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Voice actor and founder of BRAVA (Bristol Academy of Voice Acting) Melissa Thom, has become a full voting member of BAFTA.

Melissa will now have a say in the winners of the Academy’s annual BAFTA Games Awards, which are presented annually to recognise, honour and reward outstanding creative achievement in games. The Awards are voted by an expert membership of over 1200 experienced professionals and are watched by millions online.

Melissa and BRAVA’s team of master coaches have trained hundreds of people in Bristol and beyond to become professional voice actors, with many already working in the gaming industry.

BRAVA has connections with games production companies and bodies across the UK and internationally. Melissa and her team work to support those coming up in the profession, liaising with industry stalwarts and championing diversity. Melissa’s gaming work as a voice actor includes roles in ZeniMax’s The Elder Scrolls (Necrom and Gold Road) and Grand Theft Auto V.

Melissa is British, with Indian-African heritage, and feels strongly about the need for diversity in the gaming sector. Melissa said:

“The online games industry is estimated to be worth almost $28 billion worldwide, dwarfing the film and music industries. It’s thriving and has a powerful influence. As the popularity of gaming continues on its upwards march, it’s critical that people from all backgrounds see themselves represented in games.

I am thrilled to be recognised by the Academy for all the work we do behind the scenes to support and guide voice actors and improve working conditions and diversity within gaming. I’m also committed to supporting the gaming community in the South West, which is a hot bed of creative talent.”

Melissa invites any actors in the South West with significant gaming experience to get in touch with her if they need support or advice.

                                                          -ENDS-

About BRAVA

Founded by experienced voice actor and communications consultant, Melissa Thom, BRAVA brings together acting and voice experts from the UK & US to deliver best in class training and advice about the industry.

At BRAVA, all learning is done online, meaning students can learn at their own pace, wherever they are. Training is offered as personalised 1-1’s or group sessions and covers a wide range of topics, including Getting Started in VO, Corporate, Commercial and Narration, Characters, Audiobooks, Performance Techniques, Home Studio, Marketing, Vocal Health, VO & Shakespeare, Voice, Presence, Impact, Presentation Skills and more.

Find out more at www.brava.uk.com

Melissa Thom’s IMDB: www.imdb.com/name/nm10724768/

The creative industries are a vital component of the local economy and here at Bristol Creative Industries, we encourage young people to look to the sector for a rewarding and inspiring career. As modern technologies like gaming, VR and AI continue to develop, we need a new generation to take on the jobs of the future that the local economy needs if it is to thrive.

See below for our updated guide to creative industries-related further and higher education in Bristol, Bath, Weston-super-mare and beyond.

If you’re an employer or education provider, scroll to the end of the article to find out how to get involved in the Bristol Creative Industries Talent Programme, which is focused on boosting workforce diversity in creative businesses and helping to grow the talent pipeline.

School sixth forms

A selection of the creative post-16 courses offered by sixth form departments at Bristol schools and academies:

Bath Academy

Among the A-levels at Bath Academy are art and media studies.

Beechen Cliff

A-levels on offer at this Bath sixth form for boys include creative design and music.

Birch, Bristol’s newest podcast studio, has opened at Nine Tree Studios in Brislington.

Designed with both “audio and video first”, the space offers high quality audio recording in a comfortable suite that’s designed for film.

“When we opened Nine Tree Studios, supporting the local creative industries was at the heart of everything” said Russell, Co-Founder of Nine Tree Studios.

“We have a huge amount of versatile space, and we want it to be useful, accessible and affordable – not just sit there empty. Bristol doesn’t have a huge amount of podcast suites, with some professionals even travelling to London just to record.”

“With our space we hope to welcome and support a variety of creatives, content producers, influencers and hobbyists alike.”

With full-RGB lighting and space for branding, the studio is perfect for both guest and episodic podcast recording.

Birch also has access to Nine Tree Studios’ other facilities, including ample parking, green rooms for hair and makeup, and a large kitchen breakout space.

The studio can be hired from the hour for just audio recording or including video, with various options to suit beginners and professionals alike.

Nine Tree Studios is Bristol’s biggest independent studio. Located just outside the centre of Bristol there’s parking for over 30 vehicles with easy access to Bristol, Bath and the M4.

For more information visit www.ninetreestudios.co.uk, email [email protected], or call 01173706372.

