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 Futures: Zai Bennett event

Here’s another worthwhile event to go to if you’re an aspiring telly bod or if you want to hear from one of the movers and shakers in the UK media. Check out what RTS Futures says about The Only Way Is… Zai:

Zai Bennett, one of the youngest ever Controllers in the UK television industry, now sits at the helm of BBC Three. Before that, he ran the portfolio of digital channels at ITV and is famed for bringing Katie Price and Peter Andre to our screens, as well as Celebrity Juice, original drama Secret Diary of a Call Girl and real-life soap The Only Way Is Essex. In less than a year at BBC Three, his impact has been felt with brave new commissions – and de-commissions – as he makes his mark on the brand.

Radio 1′s Greg James talks to Zai about his ideas on television, his vision for BBC Three and how he made his way from the post room at Carlton Television to Controller at one of the most formidable broadcasters in the world.

If you submit a pitch in advance of the session, you may be chosen to pitch your idea to Zai in a one minute elevator pitch on the night. It’s a rare chance to sell your own idea direct to the Controller.

Brief for your pitch: your idea must be for one of the following two slots:
a) non-narrative comedy (eg panel/ game/ hidden camera/ clips show) for the 10.30pm slot
b) factual entertainment (formats/ series/ one-offs) for 9pm slot

Monday 20 February 2012
6.45pm for a 7.00pm 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 the RTS Events Department on 020 7822 2820 with your Credit/Debit Card ready or email events@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.

- BBC Three website
- RTS Futures website

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

RTS Futures’ The Only Way Is… Structured Reality

This week was RTS Futures‘ much-awaited The Only Way Is… Structured Reality held at the Hallam Conference Centre.

Discussing the concept of ‘structured reality’, the evening featured the major players of this genre: Sarah Dillistone (Executive Producer, Made In Chelsea), Claire Faragher (Executive Producer, TOWIE, series 2), Daran Little (award-winning television writer now Story Supervisor, MIC). And of course the evening was completed by reality TV stars Amy Childs (TOWIE) and Ollie Locke (MIC).

Certainly with shows like TOWIE and MIC, constructed reality shows are here to stay. The panel talked through the evolution of both of these key shows, from initial idea to production process, revealed a few trade secrets, fascinating tips and exclusive insider information along the way. One thing that became apparent is that there is an enormous amount of duty of care to the contributors from the production side of things and the latest technological advances are also shaping the way and speed in which these shows are being made.

Some interesting read about constructed reality:
- Mail Online: From The Only Way is Essex…to The Sloaney Way is Chelsea: After the success of the reality TV show, an upmarket version
- Mail Online: The Only Way Is Essex: How I created TV’s most reviled show – and won a Bafta
- The Guardian: A different kind of reality TV

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.

RTS Student Television Awards 2010 Shortlist

I’m very much looking forward to this event:

The Royal Television Society (RTS), Britain’s leading forum for television and related media, has announced the shortlist for the RTS Student Television Awards 2010. Sponsored by Welcome to Yorkshire, the event will take place on 20 May at the National Media Museum, Bradford and will be hosted by comedian Seann Walsh.

Chaired by Peter Salmon, the RTS Student Television Awards celebrate the best in student television from across the UK – the Undergraduate and Postgraduate Awards are judged in four categories including Fiction, Entertainment, Factual and Animation.

The Shortlist:

Undergraduate Animation:

Mars, Joe Bichard & Jack Cunningham, Kingston University
The Little Red Plane, Charlotte Blacker, University of Central Lancashire
Vovô, Luiz Lafayette Stockler, University of Wales, Newport

Undergraduate Entertainment:

Cardiff Love Story, Tom Gatley & Victor Ortega, University of Wales, Newport
Roots, Faolan Jones, Confetti Institute of Creative Technology
Shadowed, Hamish Anderson, Annabelle Draper, Tom Coulson & Team, Bournemouth University

Undergraduate Factual:

Britain’s Young Soldiers, Danielle Clark, Joseph Martin & Team, University for the Creative Arts
Don’t Give Up Your Guns, Juris Kudeiko, University of the West of England
Our Life, Matthew Morris, Anthony Allen & Elvis Katoto, University of Teesside

