principal sponsor
Thu, 04 JulBrighton Beach Club04 Jul 2019, 15:30Brighton Beach Club, Brighton Beach Club, 26 Kings Rd, Brighton. BN1 2LN
An event for:
Series Producers | Executive Producers | Directors | Edit Producers | Assistant Producers | Researchers | Production Secretaries | Production Coordinators | Production Managers | Production Executives | Line Producers | Editors | Edit Assistants | Technical Assistants
The TV production scene in Brighton has seen an astounding growth in the last few years, more than doubling the number of production companies in the city. Brighton now produces numerous award-winning series, thought provoking documentaries, films and commercials.
Production companies want to meet freelancers and permanent staff from all levels who work in creative, editorial or production. This event is a chance to meet creative directors, executive producers and production executives from all the major production companies in the city of Brighton and Hove.
Thursday 4th July at Brighton Beach Club, 26 Kings Rd, Brighton BN1 2LN
3:30pm Arrivals
4:00pm-6:00pm Scheduled Meetings
6:00pm-11:30pm Food and Drinks
£free
Closing date for registration: 1st July
Who's coming...
DAVID NOTMAN-WATT
Founder/Managing Director, back2back
David founded back2back in 2003 as a shooting PD, finally putting down the camera in 2009 which is when the back2back story started properly. As well as MD, David is also Executive Producer on much of the company's factual and fact-ent output both in the UK and internationally. In recent years David, along with his long-serving core back2back team, has shifted the company's focus from the UK, and set about establishing returning international brands and franchises. With numerous series now returning for a third and fourth run the hard work is paying off and the company continues to grow year on year.
ANNA BORONAT
Head of Production, back2back
Anna has over 20 years of experience as a Line Producer and Production Manager in factual and fact-ent television. Prior to joining back2back she has worked at some of the UK’s leading production companies including Talkback, RDF and Firecracker Films delivering programmes to broadcasters in the UK and the U.S. She has worked on a wide range of productions including MasterChef BBC, My Big Fat American Gypsy Wedding TLC, 71 Degrees North ITV1 & The Repair Shop BBC2.
STEF WAGSTAFFE
Development Executive & Executive Producer, back2back
Starting in the UK as a self-shooting documentary maker focussing on vulnerable youth, crime and homelessness, Stef worked in the US for nearly 10 years show-running multiple seasons of Wife Swap and launching Undercover Boss on CBS to an audience of 38 million. After returning to the UK she joined Channel 4 as a Commissioning Editor, launching Great Canal Journeys and Married at First Sight. Since leaving Ch4 she has continued to work with UK and US broadcasters making two series of 'Superfoods: the Real Story' and a Food Unwrapped Brexit Special for Channel 4, as well as Executive Producing a documentary series following kids in foster care in LA County for A&E in the US.
CLAIRE HAMILTON
Senior Production Executive, back2back
Prior to joining Back2back Claire has worked as a PM, Line Producer and Head of Production at many well respected indies working across a wide range of award winning productions, including arts, history, specialist factual and documentaries at KEO Films, October Films, Blast Films, Raw TV, Fresh One and Raw Cut TV. Claire has location managed across the world, specialising in managing productions in some of the world's toughest environments.
SHARMAN FINN
Post Manager/Online Editor, back2back
Sharman joined back2back as an online editor in 2012. He now heads up Back2back’s expanding post department. As well as his online and grading work Sharman oversees the company's ten offlines, two onlines and dubbing facility. He manages the tech team to ensure all in-house series are delivered on time and to spec. Sharman carries with him over fifteen years of experience in broadcast post production from his time working in ob docs, factual entertainment, live tv, sports and news.
SARAH SPENCER
Executive Producer, Blast! By The Sea
Sarah joined Blast! Films in 2016 and is based out of our Brighton office ‘Blast! by the Sea’. Sarah has over 15 years’ experience of producing and directing series', and executive producing a wide range of popular documentaries, formats and series’ across all major channels, including BAFTA nominated The Undateables and Obsessive Compulsive Cleaners (Channel 4), Normal for Norfolk (BBC TWO), A Year in the New Forest (Channel 4), Saving Lives at Sea (BBC2), Housing Yorkshire: Somewhere Called Home (Channel 5) and A Year to Fall in Love (Channel 4)
SUE INNES
Production Manager, Blast! By The Sea
Sue is a very experienced Production Manager who has worked at numerous major TV Production Companies. She started at Blast in 2014 and has worked across major series including ‘The Supervet’ and ‘The Catch’. Now based in their Brighton office she has overseen all of the Brighton output which includes ‘A Year in the New Forest’ (Channel 4), ‘Saving Lives at Sea’ (BBC2) and ‘Housing Yorkshire: Somewhere Called Home’ (Channel 5).
