2012 RTS Programme Awards winners

Proudly, the BBC has received a whopping 35 nominations at this year’s Royal Television Society Programme Awards. The ceremony took place last night at the Grosvenor House Hotel and it was hosted by comedian Rob Brydon, who was hilarious.

The Awards, chaired by David Liddiment, honour excellence in key genres of television programming, from children’s fiction to comedy performance, history to soaps, covering both national and regional output. Held annually, the RTS Programme Awards aim to recognise the work of exceptional actors, presenters, writers and production teams, as well as celebrating the programmes themselves.

Here is a list of winners:

Entertainment
Derren Brown – The Experiments
Objective Productions for Channel 4

Presenter
Gareth Malone – The Choir: Military Wives
Twenty Twenty for BBC Two

Arts
Graffiti Wars
TwoFour for Channel 4

Single Documentary
Terry Pratchett: Choosing to Die
Keo North for BBC Two

Documentary Series
24 Hours in A&E
The Garden Productions for Channel 4

Nations and Regions Programme
The Scheme
Friel Kean films for BBC One

History
Dambusters: Building the Bouncing Bomb
Windfall Films for Channel 4

Science and Natural History
Mummifying Alan: Egypt’s Last Secret
Blink Film and Television for Channel 4

Soap and Continuing Drama
Coronation Street
ITV STudios for ITV1

Children’s Drama
Tracy Beaker
BBC Productions for CBBC

Children’s Programme
Newsround – My Autism & Me
BBC Productions for CBBC

International Award
Modern Family
Twentieth Century Fox Television/Levitan-Lloyd Productions acquired by Sky 1 HD

Daytime Programme
Deal or No Deal Live
Remarkable Television, an Endemol Company for Channel 4

Popular Factual and Features
Hugh’s Big Fish Fight
Keo Films for Channel 4

Actor (Male)
Dominic West – Appropriate Adult
ITV Studios for ITV1

Actor (Female)
Emily Watson – Appropriate Adult
ITV Studios for ITV1

Single Drama
Eric & Ernie
Blue Door Adventures/BBC Wales for BBC Two

Drama Serial
Top Boy
A Cowboy Films/Easter Partisan Production for Channel 4

Drama Series
Luther 2
BBC Productions/BBC America for BBC One

Writer – Drama
Peter Bowker – Eric & Ernie
Blue Door Adventures/BBC Wales for BBC Two

Writer – Comedy
Sam Bain & Jesse Armstrong – Fresh Meat
Objective Productions/Lime Pictures for Channel 4

Entertainment Performance
Ant and Dec – I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here, Red or Black, Push the Button, Britain’s Got Talent
ITV Studios/Syco TV/Thames/Gallowgate Studios for ITV1

Comedy Performance
Russell Tovey & Sarah Solemani – Him & Her
Big Talk Productions for BBC Three

Scripted Comedy
Fresh Meat
Objective Productions/Lime Pictures for Channel 4

The Judges’ Award went to ITV commissioner Laura Mackie.

Men Behaving Badly star Martin Clunes presented the Lifetime Achievement Award to Beryl Vertue OBE, who helped shape the television industry without working for a broadcaster.

Congratulations to all!

- Royal Television Society
- RTS Futures
- Television magazine

RTS Craft & Design Awards 2010/2011

Congratulations to all the winners of the Royal Television Society Craft & Design Awards 2010/2011. The ceremony, hosted by Myleene Klass, was held last night at the Savoy, London. Here’s what the RTS said:

The RTS Craft & Design Awards recognise the huge variety of skills and processes involved in programme production, from costume design and digital effects to editing and lighting. Nigel Pickard, Group Director, Family Entertainment and Drama at Zodiak Media Group, chaired this year’s awards.

The biggest winner of the evening was The Crimson Petal and The White, produced for BBC Two by Origin Pictures/Cité Amérique, which won in three categories: Costume Design – Drama, Make Up Design – Drama and Production Design – Drama.

Other programmes awarded included 24 Hours In A&E, produced by The Garden Productions for Channel 4, which won Multicamera Work; Strike Back: Project Dawn, produced by Left Bank Pictures for Sky1 HD, which won Big Bang Stunts & Effects; and Downtown Abbey, produced by Carnival Film and Television for ITV1, which won Photography – Drama.

The Winners:

Effects – Digital
The Mill – Doctor Who – Series 6 ‘A Christmas Carol,’ BBC Wales for BBC One
“A vast array of visual effects, displaying a Hollywood-style ambition, was hugely impressive, despite a modest budget.”

Nominees
Phil Dobree, Dan Upton, Sophie Orde & Matt Chandler, Jellyfish Pictures – Inside The Human Body, BBC Productions/Jellyfish Pictures for BBC One
Erik Ellefsen, George Kyparissous, Sarah Norton & Jo Amery – Misfits Series 2, Clerkenwell Films for E4

Effects – Special
Big Bang Stunts & Effects – Strike Back: Project Dawn, Left Bank Pictures for Sky1HD
“Precision effects and stunts achieved with perfect timing, combined with fast-paced choreography, delivered high-tension drama in a way that is rarely seen on television.”

Nominees
Danny Hargreaves – Coronation Street – Tram Crash, Real SFX for ITV Studios for ITV1
Ed Smith, Colin Gorry Effects – The Shadow Line, A Company Pictures/Eight Rooks/Baby Cow Production in association with CinemaNX and Isle Of Man Films for BBC Two

Costume Design – Drama
Annie Symons – The Crimson Petal and The White, Origin Pictures/Cité Amérique for BBC Two
“Stunning, highly designed with beautiful detail. The jury thought the heightened reality was like nothing they’ve ever seen before, showing the underbelly of a period with extraordinary use of colour.”

Nominees
Joanna Eatwell – Eric and Ernie, BBC Wales in association with Blue Door Adventures for BBC Two
Charlotte Walter – This Is England ’86, Warp Films and Big Arty Production for Channel 4

Costume Design – Entertainment & Non Drama Productions
Lucia Santa Maria – The Impressions Show with Culshaw and Stephenson, BBC Productions for BBC One
“The costumes were hilarious, taking the jury by surprise, and the detail really added to the impressions.”