Bristol integrated brand agency saintnicks has announced a further senior appointment with the hiring of Marcus Culloty as the agency’s new Creative Director.

Marcus joins saintnicks after holding the title of Creative Director at McCann Bristol. Before that, he was the Creative Director of The Mix Dublin, part of Pernod Ricard’s global in-house agency network.

With more than 17 years experience working for some of the UK and Ireland’s leading network and independent agencies including Havas, Publicis, and The Leith Agency, he has created a raft of award-winning campaigns for global clients such as Toyota, O2, Jameson and Dunlop.

Now as saintnicks’ Creative Director, Marcus will be leading the agency’s conceptual output alongside supporting with the mentoring, shaping and development of its creative studio.

On his appointment, Culloty said: “saintnicks has a great philosophy for crafting great work that helps their clients and their brands really fly. That’s why I can’t wait to dive in, be part of this experienced agile independent agency’s senior team and take things further than ever.”

It’s a time of continued growth for the Bristol agency with further new talent joining across the business. This month sees the arrival of Richard Canueto-Cook and Hannah Bain into the Client Services team as Account Directors. Both join with previous careers at Ogilvy, Havas and McCann.

The appointments coincide with another strong year for the agency after a consistent period of new and existing client growth within the automotive, sport and audio sectors and a string of industry award nominations.

Steve Davies, ECD of saintnicks commented: “The quality of talent and the versatility of skills in the agency has enabled us to generate stronger campaigns and deliver better performance metrics across the board. With over 65% of our business from international brands we are always seeking talent who can help us to take clients further, and Marcus is a most welcome and exciting addition to the team.”

It’s that time of year again when we turn our attention to BringYourOwnBold (BYOB).  It’s our annual virtual summit for brand, marketing and creative folks that want to elevate your game with sessions designed to:

• Inspire
• Excite
• Empower

Our ethos was to create a summit people want, cluing you up on the latest shifts in your world – empowering you to build better brands and deliver more effective marketing.

When we talk about embracing your bold – it’s not the lazy definition of in your face, being daring or courageous. We’re inviting you to tap into your approachable confidence, your strength, and your unique vision. A bold that’s authentic to you and your brand.

Join us for 2 days of fresh perspectives and inspiration through expert sessions, panel discussions, and insights from people who love to think and do boldly.

You can register here for free access.

Is BYOB for me?

It’s for everyone, but let’s be honest – we’ve got a soft spot for the B2B tech crowd. Our content clicks with brand, marketing and creative folks as we get the unique challenges you’re up against – BYOB is here to help. But our speakers are top-notch, and their insights will spark ideas no matter your industry. So if you’re curious, jump in—the water’s fine.

When it comes to building a professional, customisable, and easy-to-manage website for a client, WordPress stands out as one of the most popular and versatile platforms available.

Whether the website is for small businesses, corporate enterprises, or personal projects, WordPress provides a robust set of features that make it an excellent choice for creating our client websites.

Here’s why the web design team at eckhoMedia think WordPress is so great:

https://www.eckhomedia.com/why-wordpress-is-the-best-choice-for-client-websites/

WordPress is an open-source platform, meaning it’s free to use and constantly improved by a global community of developers. For clients, this translates into lower development costs and no expensive licensing fees. While the core platform is free, clients may choose to pay for premium themes, plugins, or hosting, which allows flexibility in budgeting.

Moreover, since WordPress is open-source, developers can build custom solutions without being restricted by proprietary software limitations.

If you are interested in finding out more about our services and what we offer please contact us today for a free quotation.

TikTok has come a long way from its humble lip-syncing video beginnings.

In just a few years, the app has gone from relatively niche to 8.9 million active TikTok users in the UK alone. Currently, TikTok has over 1 billion monthly active users.

Its ability to hook users in has made it a staunch competitor to its rivals in social and search. We’re now seeing data suggesting YouTube is losing its grip on younger audiences to TikTok and a Google executive revealed that they’relosing users as well.

We’re seeing established and esteemed organisations, such as the Financial Times, joining the platform to great success. Its first post received over 530,000 views – that’s five times the paper’s weekly print circulation… in one short video.

TikTok ads have proven to be highly effective in enhancing brand performance and exceeding key performance indicators (KPIs).

If you haven’t already, it’s time to create your TikTok channel and get acquainted.

