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.
The Centre for Creative and Cultural Industries, Bristol+Bath Creative R+D, creative writing incubator Paper Nations, and Oxford-based cutting-edge AI company To Play For, are offering up to ten fully-funded places to writers under-represented in the publishing and gaming industries in the South West who will use AI to revolutionise how we interact with characters in stories from games to movies and apps, in mobile, VR online and more. Up to three of the writers may go on to paid, five-week placements with To Play For.
From talking to Alexa, to using virtual reality and tech in immersive theatre, to the way we interact with characters in games, to innovations in TV narrative such as Black Mirror’s Bandersnatch, a revolution in creating stories and characters is underway.
This revolution is driven by AI (Artificial Intelligence). Innovation in machine learning will see stories told where the audience becomes part of the story and can interact with characters who have their own voices, emotions and memories, and who make their own decisions.
The opportunities are limitless, but the worlds of writing/storytelling and tech are still quite. separate and writers in the South-West for the most part have yet to explore everything AI has to offer.
Bambo Soyinka, Paper Nations’ Executive Development Producer: “We are collaborating on these workshops to bring interactive writers and the AI storytelling experts together. Like particles colliding, we believe new and amazing things will happen. We want people with experience in theatre, comics or gaming; writers who work in performing and telling stories in a range of ways, who can breathe new life into their characters and stories with AI.
“We don’t expect them to be tech-magicians, only to have basic computer skills and a keen interest in how we can use AI.
“We’re also acutely aware of the lack of diversity in the world of digital storytelling. Creating opportunities for writers of all backgrounds is at the heart of our mission, so we’re particularly keen to hear from people from under-represented backgrounds in the South-West.”
The workshop will provide a masterclass on the Charisma.ai platform, giving hands-on experience to the writers of how to adapt existing stories as well as create new ones.
To Play For Creative Director Guy Gadney: “What’s really unique with the platform is how we can use AI to create characters that adapt, learn and act based on events the audience or player controls; characters with their own voices, memories and personalities.”
The workshop is a new and exciting opportunity for writers in the region, a chance to work in the cutting-edge, rapidly evolving world of digital writing driven by AI.
The application process is now open on http://papernations.org/writing-for-all/call-for-action/ai-story-lab/. Applications close at midday on Thursday 12th March.
Chris – what opportunities are you excited about in 2020?
I guess the increasing use of audio user interfaces, like smart speakers – Alexa and Google Home. That’s really going to feed into other technologies, like how does your website need to work, in order for the content to be usable on this kind of device. Also the opportunity for rich video, animation techniques and 3D on the web. It’s all becoming a much more immersive experience.
How do you think that’s going to enhance the digital creative landscape?
Advertisers are always looking for something new to punch their message through the noise. As a designer, you’re increasingly having to work with others. There’s no way you could be a designer and a master of 3D and voice tech. Collaboration is needed more than ever to get the best results.
What project are you most proud of to-date, and why?
There’s two really. The first was Katy Perry’s ‘Own the Throne’ campaign. It wasn’t perhaps the best campaign we’ve worked on, but it was a big campaign and it was my first at Spicerack. It encompassed loads of really rich formats. That’s 7 years ago now.
I guess Katy Perry felt pretty high profile to you at the time?
Yeah, it was the first fragrance she did. The TV campaign was everywhere. But the one I’m most proud of from both a technical and prestige point of view was the launch of Dyson’s Supersonic in 2016, because we helped strategise. It was a big deal – a completely new product in a whole new line for them. We ended up working on all sorts of formats – about 12 different routes across about 25 languages. And it was a volume task, a technical task, and this massive brand awareness task.
Tell us about some brands and designers you admire. What makes them stand out?
I think Huel are doing really well. They’re really going for it – innovative and engaging.
Who are they mate? Kuel?