Nominees
Stephen Adnitt – Dancing On Ice – Series 6, ITV Studios for ITV1
Annie Hardinge – Come Fly With Me, Little Britain Productions/BBC Productions
for BBC One

Picture Enhancement
Sonny Sheriden – Eric and Ernie, BBC Wales in association with Blue Door Adventures for BBC Two
“A fresh take on nostalgia, this astounding piece of grading elevated the production to a whole new level.”

Nominees
Ross Baker – Armstrong And Miller – Series 3, Hat Trick Productions for BBC One
Gareth Spensley, Molinare – The Hour, Kudos Film and Television for BBC Two

Lighting For Multicamera
Chris Chisnall & The Lighting Team – Coronation Street – Live, ITV Studios for ITV1
“The jury was impressed with the degree of atmospheric and dramatic lighting that the team achieved in a very challenging and ambitious live drama.”

Nominees
Mark Kenyon – Strictly Come Dancing – Series 8 ‘Halloween Special’, BBC Productions for BBC One
Roger Williams – Copycats – Series 2, BBC Children’s Scotland for CBBC

Multicamera Work
Camera Team – 24 Hours In A&E, The Garden Productions for Channel 4
“This winner was a perfect marriage of subject matter and technique. Its extremely complex use of 70 fixed camera rigs captured the drama with a commendable level of skill and respect.”

Nominees
Paul Davies & The SIS Camera Team – Wimbledon – Nadal Vs Murray (Men’s Semifinal), SIS Live for BBC Sport
The Team of Directors & Cameramen – The Royal Wedding, BBC Productions (Entertainment and Events) for BBC One

Sound – Drama
Glen Marullo, Nigel Edwards, Linda Murdoch & Lee Crichlow – The Shadow Line, A Company Pictures/Eight Rooks/Baby Cow Production in association with CinemaNX and Isle Of Man Films for BBC Two
“This sound team demonstrated excellent location recording coupled with a highly detailed mix to create a subtle and yet tense atmosphere. It was the intimacy of the quiet scenes that particularly impressed the judges.”

Nominees
Alan Monks & The Sound Team – Coronation Street – Live, ITV Studios for ITV1
Sound Team – Bill Bailey’s Little Cracker, Sprout Productions for Sky1 HD

Sound – Entertainment & Non Drama
Matt Skilton, Paul Paragon & The Sound Team – Wootton Bassett: The Town That Remembers, BBC Bristol for BBC One
“The judges were extremely impressed by the unique sound treatment of this show. It conveyed the mood of the day perfectly, whilst demonstrating superb technical ability in difficult circumstances. It gave an intimate insight into the story of repatriation in a moving way, achieved on the whole by the superb soundtrack.”

Nominees
Tony Revell, Andy Tapley & Howard Hopkins – Strictly Come Dancing – Series 8 ‘Halloween Special’, BBC Productions for BBC One
The Farm Audio Team – The X Factor – Series 8, A Syco TV Production/ talkbackTHAMES for ITV1

Make Up Design – Drama
Jacqueline Fowler – The Crimson Petal and The White, Origin Pictures/Cité Amérique for BBC Two
“The detail of the winning entry was perfect, the hair and make up had a very strong sense of itself and the make up in particular gave the characters an unhealthy look. The whole piece was visually amazing and bold choices were taken for the cast to be unadorned.”

Nominees
Christina Baker – Eric and Ernie, BBC Wales in association with Blue Door Adventures for BBC Two
Penny Smith – Psychoville Halloween – Series 2, BBC Productions for BBC Two

Make Up Design – Entertainment & Non Drama Productions
Lisa Cavalli-Green & Team – Come Fly With Me, Little Britain Productions/BBC Productions for BBC One
“The make up totally delivers the comedy for this series. It’s hard to believe the characters are two men.”

Nominees
Lisa Armstrong – Strictly Come Dancing – Series 8 ‘Halloween Special’, BBC Productions for BBC One
Lucy Cain & Team – The Impressions Show with Culshaw and Stephenson, BBC Productions for BBC One

Photography – Drama
David Katznelson – Downton Abbey, Carnival Film and Television for ITV1
“A visual delight conveying in beautifully observed detail the different worlds above and below stairs, from the rigidity of stiff upper-lipped life upstairs, to the frenzied hustle and bustle of work downstairs.”

Nominees
Kieran McGuigan – Christopher and his Kind, Mammoth Screen for BBC Two
Owen McPolin – Martina Cole’s The Runaway, Company Pictures/Warner Sisters for Sky1 HD

Photography – Documentary/Factual & Non Drama Productions
The Camera Team – Human Planet – Jungles, BBC Productions for BBC One
“A work which triumphed over astonishing technical challenges and delivered an amazing sense of tribal and jungle life in one of the most remote and endangered corners of the world.”

Nominees
Camera Team – Human Planet – Oceans – Into The Blue, BBC Productions for BBC One
Matt Norman, Tony Miller, Vijay Bedi & Alphonse Roy – Storyville – Marathon Boy, One Horse Town Productions/Renegade Pictures for BBC Four

Production Design – Drama
Grant Montgomery – The Crimson Petal and The White, Origin Pictures/Cité Amérique for BBC Two
“The winning programme simply took you to another world with its stunning imagery of Victorian life. Nothing was sacrificed transferring this novel to the small screen.”

Nominees
Brian Sykes – Psychoville Halloween – Series 2, BBC Productions for BBC Two
Chris Roope – South Riding, BBC Productions/Masterpiece for BBC One

Production Design – Entertainment & Non Drama Productions
Harry Banks – Miranda – Series 2, BBC Productions for BBC Two
“The sets in this winning show genuinely feel like characters that add hugely to the comedy, allowing the central protagonist to perform all manner of slapstick. The semi heightened reality of each location ties together beautifully across the series to give it a distinctive look and feel.”

Nominees
Peter Aston, BDA Set Design – Match Of The Day/Football Focus, BBC Sport for BBC One
Iain McDonald – How Not To Live Your Life – Series 3, Brown Eyed Boy Productions for BBC Three

Music – Original Score
Vince Pope – Misfits Series 2, Clerkenwell Films for E4
“Powerful, emotive, weighty and contemporary. A truly engaging score that worked well with the pictures… always adding to the drama, never becoming melodrama.”

