and North East Screen, is recruiting for two new full-time roles, to support development and training of the screen sector workforce across the North of England.

Skills Cluster Partnership Lead – £47,000 – £49,000

Skills Cluster Evaluation Manager – £42,000 – £44,000

These roles are full time (37 hours per week) and a three year fixed term contract. They can be based at any of the partner offices in Sunderland, Hartlepool, Manchester, Liverpool or Leeds and will see work across all of the partner regions.

For more information on the jobs and how to apply, please visit our careers page.

Applications close on Wednesday 24th May.

UKTV’s catalogue of original drama continues to grow, with the latest commission of The Red King (6×60’) for leading crime drama channel Alibi, which is currently filming in the North East.

BBC Academy and Middlechild Productions visited two colleges in the North East today, bringing an interactive Q&A workshop for students looking to start a career in factual filmmaking and production.

Announced today (27th April) at the Creative Cities convention in Newcastle, Robson Green’s Weekend Escapes will return for a second 15×30 series on BBC Two after its hugely successful debut earlier this year.

Announced today (27^th April) at the Creative Cities convention in Newcastle, Robson Green’s Weekend Escapes will return for a second 15×30 series on BBC Two after its hugely successful debut earlier this year.