Undergraduate Fiction:

Love Inc, Alex Battershall, Sam Ely, Anthony Woodley & Team, University for the Creative Arts
Not Enough Time, Samantha France, Anthony Dugdale & Team, University of Sunderland
Small Change, Cathy Brady, Tom Fitzpatrick & Team, National Film School, Dun Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design and Technology

Postgraduate Animation:

Matter Fisher, David Prosser, Royal College of Art
The Boy Who Wanted To Be A Lion, Alois Di Leo Gremmelspacher, Jérémie Dubois, Polly Stokes & Team, National Film and Television School
The Eagleman Stag, Mike Please, Royal College of Art

Postgraduate Entertainment:

Creatures of the Compost, Justine Allan, University of Salford
Investigation, Laurène Delaporte & Team, National Film and Television School
Viral, Thomas Murphy & Team, National Film and Television School

Postgraduate Factual:

A Miracle in West Brom, Billy Dosanjh & Team, National Film and Television School
Living Without Men, Luo Yi, Goldsmiths, University of London
Noctuaries, Olivia Humphreys, Goldsmiths, University of London

Postgraduate Fiction:

Solstice, David Stoddart, Justine Watson & Team, National Film and Television School
The Confession, Tanel Toom, Caroline Bruckner, Emily Williams & Team, National Film and Television School
Until The River Runs Red, Paul Wright, Poss Kondeatis & Team, National Film and Television School

The fifth Student Television Awards Day, encompassing a series of masterclasses, will be held prior to the awards ceremony. Here students will be given the opportunity to benefit from the experience of respected industry professionals. Further details of the masterclasses can be found on www.rts.org.uk.

Please refer to the RTS Masterclasses and Student Television Awards 2010 event for booking information.

Creating Spooks Workshop

Here’s a message from my colleagues at RTS Futures:

Are you a budding script editor or writer? Have you ever wondered how the scripting process works on one of the leading dramas in British television?

If so, come and join us for an evening of script based fun and meet the fantastic and hugely talented team behind the RTS and BAFTA winning Spooks, now filming its 10th series for BBC One.

This unique RTS Futures event will give you an insight into how the creative team develop storylines for a successful drama series like Spooks, and give you the opportunity to create your very own exciting, end of series hook and pitch it to the key people behind the show.

Speakers:
Simon Crawford Collins, Executive Producer (Spooks, Hustle, Outcasts, Ashes to Ashes)
Chris Fry, Producer (Spooks)
Rebecca Ferguson, Script Editor (Spooks, MI High, Holby Blue)
Jonathan Brackley, Writer (Spooks)
Sam Vincent, Writer (Spooks)

1. Simon Crawford Collins and the team will give an introduction to the world of story lining and script development and talk about the skills needed to be a script editor.

2. The Spooks creative team will then lead a workshop based on the finale of the last season. You’ll be given creative licence to come up with your very own alternative ending for the series. Bring in a new villain, kill off a character you don’t like, or throw in another unexpected twist – it’s all up to you!

3. Pitch your group’s idea to the Spooks team and get feedback and advice – and there will be a special prize for the winning team!

*In order to get the most out of the workshop we will email you the script for Spooks series 9, episode 8 once you’ve booked, and you should ensure you’ve read this prior to the event*

Don’t miss this specially extended and hugely exciting RTS Futures event. To get the evening going there will also be a Spooks quiz so make sure you brush up on your knowledge!

Wednesday 4 May 2011
6.45pm to 9.00pm
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 drama 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.

I’m going to be there to observe, so see you there! To get you going, here’s a trailer for Series 9:

2009-2010 RTS Craft and Design Winners announced

The Royal Television Society Craft & Design Awards 2009/2010 were presented on Wednesday at The Savoy, London. The event was hosted by Richard McCourt and Dominic Wood also known as Dick and Dom. Here are the winners.

Congratulations to my friends at Maverick – the New Media team (my old department) scooped up a Design and Craft Innovation Award. Very proud of you guys!

Photography – Drama

Gavin Finney Going Postal The Mob Film Company for Sky 1

“A perfect example of director and DOP in perfect harmony… with magical sequences that were technically extraordinary, as well as visually stunning.”

