Fast Train – the biggest TV freelance training event ever in the UK – brought a huge buzz to White City recently.  The event was hosted by the BBC Academy, sponsored by Skillset, involved 14 training partners and commercial training providers,  and Media Parents members were out in force!  Head of Public Partnerships for BBC Academy, Donna Taberer, writes here about the day.

Head of Public Partnerships for BBC Academy, Donna Taberer. Donna is in the Media Parents NETWORK section at www.mediaparents.co.uk.

Around 350 freelancers including several Media Parents members took part in the taster training sessions and master classes. There were a total of 1,457 attendances across 72 separate practical training sessions – everything from scripting, pitching, self shooting, editing to 3D, to multi-camera directing a band. The master classes  - with some of the biggest industry names including BBC Controllers Janice Hadlow, Zai Bennett, Richard Klein and Liam Keelan, pioneering documentary producer Roger Graef, Nic Morris, director of photography of Being Human, Shine’s Jamie Munro, Silver River owner and author Daisy Goodwin, Richard McKerrow of Love Productions, ITV commissioner Jo Clinton-Davis, Channel 4’s Andrew Jackson, So Television’s Graham Stuart, and Sky’s Stuart Murphy, were also fully subscribed.

The informal feedback from the day showed just how much training is valued by freelances. 87% of attendees said they found the day extremely useful and the other 13% very useful. 100% would consider booking more training after Fast Train and 100% would be interested in attending next year.

Donna Taberer, Fast Train organiser, said, ‘We were amazed at the response to Fast Train, and to the demand for places.  We’ve had nothing but positive feedback from delegates and contributors. There was overwhelming gratitude that the BBC, along with partners, could offer such a range of training and all for free. The day had amazing support from BBC programme makers and executives.  We’re now actively looking to see how we can replicate the event in other parts of the UK.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUCkLGrqXhE link to Fast Train film featuring Janice Hadlow, Roger Graef, Anne Morrison and others.  Please go here for further information www.bbc.co.uk/academy

www.mediaparents.co.uk for great talent, networking, jobs and information.

www.mediaparents.co.uk for great talent, networking, jobs and information.

On Tuesday 17th May 2011, Media Parents members (from www.mediaparents.co.uk) will be meeting MDs and Heads of Production from Vera Productions, Splash Media and Rival Media in Central London.  Here’s who’s coming…

Rival Media

Howard Myers, Joint MD Rival Media

Howard Myers has over 25 years experience in the TV industry, during which time he has created and produced award-winning programmes in live, factual, entertainment and scripted genres.  He has been nominated for several BAFTA’s, an RTS Award, and has won both international Prix Jeunesse and New York Festival Awards including the Grand Jury prize for his original scripted comedy series Bus Life.

Steve Wynne, Joint MD Rival Media

Named a Broadcast “Hot Shot” in 2002, Steve Wynne has over 20 years of production experience in television, radio and emerging technologies.  A founding board member of the Children’s Media Conference, his UK credits as producer include BAFTA Award winning shows SMTV /CD:UK, The Disney Channel Kids Awards and Star Ticket Active.  Steve sits on many international judging panels at BAFTA and the International Emmy Committee.

Splash Media

Jane Lush, Joint MD Splash Media

Jane Lush began her programme making career at the BBC, producing popular documentaries and features. She turned BBC One’s flagship travel programme, Holiday into an all year round hit show. She exec produced BBC One docs including Martin Clunes, Born to be Wild. As Controller of BBC Daytime she can be blamed for commissioning Weakest Link, which became a global hit around the world, Bargain Hunt, Escape to the Country and Flog It, and created Doctors, a daytime soap opera from scratch – all still stalwarts of the schedule. As Controller of Entertainment Commissioning her legacy includes Strictly Come Dancing, The Apprentice, Dragons’ Den, House of Tiny Tearaways and Test the Nation. She was also responsible for the BBC’s Comedy output, and steered Have I Got News for You through all its controversies since it began.  She started Splash Media with Fenia Vardanis in 2007.

Kate Gibbard, Head of Production Splash Media

Kate Gibbard started her career at Twofour where she worked on a wide variety of productions including The Hotel Inspector, Through Hell and High Water and Dead Famous for many broadcasters such as the BBC, Channel 4, Five and Living.

Vera Productions

Geoff Atkinson, MD Vera Productions

Geoff Atkinson is Joint MD of Vera, which he founded with Rory Bremner, Vivienne Clore and Elaine Morris in 1994. He is also an established comedy writer.

Starting off his career at Punch magazine, he ended up working with the likes of Douglas Adams and John Lloyd and was one of the main writers on Spitting Image. He has also written for Michael Barrymore, Lenny Henry and Cannon and Ball.

As a Producer he is best known for Rory Bremner’s shows along with the two Johns (Bird and Fortune), Alistair McGowan’s Big Impression, Mark Thomas Product and the recently acclaimed Getting On. He has also Exec Produced numerous Dispatches including Politicians For Hire.