Huel. Like Fuel with an H. Dave has a shaker on his desk. It’s supposed to be complete food. A complete meal in 3 scoops. But their Instagram page especially, for someone who makes something quite nerdy, and quite niche, they’re really going for it on social. So if you look at them online you’ll see they’re getting loads of interest as a result of this great presence. When you get your first pack you get a free t-shirt and they’re really well made. And a shaker. Dave liked the t-shirt so much he bought another off eBay, just because it’s a decent t-shirt.
Designers is a difficult one. It’s more agencies. The big ones are worth keeping an eye on. Pentagram are an inspiring global outfit. I really like the agency Snask, based in Sweden. For an agency, they have a really unique brand persona and tone of voice. I’m really inspired by them actually.
What tools, books or ideas help you with your day-to-day?
We owe a lot to the Adobe Suite. You know, the usual suspects – Illustrator, Photoshop. Sketch more and more too. Increasingly using that for UI design, and UX design to an extent.
Books?
There’s a new book on my desk called ‘Do the Fucking Work’ by Good Fucking Design Advice. That has some gems in it – it only came out this month so it’s nice and fresh. There’s one I’m really into at the moment about design systems. There are other books surrounding design; things like ‘Don’t Read this Book: Time Management for Creative People’ by Donald Roos. A lot of my design inspiration is online, through social, because it’s fresh and up-to-date. Dribbble is great for that. For solid, tested advice – ‘How to be a Graphic Designer, Without Losing Your Soul’ by Adrian Shaughnessy – that’s a great book.
Is there anyone you particularly follow – any influencers?
I’ve been using Instagram, following hashtags. For example there’s one that’s #UX_UI. You get updates from all kinds of different people.
How are you influenced by trends … if at all?
I think everybody’s influenced by trends whether they want to be or not, especially in the kind of industries we work in.
In advertising, brands want to be on the pulse – in the thick of it. What you have to do is not get trapped by trends; not get sucked in. Not just copy. There are so many great publications like Creative Review, Creative Bloq. Dribbble, as mentioned, is really good.
You’ve worked with established global brands like Dyson, Disney and CK. What brands would you really like to work with?
We’ve had experience working with Fiat. I’d like more experience with a car brand. Tesla would be awesome. Big car brands that are doing some good – electric vehicles, self-drive tech, that sort of thing.
Thatchers are kind of global but also local for us – they would be a good one to work with. Down the road from us.
Are you a Thatcher’s drinker?
Oh yeah.
What’s your poison?
Poison’s got to be Gold. Got to be Thatcher’s Gold. None of this Haze.
What’s been your biggest creative challenge to-date?
That’s a difficult one. A lot of the brands we work with, like Coty brands, are big. Like Calvin Klein. A creative challenge there is to think outside of their already creatively-defined box. They’ve got brand guidelines, look and feel rules … getting brands to take a leap of faith can be difficult. It doesn’t always pay off. Sometimes you get so far, but then a brand guy gets involved and squashes it.
Are there any occasions where you’ve been able to convince or persuade?
I wouldn’t say there’s one overarching example, but it’s developing relationships with those brands. You look at where you’ve come from on day one, and where you are now, and how much more trust they have – how much more scope you have to push back on their ideas or suggest new ones. It’s more a test of time because none of these brands, quite rightly as well, will just let their brands be manipulated by anybody. Because of our success working with Dyson on the Supersonic launch, when it comes to subsequent campaigns – like they launched a blue and gold version – they knew they had great assets through the TVC. Because we’d worked on the launch, we came up with creative ideas for that. The challenge is to get brands to trust you, but you see it’s paid off when you get more creative rein.
What do you do in your own time, Chris?
I go out on the piss! No, it’s hanging out with mates, going to all the various events across Bristol, like Motion – that sort of thing. I try to get out for some fresh air every now and then. Brecon Beacons for example, just over the bridge. I like going to exhibitions, bombing down to London, bagging a couple of galleries. Bristol’s great – you’ve got Spike Island, the Arnolfini – even the museum and gallery at the top of Park Street, and the RWA at the top … a fine art gallery. Also, I try to pick up a bit of 3D modelling. I do quite a bit of photography, heading over to Wales and stuff.