Nominees
Will Gregory – Polar Bear: Spy On The Ice, John Downer Productions for BBC One
Rob Lane – The Suspicions Of Mr Whicher, Hat Trick Productions for ITV1

Music – Original Title
Adrian Johnston – Zen, Left Bank Pictures for BBC One
“Sexy, sophisticated and very classy, with beautifully understated references to Bacharach and David. A real signature tune.”

Nominees
David Arnold – Come Fly With Me, Little Britain Productions/BBC Productions for BBC One
John Lunn – Downton Abbey, Carnival Film and Television for ITV1

Tape & Film Editing – Drama
Roy Sharman – Exile, AbbottVision/Red Production Company for BBC One
“Beautifully built with abstract detail and clever atmosphere. The complex time frame is handled with care and precision to balance the differing time periods and building tension within the plot. A classic example of craft editing that shapes a stunning production graced by an excellent cast.”

Nominees
Victoria Boydell – Random, Hillbilly Films for Channel 4
John Smith A.C.E – Thorne, Stagereel/Cité-Amérique for Sky1HD

Tape & Film Editing – Documentary & Factual
Chris King – Our War – Ambushed, BBC Productions for BBC Three
“The fact that the programme was cut from material that was never intended for broadcast is testament to the skill and talent of the editor. He had the immense challenge of trying to make sense out of hours of rough and incoherent footage that had been filmed on helmet cameras. What he achieved was an incredibly powerful and moving piece of television. The narrative that was constructed out of the chaos was absolutely compelling.”

Nominees
Stuart Napier & Imogen Pollard – Polar Bear: Spy On The Ice, John Downer Productions for BBC One
Edit Team – 24 Hours In A&E, The Garden Productions for Channel 4

Tape & Film Editing – Entertainment & Situation Comedy
Lucien Clayton – Friday Night Dinner, A Popper Pictures/Big Talk Production for Channel 4
“This programme breathes new life into the traditional family-based sitcom and the way it has been edited is instrumental to its success. The editor displays great comic timing and pacing and captures quick fire banter and subtle nuance.”

Nominees
Post Production Team – I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! Series 10, ITV Studios for ITV1
The Farm Editing Team – The X Factor – Series 8, A Syco TV Production/ talkbackTHAMES for ITV1

Graphic Design – Programme Content Sequences
Richard Gort, Mark Wilkin, Eddie Butler & Turquoise Branding – F1 Monaco Grand Prix, BBC Sport/Turquoise Branding for BBC One
“This was a stylish and very well conceived package with all of the elements dovetailing perfectly. The script, colouring and typography echoed a James Bond theme but still managed to make a distinctive creative design statement. Slick, classy and appropriate to its audience, it was beautifully executed.”

Nominees
Julian Gibbs, Ron Chakraborty & Richard Gort – Superbowl XLV, Intro for BBC One
Stuart Pitcher, Simon Dowling, Jason Griffin & Tim Baxter, Fugitive Studios – Random, Hillbilly Films for Channel 4

Graphic Design – Titles
Hugo Moss, Justin Lowings & Paul McDonnell – Any Human Heart, Carnival Film And Television for Channel 4
“A wonderful colour palette, great design and a stylish, elegant realisation made these titles a perfect introduction to the series. Flickers of light and lengthening shadows, clean lines and beautifully choreographed animation lifted the visuals into a class of their own.”

Nominees
Amy Merry & Yianni Papanicolaou – The Hour, Kudos Film And Television for BBC Two
Production Team – Come Fly With Me, Little Britain Productions/BBC Productions for BBC One

Design & Craft Innovation
Polar Bear: Spy on the Ice Production Team
“This delightful and amazing film was principally shot by unmanned cameras over a period of six months in the very extreme and demanding conditions of the Arctic. Using spy cameras, this film gets the viewer closer than ever before to the world’s greatest land predator, the polar bear.

The cameras, using complex central rigs, not only achieved remarkable close-up footage of the bears but also star in the film as distinct characters in their own right, with names like Iceberg Cam, Blizzard Cam and Drift Cam. These state-of-the-art cameras enabled the production team to uniquely capture an intimate portrait of polar bears’ lives, creating a classic natural history programme while at the same time making a film that was innovative and contemporary in the way it was shot and the technology that was used.”

Judges’ Award

Spooks Production Team
“This year, the Judges’ Award goes to the production team behind one of the most important original British drama series of the last decade – a series which has re-invigorated the genre. First airing in May 2002, the series ushered in a new wave of smart, sophisticated, thought-provoking and above all entertaining drama on British television and beyond. It has firmly established its producer, Kudos, as one of the leading drama producers in the UK. Intelligent and complex narratives, often scarily precognitive, combined with craft and design innovation has made it a massive success.

Its wonderfully inventive visual style is created by a perfect combination of photography, powerful direction and stylish design. The late Colin Green pioneered the incredible editing style which included innovative transitions and multi screen scenes that helped interweave the complex plots and build the tension.

Graded like a commercial, sounding like a feature film and layered with special and digital effects that defied its budget, the series became the launch pad for many outstanding and award-winning craftspeople in our industry. However, their names were never revealed on air – it was the first and only BBC drama to have no end credits on screen.

The success and sustainability of the show, which has just completed its tenth and final series, is down to its outstanding production team.”

Lifetime Achievement Award
Martin Hawkins
“The recipient of this special award made his mark in the late 80s, running across fields chasing a young woman in Challenge Anneka. This is where he perfected his hand held camera technique as well as getting extremely fit.

Very soon he would make an even bigger impression as Director of Photography on many of the top comedy series of the last 20 years. Shows such as Drop the Dead Donkey, Birds of a Feather, Vicar of Dibley, Outnumbered, Armstrong and Miller, The IT Crowd, The One Ronnie and Phone Shop to name a few.

His sense of humour, infectious laughter combined with his skill at lighting and capturing the story made him the first choice for many producers and directors. He is also a joy to work with.

He has gone on to work especially well with writer/performer/directors such as Richard Ayoade on Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace, and more recently with Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant on Extras and Life’s Too Short.

