Bristol Creative Industries Chair, Chris Thurling represents BCI members on the West of England Combined Authority’s (WECA) Regional Recovery Taskforce. This is a forum where industry views can be heard regionally and nationally, to feed into plans for economic recovery following the Covid-19 pandemic. Here is a short summary of discussions from the July meeting.
The Covid-19 business environment has shifted many into home working, bringing the additional challenges around remotely building new relationships with clients/customers, remote sales and recruiting new staff members. Businesses are finding working from home more than just shifting to video calls; for help take a look here.
Employees’ mental health and resilience is an ongoing concern, especially those with additional caring needs at home.
Longer working hours have been reported. Many businesses are tied into long term office rentals which are not being used, this has led to some considering more flexible options or even becoming virtual organisations. In co-working spaces there has been confusion over who is responsible for adapting workspaces. There is a growing demand for co-working spaces and work hubs in rural and suburban areas.
A clearer message from the government is needed on whether it is safe and advised to return to work.
Looking at demand and markets, a large number of companies in the sector have pivoted online where possible. Companies are looking at international markets that are further down the COVID recovery line. In television production there has been a move to the subscription models and away from the ad-funded models. With office-based working now not so important the South West is well placed to attract more talented people and new businesses.
It is important to keep remote working practices in place so companies are prepared in the event of a second lockdown. Companies are using the period of reopening to prioritise work that needs to be done face to face, and those employees not comfortable with homeworking given the option to return to the office. Digital Connectivity is an ongoing issue for people working from home, especially those in rural areas.
Publishing local R numbers would allow companies to make more informed decisions when making plans to return to work.
There is likely to be an influx of freelancers and new start-up companies as a result of redundancies in the sector. Provision of entrepreneurial skills training to help people create their own jobs was recommended. Other skills training highlighted was in the skills gap for software development and data science.
It’s crucial to be able to attract international talent so clarity is needed on visa requirements post-Brexit.
Programmes like Creative Workforce for the Future have been very well received and there is an appetite across the board for this programme to be extended or similar placement schemes to be introduced.
A flexible apprenticeships programme has been launched in the West Midlands and Manchester – is this something WECA can be involved in? There is also the need to work with the education sector on the provision of work-based training opportunities to students.
Any support packages should also address environmental sustainability and diversity. There are still huge challenges around gender, ethnicity, ableism and socio-economics in the sector.
The next WECA Regional Recovery Taskforce is in early August, we will update you on discussions and pass on your views. To have your say do contact Chris with your thoughts or concerns on business recovery, reference “WECA recovery”.
In the early days of lockdown Bristol Media set up “Pay it Forward”, a collection of offers of free help from our community for those in the region’s creative industries reeling from the economic impact of Covid-19.
With lockdown easing and the focus moving from survival to revival, “Pay it Forward” is now winding down. However, before it closes Bristol Media would like to say a huge thank you to all those businesses that volunteered to help others; those that gave their time and expertise to listen and advise. We had volunteers providing mentoring and business support, HR and legal support, business development and marketing advice to financial tools, all free.
What do you do when most activities stop? The answers are not simple and have involved conversations and many actions to reduce overheads and claim government support, for those eligible. We contacted some of the people involved in the initiative to find out how it went from their side of things:
Simon Barbato, CEO at Mr B & Friends had a huge response from his LinkedIn post, “I was expecting maybe two or three people would respond to my offer of help around positioning and marketing, but I was overwhelmed when I received 19 requests for appointments. I decided to meet with them all, and the conversations ranged from a friendly peer to peer chat to some real advice sought on positioning businesses to survive the crisis. One thing I was particularly pleased with was making introductions from one person to the next and business opportunities maturing from that. I also really got something from each discussion and felt it was a fantastic use of my time”.
Jack Thompson, who specialises in helping agencies with business development, volunteered for Pay it Forward. “In the early stages it was all about coping with the immediate effects of lockdown in relation to business development. There was a broad range of impacts from ‘I’ve lost everything’, through to, ‘we’re doing OK’. I advised talking to current and recent clients, reviewing pipelines and reforecasting for the year, and then looking at what people could do to start some new conversations too.”
“All businesses will have gone through the initial shocks, and they will know where they stand with regard to all the moving parts of their business, so most are now planning for ‘what next?’. Of course easier for some, more than others, depending on how hard they have been hit, but there is definitely a sense that we’re over the worst, so it’s time to think about growth again.
