Revival of the TV and film industry in the North-East
MEDIA
Revival of the TV and film industry in the North-East
You may have noticed recently that the North-East and its people are gaining more visibility on TV screens .
From Robson Green ’ s Weekend Escapes to Angels of the North , Scarlett ’ s Driving School to 24 / 7 Pet Hospital , new programmes are adding to North-East favourites such as Vera , The Dumping Ground and Danny and Mick , which feature local people and local places .
With the release of Dungeons and Dragons : Honour Among Thieves and Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny , our stunning locations also continue to provide the backdrop to scenes in blockbuster feature films .
The increase in TV and film production in the region hasn ’ t happened by chance , but is due to the coming together of the North East Screen Industries Partnership ( NESIP ).
Their plans , partnerships and funding are ensuring the screen industry is growing and thriving across the region .
Brought together by 12 local authorities and three combined authorities , NESIP is funding North East Screen , the region ’ s screen agency , to deliver a skills , talent and business development programme to attract more filming to the area , create jobs and encourage investment .
Katie Jenkins , 22 , from County Durham , is one of the young people who are already reaping the benefits of the partnership .
Katie was one of the first people to be given help by North East Screen ’ s Access programme , which supported her to take a six-week work experience placement with Fulwell 73 in London .
There she worked on the Late Late Show with James Corden , helping with pre-production for the live shows and working as a camera assistant .
“ It was so interesting to see all the processes in action for creating TV and I got a lot of chances to be hands on .
“ It was an amazing experience and an amazing opportunity ,” said Katie .
Katie ’ s journey with North East Screen started in June 2021 when she took part in their Crew Academy bootcamp . This was followed by an event which gained her contacts and confidence to apply for roles in the industry .
Katie continued : “ I attended a North East Screen networking event where there was a real mix of people , from producers and directors of photography to camera trainees and assistants . I found it extremely useful .
“ This enabled me to make the right contacts and be recommended for jobs . I went on to work on The Dumping Ground followed by a Netflix series and in December I gained a trainee camera position on ITV ’ s Vera .”
As well as people new to the industry , North East Screen focuses on talent and business development of existing crew from the North-East and production companies based in the region .
Director of photography Simon Glass , 49 , from Washington , is based here but normally works all over the country and abroad and has seen a real change in the industry in the region .
“ In the past year I have had more jobs in the North-East than ever before ”, explained Simon , who set up in business as a freelance cameraman 25 years ago .
“ Although my business is based here in the region , I have sustained work almost everywhere but the North-East .
“ My work has taken me all over the world , shooting for a range of broadcasters and production companies but I ’ ve always struggled to find enough work in the North-East until now .
“ In the past year I ’ ve worked on five of the BBC programmes commissioned in the region , most notably Robson Green ’ s Weekend Escapes , which has enabled me to do the work I love but sleep in my own bed and be with my family .
“ The developments in the industry and the opportunities that are coming are very exciting and gives me hope to continue to do more work in the region that I love .”
Lisa Davidson , skills manager at North East Screen , said : “ We aim to break down the barriers of working in film and TV in the North-East where production is increasing and opportunities are growing .
“ We can now say that a career in the film and TV industry in the North-East is possible and our Crew Academy is a perfect way to make the first step .”
North East Screen ’ s Crew Academy runs bootcamps where anyone over the age of 18 can learn the basics of working in film and TV production – from networking skills , CV writing and set etiquette to finding jobs .
The Crew Academy also runs masterclasses , workshops , careers and networking events , on-set experience and placements providing the bridging gap to industry and assisting local people into work .
“ We also want to spread the message and make it clear that it ’ s not just the traditional trades of cameraperson or director that you normally associate with TV and film that we need ,” added Lisa .
“ It is carpenters , electricians , accountants , grips and scaffolders . There ’ s a huge range of trades needed in the making of films and TV programmes and many existing skills that could be transferred to this industry .
“ That is why the opportunities in the North-East are so exciting for local people . The industry will create jobs and career prospects for many across the region .”
If you are interested in the TV and film industry in the North-East , now is the time to sign up to North East Screen ’ s mailing list on the website , find out about their events and keep up to date with the range of opportunities available .
northeastscreen . org
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