Getting Started with TikTok 

But before you can create videos and exciting content to leave a mark on TikTok, you need a comprehensive understanding of how the app works. It is also important to build up your TikTok presence using your knowledge and brand to unlock the marketing potential that TikTok offers.

TikTok content is integral to shaping a brand’s presence on the platform and scaling content activities over recent years.

Let’s take a look at why TikTok should be in your social media marketing strategy.

TikTok: there’s a target audience for anyone and everyone 

What makes TikTok so powerful?

The answer lies in its highly engaged communities and unparalleled viral potential.

Take #FinTok, a financial advice community boasting nearly 5 billion views. Creators like @Financielle (350k+ followers) and @PokuBanks break down complex financial topics into educational, bite-sized videos.

Then you have FarmTok, SutainabilityTok and BookTok, which has led to the soaring success of authors like Sarah Jane Maas.

No matter your industry, chances are there’s a thriving niche community waiting to be tapped into on TikTok. These communities offer a captive audience hungry for relevant, entertaining content from brands and creators they trust.

Understanding the TikTok community and its diverse subcultures is crucial for creating content that resonates with these specific groups, enhancing engagement and connection. Influencer marketing plays a key role in reaching and engaging with these niche communities on TikTok, leveraging the trust and reach of relevant creators to drive successful marketing outcomes.

TikTok Videos: the Reigning King of Engagement 

When it comes to TikTok, video reigns supreme. Short-form video content continues to dominate in terms of engagment and virality. 

To succeed on TikTok, creating engaging content that is not only authentic but creative, entertaining, and informative should be the cornerstone of your content strategy. 

Embrace experimentation, authenticity, and a willingness to learn. The algorithm can be fickle, so an open-minded approach to testing trends and themes is crucial. If one video doesn’t fly, don’t be disheartened just move on to the next one.

The Gen-Z Talent Magnet

Beyond content marketing, TikTok has become a powerful tool for attracting Gen Z talent. 

As the largest demographic on the platform (36%), this audience is a crucial target for businesses battling the talent crisis and skills shortage.

TikTok’s ability to attract young talent into business is already being proven.

Leading agencies like Battenhall, Here Be Dragons and Emerge are leveraging TikTok to drive significant spikes in job applications, new business inquiries, and brand awareness with Gen-Z candidates. 

By showcasing their company culture and values through engaging videos, they’re resonating with potential recruits in a way traditional and linear channels can’t match.

Building a Winning Content Strategy to Engage TikTok Users 

While your specific content will depend on your brand’s unique voice and values, some universal tips can help guide your TikTok approach as part of a comprehensive digital marketing strategy:

Authenticity Matters: TikTok users crave genuine, unfiltered content that reflects your brand’s true values and personality. Understanding the TikTok community and audience is crucial to creating content that aligns with their interests and values, capturing the spirit of TikTok to build a brand authentically.

Share Your Story: every business has a story to tell. Use TikTok to showcase your unique journey, knowledge, and experiences.

Spotlight Your Team: user-generated content (UGC) from employees tends to perform very well. So consider how you can shine a light on your team. 

Educate and Entertain: teach your audience something new while keeping them entertained – the key to hooking TikTok’s short attention spans.

Hook them in fast: perhaps one of the most important TikTok marketing tips is don’t linger. The first few seconds are vital, get straight to it. 

Posting Natively: Third-party scheduling tools are common and useful. But in the case of TikTok, posting natively is often best. Native posting grants access to the latest features and some third-party schedulers may limit things like copy and hashtags, which can impact reach. 

Collaborate with Creators: Partner with thought leaders and industry experts to amplify your reach. Interestingly, Sprout Social’s data reveals that smaller creators (5k-10k followers) yield the highest engagement rates at 76.23%, surpassing mega-influencers. This presents a prime opportunity for cost-effective collaborations that drive real results.

Getting Your TikTok Marketing Strategy Up and Running

With its low barrier to entry and massive reach, there’s never been a better time for content marketers to embrace TikTok for business. All you need is a smartphone an open mindset… and a content strategy. 

Harness the power of short-form video, TikTok communities and creator collaborations. By doing so you can heighten your online presence, build brand loyalty, and tap into valuable target audiences.

It’s time to join the TikTok revolution and unlock a world of viral content marketing opportunities. 

If you need help developing a winning TikTok strategy, then get in touch – our expert team are here to guide you every step of the way.

So, what are you waiting for? 

What is evergreen content?