Rebecca Parkinson, Head of Production Vera Productions

Rebecca Parkinson joined Vera in November 2010, and her aim is to maintain and build on the family friendly ethos and creative environment which exists at the company, and for which it is well known. Prior to this she worked with Stuart Murphy at Sky and at Twofour as Head of Production. Her PM experience was mainly garnered at Objective where she worked in factual, entertainment and comedy – and magic of course! As a co-ordinator she worked at most of the major independents on projects ranging from documentary to hidden camera. She has a daughter, Lily, aged 2 and a half.

Envy

Dominic Briere-Edney, Business Development Manager ENVY

Envy is one of the leading post houses in the UK and has three buildings in Rathbone Place, Margaret Street and Foley Street.

Envy is experienced with every type of HD and SD production and offer 95 operational areas including off-line AVID, Final Cut Pro, DS Nitris, Symphony, Grading, Smoke, Flame, 3D and Audio, including a Dolby licensed studio. We also have a courtyard garden, two fully licensed bars, a study and a 750 sq ft rooftop terrace.

ENVY is very proud to have won the Best Post Production House at the Broadcast Awards in 2008, 2009 and 2010. In late July 2011, ENVY is expanding, adding nearly an extra 10.000 sq ft in Rathbone Place which will include off line suites, audio and vfx.

Envy is thrilled to support the great work of Media Parents and look forward to continue to do so.

Media Parents

Amy Walker, Site Director Media Parents

Freelance Series Producer Amy Walker created the Media Parents website in 2010 in the hope that it would help experienced talent to stay within the creative industries, by listing opportunities for flexible work and standard contracts.  Within a year Media Parents has over 400 talented subscribers, a network of thousands, and works with more than 200 TV and film companies. Media Parents is placing talented people in great jobs on a weekly basis, and getting great feedback from everyone involved. http://www.mediaparents.co.uk is a lovely place to be.

Udo Okpara works with Amy as Admin Assistant at Media Parents.  Udo studied Ancient History at UCL  (see below) and spends most of his spare time training in Judo.

Udo Okpara, Admin Assistant Media Parents

Instead of buying a Harley Davidson, I started a grrrl band. And yes I’m over 40, and rapidly turning into Cheryl Cole’s worst nightmare, writes TERRY TYLDESLEY.

Pink rocker Terry Tyldesley fronts the band Suburban Mousewife and is a Producer / Director. She can be found in the TALENT section of http://www.mediaparents.co.uk/.

Suburban Mousewife are unashamedly lo-fi, political, punky and a bit poppy, and on Friday 6th May we’re playing at Amy Lamé’s Camden Mayoress’ Ball (scroll down for FREE tickets) along with hotly-tipped young bands, and cool DJs.  It’s a world away from PD-ing documentaries and award-winning current affairs, (though there have been a few rock and roll films too).

It’s been a transferrable skillsfest so far. I’ve learned about singing, sound, cabling, new bands, social media and widgets, and making a downloadable EP. My script-writing is being finessed by crafting punchy songs and I’m well on my way to being a Multimedia Parent with a 360º venture, and plenty of programme ideas.

Terry Tyldesley (left) is in the TALENT section of http://www.mediaparents.co.uk please use the link to book her for your next gig.

The band has had an enormous amount of goodwill, and yes, cheering, and played all kinds of trendy venues and small festivals. We’re not just tolerated, we get invited back. Being outspoken females of a certain age (3/5 of us are parents) is our USP, and we played a riotous gig at star jewellers Tatty Devine’s Xmas party.

My bandmates are 4 gutsy women, including a vivacious physics teacher (I’m determined to get her on TV), an amazing art lecturer, an angel-voiced copyright expert turned professional musician, and a local indie legend.

As for my kids, they think it’s just what mums do. They’ve only seen us once, at the sole venue they could legally get into – a street festival. The older one feigned embarrassment and the younger one came up and kissed me mid-song – very sweet, but a bit distracting. My husband is wonderfully supportive and doubles as photographer and roadie.

Terry Tyldesley: "As for my kids, they think it’s just what mums do... The older one feigned embarrassment and the younger one came up and kissed me mid-song – very sweet, but a bit distracting."

Playing in a band is a refreshingly direct way of communicating – you can see why film stars (hello Hugh Laurie) itch to do it. It’s like having your own TV station and no channel controller.  Our favourite song, My Idol Is Me, is all about airhead culture and older women being banished from TV. Simon Cowell won’t like it, but it’s still catchy.

Not everyone’s impressed though. An AP I worked with was completely unfazed by my secret, (now not so secret) life. Her previous PD was also a burlesque dancer.

*** You can win tickets to the ball by entering a competition on the Tatty Devine website:

http://www.tattydevine.com/boutique/blog.php/?cat=1

Gig details: http://www.barflyclub.com/camden/whatson/event/30387.aspx

EP download: www.soundcloud.com/suburbanmousewife

www.mediaparents.co.uk for great talent, networking, jobs and information.