Televisual articles from January 2002

Televisual archives from January 2002

Wark clements wins biggest commission outside London. (Broadcast).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Wark Clements has secured Channel 4's largest-ever factual commission outside London. The First World War, based on a book by Professor Hew Strachan, is a 10x60 minute series expected to air in 2004. Clements pitched it to C4 after discussing...

Tiny planets producer to set up new to set up new toon venture. (Animation).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Pepper's Ghost creative director and Tiny Planets producer Richard Morss has left the company to work on an "ambitious venture" to create a new studio coupled with a rights creation, acquisition and management unit. Morss is currently...

Peloton buys out picture store. (New Media).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Peloton Media Group has bought trailer producer The Picture Store and merged it into its production arm, Peloton Productions. "We bought the brand with the client list," explains group director (and former md of Tele-Cine) Jeff Emerson. ...

Tsunami closes, method opens. (Promos).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Ex-Tsunaml head of music Fiona Gillam and director Chris Gorell-Barnes are forming a new ad/promo company, Method Films. Gillam says the move is a result of Tsunami closing, adding "we were lucky enough to get investment." They take with them...

Brave films and stink. (In Brief).
January 1, 2002... Ad producers Brave Films and Stink both add to their director rosters this month. Stink hires Danish director Stefan Treschow, ex-Headquarter Films Sean Mullens and French director Eric Coignoux, David Hartley and his producer Vanessa...

Re-Active. (In Brief).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Re-Active is on the verge of a network deal after its The Family was a finalist in the C4/Tango Unleash the Talent contest. The boxing documentary was praised for working cross-platform; as stand-alone online, or to complement a TV version. ...

ITC's quarterly report. (In Brief).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... The take-up of satellite television in the UK is outgunning cable by 360%, discloses the ITC's quarterly report Figures indicate a drop of 3% in cable's share of the pay-TV market in 2001, casting further doubt on the uptake of broadband (a key...

S4C International. (In Brief).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Half the rights to Fireman Sam have been bought out from S4C International by Thomas the Tank Engine-owner, Gullane Entertainment. Another 26-part series will be co-produced by the two, with plans to extend the character's marketing and...

Pesky's rendoosian stuntmen get CBBC series. (Animation).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Animation house Pesky is helping to relaunch the CBBC website with The Amazing Adrenalini Brothers. The 10x2.5-minute Flash animations will also get an airing on the new CBBC channel after its February launch. Adi, Enk and Xan hail...

Starsky & Hutch and R&B perform for triangle. (Corporate).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Triangle's Flame artist Duncan Malcolm has been flexing his creative muscles with two very different promos from the Saatchi & Saatchi design house this month. First up is French DJ Junior Jack's Thrill Me (Such a Thrill), which stars...

Soho teams up for robbie doc. (Broadcast).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... A trio of Soho facilities pooled their resources on the upcoming Robbie Williams feature-length fly-on-the-wall documentary Nobody Someday, directed by Brian Hill. Hill followed Williams during his February European tour producing 55,000ft...

T4. (Graphics).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... T4, Channel 4's strand for energetic teenagers and hungover 20-somethings, gets a graphic revamp in February courtesy of design house Enterexit. The more stylish, simpler makeover was ordered by T4 producer Rachael Tatton-Brown to attract the...

Extreme sports channel. (In Brief).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... With hopes of spawning a viewers version of Jackass, the Extreme Sports Channel is currently collecting clips for a new series, Extreme Homegrown. Skaters and other extreme sports fans are being invited to send in clips of themselves in action,...

Ian Brown. (In Brief).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Ian Brown, ex-Stone Roses front-man, makes his directorial debut with his new promo Whispers. Shot with no production company attached, it was produced by freelancer John Shaikh, with Rushes providing post and Fire. As yet without a release...

Atomic arts. (In Brief).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Atomic Arts has assembled fruity assortment characters for Spiller's new single Cry Baby, due for release at the end of the month. Ordered by EMI records, the promo is created entirely in 3D Max and features a cabaret of alluring fruit dancers....

Objective conjures up orders. (Broadcast).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Objective Productions is in negotiations with two American networks to produce a US version of Channel 4's magic show, Derren Brown: Mind Control. The Sci-Fi Channel and another (unnamed) network are currently vying for a version of the...

Watson takes his camera to a queens' wedding. (Broadcast).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Paul Watson is in post with The Queens' Wedding, a 90-minute documentary he describes as a gay version of A Wedding in the Family, his last C4 film about marriage in middle England. The veteran producer-director (The Family, Sylvania...

Play UK has commissioned multi media arts. (The Green Light).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Play UK has commissioned Multi Media Arts for the 10x3O-minute sketch-show, Having a Pop. Ordered by Matthew Littleford, it will be fronted by Radio 1's Mark and Lard; characters featured will include Mr Luvin It, Mr Dick Palmer-Wanker and...