Here is what Ricky and Stephen have to say about our recipient who they have dubbed The Hawk:

“The Hawk is one the finest DOPs we’ve worked with and he has a great pair of knees, which he shows off by wearing shorts whatever the weather.

On set he’s always calm and full of good-humour – and always does a terrific job whatever shooting style we throw at him – which could be hand-held documentary one minute, phony Hollywood blockbuster the next.

Congratulations on your lifetime achievement award, Hawk, much deserved. Although it better not push your price up.”

- Royal Television Society website

MGEITF Arqiva Channel of the Year Awards 2011: Winners

So, tonight top names in the television industry are celebrating at the annual MediaGuardian Edinburgh International Television Festival Arqiva Channel of the Year Awards.

In a star-studded ceremony attended by festival delegates at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre, host Russell Kane was joined by an array of celebs including actress and comedian, Miranda Hart, comedian Al Murray, TOWIE’s Mark Wright and Sam Faiers, magician, Dynamo and The Killing’’s Sofie Grabol.

ITV was named as Terrestrial Channel of the Year for the first time in the history of the awards, taking the crown from last year’s winner, Channel 4. BBC Three took the Digital Channel of the Year award for the second year in a row, which makes me very proud as I currently work for Three online.

Terrestrial Programme went to BBC One’’s Sherlock, marking an unrivalled winning streak of four years for the channel’’s programming in the category. For the second year running, The Inbetweeners scooped Digital Programme of the Year.

This year, three new categories were added to the awards; Indie of the Year went to TalkbackTHAMES, the production company behind hit shows including The X Factor, Britain’s Got Talent and The Apprentice; the Million Pound Drop play-along game, created by Endemol Games, scooped the Cross Platform Innovation Award; and Producer or Director Debut went to filmmaker, Rob Leech for My Brother the Islamist, which aired on BBC Three earlier this year.

E4’s BAFTA-winning show, Misfits, took The Network & Fast Track Programme Choice Award for the second year running.

Now in its 10th consecutive year, the Arqiva Channel of the Year Awards is in recognition of the increasingly competitive and often challenging market that today’s TV companies operate in, and to celebrate the creative, innovative and commercial solutions that both channels and production companies present.

For details of previous winners go to the MGEITF Arqiva Channel of the Year Awards page.

Congratulations to all the winners and of course the nominees!

The Million Pound Pitch

This event is all about how to create the perfect gameshow.

RTS Futures says:

Bursting with ideas for TV gameshows? Want to learn how to create a hit? Want to hear from and pitch to the experts? Find out everything there is to know about how gameshows are created and what leads to success or failure, before having the opportunity to work up and pitch ideas to the biggest names in the business.

Controller of BBC Daytime, Liam Keelan will be joined by David Flynn, Managing Director of Remarkable Television and creator of Channel 4’s Million Pound Drop and BBC Two’s Pointless, to give an exclusive insight into the key lessons of gameshow development.

Then show off your own creative talent, working in a team with a highly experienced development guru to devise a gameshow concept pitch to the experts at the end of the session.

Development gurus now confirmed:
Gail Harman – Head of Entertainment Development, talkbackTHAMES
Joe Mace – Head of Entertainment Development, ITV Studios
Mike Benson – Development Executive, Shine
Amanda Wilson – MD, Sharp Jack Media
Matt Pritchard – Head of Development, Twofour

What makes the perfect gameshow? How do they get on TV in the first place? Do gameshow developers live the life of riley in rooms filled with toys and puzzles, or is on-screen success the result of years of toil, fruitless pitches and rejection?

To find out, don’t miss this exciting and exclusive RTS Futures event.

Monday 4 July 2011
6.30pm for a 6.45pm start
Hallam Conference Centre, 44 Hallam Street, London, W1W 6JJ

How to Book
This event is open to all RTS Futures members but is designed for those with no more than two years’ television experience. The cost is £10.00. To book a place you (and any guest/s you book a place for) MUST be a member of RTS Futures. If you are an existing member please ring Callum Stott on 020 7822 2822 with your Credit/Debit Card ready or email cstott@rts.org.uk providing your name, postal address, email address and phone number (we will then contact you to request credit card details), otherwise please register as a member at www.rtsfutures.org.uk before attempting to book.

The Million Pound Pitch

This July, RTS Futures is all about creating the perfect gameshow. So, if you’ve got tons of TV gameshow ideas or want to learn how to create a hit or simply want to hear from and pitch to the experts, The Million Pound Pitch is your chance:

Find out everything there is to know about how gameshows are created and what leads to success or failure, before having the opportunity to work up and pitch ideas to the biggest names in the business.

Controller of BBC Daytime, Liam Keelan will be joined by David Flynn, Managing Director of Remarkable Television and creator of Channel 4’s Million Pound Drop and BBC Two’s Pointless, to give an exclusive insight into the key lessons of gameshow development.

Then show off your own creative talent, working in a team with a highly experienced development guru to devise a gameshow concept pitch to the experts at the end of the session.

What makes the perfect gameshow? How do they get on TV in the first place? Do gameshow developers live the life of riley in rooms filled with toys and puzzles, or is on-screen success the result of years of toil, fruitless pitches and rejection?

Here are the details:
Monday 4 July 2011
6.30pm for a 6.45pm start
Hallam Conference Centre, 44 Hallam Street, London, W1W 6JJ

How to Book:
This event is open to all RTS Futures members but is designed for those with no more than two years’ television experience. The cost is £10.00. To book a place you (and any guest/s you book a place for) MUST be a member of RTS Futures. If you are an existing member please ring Callum Stott on 020 7822 2822 with your Credit/Debit Card ready or email cstott@rts.org.uk providing your name, postal address, email address and phone number (RTS will then contact you to request credit card details), otherwise please register as a member at www.rtsfutures.org.uk before attempting to book.

BAFTA TV Awards 2011

Here are the winners from last night’s British Academy Television Awards, which was hosted by Graham Norton. The BBC did very well, winning 16 out of possible 24 awards.