Nominees
Steve Lawes Sherlock Hartswood Films in co-production with Masterpiece for BBC One
Christopher Ross Misfits Clerkenwell Films for E4

Photography – Documentary/Factual & Non-Drama Productions

Charlie Hamilton James, Jamie McPherson & Simon Werry Natural World – Victoria Falls Halcyon Media for BBC Two

“Visually stunning with extraordinary shots from the most unbelievable angles. A familiar wonder of the world re- shown with colour, scope and daring, one of nature’s most magnificent scenes, magnificently shot.”

Nominees
Rod Clarke & Kevin Flay Life: Insects BBC Natural History Unit for BBC One
Jonathan Young Tropic of Cancer BBC Current Affairs for BBC

Sound – Drama

Billy Mahoney, Roger Dobson, Tony Gibson (Molinare) & Russell Jeffrey Misfits Clerkenwell Films for E4

“…the sound was innovative, pushing the boundaries in a highly creative way. The freshness and boldness of the soundtrack really made it stand out among high class competitors. In a word – brilliant.”

Nominees
Paul Hamblin, Peter Brill, Iain Eyre & Lee Walpole Cranford II
BBC Productions/WGBH Boston in association with Chestermead for BBC One

Stuart Hilliker, Lee Walpole, Iain Eyre & J J Le Roux Strike Back
Boom/Left Bank Pictures for Sky 1

Sound – Entertainment and Non Drama

John Rogerson & The Halo Sound Team Richard Hammond’s Invisible Worlds

Halo Post Production/BBC Productions for BBC One

“The Jury hailed the winning entry as an example of the very best in creative sound design. The winning team decided that no sound element should be used more than once, and although some might call this ‘utter madness’, it resulted in a glorious triumph.”

Nominees
Tim Owens & Graham Wild Life: Mammals BBC Natural History Unit for BBC One
Matt Skilton & Paul Paragon Murder on the Lake
Dragonfly Film and Television Productions for BBC Four

Effects – Digital

Mill TV Team Doctor Who ‘The Pandorica Opens’ EP12 Series 5

BBC Wales for BBC One

“The judges were impressed by some beautifully integrated effects and by green screen. ‘This is about as good as it gets on TV’ they said.”

Nominees
Paul Tuersley & The Visual Effects Team Big Babies BBC Productions for CBBC
Simon Thomas, Reuben Barkataki, Zoltan Benyo & Zoltan Szarvasi Going Postal The Mob Film Company for Sky 1

Effects – Special

Mark Holt Misfits Clerkenwell Films for E4

“The jury were impressed by great facial make-up, impressive car collapses, and lightning and meteor strikes which were well executed and choreographed.”

Nominees
The Mill, Merlin VFX Team The Last Dragon Lord, Ep13, Merlin Series 2
Shine Productions/BBC Wales for BBC

James Morgan, Chris Reynolds, Millennium FX & Nick Hopkin Mission 2110
BBC Scotland for CBBC, BBC One and BBC HD

Effects – Picture Enhancement

Kevin Horsewood Sherlock

Pepper/Hartswood Films in co-production with Masterpiece for BBC One

“A very well shot piece with a grade that really helped it on its way…”

Nominees
Ross Baker Outnumbered Series 3
Halo Post Productions/Hat Trick Productions for BBC One
Perry Gibbs Misfits: Series 1 Clerkenwell Films for E4

Make Up Design – Drama

Chrissie Baker Mo ITV Studios for Channel 4

“The Jury was deeply impressed with the care and subtlety the winner took to re-create the various stages of Mo Mowlem’s illness.”

Nominees
Neill Gorton & Janet Horsfield The Fattest Man in Britain ITV Studios for ITV1
Donald McInnes Worried About the Boy Red Production Company for BBC Two

Make Up Design – Entertainment and Non-Drama

Kristyan Mallett Facejacker (Series One) Hat Trick Productions for Channel 4

“The winner was a tour de force of make-up design which didn’t just assist the comedy but was essential to it.”

