£1.2m to boost the North East's film trade

Jan 26 2010 by Karen Dent, The Journal

THE region's film industry is to benefit from a further £1.22m cash injection into a fund which is forecast to create more than 200 jobs and 18 creative businesses in the next three years.

Northern Film & Media (NFM) will use the money to invest in people and ideas to build up the number of creative enterprises in the North East.

The cash, part of an overall £3m of funding, will be used to directly fund creative projects, to train creative people and to stage workshops, seminars, screenings and networking events.

NFM also aims to develop the market for film and digital media companies in the region and invest in its own North East Production Service.

NFM chief executive Tom Harvey said: “Our aim is to be the catalyst for a series of innovative, commercially successful ventures in the creative media sector through both new and established SMEs in the region.

“The region currently lacks major commissioners, purchasers, market proximity and expertise.

“We must help build companies’ skills, contacts, clients, expertise and networks so they can engage with and exploit the global digital market.”