Sandeep Roy, director of Innovate2grow.com, a strategic digital advisory firm reported that “For most companies, lockdown caused a switch to a shorter-term focus; preserve cash and ‘keep the lights on’. Strategic visions went on hold. There was an accelerated focus on digital innovations and a move to virtual models in order to reach, acquire and serve customers online.
As the lock-down relaxes, employers are concerned about liability if employees fall ill after returning to work, and are exploring having teams in low physical contact scenarios. Covid-19 has definitely triggered a rethinking on the future of business and the workplace.”
“I have worked with clients on repositioning their services,” said Susie McFarland, business strategist and mentor, “a lot of businesses have had to move quickly with refocused service offerings, revised financial plans and restructured operating models. I’ve been so impressed by their resolve and determination, not losing sight of why they started in the first place, but keeping true to their core and working from there. No mean feat in challenging times.”
Amy Wilkinson, Disruptive Thinking, another Pay it Forward company said, ”The conversations started as a discussion on how to pivot your sales and marketing strategy in the context of coronavirus, and we ended up discussing topics such as how to build your sales pipeline, how to implement a business development strategy, and how to get started and winning your first clients. We ended up having really honest, open discussions about how we’re all doing at the moment. Everyone was very upfront about what challenges they are experiencing during COVID – it was refreshing.”
James Lucas, Creative Plantation commented on Pay it Forward, “I was blown away with the openness and willingness to chat. I contacted a few on the list around mentoring and coaching for input on my new business proposition. The feedback and inspiration I got back from the discussions was great and gave me hope that after lockdown, the enthusiasm and interest to continue to connect with peers will continue. Thanks to Bristol Media and everyone I spoke to!”
Thank you once again for all the free support via Pay it Forward; in tough times it’s good to know the community support is here. Bristol Media is continuing with our mission to keep the creative community connected. We are offering a series of new events to help businesses move forward. These are in the new online format, book direct via our Events page. We are also supporting networking and business development with online Virtual Lunches, if you wish to join in please contact a[email protected]. We do hope you will join us in the coming months.
The West of England Combined Authority Mayor Tim Bowles has been asked by Government to set up a Regional Recovery Taskforce to identify the challenges and opportunities affecting Economic Regional recovery and renewal from Covid19. The aim of the Task Force is to identify the adverse economic impacts of the pandemic and drive renewal of the region’s recovery that is clear and inclusive.
Under this Task Force are a number of Sector Specific Groups. We’re delighted that Bristol Creative Industries Chair, Chris Thurling, will be joining the Creative Industries and Digital Technologies Group to represent the views of the region’s creative sector.
This provides an opportunity for the views of our members, past and present, to be heard regionally and nationally. It’s also for those views to influence the plans for the SW’s creative sector to recover from COVID19. It’s vital that we gather as many views as possible ahead of the kick-off meeting on Friday 5th June so Chris can share a representative viewpoint.
Please complete this short survey by 5pm on Thursday 4th June at the very latest.
Together we’re greater than the sum of our parts.
Whether you’re looking for guidance on your business strategy, 1-2-1 mentoring/coaching sessions, financial tools and advice, or employee communications support from an experienced HR professional, take a look below at the free offers of support for agencies and creative businesses in the South-West.
Share your Pay it Forward initiatives with us and we’ll add them to this article. Keep checking back as we’ll be updating this page as we hear of more initiatives for the creative community in Bristol, Bath and the South West. Please help us #payitforwardBristol
Are you a Bristol Media member offering free drop-ins for creative businesses? Have you set up a virtual networking event to help people connect? Have some available time to help a young creative with their portfolio? We want to hear it.
Send Alli an email with details of your initiative, including a summary of what you’re offering, who would find it useful, your online link (this can be a LinkedIn post, tweet, blog etc), plus details for how people can get in touch. We’re focussing on support offers from individuals and organisations within the Bristol Media membership community.
We’ll be regularly adding to this blog so keep checking back for updates.
#payitforwardBristol
The above information is being provided as a convenience and for informational purposes only; it does not constitute an endorsement or an approval by Bristol Media Group CIC of any of the services, products, or opinions of the individuals or organisations mentioned.