Awesome – thanks Chris
Chris was interviewed by Spicerack’s Strategic Development Director Paul Stancheris in January 2020.
With the support of ADLIB and Babbasa, we’re delighted to announce that Okori Lewis-McCalla has won the 2020 Ben Martin Apprentice Award. The calibre of entries was higher than ever this year and Okori was unanimously chosen by the judging panel for his passion and ambition to become a ‘creative technologist’.
As part of the competition, Okori will join Bristol Media and a team of agency professionals at the world’s largest interactive festival, SXSW in Austin, Texas for five days in March. On his return, he’ll complete a structured programme of paid internships.
“To even be shortlisted for the Ben Martin Apprentice Award was quite flattering but to win the award is an honour and something I’m very grateful for”, said Okori. “More than anything, it’s empowering and has reaffirmed to me that you can and should just be yourself.”
The BMAA internship programme was hugely successful in 2019 and saw last year’s winner, Marissa Lewis-Peart, undertake 16 internships with some of the biggest and best agencies in the region. As a result, her career is off to a flying start! This year, we’re looking for agencies and businesses to be involved as corporate sponsors, to provide additional funding and further reach for young people. In 2020, we’re also committed to offering internships to the runners-up who will benefit from gaining practical work experience, setting them up for a future career in the industry.
“We all want to make sure our industry is more diverse and inclusive, but when you run a small business, it’s not always easy to know how to make a practical difference. By coming together as the Bristol Media community to support the BMAA, every member business, regardless of size, can do their bit to help young people get that all important ‘foot in the door’.” ~ Chris Thurling, Chair, Bristol Media
“ADLIB are delighted to support this year’s Ben Martin Apprentice Award. We’re a B Corp business committed to driving and championing diversity and inclusion within the technology, data, creative and marketing sectors. We are big supporters of Babassa and it has been a pleasure working with them and Bristol Media, we look forward to seeing the positive outcomes that are generated through the programme.” ~ Nick Dean, MD, ADLIB
“This competition embodies Babbasa’s mission to improve social mobility outcomes in Bristol and the SW and to support young people from diverse communities with their professional ambitions. We are very pleased and excited for what comes next for Okori and I am sure this will inspire many other young people to consider a career in the creative industry.” ~ Urfan Ali, Babbasa Advisory Board Member
If your business would like to get involved with the BMAA in 2020, contact [email protected] for more details.
Membership has remained strong with over 560 individuals and organisations from the South-West creative community. We’ve seen many of our members grow and flourish, plus several forming new partnerships and collaborations which we’re delighted to see. We’re excited to welcome new members in 2020 and to continue to grow membership.
Our events are an opportunity for members of the creative community to come together to meet their peers, network and learn from some of the most influential figures in industry.
We’ve hosted a number of world class speakers as part of our Vision Keynote series: We’ve dreamed the impossibility of indifference with Pentagram’s Harry Pearce, got under the skin of why leadership is so difficult with the legendary leadership guru Margaret Heffernan, and discovered how to be joyful at work with Twitter’s EMEA Vice President Bruce Daisley (in partnership with our friends at BIMA).
In November we brought back our famous Portfolio Review Night, this time connecting 15 freelance animators, copywriters, designers, photographers, filmmakers and even a voice over artist, with 15 creative directors from member agencies. It was an exhilarating (and exhausting!) evening at Origin Workspace, with lots of business cards exchanged and a couple of potential contracts, too.
The members lunch remains a firm favourite in the calendar. This year we’ve hosted 9 member lunches where we’ve had the pleasure of meeting over 250 people from member organisations. New for 2019 was the introduction of 3-minute elevator pitches and it’s been brilliant to hear what our members are up to. The pitches have been as entertaining as they have been informative and watching those lightbulb moments when members realise they can collaborate with each other is incredibly rewarding!
