BEST NEW CREATIVE BUSINESS
SPONSORED BY TEESSIDE UNIVERSITY
FINALIST
2812 STUDIO
Dink outsourcing manager Oliver Lloyd accepted the award from Charlotte Nichol , associate dean , school of arts and creative industries , Teesside University .
WINNER
DINK
In a fast-growing creative sector , Middlesbrough-based video game studio Dink prioritises fun and creativity in its projects to carry it to success .
Dink focuses on creating video games of its own , while also offering outsourcing services to clients , aiding development of other studio projects , virtual experiences and more .
Accepting the Best New Creative Business award , outsourcing manager Oliver Lloyd said : “ It feels great to be recognised for our achievements and we couldn ’ t have done it without the team . “ Our team is actually amazing at what they do , and this goes out to them . “ We have five full-time members and we have a team of interns , volunteers and a few extra people helping us .”
Dink ’ s success extends beyond the Tees Valley area – the video game studio is also making strides nationally after an exciting opportunity with the BBC and “ phenomenal ” outsource work .
“ We make digital content for people – we ’ re primarily a video game studio , but we also do outsourcing work for clients ,” said Oliver . “ For instance , we ’ ve just done a project with BBC on a TV show for them . “ But our main work is within the video game sector – we ’ ve been working on our own IPs so we ’ re talking with publishers to get them out and bring that to market , basically .”
Talking about why Dink came out on top , Oliver credits the win to its ability to balance work and fun .
“ We primarily focus on fun and culture in the office – I like to say we put the fun in functional !
“ We try to make sure our company culture sticks through with what we do , and we don ’ t take on a project unless it ’ s fun and creative .”
At 2812 Studio , captivating narratives are crafted through photography , videography and production .
Led by photography specialist Ben Benoliel , it is dedicated to pushing creative boundaries , delivering visual excellence that drives tangible success .
Specialising in fashion , film and interiors , it consistently turns ideas into impactful visual pieces , leaving global impressions . Its aims are to diversify , expand markets and nurture emerging talent , while maintaining its commitment to creative excellence and client satisfaction .
FINALIST
EZO MUSIC
A record label founded by local singersongwriter Esmae ( Stephanie Zielke ), EZO Music is on a mission to unveil the rich musical potential in Teesside and is dedicated to elevating the local music scene to national recognition and help emerging artists to establish successful careers within a fiercely competitive industry .
Committed to fostering positive change within the community , it released a single , Revolution , in support of the Teesside charity CEO Sleepout , which was later adopted as the charity ’ s national campaign song .
FINALIST
THROUGHFILM
ThroughFilm is a video production community interest company ( CIC ), working with a variety of different industries and using each commission as a force for good .
This is achieved by working with corporate businesses that resonate with ThroughFilm ’ s core values of social responsibility , and by using its profit for purpose .
With creative and industry experience , it amplifies the level of video quality charities can access , raising profiles and getting their valuable initiatives out there and seen .
70 | Tees Business