(Photo by “My Life Through A Lens” on Unsplash)
We want to let our members and the community know that we are still very much in operation during this challenging period. Whilst our keynotes, member lunches, workshops, and initiatives are currently on pause, we will continue to deliver value and support the local creative community by sharing advice and positive stories via our digital network.
We recognise that this will be a very difficult time for most of us and to get through it we all need to support each other. Remote working can be challenging but it’s been heart-warming to see some brilliant initiatives appearing within the network.
We’ve already come across some great examples of ideas to help creative businesses get through these turbulent times. For instance, ‘Digital Guzzle’ Friday’s from the Noisy Little Monkey clan, Virtual Book Clubs with Armadillo, and members offering free services such as copywriting, tips for remote working and how to manage your finances.
Our region is known for its unique collaborative spirit, so, we have an ask: share your initiatives and offers of support with us and we’ll add them to this blog page where we’re compiling positive news and stories to keep you going.
Are you offering free drop-ins for creative businesses? Have you set up a virtual networking event to help people connect? Written a blog about weathering the storm? We want to hear it!
Let us know by emailing Kirsty with details of your initiative, including a summary of what you’re offering, who it’s for, your online link (this can be a LinkedIn post, tweet, blog etc), plus details for how people can get in touch. We’ll be regularly adding to the blog so keep checking back for updates.
If you’re a member, we’d encourage you to self-publish your own articles and share the positive activity and good news with the network. Please also continue to post your job opportunities and virtual events to our website over the coming months. The more positivity we can circulate the better.
To kick things off, Chris Thurling (our Chair, business coach, mentor and serial networker!) is opening a virtual drop-in where members can book a free 20-minute coaching and mentoring session. Chris has earned multiple battle scars through surviving three periods of recession, so can provide useful advice and words of wisdom he’s learned throughout his journey.
Slots are available on Wednesday afternoons (between 2pm – 4pm) on 25th March, 1st April and 8th April. If you’re a Bristol Media member and would like to book, please email Chris.
If you’re a local business offering a short-term or freelance role for people working within the creative industries, please get in touch. You can advertise the vacancy for free on our Jobs board until the end of April.
We appreciate that for the smaller businesses and self-employed amongst you, it’s going to be a particularly testing time. The environment is changing at a rapid rate, so we’ve created a Slack channel for our freelance members to share info, resources, opportunities, and anything that will help support the local gig economy through the current situation. If you’d like an invite, please email Alli.
We will continue to work with local businesses and networks to ensure we are all actively supporting the creative industries in our region. If you are an organisation who can offer your services to support creative businesses in Bristol, Bath and the South West, please let us know.
If you have any questions or would like to speak to one of the team, please get in touch.
Together, we are greater than the sum of our parts.
In light of the current news surrounding COVID-19, we’ve made the decision to postpone all Bristol Media events until further notice.
Our events rely on collaboration so ensuring our members, facilitators and venues feel safe is our highest priority and we want to ensure the best possible experience for those attending.
Obviously we’re disappointed but this is the right thing to do.
No event is more important than the health of our creative community so we’re doing the sensible thing. We all have a responsibility to look out for others and we hope that you’ll continue to support Bristol Media and other local businesses. Please be particularly mindful of freelancers and small businesses in Bristol and the South-West who will be impacted by the developing situation.
The following workshops will be postponed until further notice:
We are in the process of issuing refunds for all upcoming workshops.
You should receive a refund via the original payment method within the next ten days, please get in touch if this does not happen.
Please note: If you paid via Eventbrite, their policy states that the admin fee is non-refundable, however we understand this does not apply for cancelled events so you should be refunded the complete amount.
As soon as we have confirmed new dates for each workshop, we will contact the original ticket holders prior to tickets going on sale. You will then have the first chance to rebook onto the workshop. If you choose not to rebook, we will release the ticket to the community.
We’ve contacted all attendees, speakers and facilitators via email with more specific information about postponing planned events but feel free to contact us if you have any other questions. Contact Us
“I come from a creative and entrepreneurial family originally from St Thomas, Jamaica. My granduncle founded the Voice newspaper, my grandfather is a Reggae artist and my Mother is CEO of her own fashion company, so I like to think that influenced me to pursue my own dreams and carve my own path in life.