It’s important to us to facilitate growth and opportunities in the community, to inspire talented people to work here and encourage business growth. Our member organisations have posted over 670 job roles via South West Creative Jobs, from planners to developers, camera operators to designers, interns to directors, the jobs board remains the go-to site if you’re looking to advertise or secure a creative industry role.
Our workshops have proved to be another effective method to support and upskill local professionals. In January we kicked off with Blair Enns and his critically acclaimed workshop: ‘Mastering the Value Conversation’. An inspiring and practical session where we saw Blair share his expert pricing knowledge with 26 individuals from local businesses.
Throughout the rest of the year we’ve worked with some lovely businesses to hold training and workshops on a variety of subjects, including Copyright in Productions, CV & LinkedIn for Freelancers, how to Supercharge your Instagram, plus How to get the Big Idea with Patrick Collister. Watch out for more of these next year!
We took our second young person to Austin for SXSW as part of the Ben Martin Apprentice Award (BMAA). On returning, our BMAA winner Marissa Lewis-Peart, had the incredible opportunity of 15 paid work placements in local agencies, gaining a wealth of experience in various disciplines within the industry.
The competition to find our SXSW 2020 winner is underway with the successful candidate due to be announced very soon. In the summer of 2020, we plan to repeat the paid placements not only for the winner but also four of the runners up. If your firm would like to get involved, please contact [email protected]
We also bid farewell to our very own Content Apprentice, Izzy Bryant. Izzy has been a fantastic addition to the team, spearheading the Featured Member series where we’ve met some incredible businesses and individuals to find out more about what they do. One of our favourite moments from this series was a quote in response to the question ‘Describe Bristol in 3 words’, to which came the reply “Doing Things Differently”. We felt this perfectly summarised the local ecosystem and the uniquely collaborative nature we’re so proud of in Bristol.
Our City – our annual film competition in collaboration with the Mayor and local partners – has seen a record number of entries this year. As well as the cash prize of £1000, the young finalists have their film screened on Millennium Square, are offered industry work experience and a marketing workshop with Destination Bristol. The judges have been so impressed with the quality and creativity of the entries once again and are now finalising this year’s winner.
We have continued to fly the flag for Bristol within both the Creative Industries Council cluster group and the Creative Industries Federation (CIF) UK Advisory Council. CIF and Creative England (CE) have announced a merger in Spring 2020, and have published a joint Creative Industries Manifesto, which our board director, Paul Appleby, was involved in drafting. This will combine the London-based lobbying power of CIF with the national coverage of England of CE.
Next year, we’re seeing in our 15th year and we’ve got lots in store for the creative community in Bristol, Bath and the region.
It’s been quite a year but there is so much to look forward to in 2020, including a very exciting announcement! Thank you so much to all our loyal members and partners who continue to support us to deliver the great work.
Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year, from all of us at Bristol Media.
You can stay up to date with news and announcements by signing up to our newsletter here.
Sometimes I feel like I’m still a newbie and only left my part-time job in retail a few months ago, but the reality is I’ve actually been a Junior Content Producer Apprentice with Bristol Media and AMBITIOUS PR for over a year now!
Since the last time I checked in, things have really taken off. Social Media Week Bristol 2019 has come and gone (read about my life on the digital squad in my blog), I’ve met and featured 5 (soon to be 6) Bristol Media members, and have worked alongside both teams on some really exciting projects. Not to mention that I’ve also been busy at College experimenting with VR and learning about video production.
With my apprenticeship coming to an end and the new year about to begin, it’s the perfect time to reflect on my experience and think about the future. Here are three things I’ve learnt during my time as an apprentice…
Something I struggled with at the beginning of my apprenticeship (and still a bit now) is confidence in myself and my work. Some great advice a colleague gave me is to not doubt myself because of my age or absence in experience. Because when I walk into a meeting or event, no one knows those things, and I can use that to my advantage. What’s the worst that can happen if I approach someone to network at an event? Or offer my input during a collaborative meeting? I’ve realised that people are actually interested in hearing what I have to say and it’s really great to know that.