In the fast-paced digital landscape, trends come and go. 

It makes staying on top of timely topics and content an almost round-the-clock task. 

Evergreen content is content that retains its relevance and continues to attract traffic long after its initial publication. Unlike seasonal or trending content, evergreen content covers topics that are always of interest to readers.

From how-to guides and tutorials to comprehensive resources that address perennial problems or questions, evergreen content can take many forms. But it should not be ignored, as it plays a crucial role in remaining seen and relevant.

Why does evergreen content matter?

Evergreen content plays a crucial role in a successful content strategy for several reasons:

• SEO Benefits: successful evergreen content can attract organic traffic over time, improving your search engine positioning. 
• Long-Term Value: evergreen content can generate consistent traffic and engagement over time. 
• Resource Efficiency: Investing time in creating high-quality evergreen content can lead to greater returns with less ongoing effort when compared with solely creating content on constantly shifting trending topics.

Developing an evergreen content marketing strategy

Before we get into the practicalities of creating the content itself, it’s vital to address some of the strategic elements of content marketing strategy. 

Focus on Timeless Interests: Topics that are universally relevant and do not change quickly. Take the time to research universally relevant topics

and focus on creating content that matters.

Research keywords, search patterns and channels: once you have your topic ideas and themes, conduct keyword research to learn how your audiences are searching for these terms. Whether it’s on Google, YouTube or even TikTok, you need to know how and where people are searching.

Consider Different Formats: how-to guides, listicles and tutorials are some of the most effective evergreen content. They are easily digestible and sought after by audiences. When planning your content approach, prioritise these formats. 

Solve Problems: content that addresses these universal themes helpfully and practically will always be the most successful. When creating evergreen content, look to offer aid, assistance or advice to problems and pain points. Plan your content accordingly.

How to create evergreen content

Evergreen Headlines

Headlines are the first thing readers see. A well-crafted headline is critical to search engine optimisation. It can impact the longevity of your content. When it comes to crafting headlines, consider the following: 

Include Keywords: Use relevant keywords to improve SEO and help readers find your content.

BeClear and Direct: Avoid using trendy language or references that might become outdated.

Promise Value: Clearly state the benefit or value the reader will get from the content.

Content Formats for Evergreen Success

Some formats lend themselves better to evergreen content than others. Here are a few to consider:

How-To Guides: these are often detailed instructions on completing specific tasks.

A how-to guide is perfect for tasks that require detailed, step-by-step instructions and where the reader might benefit from additional context, tips, and comprehensive coverage of the topic.

Tutorials: are perfect for audiences looking for a quick, practical guide to accomplishing a specific task without needing extensive background information.

Listicles: a short, snappy list related to a specific topic or issue. For example, 7 Things You Need To Know About Mortgage Renewal or 14 Tips for Crafting a Winning Job Application. 

Resource lists:  are compilations of valuable tools, articles, or reference materials that a user would find helpful. This could be anything from the best social media marketing tools, the ultimate guide to learning Python or even a list of reputable plumbers in your area.

Researching and validating content.

Ensuring your content is accurate and thorough is essential for its longevity. Here are some steps to follow:

Use Credible Sources: referencing authoritative and reliable sources to back up your information will help your search engine rankings.

Provide Comprehensive Coverage: address the topic in-depth. Try to answer the burning questions practically and helpfully. Give the people what they need!

Use different content formats and channels

Repurposing your evergreen content into different formats can hugely extend its reach and lifespan. 

Google was once the defacto go-to for most people. YouTube and even TikTok are now as important in content marketing strategy as blog posts and web pages. 

You should create great, written, evergreen content for your website. But that doesn’t mean you should solely be doing that. 

Google now pulls YouTube videos and social media content into its search rankings. So consider how you can create evergreen content that fits this. 

TikTok is now the most popular search engine amongst younger audiences. So consider how you can manufacture content for this channel to your advantage. 

Updating Evergreen Content 

We’ve mentioned previously that evergreen content requires less effort to maintain than constantly creating fresh content. But this doesn’t mean it can, or should, be left alone entirely. 

You’ll need to be updating your evergreen content for many reasons. The main one is the competitive edge. 

In search terms, everyone’s competing for those top slots. You may create content that ends up on top of the search, but rest assured the competition will have seen this, and they’ll be working to knock you off that spot. 