“Like most boys growing up in the 90s I was a big fan of anime. Shows like Dragon Ball Z, Pokémon and Naruto were regular scheduled programming at my home in Fishponds. It was my desire to recreate these shows in my spare time, through pencil and paper, that led me into art.
“Drawing wasn’t my strong point so it was hard to excel in art class, probably in part to me only being interested in drawing characters from my favourite tv show at the time! I was also into video games but, oddly, because I thought they were such a cool medium. I think I grew up in a time where video games were just beginning to be acknowledged as an artform, much like film and tv, and not just something that turns kids into ‘mindless zombies.’ I loved how video games placed you in the mind of the protagonist and allowed you to put yourself in situations you could only dream of before.
“Fast forward and this underlying love of psychology, art and computer screens coupled with a strong sense of ambition is what led me to where I am today – seeking to explore a career in UI/UX & Tech.
“Growing up I knew very little about the creative industries in Bristol. I think that’s what pushed me to study in Cambridge (Lord Ashcroft International Business School), but it was being away from Bristol and coming back that really opened my eyes to how vast and booming the city is which is why I moved straight back. So when I found out about the BMAA and that it was essentially a nosedive into the industry, I knew I had to apply.
“The biggest challenge I faced in my career was definitely making my first ever film, especially when it’s for a nationwide platform like the BBC and will be watched by thousands of people. The opportunity came about through the BBC New Creatives scheme. Managing a whole crew and cast of around 20 people whilst writing and directing a film is about 100 times harder than it sounds! But it was fun and the end result was well worth it.
“Now that I’ve won the BMAA and am travelling to Texas next week it’s hard to pin down what I’m most excited about. The food, talks, art exhibitions, film screenings, the robots… Or the world renowned ‘Southern Hospitality’? Honestly, I’m not too sure. But what I am sure of, is that I am excited. Funnily enough, I’m not really nervous about anything. My perspective is just ‘enjoy it’, take what comes with Texas and the internships as enjoyable experiences which I no doubt will learn and gain a lot from.”
Upon his return from SXSW, Okori and the BMAA runners up will have the opportunity to take part in a series of paid internships at local agencies. For more information about supporting the BMAA and offering a paid internship for Okori and the runners up, click here.
Bristol Media would like to thank our 2020 headline sponsor, ADLIB, for supporting the BMAA. Thanks also to Babbasa and the growing list of agencies who have committed to making a difference: Armadillo CRM, Tallt Ventures, McCann Bristol, Mr B & Friends, Oakwood, Immediate Media, Epoch Design, Halo, Torchbox and Diva.
**TWO PLACES LEFT – BOOK HERE**
Presenting work can be a challenge for even the most experienced presenter. Creative industry professionals come up against numerous obstacles when presenting work – extensive rounds of internal approvals, the confidence to present an effective message, and not to mention the client’s ability to kill the creative idea in one fell swoop. But how do you ensure your work sees the light of day?
Led by former TBWA Executive Creative Director Tom Evans, during this 1-day course you’ll learn how to present your work persuasively to increase the odds of your ideas making it to the outside world. It’s an ideal workshop for those looking to develop (or brush up on) skills for creative pitching, where you’ll emerge as a more confident and more competent presenter.
The 1-day workshop is on Tuesday 31st March from 9.30am – 5pm at Foot Anstey, Glass Wharf, Bristol.
Tickets £249 +VAT for Bristol Media members and £349 +VAT for non-members. Places are limited to 15 so book early to avoid disappointment. Lunch and refreshments are provided.
Fourth generation family cider maker, Thatchers, has selected McCann Bristol as its strategic and creative partner with a remit to further build the brand as the Somerset company continues to reach new audiences with its innovative range.
The win will see the agency apply its award-winning, integrated approach across a wide range of communications activities, creating a master brand campaign and tactical campaigns for Thatchers Gold, Haze, Rosé as well as exciting future innovations. The work will be executed across all media, from TV, through outdoor and print to digital and social activity, and shopper and on-trade activation.
Established in 1904, Thatchers Cider is a fourth-generation family cider maker with a respected position in the market and a firm place in the hearts of its customers. As popularity for its products continues to grow across the UK, a new approach with McCann Bristol will see the brand hold true to the familiar tone of the past while laying important roots for supported national growth.