NICKI PURCELL
Head of Production, Crackit Productions
Nicki joined Crackit in 2013 and quickly took the reigns as Head of Production. Nicki is responsible for leading the strategic and business planning of Crackit’s in house production department, ensuring projects are delivered to time and to budget.
JASON WELLS
Executive Producer, Crackit Productions
Jason joined the Crackit team in the summer of 2015 as Executive Producer. His responsibilities range from brainstorming new production concepts all the way through to pitch, commission and delivery of polished TV programmes. His portfolio of work includes programmes for BBC one, BBC two, ITV1, Channel 4 and Channel 5 as well as BBC three, UKTV Home, SKY 1, MTV and National Geographic Channel. Needless to say he is very experienced for the role.
His prior experience as executive producer and commissioning executive includes working on The Ten Faces of Michael Jackson, Inside Scientology and Escaping the Witnesses as well as the successful new series Caught on Camera, Police 5 and Nightmare Neighbours Next Door.
MEREDITH CHAMBERS
Managing Director, Electric Ray
Meredith Chambers has a reputation in the industry for innovation, excellence and integrity and he’s worked closely with many major public and private institutions over the course of his career.
Prior to setting up Electric Ray in 2014 Meredith was Creative Director at Twenty Twenty where he created the hit series First Dates. He spent five years as Commissioning Editor at Channel 4 where he ran the prestigious Cutting Edge documentary strand and commissioned the international format The Secret Millionaire. Earlier in his career he was Deputy Editor of ITV current affairs series The Big Story. He produced on the first series of Pop Idol and I’m a Celebrity and he created the first mainstream living-history series Lads Army.
As an Executive Editor at the BBC he won a BAFTA for the landmark documentary Between Life and Death about neurological critical care and a BAFTA nomination for Frankenstein’s Wedding, a unique live musical event for BBC3
GEORGIE BAYFORD
Head of Production, Electric Ray
Georgie started out in TV at Celador Productions (now CPL) when Who Wants to Be a Millionaire was first a thing. Prior to joining Electric Ray she ran her own production services agency where she worked with Victory Television and Mighty Productions, to name but a few. Georgie has worked across many genres from shiny floor to hardcore docs; she’s even worked on a couple of movies.
SIAN WHOMES
Head of Talent, Electric Ray
Sian Whomes is the Head of Talent for Sony Pictures Entertainment. She brings the best off-screen talent to Electric Ray’s development team and fabulous array of productions. Sian has worked in Talent & HR for the past 5 years for companies such as BBC, Endemol Shine and ITV. She started her TV career 15 years ago as a Runner on The Jerry Springer show and progressed in Production Management across a range of genres from Comedy to Specialist factual and everything in between.
RACHAEL BARNES
Executive Producer/Series Editor, Electric Ray
Rachael has just joined Electric Ray as an Executive Producer and Series Editor and will be looking after a new primetime series C4 series being made out of the brand new Brighton office.
Prior to joining Electric Ray, Rachael worked as an SP at Britespark Films making Banged Up: Teens Behind Bars for C4, and also at Blast! Films on a number of series including Brighton-based Saving Lives at Sea and The Great NHS Experiment for BBC2.
EMMA WAKEFIELD
Managing Director, Lambent Productions
Emma established Lambent in 1996 where she’s created a wide range of acclaimed documentaries, factual series, and education programming. Credits include KIDS BEHIND BARS for BBC3, OUT OF JAIL AND ON THE STREETS for BBC1, and THE SPECIAL NEEDS HOTEL for Channel 5. She developed formatted teen series GAY-Z, LIFEPROOF, and WELCOME TO MY WORLD for Channel 4 and BAFTA-nominated drama-documentaries LOVE HURTS and TRUE STORIES for BBC2/Learning. Recent documentaries include LAST WHITES OF THE EAST END for BBC1, ADDICTED PARENTS: LAST CHANCE TO KEEP MY CHILDREN for BBC2 and RAPED: MY STORY for Channel 5.