For written content, it’s vital to review and re-optimise regularly. For a channel like YouTube, you can do the same by tweaking things like hashtags and link descriptions, as well as changing up thumbnails.

Beyond just re-optimising for keywords, consider also how you can add new insights into your evergreen content. For example, here at AMBITIOUS, we use the PESO model and recently its Founder, Gini Deitirch, updated the model.

Rather than create an entirely new blog post, we updated the existing, and already well-performing blog, with these news insights. This keeps the content fresh and also avoids the risk of creating a self-competing piece of content within our content ecosystem. 

Examples of evergreen content 

Creating evergreen content means developing material that remains relevant and valuable. This will continually attract traffic over time.

Here are some real-life examples of effective evergreen content, along with explanations of what makes them so successful:

Lifehacker

Lifehacker’s How-To Articles provide a wide range of practical and actionable advice across a range of topics, ranging from how to transfer your photos from Google Photos to iCloud, how to create your own RSS Feeds and even how to make the most out of leftover celery.

It is a broad church. The site covers diverse subjects, ensuring there’s something for everyone and doing it in a practical and actionable way.

Articles often include step-by-step instructions that are easy to follow. It often features user-generated content from community involvement and contributions, which adds variety and keeps content fresh, while regular updates and new how-to articles ensure ongoing engagement and traffic.

Moz: Beginner’s Guide to SEO

Moz’s Beginner’s Guide to SEO covers everything a beginner needs to know about SEO, from basic concepts to advanced strategies. It’s organised into clear sections and chapters, making it easy to navigate and reference.

Moz ensures the guide is up-to-date with the latest SEO practices and algorithm changes. Moz is a respected authority in the SEO industry, lending credibility to the content. The guide includes visuals, examples, and links to additional resources, enhancing its value and engagement. 

BBC Good Food

BBC Good Food may seem like a strange addition, but this site excels in both content and delivery. 

It offers some of the most comprehensive content relative to its subject matter, providing in-depth information that thoroughly addresses the topic.

It offers practical, actionable advice that readers can implement immediately. Recipes always include clear instructions, ingredient lists, and cooking tips.

Beautiful food photography makes the recipes more appealing and easier to follow and allowing users to leave reviews and ratings creates a sense of community and trust.

This comprehensive approach not only drives consistent traffic but also builds a loyal user base, making this site a model of SEO and evergreen content excellence.

Conclusion

Creating and activating evergreen content is a strategic investment that pays off in the long run.

By following the tips and strategies outlined in this guide, you can develop content that remains valuable, engages your audience, and continues to drive traffic over time.

Remember, the key to evergreen success lies in regular updates. Evergreen content is so-called because it can have a longer life span and value, but that doesn’t mean you should just ignore it once it’s live. 

Sir Peter Bazalgette is one of the most influential figures in the UK’s creative industries. 

As the former chairman of Endemol UK and creative director of Endemol Group Worldwide, he was responsible for some of the most successful and recognisable television shows of the past 25 years, including Big Brother, Ready Steady Cook, Ground Force and Changing Rooms.

Sir Peter, who was also chairman of Arts Council England and non-executive chairman of ITV, was recently appointed as the new chancellor of the University of the West of England (UWE Bristol).

In an interview with Dan Martin, he discusses his career, the support needed from the new government to grow the UK’s creative industries, how to improve the sector’s diversity, and why he has taken on the role of UWE Bristol’s new chancellor. 

For an extra insight, read to the end to discover Sir Peter’s favourite TV show of all time! 

Sir Peter Bazalgette officially took up his role as chancellor of UWE Bristol at the university’s graduation ceremonies in July, which were held for the first time at Bristol Beacon following a new partnership between the two organisations.

You’ve been in the TV sector for over 40 years. How has it changed?

“Until 1955, there was only the BBC, and until 1982, there was only the BBC and ITV. Then there was Channel Four, and then Channel Five came along in the 90s. So even by the 1990s, there were very few channels. Sky Television and Virgin weren’t there at that point, but subscription TV came along when they arrived.  

“Fast forward to recently and when I was chairing ITV, we launched ITV X and to be listed we had to negotiate with more than 30 platforms. 

“In terms of production, that has changed a lot too. We used to just have public service media putting money into television production, but now we’ve got Netflix alone spending more than a billion in the UK, not to mention Apple, Amazon, Disney and so on. 

“It’s changed massively, and people are consuming their TV when they want and how they want.”