Nominees
Mike Stringer, Suzanne Bates & Mike H G Bates Stoneage Atlantis
Hybrid Enterprises/Wall to Wall and National Geographic for National Geographic Channel

Jane Walker Bellamy’s People of the United Kingdom of Great Britain & Northern Ireland BBC Productions & Down The Line for BBC Two

Tape and Film Editing – Drama

Charlie Phillips Sherlock

Hartswood Films in co-production with Masterpiece for BBC One

“Innovative, constantly surprising and joyfully playful, the editing complemented the narrative, and offered fresh perspective and insight into the stories.”

Nominees
David Charap Dive ITV Studios for BBC Two
Phillip Kloss Five Days II BBC Productions for BBC One

Tape and Film Editing – Documentary/Factual

Caroline Richards & Julien Temple Requiem for Detroit

Films of Record for BBC Two

“Adventurous, fresh and innovative, the editing cut together the archive and contemporary footage to evoke the way in which the past and present collide.”

Nominees
Editing Team One Born Every Minute Episode 2
Dragonfly Film and Television for Channel 4
Brian Woods Jobless True Vision for BBC One

Tape and Film Editing – Entertainment and Situation Comedy

Mark Davies & Mark Everson Pete Versus Life Objective Productions for Channel 4

“The editing enabled this unique show to present itself as a sports programme. Sports style graphics and commentators were also edited together to gel into a new format.”

Nominees
Mark Davies & Mark Everson Peep Show (Series 6)
Objective Productions for Channel 4

Nigel Williams & Team Mongrels BBC Productions for BBC Three

Costume Design – Drama

Annie Symons Worried About The BoyRed Production Company for BBC Two

“The wit and intelligence with which our winner recreated the era gave the film a real period joy said the jury.”

Nominees
Lucinda Wright Enid Carnival Films for BBC Four
Joey Attawia An Englishman in New York Leopardrama for ITV1

Costume Design – Entertainment & Non Drama

Kayvan Novak Facejacker (Series One) Hat Trick Productions for Channel 4

“The costume design of this series had to pull off two tricky things at once. It had to signal to the audience the humour of the exaggerated characters while at the same time disguising the identity and intent of the hoaxer. An inch either way and the series would have failed.”

Nominees
Stephen Adnitt Dancing on Ice ITV Studios for ITV1
June Nevin Bellamy’s People of the United Kingdom of Great Britain & Northern Ireland BBC Productions & Down The Line for BBC Two

Lighting and Multi Camera – Lighting for Multi Camera

Dave Davey Dancing on Ice ITV Studios for ITV1

“The winner and his team paint stunning pictures with light on the canvas that is the Dancing on Ice rink, and the style continues to evolve and develop with each new series. This year’s work showed a lighting director and team delivering at the very top of their game.”

Nominees
John Carberry EastEnders Live BBC Productions for BBC One
Martin Kempton Playhouse: Live -The Typist A Sky Arts Production for Sky Arts

Lighting and Multi Camera – Multi Camera Work

Clive Arnold & Duncan Unsworth EastEnders Live BBC Productions for BBC One

“A huge technical undertaking, realized and delivered brilliantly. 54 scenes – both interior and exterior – using 43 actors in a variety of dramatic situations including stunts, this live 25th anniversary episode was fine vintage EastEnders.”

Nominees
Camera Team One Born Every Minute Episode 4
Dragonfly Film and Television for Channel 4
Paul Kirrage Dancing on Ice ITV Studios for ITV1

Production Design – Drama

Jacqueline Abrahams Wallander II: The Fifth Woman

A Left Bank Pictures/Yellowbird/TKBC Production for the BBC co-produced with Degeto, WGBH Boston and Film I Skane for BBC One

“The design in the winning entry was wholly realistic down to the smallest of details, without distracting from the narrative of the piece. A richly satisfying piece of work…”

Nominees
Ricky Eyres, Lee Gordon, Ray McNeill & Monica Esztan Going Postal
The Mob Film Co for Sky 1
Edward Thomas Doctor Who ‘The Pandorica Opens’ BBC Wales for BBC One

Production Design – Entertainment and Non-Drama

Simon Rogers & Team Mongrels BBC Productions for BBC Three

“The winning team expertly accommodated the needs of its puppeteers whilst creating a clearly adult comic precinct for the show’s script.”