OLLIE TAIT
Managing Director, Lambent Productions
Ollie joined Lambent from ITV Studios where he created landmark observational documentary series THE SAVOY for ITV and GRAVE TRADE for History. He has developed and worked across a host of formatted and non-formatted factual series for BBC, Channel 4, Channel 5 and ITV, including HARBOUR LIVES, HIGHLAND EMERGENCY, TOO TOUGH TO TEACH and HOTEL IN THE CLOUDS. He has also pioneered fresh approaches to factual drama including the WORDS OF…films and the critically acclaimed drama documentary series THE GREAT WAR: THE PEOPLE’S STORY for ITV. Recent series include EMMERDALE 1918 for ITV, WOMEN ON THE FORCE for UKTV, and CITY BEATS for Insight.
AUDREY ENGLISH
Head of Production, Lambent Productions
Audrey joined Lambent in 2004 and has overseen many landmark projects, from over 75 hours of programming for TEACHERS TV to observational documentaries like OUT OF JAIL AND ON THE STREETS, to archive-based specialist factual series such as THE SECRET LIFE OF RUBBISH for BBC4. Now Head of Production, she is responsible for all of Lambent’s content, working to develop the company as well as everyone who works here.
Audrey is interested in meeting Production co-ordinators, PMs, Prod Secs looking to move up; people who love organising and looking after productions.
DAVID SUMNALL
Managing Director, Middle Child
After years of making documentaries, series and winning commissions for other Indies, David decided to set up Middlechild Productions. After 18 months of no income and incredible patience from his wife, David got lucky when Ben Frow took over at Channel 5 and brought with him a passion for our four legged furry friends. Soon after, The Dog Rescuers series with Alan Davies was born and over 100 hours later, and with a whole host of other productions under his belt, David is still riding his luck! Although nowadays, that's mixed with a large dose of hard work and a lot of creativity.
ANDREW EASTEL
Creative Director, Middle Child
In 2011, having worked as a producer/director of factual content for a number of years, Andrew invested money made from the international distribution of a feature documentary he directed into setting up his own production company. After a couple of years experiencing the highs and lows of running an indie, Andrew met David Sumnall in 2014. Realising they shared a similar vision, both creatively and in business, Andrew joined Middlechild to help produce new content and lead development, he now holds the position of Creative Director and oversees all of the company's output.
MARY HUI
Head of Production, Middle Child
Mary joined Middlechild at the start 2019. With over 10 years’ experience having production managed an impressive list of credits whilst working with various independent production companies. Mary has worked on a raft of DISPATCHES programmes as well as titles including EMMERDALE 1918 for ITV1, SECRETS OF THE WORLD’S SUPER SKYSCRAPERS for Channel 5, STEPHEN FRY: OUT THERE for BBC2, KIDS WITH TOURETTES for ITV1 and NAPOLEON for BBC2.
JANE GERBER
Co-founder/ Executive Producer & Creative Director
BAFTA & RTS nominee and Broadcast Award winner Jane Gerber series produced and directed documentary and factual series for BBC, Channel 4, ITV, Sky as well as international broadcasters including BBC1’s What Not To Wear, Sky Arts’ First Love, BBC2’s The Nation’s Favourite Food, Channel 4’s Risking it All and ITV’s This Morning.
Seeing a growing market in branded content, Jane set up Peanut & Crumb with BBC broadcaster Katie Derham in 2015 to bring broadcast quality and storytelling to short form content for public and private sector organisations.
CHRISTINA CHRISTOPHOROU
Development Consultant
Christina works as a Development Consultant for Peanut & Crumb helping to create and craft ideas for TV and brands. With a background in both production and development Christina has worked on a broad range of food and factual entertainment shows in production including: The Apprentice, Great British Menu, Ramsay’s Great Escape, Sun Sea & Suspicious Parents and Supersizers Go! as a Producer/ Director and Development Executive. Her career in development has seen her develop the format for The Great British Bake Off and head up development at Jamie Oliver’s company Fresh One where she worked on a slate of Jamie’s shows as well as developing Disney’s First Class Chefs.
