Award winning indie sector makes case for Channel 4 hub
Representatives from local TV and media companies have rallied to support the city’s bid for a Channel 4 creative hub. They played a pivotal role in the pitch to Channel 4 executives when they visited the city last month, citing the sector’s successful track record of being forward-looking and innovative.
The collaborative way of working across the industry led to the first live-streaming of a TV show in the UK - Big Brother 2000. This was masterminded by Brighton-based Victoria Real, and since then the city’s media companies have proved themselves to always looking for ways to be original and move digital media forward.
Brighton-based companies produce content for all the national broadcasters. Recent Channel 4 productions produced in Brighton include: Food Unwrapped; When Football Banned Women; Sun, Sea and Selling Houses; The Forest; Born To Be Different; Teen Undertaker; George Clarke’s Old House, New Home and Gay Sex, Apps and Me.
They are award-winning, with BAFTA nominations, Royal Television Society, Broadcast Digital and One World Media awards for their work.
From small screen to Silver screen, Brighton is also a designated Film Friendly City, in recognition of the growing importance of the city as a film and television location. It is also home to CINECITY, a partnership between the Duke of York’s Picturehouse, Screen Archive South East and the University of Brighton, which delivers a year-round programme of events, screenings and exhibitions, as well as The Brighton Film Festival.
Chair of the Tourism, Development and Culture Committee, Councillor Alan Robins, said: “One of the founding aims of Channel 4 is to stimulate independent production and in Brighton & Hove, we have a successful indie sector. It is very easy to see why film, TV crews and highly regarded TV production companies and freelancers are choosing to make the city their home.”
Jo Ball, CEO of Ricochet, said: “Brighton is the perfect place to make great content, there’s already a cluster of well -established indies and new start-ups and an ever-growing freelance talent base. We’re proud of the world class TV we make here. Channel 4 would help build and draw upon one of the most dynamic and innovative creative clusters in the UK.”
Jo Ralling, Brighton Production Hub, said: “Brighton continues to attract top class talent as it offers a unique cluster of TV, Film and Digital companies. There are also year round festivals which showcase fantastic new creative talent which makes this an ideal city to nurture new ideas from a very diverse community."