As one of the fastest growing cider brands in the UK with an evolving portfolio, Thatchers demanded a highly creative agency with a truly integrated approach and a track record of catapulting brands into the limelight with award-winning work. McCann Bristol will be unveiling campaigns throughout 2020 that will match the cider maker’s strategy.
This win follows a number of other recent high-profile wins for McCann Bristol and complements a hugely successful year of major award recognition, including a Cannes Lion, a D&AD Pencil, 10 Creative Circle gongs and a One Show Pencil.
Jon Elsom, Group Executive Creative Director at McCann, says: “2019 was a year to remember for McCann Bristol. We’ve well and truly cemented our position as one of the most creative integrated agencies in the UK, increasingly attracting talent and clients both locally and nationally. Thatchers is a fantastic addition to our client list and we’re looking forward to making sure there’s only one name on cider-drinkers’ lips.”
Yvonne Flannery, head of brands at Thatchers, says, “Last year Thatchers Gold and Thatchers Haze saw really strong growth across the UK. We’re looking forward to strengthening this position even further with the ambition and creativity that McCann Bristol will bring, helping make 2020 a stand-out year for us. Our mission is to bring fantastic tasting cider to drinkers in all parts of the UK, proud of our West Country heritage, whilst reaching new audiences nationally.”
The Royal Television Society West of England today announce the shortlist of nominations for its annual awards, in association with Evolutions Bristol, in the fields of on screen talent, craft, animation, regional television news and across a range of factual programming including natural history and documentary.
The RTS West of England Awards is the only annual celebration of the region’s creative community and this year the awards include work from the RTS Devon and Cornwall centre.
There is an array of talent represented in the on screen talent category, from Steve Backshall (Blue Planet Live) and Angela Rippon (The Truth About: Antibiotics) to Nadeem Islam (See Hear on Tour) and Iolo Williams (The Watches)
BBC Studios Natural History Unit has 13 nominations for a wide range of programmes including landmark series Seven Worlds, One Planet and Earth from Space. And there are nominations for the BBC’s Sunday night hit, Countryfile – for their Evacuee special and reporter Charlotte Smith.
Last Breath, a MET Film Production & Floating Harbour Films, is nominated in four categories. This feature documentary tells the story of diver Chris Lemons, who was stranded on the seabed with 5 minutes of oxygen and no chance of rescue for more than 30 minutes. Drummer TV has four nominations and Silverback Films pick up 3 nominations for Our Planet, broadcast on Netflix. Keo Films, Icon Films, Twofour and Axis Studios pick up a handful of nominations between them.
In News, ITV News West Country score four nominations across the Flying Futures, News Story and News Reporter categories, as do BBC Inside Out West, who are nominated twice in Short Form and in Reporter and News Story
“The West of England is now, rightly recognised as an international centre of excellence in film, tv and digital production and our judges had a really tough job this year, with entries from an impressive range of programmes from our public service broadcasters and streaming platforms, like Netflix.
“In the year that welcomed Channel 4 to the West of England creative community, these awards are a great reflection of the exciting talent in the region.” said RTS chair, Lynn Barlow, who is Assistant Vice-Chancellor Creative and Cultural Industries at UWE, Bristol, and a documentary producer.
The RTS West of England Awards will take place on Sunday March 29th at Bristol Old Vic.
Tickets will be on sale soon from the Bristol Old Vic Box Office.
For more information on the awards, please contact Suzy Lambert on [email protected]
EVOLUTIONS
Evolutions Bristol are delighted to once again be headline sponsors of the 2020 West of England RTS Awards. Offering an end to end post production service including production offices, workflow consultancy, offline and final post with some of the best talent in the country, we are proud to be an integral part of the South West post production community supporting our ever growing sector.
With an established team in Bristol as well as our three Soho facilities, VFX team, as well as bespoke Rig and Location services, Evolutions provide an integrated post production service to enable our clients to work across the region and internationally with great flexibility, and deliver high quality programmes across all genres from Natural History, Documentary, Animation, through to Commercial Short Form.
Once again we congratulate all of this year’s nominees for the hard work that has brought them this far. The standard of work in the list of nominations is testament to the creative talent and ambition throughout our region, for which we should be very proud.
Sponsors of the RTS West of England Awards include: Doghouse, Icon Films, Wounded Buffalo, Plimsoll Productions, BBC Studios, Films at 59, Silverback Films, The Square Club, ITV, Evans Audio and Wall to Wall West.
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