LEADING ACTOR
Daniel Rigby, Eric and Ernie, BBC Two

LEADING ACTRESS
Vicky McClure, This Is England ’86, Channel 4

SUPPORTING ACTOR
Martin Freeman, Sherlock, BBC One

SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Lauren Socha, Misfits, E4

ENTERTAINMENT PERFORMANCE
Graham Norton, The Graham Norton Show, BBC One

FEMALE PERFORMANCE IN A COMEDY PROGRAMME
Jo Brand, Getting On, BBC Four

MALE PERFORMANCE IN A COMEDY PROGRAMME
Steve Coogan, The Trip, BBC Two

SINGLE DRAMA
The Road to Coronation Street
Production Team
BBC Four/ITV Studios

DRAMA SERIES
Sherlock
Steven Moffat, Mark Gatiss, Sue Vertue, Beryl Vertue
BBC One/Hartswood Films

DRAMA SERIAL
Any Human Heart
Lynn Horsford, Lee Morris, Sally Woodward Gentle, Michael Samuels
Channel 4/Carnival Films

CONTINUING DRAMA
EastEnders
Production Team
BBC One/BBC Productions

INTERNATIONAL
The Killing
Søren Sveistrup, Piv Bernth, Birger Larsen, Sofie Gråbøl
BBC Four/DR/ZDF Enterprises

FACTUAL SERIES
Welcome to Lagos
Will Anderson, Gavin Searle, Chris King, Andrew Palmer
BBC Two/Keo North

SPECIALIST FACTUAL
Flying Monsters 3D
David Attenborough, Anthony Geffen, Sias Wilson
Sky 3D/Atlantic Productions

SINGLE DOCUMENTARY
Between Life and Death
Nick Holt, Meredith Chambers, Marina Parker, Ben Brown
BBC One/BBC Factual Wales

FEATURES
Hugh’s Fish Fight
Andrew Palmer, Will Anderson, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Frankie Fathers
Channel 4/Keo Films

CURRENT AFFAIRS
Zimbabwe’s Forgotten Children
Jezza Neumann, Xoliswa Sithole, Brian Woods, Deborah Shipley
BBC Four/True Vision Productions

NEWS COVERAGE
ITV News at Ten: The Cumbria Murders
Production Team
ITV1/ITN Productions

SPORT
Formula 1 – The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
Production Team
BBC One/BBC Sport

NEW MEDIA
Wallace and Gromit’s World of Invention
Production Team
http://www.bbc.co.uk/Aardman Digital/BBC

ENTERTAINMENT PROGRAMME
The Cube
Adam Adler, Nathan Eastwood, Andrew Newman, Andrew O’Connor
ITV1/Objective Productions

COMEDY PROGRAMME
Harry and Paul
Harry Enfield, Paul Whitehouse, Sandy Johnson, Izzy Mant
BBC Two/Tiger Aspect Productions

SITUATION COMEDY
Rev
Production Team
BBC Two/Big Talk Productions

YOUTUBE AUDIENCE AWARD (voted for by members of the public)
The Only Way Is Essex

Well done to all the winners and nominees.

British Academy Television Craft Awards 2011

Congratulations to all the winners and nominees!

SPECIAL AWARD
Springwatch

BREAK-THROUGH TALENT sponsored by The Farm
Jon Brown (writer) – Mongrels
BBC Three/BBC Productions

Aaron Young (producer/director) – Battle of Britain: The Real Story
BBC Two/Maya Vision International

Caroline Skinner (producer) – Five Days
BBC One/BBC Productions

Dave Whyte (graphics) – Pete Versus Life
Channel 4/Objective Productions

COSTUME DESIGN sponsored by Swarovski
Annie Symons – Worried About the Boy
BBC Two/Red Production Company

Charlotte Holdich – Any Human Heart
Channel 4/Carnival Films

Joanna Eatwell – Eric and Ernie
BBC Two/BBC Wales/Blue Door Adventures

Charlotte Walter – This Is England ‘86
Channel 4/Warp Films

DIGITAL CREATIVITY
Nick Hall, Luc Houselander, Simon Brickle, Jody Smith – The Million Pound Drop Live
Channel 4/Endemol/Monterosa

Will Anderson, Jo Haslam, Simon Deverell, Murry Toms – The Big Fish Fight
Channel 4/KEO digital

Matt Jarvis, Chloe Moss, Owen Priestly, Carl Hodler – Misfits
E4/Clerkenwell Films/Kerb Digital

Ritchie Wilkinson, Hayley Jones, John Palmer, Helen Pendlebury – This Morning
ITV1/ITV Studios

DIRECTOR: FACTUAL sponsored by ProductionBase
Dan Reed – Dispatches: The Battle for Haiti
Channel 4/Quicksilver Media

Nicolas Brown – Human Planet (Arctic)
BBC One/BBC Wales/BBC Bristol

Gideon Bradshaw, Paul Olding – Wonders of the Solar System (Empire of the Sun)
BBC Two/BBC Productions/Science Channel

Chris Holt – Wonders of the Solar System (The Thin Blue Line)
BBC Two/BBC Productions/Science Channel

DIRECTOR: FICTION sponsored by ProductionBase
Brian Percival – Downton Abbey
ITV1/Carnival Films

Charles Sturridge – The Road To Coronation Street
BBC Four/ITV Studios

Paul McGuigan – Sherlock (A Study In Pink)
BBC One /Hartswood Films

Shane Meadows – This Is England ’86
Channel 4/Warp Films

DIRECTOR: MULTI-CAMERA
Tony Prescott – Coronation Street (live episode)
ITV1/ITV Studios

Juliet May – Miranda
BBC Two/BBC Productions

Nikki Parsons – Strictly Come Dancing
BBC One /BBC Entertainment

Jonathan Bullen – The X Factor
ITV1/talkbackTHAMES/Syco

EDITING: FACTUAL
Jason Savage – Human Planet (Arctic)
BBC One/BBC Wales/BBC Bristol

Peter Norrey – Concorde’s Last Flight
Channel 4/Darlow Smithson

Peter Miller – David Attenborough’s First Life
BBC Two/Atlantic Productions

Peter Haddon – Dispatches: The Battle For Haiti
Channel 4/Quicksilver Media

Darren Jonusas – Wonders Of the Solar System (Empire of the Sun)
BBC Two/BBC Productions/Science Channel