Nominees
Jo Sutherland IT Crowd talkbackTHAMES for Channel 4
James S Thompson, Lucy Fewell & Team Hounded BBC Productions for CBBC

Graphic Design – Titles

John McKenna, Richard Norley, Russell Mann & Paul McNamara World Cup 2010 Jump for ITV Sport for ITV

“The jury felt this sequence combined beautifully choreographed imagery with an evocative choice of music – dramatic storytelling with a real ‘tingle factor’.”

Nominees
Momoco Luther BBC Productions for BBC One
John Durrant, Jon Doe & Duncan Dix History of Now Burrell Durrant Hifle/BBC Bristol for BBC Two

Graphic Design – Programme Content Sequence

Jellyfish Pictures & Burrell Durrant Hifle Inside the Perfect Predator

BBC Natural History Unit for BBC One

“Seamlessly part of the narrative, this wonderful sequence took the programme to another level.”

Nominees
BBC News Graphics (Design) & Brainstorm/Idonix (Technology)
BBC Election Night BBC News for BBC One
John Durrant, Duncan Dix, Jon Doe & Mick Connaire History of Now Episode One Burrell Durrant Hifle/BBC Bristol for BBC Two

Graphic Design – Trails and Packaging

Louisa Fyans, Karen Potterton, Damon Collins & Marc Craste Winter Olympics Studio AKA/Red Bee Media/RCKR/Y&R for BBC Sport

“An outstanding winner, with a distinctive graphic style, which conjured up richness with a limited palette, and set the dramatic scene for the programme perfectly.”

Nominee
James Berridge, John Cryer & Simon Glover Heston’s Feasts 4Creative for Channel 4

Music – Original Score

John Lunn (Bucks Music Group) Going Postal The Mob Film Company for Sky 1

“Exceptional… The composer demonstrated a cleverness and guile working to an unbelievably tight budget to create this classy score that was packed with ideas and sounded fully high end. Brilliant!”

Nominees
David Arnold & Michael Price Sherlock Hartswood Films in co-production with Masterpiece for BBC One
Samuel Sim Emma BBC Productions/WGBH Boston for BBC One

Music – Original Title

David Arnold & Michael Price Sherlock Hartswood Films in co-production with Masterpiece for BBC One

“The Jury felt that the distinctive and stylish use of vocals coupled with a boldness in style would make you want to sit up and watch the show.”

Nominees
Edmund Butt (Bucks Music Group) Garrow’s Law Twenty Twenty Television for BBC One
Samuel Sim The Deep Tiger Aspect Scotland Productions for BBC One

Design & Craft Innovation

Maverick New Media Team

“The winning team’s work is an outstanding example of how TV and Online can successfully converge and produce innovative web content. The new media team’s work supports a range of shows including Embarrassing Bodies, How to Look Good Naked, The Real Hustle and Kirstie’s Homemade Home. Embarrassing Bodies Online has been a real success with the website generating 7.5m visits since its launch and 75 million page views and one million people took online checks for STIs via the website. The department also handles online programme support for more than twenty prime time Channel 4 shows including Grand Designs and Location, Location, Location and manage major Channel 4 sites including 4Homes and Film4.”

Lifetime Achievement Award

Eddie Mansell

“On Monday night there was another TV awards ceremony, maybe not quite as glitzy as this one, and certainly not with as elegantly attired attendees! It was the International Emmys in New York. British drama had a good night and the show that did best with two awards was the work of the recipient of our next award. That show was The Street, made, in one of those anomalies we can never get our head around, by ITV Studios for the BBC. The person who edited the key episodes of this Emmy winning series just happens to be the same person who edited The Jewel In The Crown, Maigret, Cracker, Band of Gold, Reckless, Hot Money, The Jury, Clocking Off, The Innocent, Cold Feet, Blue Murder, Henry VIII, Eleventh Hour, Vincent, Island at War and Mobile. Two things occur to you – how can one man have worked so consistently over so many years on so much remarkable drama? And secondly, how annoying if you happened to have trained to be a drama editor in Manchester and you found yourself working in a world with our winner in it. Except that, by repute, he is one of the nicest, unassuming men you could hope to meet. Even so, you’d think he’d have left something for someone else to do! We asked Sita Williams, Executive Producer of The Street and a good many of the other celebrated dramas he has cut and asked her why she was so fond of working with him. She said this in New York, the morning after the night before: ‘To have the winner as your editor is to know that your film will be even better than you hoped. The film will show actors giving outstanding performances – even when sometimes they have not! He will find the best takes and help craft the performance. The judgements and decisions he makes in the cutting room make him the editor everyone wants for their film. I have worked with him for over 30 years and he is simply the best, and its right that this Award goes to such a supreme craftsman and artist.’”

