ONE shows film group the colour of money
Apr 9 2009 by Iain Laing, The Journal
THE group championing the North East’s beleaguered film and television industry has had its funding guaranteed for the next three years.
Northern Film and Media hopes the £1.9m from development agency One North East will help the industry create more than 130 jobs by backing work in broadcasting, film, computer games and music production.
Having already invested more than £7m in 1,300 regional projects over five years, NFM will use the new investment to develop content, provide business support, host industry events and link North East talent to national and international markets.
It will also help bring further commercial content production to the region by attracting more film location, securing jobs and hopes to put the North East in cinematic centre stage. NFM chief executive Tom Harvey is campaigning for more television programming in the region as ITV commissions fewer regional productions and the number of TV professionals in the North East plunges.
He said: “This is a huge vote of confidence from One North East and I’m very excited by the role NFM can play in developing a well connected, creatively and commercially successful media sector over the next three years.”
ONE director of business and industry Ian Williams said: “The region has a proud film making heritage and has provided the backdrop for top international films. Recent research has shown that the sector in North East England employs 35,000 people and contributes £1.1bn to the regional economy.”