EMMA SHAW
Development Consultant
Emma Shaw is a freelance Development Consultant for Brighton-based Peanut & Crumb. A trained journalist with a long career in TV production, Emma has made documentaries and returning series for all the major broadcasters. She now specialises in factual TV development, securing content, access and talent for a range of channels and digital platforms. Emma has run the development teams and ideas slates for numerous London and Brighton-based companies, while building trust and ongoing relationships with key commissioning editors to secure prime time commissions.
JOANNA BALL
Managing Director, Ricochet
Joanna Ball has worked for 25 years in factual TV as a producer, director, commissioning editor and latterly MD of Ricochet. Her credits include This Morning, Back To The Floor, Trouble at the Top, Supernanny, Grand Designs, Embarrassing Bodies, Countryfile, DIY SOS, Antiques Roadshow, Cowboy Builders, Food Unwrapped and The Repair Shop
LISA COX
Business Director, Ricochet
Lisa Cox is Business Director for Ricochet. As well as supervising all of Ricochet’s productions, Lisa is responsible for the company’s financial planning, maximizing commercial opportunities and overseeing all operational aspects of the business.
Lisa joined the company back in 2000 and has worked across all of Ricochet’s output. Her credits include Supernanny for C4; the long running documentary series Born To Be Different; returning formats such as Cowboy Builders (Five) and Food Unwrapped (C4); as well as popular BBC daytime series like The Repair Shop, Family Finders and Channel Patrol.
KATY THOROGOOD
Creative Director, Ricochet
A former head of factual and features at North One Television and Discovery UK director of programmes, Thorogood joined ITV as a daytime commissioning editor in 2009, taking responsibility for This Morning and Loose Women and ordering formats including Secret Dealers.
After moving to ITV’s factual team in April 2013 she green-lit series including Secret Life of Dogs, Cats and Babies, Harry’s South Pole Heroes, Warwick’s Weekend Escapes and Gino’s Italian Escape, along with Magaluf Weekender and The Big Reunion for ITV2.
ROB BUTTERFIELD
Director of Programmes, Ricochet
Rob first joined Ricochet in 2004 working on shows including Selling Houses for Channel 4, and How Not to Decorate, Breaking into Tesco for Channel 5, and developed and ran all ten series of Cowboy Builders, also for Channel 5.
As Director of Programmes, Rob is a key member of the creative team and has helped devise many of its successful returning series. His role encompasses oversight across all Ricochet’s programme output.
His recent credits include The Repair Shop for the BBC, Food Unwrapped for Channel 4, Britain’s Top 100 Dogs Live for ITV and The Bachelor for Channel 5.
STEFFY MARRION
Production Executive, Ricochet
Steffy is a Production Executive at Ricochet and oversees productions from early budgeting and development stage, through to delivery. Steffy joined Ricochet in 2004 and has worked across many of their series including Born to Be Different, No Going Back and Food Unwrapped for Channel 4, Cowboy Builders for Channel 5 and Blood Sweat and T-Shirts and Channel Patrol for BBC. Before joining Ricochet, Steffy had a career as a Production Co-ordinator for feature films, working on films for BBC Films, Film Four, Pathe and Revolutions Films, as well as large format films and commercials.
SIAN JOHNS
Production Executive, Ricochet
In her role of Production Executive, Sian continues to oversee the development and delivery of a wide range of Ricochet output for all the major broadcasters including BBC1, BBC2, ITV, C4 and C5. In her 20 plus years of production experience she has worked in a variety of genres including drama, documentary and factual entertainment as well as commercials and music promos. Prior to joining the company she spent several years working for the BBC as well as supporting many independent production companies in a freelance capacity.
NICKY TAYLOR
Executive Producer, Ricochet
Nicky Taylor is an Executive Producer for Ricochet, specialising in Factual Entertainment, Formats and Features. She started life as a BBC Production Trainee, then spent time in Daytime before working across the board for all the main Channels on shows like Love your Garden, This Morning and currently, Celebrity 5 Go Barging for C5.