When I say communication, I mean ALL communications. Whether it be as simple as answering the office phone or communicating brand values, I’m sure my colleagues can vouch for me when I say that since I first started back in November 2018, my internal and external comms have significantly matured. I guess spending 2 days a week at a comms agency will do that to you…
Of course, my apprenticeship has proven challenging at times. I have been thrown into the deep end on a few occasions. Naturally, I like to stick to familiar tasks, things I know that I can do well, but when in a sink or swim position I can either wait for someone else to save me or jump right in. Ultimately I know that I’ll impress my team a lot more if I try and give it my best go. On one occasion I made a video for a client that I really wasn’t confident about doing, but once I’d got past the stress and panic it turned out great.
One year on, I know that I made the right decision choosing to go down the apprenticeship route with Cirencester College. I am super pleased to have finished my exams with a Distinction overall and a job offer from AMBITIOUS PR as Junior Content Executive!
The Mr B & Friends diversity team has just marked a year of promoting equal opportunities within the creative industry and has produced a highlights video to celebrate.
Formed from recognition by the board that minorities are underrepresented in our industry, the diversity team has a remit to address imbalances through positively improving prospects. Over the last 12 months the agency has formed partnerships with a number of education providers to visit schools, host work experience placements and welcome students to the office for insight sessions. The efforts have been driven by a desire to raise awareness of, and opportunities for, those who might consider a career in the design industry, an area that is traditionally dominated by white, middle class males.
As well as working with school age children we’ve participated in events hosted by outreach programmes, attended a careers fair and dedicated time to two portfolio review sessions. We’ve also joined forces with a number of creative agencies in the region to support ‘Kerning the Gap’, a collective who are aiming to achieve more diversity in design leadership roles, with four of our team becoming mentors to women rising through the ranks in their field.
Last but definitely not least we’ve seen success from Ladies, Wine & Design, an initiative run by designer Sara Foley. Created in New York to champion women in the creative industry, Sara runs the Bristol chapter of the organisation, which has so far involved holding three sold-out events, all of which have been focused on inspiring and empowering women.
Building on the starting point of introducing flexible working practises to help parents a few years ago, the formation of the diversity committee has widened our scope of improving access to roles in the creative industry. The mission is far from over though and this year the team will be looking at tackling gender imbalance within the agency – and the diversity team itself – while continuing to build on changing the face of the industry for future generations.
As creative director, Kate Gorringe, says, “We still need to study our recruitment practices and job descriptions to address the dreadful statistics around women removing themselves from the application process when they’re more than qualified. This year has provided a solid foundation for us to build upon, but from here we need to evolve to engage more people and really encourage those across the industry to embed an active approach into their culture.”
Watch the film here.
Liz Gadd, Co-Founder and Recruiter at Moxie and Mettle, is an experienced recruiter in PR, Communications, Digital, Social, Creative and Marketing.
In this workshop Liz will share with you some of her 30 years of experience placing freelance PR, marketing, creative and communications professionals. This includes…
Liz looks at CVs, Linked In, direct approaches, and general hints and tips about how to get the right work for you. It’s real world career advice with plenty of knowledge to share about what it’s really like and what really works in finding freelance work with clients and new job opportunities. Liz will also share how to create a perfect 10 second introduction for you and your services, when talking to prospective clients and new contacts.
This workshop will take place on Tuesday 20th November from 0930-1200 at The Ivy Clifton Brasserie, 42-44 Caledonia Place, Clifton, Bristol, BS8 4DN. Tickets are £20+VAT for Bristol Media members and £30+VAT for non-members. A light breakfast is included in the ticket price. Booking is via Eventbrite.
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