EDITING: FICTION
Charlie Phillips – Sherlock (A Study In Pink)
BBC One/Hartswood Films

John Wilson – Downton Abbey
ITV1/Carnival Films

Jamie Pearson – Eric and Ernie
BBC Two/BBC Wales/Blue Door Adventures

Chris Wyatt – This Is England ‘86
Channel 4/Warp Films

ENTERTAINMENT CRAFT TEAM sponsored by HotCam
Barry Osment, Nick Foster, Peter Johnston, Julian Healy – The Cube
ITV1/Objective Productions

Mark Saben, Andy Devonshire, Stephen Day, James Clarke – The Apprentice
BBC One/talkbackTHAMES

Su Judd, Patrick Doherty, Mark Kenyon, Lisa Armstrong – Strictly Come Dancing
BBC One/BBC Entertainment

Robert Edwards, Dave Davey, Simon Tyers, Florian Wieder – The X Factor
ITV1/talkbackTHAMES/Syco
MAKE UP & HAIR DESIGN sponsored by MAC
Catherine Scoble – This Is England ‘86
Channel 4/Warp Films

Karen Hartley Thomas – Any Human Heart
Channel 4/Carnival Films

Christina Baker – Eric and Ernie
BBC Two/BBC Wales/Blue Door Adventures

Penny Smith – Psychoville
BBC Two/BBC Productions

ORIGINAL MUSIC
Dan Jones – Any Human Heart
Channel 4/Carnival Films

Vince Pope – Misfits
E4/Clerkenwell Films

David Arnold, Michael Price – Sherlock (A Study In Pink)
BBC One/Hartswood Films

John Lunn – Terry Pratchett’s Going Postal
SKY 1/The Mob Film Company

PHOTOGRAPHY: FACTUAL
Will Edwards, Doug Allan, Matt Norman – Human Planet (Arctic)
BBC One/BBC Wales/BBC Bristol

Pete Hayns, Paul Williams – David Attenborough’s First Life
BBC Two/Atlantic Productions

Gavin Thurston, Robin Cox, Pete Hayns – Human Planet (Jungles)
BBC One/BBC Wales/BBC Bristol

Simon Enderby, Robin Cox, Richard Wollocombe – Human Planet (Oceans)
BBC One/BBC Wales/BBC Bristol

PHOTOGRAPHY & LIGHTING: FICTION
Alan Almond – South Riding
BBC One/BBC Productions/Masterpiece

Wojciech Szepel – Any Human Heart
Channel 4/Carnival Films

David Katznelson – Downton Abbey
ITV1/Carnival Films

Chris Seager – Five Daughters
BBC One/BBC Productions

Gavin Finney – Terry Pratchett’s Going Postal
SKY 1/The Mob Film Company

PRODUCTION DESIGN
Tom Bowyer – Misfits
E4/Clerkenwell Films

Donal Woods – Downton Abbey
ITV1/Carnival Films

Pat Campbell – Eric and Ernie
BBC Two/BBC Wales/Blue Door Adventures

Arwel Wyn Jones – Sherlock (A Study In Pink)
BBC One/Hartswood Films

SOUND: FACTUAL
Paul Paragon, Jez Spencer, Mike Hatch – Elgar: The Man Behind the Mask
BBC Four/Crux Productions/Prospect Pictures

Willow Murton, Kate Hopkins, Mark Ferda, Rachael Kinley – Human Planet (Jungles)
BBC One/BBC Wales/BBC Bristol

Martyn Harries, Kate Hopkins – Human Planet (Oceans)
BBC One/BBC Wales/BBC Bristol

Sound Team – Top Gear (Middle East Special)
BBC Two/BBC Entertainment

SOUND: FICTION
Nigel Heath, Alex Sawyer, Adam Armitage, Mark Holding – Downton Abbey
ITV1/Carnival Films

Sound Team – Any Human Heart
Channel 4/Carnival Films

Adrian Rhodes, Reg Mills, Ben Norrington – Mad Dogs
SKY 1/Left Bank Pictures

Graham Headicar, Stuart Hilliker, Matt Skelding, Simon Clark – The Promise
Channel 4/Daybreak Pictures

Alistair Crocker, Paul Hamblin, Alex Ellerington, Jeff Richardson – South Riding
BBC One/BBC Productions/Masterpiece

VISUAL EFFECTS
The Mill – Merlin
BBC One/Shine Productions/BBC Wales

The Mill – Doctor Who
BBC One/BBC Wales

Simon Thomas, Reuben Barkataki, Zoltan Benyó – Terry Pratchett’s Going Postal
SKY 1/The Mob Film Company

Simon Clarke, Stephen Waugh – Wonders of the Solar System
BBC Two/BBC Productions/Science Channel

WRITER
Peter Bowker – Eric and Ernie
BBC Two/BBC Wales/Blue Door Adventures

Stephen Butchard – Five Daughters
BBC One/BBC Productions

Jo Brand, Joanna Scanlan, Vicki Pepperdine – Getting On
BBC Four/Vera Productions

Iain Morris, Damon Beesley – The Inbetweeners
E4/Bwark Productions

Click here, to find out more.

BAFTA TV nominations 2011

The list is out for the 2011 British Academy Television Awards. Great to see that my colleagues at LabUK have been nominated under the new media category. It’s looking good for Aunty as we’ve got 51 out of 92 nominations. Here is the official list:

LEADING ACTOR
Jim Broadbent Any Human Heart Channel 4
Benedict Cumberbatch Sherlock BBC One
Daniel Rigby Eric and Ernie BBC Four
Matt Smith Doctor Who BBC One

LEADING ACTRESS
Anna Maxwell Martin South Riding BBC One
Vicky McClure This Is England ’86 Channel 4
Natalie Press Five Daughters BBC One
Juliet Stevenson Accused BBC One

SUPPORTING ACTOR
Brendan Coyle Downton Abbey ITV1
Martin Freeman Sherlock BBC One

Johnny Harris This Is England ’86 Channel 4
Robert Sheehan Misfits E4

SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Gillian Anderson Any Human Heart Channel 4
Lynda Baron The Road to Coronation Street BBC Four
Lauren Socha Misfits E4
Jessie Wallace The Road to Coronation Street BBC Four