SANDY WATSON
Executive Producer, Ricochet
Sandy Watson has been at Ricochet since 2012, working as Series Producer or Series Editor on productions including The Repair Shop, Food Unwrapped, Mr Drew’s School for Boys, Family Finders and Cowboy Traders. Before that he worked for 13 years at ITV Productions and as a freelance SP, and is now an executive producer at Ricochet, with responsibilities including Channel 4’s Sun Sea and Selling Houses and BBC1’s The One Show.
EMMA WALSH
Executive Producer, Ricochet
Emma Walsh, Executive Producer started life at Ricochet as a Series Director. She created the visual template for The Repair Shop as well as delivering the first 3 series. As a Series Director she has worked on programmes across all the major channels including The Bachelor, How to Look Good Naked, Britain’s Favourite Dogs, The Hairy Bikers and Lorraine Pascal.
ED KELLIE
Founder & Executive Producer, ScreenDog
Ed's spent the last 3 years beavering away on winning commissions inbetween freelancing as a Series Producer / Producer Director (The World's Deadliest Weather (2017), The Secret Life of 4 Year Olds (Broadcast Award Winner 2016) The Apprentice (2011), Mary Queen of Shops (2010 BAFTA Nominated Series).
Following some commissioning success with Wildlife Jack (Disney, 2015), Teenage Ice Trekker (CBBC, 2016 Prix Jeunesse Award Finalist) and Steve Backshall & The Vertical Mile (CBBC, 2017), ScreenDog Productions is now launching full time and at full tilt.
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TERRI SAMSON
Line Producer / Production Executive, ScreenDog
Teri has over 20 years of television production management experience working on a wide
range of genres and formats and specialises in long running series for the UK and
International markets. During this time she’s worked on a diverse range of Bafta nominated and winning
programmes for major tv production companies, broadcasters and online delivery platforms
including Netflix, BBC, C4, ITV, C5, Sky, UKTV, BBC Studios, Discovery and the Disney
Channel.
Teri joined ScreenDog Productions in July 2018 as Line Producer on the ambitious new
documentary series ‘Hurricane Man’ for UKTV/BBC Studios and also oversees the growing
slate of productions at the company.
DEBORAH SARGEANT
Chief Creative Officer, Second Star
Created in 2016, Second Star has recently relocated to Brighton. Launched by Chief Creative Officer, Deborah Sargeant - who has lived in the city for over 10 years - Second Star is all about storytelling; whether it's factual entertainment, formats or reality we are mischievous, innovative and ambitious...
We are currently twirling our way through production of a second series of Flirty Dancing for Channel 4 and have a small development team beavering away on new ideas in our new Brighton office.
Before launching the label, Deborah was Commissioning Editor at Sky Entertainment, working across Entertainment and Non-Scripted formats for all of the Sky owned channels, including launching and recommissioning the now hugely successful Sky Arts’ Portrait Artist of the Year brand.
Previously working at Tiger Aspect, Endemol and BBC Entertainment, Deborah also series produced Big Brother, The F Word, The Salon and Emmy Award winning How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria?
Emma Read-Wilson
Production Executive, Second Star
Emma joined OMG in 2016 and is responsible for overseeing production management for Second Star and Panda Television. Previously, Emma worked in the UK for betty, ITV and Shine, and spent several years in Sydney, Australia at FremantleMedia and Shine Australia. She has experience in budgeting, setting up and overseeing large-scale entertainment and factual entertainment series both in studio and on location in the UK and overseas. TV credits include: Flirty Dancing, Wedding Day Winners, Bear Grylls: Mission Survive, I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here, X Factor Australia, Top Gear Australia, The Mole and Gladiators.
AMANDA WILKIE
Co-owner and Head of Production
Seventh Art’s focus is now on its unique arts brand: EXHIBITION ON SCREEN. This brings major art exhibitions – and the stories of both the galleries and the artists – to a cinema, TV and DVD audience worldwide. The films are seen in almost 60 countries in more than 1000 cinemas.
ANGELA VERMOND
Office Manager and Post Production Supervisor
Info TBC
SARAH CUNLIFFE
MD & Creative Director, Big Wave Productions
Since setting up the company in 1995 Sarah has overseen all of Big Wave’s output and has won numerous awards and nominations for her work as executive producer and director.
EMMA ROSS
Head Of Development, Big Wave Productions
Emma first joined Big Wave in 2004 and now heads up our development team. She is also a talented producer/director and has made many of our science and wildlife documentaries.