What’s your advice to small production companies in today’s TV landscape?

“As much as documentaries are wonderful things, try to have a repeat series, whether it’s factual or fictional, but one that can be repeated and can come back again because that gives you certainty and turnover. 

“You should also have a range of clients among both the streamers and the public service media.”

When you launched Big Brother in the UK, did you know how big it would be?

“None of us ever know the night before a show goes out for the first time whether it’s going to be a complete flop or a big hit. 

“Big Brother had already become a massive phenomenon in Germany, Spain and Holland before it came to the UK, but not every format works in every country. For example, Survivor has never really taken off in the UK, but it has been a hit in America since the 1990s.

“When Big Brother launched, it was like trying to ride a bucking bronco. It got bigger and bigger. It was on the front page of every newspaper every day, and we had the press on our doorsteps. 

“In most of the early Big Brother houses in other countries, the key talking points were two housemates getting amorous with each other. But true to form in Britain, we instead had a class struggle, with working class Craig defeating middle class Nick, who became known as Nasty Nick. Lots of people couldn’t believe we hadn’t set the whole thing up, but we had no idea any of that was going to happen, none at all.” 

What impact do you think Big Brother had?

“It was massively controversial wherever it was broadcast. People thought it was exploitative and invasive, but actually it was interesting in that it had a transsexual woman, a gay man, someone who suffered from Tourette syndrome, and all sorts of extraordinary people who at the time were demonised. But they won because people saw their lovely character shining through, and so it did have a positive element. 

“It was also an example of early fusion technology because it was on TV as an edited programme, it was on the internet, people watched it live, and you could vote on the telephone. It represented a convergence of media, and it was part of the process of the generation, who today on their mobile phones shoot and edit videos, becoming media literate. They used to watch the live transmission, and then watch the edited programme, before complaining we hadn’t put certain bits in, or we’d been unfair to certain characters. 

“They then realised that the programme was an edited piece that was entirely subjective and what the director thought the story was. There was a big element of the viewer developing media literacy which was groundbreaking.”

How do you think the new government should support the creative industries?

“The creative industries, as they say on The X Factor, have been on a journey. We were the first country in the world in 1997 to define an industrial sector called the creative industries, but we then had to catch up because we didn’t have any data about our GVA, our employment etc. In time we had the Creative Industries Council, and we then established an advocacy body that is now called Creative UK, but in many ways, Britain is still playing catch up with the creative industries. With the new government, I hope that the journey and process will continue.

“The creative industries are 6% of the UK’s GVA, but we get 1% of public investment. Clearly that is not aligned with the creative industries as a priority sector for growth which we have been told is the case by both the former Conservative government and the Labour Party. 

“Private investment is currently not good enough. The British Business Bank, which encourages investment in small and medium sized enterprises, is not really attuned to the way the creative industries run, the way small creative businesses work, and the criteria by which they have to be judged and invested in. We need to make progress on public and private investment. 

“We also need to make progress on research and development tax credit definitions. The UK has a narrow definition of R&D, which is different to the one in other countries in Europe which includes the creative industries so creative businesses can claim tax credits for the innovation that they carry out. 

“We need a more flexible apprenticeship scheme because small companies find it difficult to use the apprenticeship levy.”

You have done a lot of work on encouraging creative clusters around the UK. What more do you think needs to be done in that area?

“The creative industries are naturally and organically arranged into clusters. When I made a proposal for public investment in clusters in 2017, which was enacted in 2018 in the creative industries sector deal, it was going with the flow of where clusters typically are. For example, there’s the fantastic screen cluster in Bristol, an advertising cluster in Manchester, fashion in Leeds and games in Dundee. All of those things were happening organically and I suggested that we got behind it. 

“The investment was £56m in nine creative clusters and each of them had an anchor partner of a university which could feed the value of applied research into local SMEs. It was fantastically successful over five years. It was matched by about £260m from industry and other sources. It’s a very good example of how you use small amounts of public money to generate growth and investment. It connected applied research with more than 2,500 SMEs, and created lots of new jobs, products and services. 

“We found it incredibly difficult to get clusters two funded, despite the extraordinary success story which underlines my point about public investment not being aligned with the national policy to grow the creative industries. 

“In the end, we did get it funded, but it still depends on UK Research and Innovation honouring the commitment in the next Spending Review, which has to be agreed by the new government. 