ENTERTAINMENT PERFORMANCE
Rob Brydon The Rob Brydon Show BBC Two
Stephen Fry QI BBC One
Harry Hill Harry Hill’s TV Burp ITV1
Graham Norton The Graham Norton Show BBC One

FEMALE PERFORMANCE IN A COMEDY PROGRAMME
Jo Brand Getting On BBC Four
Dawn French Roger and Val Have Just Got In BBC Two
Miranda Hart Miranda BBC Two
Katherine Parkinson The IT Crowd Channel 4

MALE PERFORMANCE IN A COMEDY PROGRAMME
James Buckley The Inbetweeners E4
Steve Coogan The Trip BBC Two
Tom Hollander Rev BBC Two
David Mitchell Peep Show Channel 4

SINGLE DRAMA
Eric and Ernie
Victoria Wood, Peter Bowker, Tim Bricknell, Jonny Campbell
BBC Four/BBC Wales /Blue Door Adventures

I Am Slave
Andrew Calderwood, Gabriel Range, Jeremy Brock
Channel 4/A Slate Films and Altered Image Production for UKFC, Channel 4, Limelight, JAC Rights Management LLP and the Film Agency for Wales

The Road to Coronation Street
Production Team
BBC Four/ITV Studios

The Special Relationship
Production Team
BBC Two/Rainmark Films and HBO Films

DRAMA SERIES
Being Human
Rob Pursey, Philip Trethowan, Toby Whithouse, Colin Teague
BBC Three/Touchpaper Television

Downton Abbey
Julian Fellowes, Gareth Neame, Liz Trubridge, Nigel Marchant
ITV1/Carnival Films

Misfits
Murray Ferguson, Petra Fried, Howard Overman, Kate Crowe
E4/Clerkenwell Films

Sherlock
Steven Moffat, Mark Gatiss, Sue Vertue, Beryl Vertue
BBC One/Hartswood Films

DRAMA SERIAL
Any Human Heart
Lynn Horsford, Lee Morris, Sally Woodward Gentle, Michael Samuels
Channel 4/Carnival Films

Mad Dogs
Cris Cole, Andy Harries, Suzanne Mackie, Adrian Shergold
SKY One/Left Bank Pictures

The Sinking of the Laconia
Alan Bleasdale, Jonathan Young, Uwe Janson, Hilary Norrish
BBC Two/BBC Productions

The Promise
Peter Kosminsky, David Aukin, Hal Vogel
Channel 4/Daybreak Pictures

CONTINUING DRAMA
Casualty
Production Team

BBC One/BBC Productions
Coronation Street
Production Team
ITV1/ITV Studios

EastEnders
Production Team
BBC One/BBC Productions

Waterloo Road
Sharon Hughff, Sharon Channer, Fraser MacDonald, Lis Steele
BBC One/Shed Productions

INTERNATIONAL
Boardwalk Empire
Martin Scorsese, Terence Winter, Tim Van Patten, Howard Korder
SKY Atlantic/HBO

Glee
Ian Brennan, Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk
E4/Twentieth Century Fox

The Killing
Soren Sveistrup, Piv Bernth, Birger Larsen, Sophie Grabol
BBC Four/DR/ZDF Enterprises

Mad Men
Matthew Weiner, Scott Hornbacher, Jennifer Getzinger
BBC Four/Lionsgate Television

FACTUAL SERIES
Coppers
Production Team
Channel 4/Blast!

One Born Every Minute
Production Team
Channel 4/Dragonfly Film and Television

Welcome to Lagos
Will Anderson, Gavin Searle, Chris King, Andrew Palmer
BBC Two/Keo North

The Young Ones
Leanne Klein, Tom McDonald, Michael Jochnowitz
BBC One/Wall To Wall Television

SPECIALIST FACTUAL *
Alan Bennett and the Habit of Art (The Making Of)
Martin Rosenbaum, David Sabel, Toby Coffey
More 4/Lone Star Productions

Flying Monsters 3D
David Attenborough, Anthony Geffen, Celia Taylor, Sias Wilson
Sky 3D/Atlantic Productions

Human Planet
Brian Leith, Dale Templar, Nitin Sawhney
BBC One/BBC Productions

Pompeii: Life and Death in a Roman Town
Paul Elston, Daisy Scalchi, Richard Bradley
BBC Two/Lion Television

* Specialist Factual is given in honour of Huw Wheldon

SINGLE DOCUMENTARY **
Between Life and Death
Nick Holt, Meredith Chambers, Marina Parker, Ben Brown
BBC One/BBC Factual Wales

The Dancing Boys of Afghanistan
Jamie Doran, Najibullah Quraishi, John Moffat, Mike Healy
More 4/Clover Films

Pink Saris
Production Team
More 4/Ginger Productions

Scenes From a Teenage Killing
Morgan Matthews, Ruth Kelly, Steve Hewlett, Michael Harrowes
BBC Four/Minnow Films

** Single Documentary is given in honour of Robert Flaherty

FEATURES
Come Dine With Me
Production Team
Channel 4/ITV Studios

Hugh’s Fish Fight
Andrew Palmer, Will Anderson, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Frankie Fathers
Channel 4/Keo Films

Mary Queen of Shops
Production Team
BBC Two/Optomen Television

Pineapple Dance Studios
Jonathan Stadlan, Pat Doyle, Hannah Springham
Sky One/Pulse Filmes

CURRENT AFFAIRS
Kids in Care (Panorama)
Simon Gilchrist, Roger Graef, Tom Giles, Clare Johns
BBC One/Films of Record

Lost Girls of South Africa (Dispatches)
Deborah Shipley, Brian Woods, Xoliswa Sithole
Channel 4/True Vision

Secret Iraq
Eamonn Matthews, Sam Collyns, James Jones, Philippa Lacey
BBC Two/Quicksilver Media

Zimbabwe’s Forgotten Children
Jezza Neumann, Zoliswa Sithole, Brian Woods, Deborah Shipley
BBC Four/True Vision Productions