Judges’ Award

Coronation Street Production Team

“Like old soldiers at the Cenotaph, the number of people who were actually there and actually saw the very first episode of Coronation Street burst onto our screens on the 10th of December 1960 dwindles every year. But somehow everyone feels we were there at that momentous event in UK TV history. That’s not just because there have been so many archive programmes about the early days of Coronation Street. It’s also because the show is essentially the same as it was then with warmth and humour, character before story, controlling women and feckless men. In Coronation Street Tony Warren uncovered the DNA of the long running soap opera, a pattern everyone has followed ever since. 200 people regularly work behind the scenes on Corrie delivering the show to air five times a week. A small army – but rather than being just guardians of some holy flame everyone who works on the show helps fuel the fire, from the first AD to the editors, from the electricians to the make up artists, from the wardrobe department to the props buyers. Each person in the Corrie production team puts a bit of themselves into the show.. 200 people pore over it and make sure it’s true to its original blue print. And they’ve done that for 50 years. Through fire and wind, explosions and car crashes, trams coming off their tracks and actors off their lines, and through the sternest test of all – that omnipresent Manchester rain that drizzles down the bit between your anorak hood and your scarf. 7500 episodes later and Coronation Street is still in rude health. That’s not the work of one man, great though Tony Warren’s creation was. It’s the work of a genuine TV family, a family who have consistently put all their heart and all their energy into the longest running drama in the world.”

Gongs, golden year and the Great Hall

The prestigious University of Birmingham’s Great Hall played host to the 2010 Royal Television Society Midlands Centre Awards last night. The event, which also celebrated the Centre’s 50th anniversary, saw the cream of the Midlands’ digital, broadcast and television communities being honoured for the outstanding work they have done in the past year.

Top producers and celebs joined hosts Emma Willis (MTV, I’m A Celebrity…) and Ed James (Heart FM) on the night.

Best Regional Programme went to The Man Who Shrank the Globe – AB Media for BBC East Midlands and a special commendation went to Made in Birmingham – Reggae Punk Bhangra – Swish Films.

This year, the Awards committee introduced a new category – Best on Screen Game. The decision was based on the growing games community being produced in the region. It was also a privilege to have met Inspector Morse writer, Colin Dexter. He was given the top prize of the night – the Baird Medal – for his contribution to broadcasting.

Here are the winners of the night:

Best Promotional Programme
Disabled and Living in Walsall – Pat The Bull Films

Best Drama

TV Drama
Land Girls – BBC Drama

Best Short Film
Handle with Care

Best Acting Performance

Male
Danny Webb

Female
Sophie Ward

Best Newcomer
Becci Gemmell

Best Digital Innovation
Such Tweet Sorrow – Mudlark

Best Entertainment
Countrywise (War of the Roses) – ITV Central

Best On Screen Personality

Male
Bob Warman – ITV Central

Female
Sameena Ali-Khan – ITV Central

Best New Talent
Dave Stephenson – Fullrange

Best On Screen Game
Battle of Britain 303 Squadron, Fish in a Bottle for Channel 4

Best Production Craft Skills
Neil Hillman – The Audio Suite

Best News
Central Tonight – ITV Central

Best Current Affairs
White Collar Boxing – Andy Bevan, ITV Central

Best Documentary
The Man Who Shrank the Globe – AB Media for BBC East Midlands

Best Regional Programme
The Man Who Shrank the Globe – AB Media for BBC East Midlands

Baird Medal
Colin Dexter OBE

More images can be seen on the RTS Mids Facebook Fan page.

Congratulations to all the winners and nominees. As Hon Secretary of RTS Mids Centre, it’s very nice to see a thriving digital and television community here in the Midlands that are making an impact not just nationally but internationally as well. I am very much looking forward to the 2011 entries already!