“That’s another example of how Britain has not caught up with the creative sector, and isn’t backing it in the way that we are organised.”

What needs to be done to improve diversity in the creative industries?

“We need to do a lot better in this area. If we claim that the creative industries is not just an economic powerhouse, but a social and cultural powerhouse, and that what we produce, our music, theatre, films, TV, books and so on, touches the pulse of the nation, then it has to represent the whole nation and all of the communities. It can only do that if all of them find easy career pathways. 

“One of the key things to do is defining better career pathways, which was set out in the former government’s creative industries sector vision last year. When I work with Speakers for Schools, the charity set up by Robert Peston, and speak to first year sixth form students, I ask them ‘what’s your favourite music?’, ‘what’s your favourite fashion?, ‘what’s your favourite film?, ‘what’s your favourite TV show?, ‘what games do you play?’. It always leads to a big discussion about who has the best taste.

“I then ask them to tell me about the jobs that all of those products represent and there’s dead silence. As an industry, we have not defined the career pathways properly. If we do, we’ll have a much more diverse sector. 

“We also need much better outreach. When I was deputy chair of the National Film and Television School, we greatly increased the money we put into finding people of talent from all communities, such as having bursary funds dedicated to Black and Asian people. These are the sorts of things you can do to make a difference, but we have a way to go.”

🤝 This morning at #UWEGraduation Sir Peter Bazalgette was presented as the new chancellor of UWE Bristol – succeeding Sir Ian Carruthers OBE who has performed the role with distinction for the past 13 years 👏

Welcome, Sir Peter! pic.twitter.com/K6DSUZ5D5u

— UWE Bristol (@UWEBristol) July 18, 2024

Why did you decide to become chancellor of UWE Bristol?

“The role higher and further education plays in training, inspiring and producing the next generation of talent in the creative sector is critical. 

“The particular thing that interested me about UWE is that the creative industries is one of the key areas in which they specialise. 

“Activities that impress me about UWE include The Foundry which encourages collaboration, new ideas and development of technical knowledge. I also like the fact that they have a student ventures centre which encourages graduates to set up businesses, I like the university enterprise zone, and I like that more than 50% of graduates tend to work in the surrounding area after they’ve graduated. This is a very good statistic, and shows the contribution that UWE is making to Bristol and its surroundings. 

“Finally, as a TV producer and chair of the Arts Council, I visited the city many times and I love what Bristol has already and its potential for growth.”

Finally, what’s your favourite TV show of all time?

“Antiques Roadshow. I can’t get enough of it! 

“I love the combination of the personal histories and regional histories that are linked to an object. You learn so much about history, and individual stories of brilliant heroism. There’s also the arts and culture, the wonderful locations they visit and the element of greed when it’s revealed what the item is worth. It’s the perfect TV show. I wish I’d invented it myself.”

Nine Tree Studios in Bristol celebrated their opening earlier this month with an event that saw over 150 attendees from across the creative sector.

The 10,000sq ft facility includes two soundstages for film and photography plus a podcast suite, office space, green rooms and a fully-equipped kitchen studio.

Backed by Bristol-based commercial production company JonesMillbank, the studios have been designed to support both small-scale and broadcast-level productions.

“This has been a long road, but it was amazing to see so many new and old faces, all coming together to support and celebrate our launch.” said Russell Jones, Co-Founder of Nine Tree Studios.

Located in Brislington (BS4), the studios are perched near the centre of Bristol allowing them to service productions mixing studio and on-location filming, aided by its 8,900sq ft secure yard for trucks and trailers.

The studios are now Bristol’s largest independent studio, joining a raft of creative spaces throughout the city including neighbouring virtual production stage Distortion Studios and the established Bottle Yard Studios.

“Like restaurants on a high street, the more there are, the better they are, the more their reputation builds. We’re proud of everything Bristol has to offer and stands for, and the more facilities, talent, crew and creative companies that are based here only goes to benefit the region as a whole” Russell continued.

Nine Tree Studios features:

• Studio One, a 4,640sq ft soundstage for larger productions and set builds
• Studio Two, a more accessible 567sq ft studio with an infinity cove for commercial productions and photo shoots
• A 744sq ft kitchen studio for food and drinks content
• A 232sq ft podcast suite
• Attached green rooms and production offices

For more information and bookings please visit www.ninetreestudios.co.uk, call 0117 3706 372, or email [email protected].