NEWS COVERAGE
BBC One Ten O’Clock News: Handover of Power
Production Team
BBC One/BBC News 24/BBC News

Channel 4 News: From Chile’s Ecstasy to Congo’s Agony
Production Team
Channel 4/ITN Productions

ITV News at Ten: The Cumbria Murders
Production Team
ITV1/ITN Productions

Sky News: Egypt Crisis
Production Team
Sky News/Sky News

SPORT
6 Nations – England v Wales
Production Team
BBC One/BBC Sport

FA Cup Final: Chelsea v Portsmouth
Tony Pastor, Paul McNamara, Jamie Oakford, Rob Hollier
ITV1/ITV Sport

Formula 1 – The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
Production Team
BBC One/BBC Sport

Wimbledon 2010
Production Team
BBC One/BBC Sport

NEW MEDIA
LabUK/Brain Test Britain
Richard Cable, Zoe Heron, Kathy Neil, Peter Harvey
http://www.bbc.co.uk/ BBC Multiplatform

Misfits
Matt Jarvis, Chloe Moss, Owen Priestly, Carl Hodler
E4.com/ Clerkenwell Productions & Kerb Digital

Malcolm Tucker: The Missing Phone
Dave Addey, Armando Iannucci, Henry Cooke, Henry Volans
iTunes App Store/Agant Ltd

Wallace and Gromit’s World of Invention
http://www.bbc.co.uk/ Aardman Digital/BBC

ENTERTAINMENT PROGRAMME ***
The Cube
Adam Adler, Nathan Eastwood, Andrew Newman, Andrew O’Connor
ITV1/Objective Productions

The Graham Norton Show
Graham Norton, Jon Magnusson, Graham Stuart, Steve Smith
BBC One/So Television

Have I Got News For You
Richard Wilson, Jo Bunting, Nick Martin, Mark Barrett
BBC One/Hattrick Productions

The X Factor
Andrew Llinares, Mark Sidaway, Nigel Hall, Richard Hall
ITV1/TalkbackTHAMES and Syco

*** Entertainment Programme is given in honour of Lew Grade

COMEDY PROGRAMME
Catherine Tate’s Little Cracker
Catherine Tate, Sophie Clarke-Jervoise, Izzy Mant
Sky One/Tiger Aspect

Come Fly With Me
Adam Tandy, Paul King, Matt Lucas, David Walliams
BBC One/A Little Britain Production

Facejacker
Kayvan Novak, Ed Tracey, Mario Stylianides, Tom Thostrup
E4/Hatrick Productions

Harry and Paul
Harry Enfield, Paul Whitehouse, Sandy Johnston, Izzy Mant
BBC Two/Tiger Aspect Productions

SITUATION COMEDY
Mrs Brown’s Boys
Stephen McCrum, Martin Delaney, Ben Kellett, Brendon O’Carroll
BBC One/BOCPix and BBC Productions, in association with RTE

Peep Show
Phil Clarke, Becky Martin, Sam Bain, Jesse Armstrong
Channel 4/Objective Productions

Rev
Kenton Allen, James Wood, Peter Cattaneo, Hannah Pescod
BBC Two/Big Talk Productions

The Trip
Steve Coogan, Rob Brydon, Michael Winterbottom
BBC Two/Revolution Films

To find out more, you can download the press release here.

The Philips British Academy Television Awards will be hosted by Graham Norton and broadcast on BBC One on Sunday 22 May 2011. Good luck to all!

Optomen’s Becky Clarke

Yet another one of those brilliant lunchtime talks at work took place last week and we had Becky Clarke – Head of Factual at Optomen. Becky’s impressive credit list includes Mary Portas Secret Shopper (Channel 4), Mary Queen of Shops (BBC Two), Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares (ITV) as well as Cops and Robbers (BBC One).

Becky shared some of her thoughts on what made successful primetime factual television. She said that when producing your first series, one should not be stressed about making it a hit. The first series should be your testing ground of what works and what does not work. It’s about building the format and cementing your talent as an expert in their field.

She used Mary Queen of Shops as an example. Becky said that it took three years to build the show and Mary’s brand. The first series very much felt like a mismatch. However, your second series is the most important one. Here, you establish the brand and learn from the mistakes made from the first one.

This is a preview of Mary Queen of Shops S2. Thanks to fashionLond0n for the video.

Becky said that once you get to your third series, one must refresh the format as viewers are now wise to them. Audiences find it intriguing to see the more human side of the expert. Viewers seeing the expert ‘fail’ works. She said that for the third series, they were not afraid to break the format and they showed that not all can be won by the mighty Mary Portas. Episode 1 of Season 3 featured a bakery proprietor asking for the crew and Mary to leave, which meant that filming had to be stopped. Luckily, Becky and the team had enough in the can to have all these kick off the first episode of the third series.

Big Fat Gypsy Weddings

I’ve loved the documentary series Big Fat Gypsy Weddings on TV, which was a big surprise hit for Channel 4. It gives a great insight to a very private community and let’s face it – it was brilliant looking at the flambouyant dresses on show.  And so I listened with great interest when Firecracker Films‘ Executive Producer Jes Wilkins and Producer Victoria Hamburger shared their experiences with making the whole series during a lunchtime talk they did.

Jes said that many indies and networks have looked into this subject but have drawn a blank. However, his development producer not only brought in the talent, they also suggested a way of making it. And even with that it wasn’t as immediate ‘slam dunk’, but the department at C4 that commissioned them fell in love with the idea and was able to give them development money, which enabled them to make a taster.

It took 13 months to make the whole thing and they were faced with editorial challenges as well as issues with access, casting and even finding that balance between serious journalism and popular/entertainment feel, but MBFGW had the images that the press wanted, which catapulted the series into the media spotlight. And although there are some bad press involved, Jes said: “We are very pleased and very proud. We could not anticipate how well it could have done.”

Victoria talked about logistics during filming and how a small crew suited the situation better, giving that feeling that the filmmakers are living their lives with the travellers.

Both said that majority of the feedback from the travellers had been ‘overwhelmingly positive’. They had mentioned that they do get calls from some contributors about the media attention they have been getting since being featured on the show.

“You have a duty of care to your contributors as a filmmaker even after the programme,” Victoria said.