Maverick, film and television associates and somethin' Else. (The Green Light).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Maverick, Film and Television Associates and Somethin' Else have all been commissioned by Infonation, the documentary unit of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, to make shows for its science strand, The Edge. Maverick is to make The Man who...

RDF's drama ella and the mothers is under way. (The Green Light).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... RDF's drama Ella and the Mothers is under way for TX on BBC1 in 2002. The drama surrounds the issue of IVF treatment and stars Michelle Collins. It is directed by Gavin Millar and produced by Emma Burge. The executive producers are Debbi...

Jane Tranter has given the go-ahead for flesh and blood. (The Green Light).(film by BBC and Red Productions)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Jane Tranter has given the go-ahead for Flesh and Blood, a BBC/Red Productions' for BBC2. The film centres on an adopted man's discovery that his natural parents are mentally disabled. Flesh and Blood stars Christopher Ecclestone and is...

BBC worldwide has picked up global distribution rights. (The Green Light).(Lego Media pre-school program Little Robots)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... BBC Worldwide has picked up global distribution rights to Lego Media's Little Robots. The 52x1 10-minute pre-school animation is currently in production at Cosgrove Hall for a January 2003 delivery.

Carlton and TWI are producing. (The Green Light).(documentary on America's World War II)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Cariton and TWI are producing the 4x60-minute Perilous Flight: America's World War II in Colour for broadcast on Channel 4 and the US's PBS. The series follows on from a series of successful documentaries for the In Colour strand.

Animation producer pulp theatre has won a commission. (The Green Light).(from Flextech PLC)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Animation producer Pulp Theatre has won a commission from Flextech's Blue Yonder broadband service to make the 7x10-minute None But Us about a group of teenagers who emerge from a Big Brother-style house to find the world deserted.

Flextech. (In Brief).(teen programming)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Flextech has produced a new series of dents for its teen channel, Trouble. The idents showcase a selection of MCs from underground street and club music movements, including Harvey from So Solid Crew. They were produced and directed by Steph...

Stone city films. (In Brief).(documentary on last flight of bandleader Glenn Miller)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Stone City Films has made a one-off 50-minute documentary for Channel 4 about the final days of Glenn Miller's life. Director/producer Bryn Higgins worked closely with The Station which created reconstructions of the aviation scenes in DS and...

TSI design. (In Brief).(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
January 1, 2002... New for 2002 is a set of S4C idents from TSI Design. Magic is the theme for one series and Psycho's shower scene for the other, with a Welsh dragon flame theme running throughout. Creative director Malcolm Dalton did most effects in camera,...

Gardam tweaks commissioning. (Broadcast).(Tim Gardam)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Channel 4's director of programmes Tim Gardam has promised to make the commissioning process quicker and "a lot less bureaucratic" in a letter to independents. Programme proposals will be answered within three months, and the June budget...

BBC arts: new commissioners. (Broadcast).(Franny Moyle; Peter Maniura)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Roly Keating is to drop his role as BBC arts commissioner after taking up his new post as head of the new BBC4. Keating is currently head of BBC4 precursor BBC Knowledge as well as arts commissioner. His duties will be taken up by Franny...

Shed md to chair pact. (People).(Eileen Gallagher)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Shed md Eileen Gallagher has been elected chair of Pact, taking over from Hartswood's Beryl Vertue, who will continue to sit on the governing council. Tiger Aspect's Andrew Zein takes up Gallagher's vice chair for TV post, and Archer...

S4C puts up [pounds sterling]200k for talent. (Deals).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... S4C has launched a [pounds sterling]200k scheme to develop fresh on and off-screen talent. It will be steered by head of children's and youth Meiron Davies who, as head of talent development, will seek out new producers and writers as well...

More job cuts at Carlton. (Broadcast).(Carlton Communications)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
January 1, 2002... Canton is to cut a further 100 jobs, bringing its total job losses to 400 in the past year. Jobs will also go from ITV Digital following the announcement of [pounds sterling]409m of losses in Carlton's end of year results. The losses...

ITV pledges regional cash. (Regions).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... ITV chief executive Stuart Prebble has pledged to increase spending on regional production. At present, ITV makes a commitment as to hours commissioned from the regions, rather than as to the amount spent there. The regional production...

Recession is a paragraph. (The Business News).(for television industry)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... In the cold winds of recession, here's a warm glow. The last few years have seen progress in the way broadcasters engage with production outside London: C4's 30% licence requirements have given a boost to regional production, and we're now...

Murphy's new-look BBC3. (Broadcast).(Stuart Murphy)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... After the rejection of the original plans for BBC3 in September, Stuart Murphy and the gang have spent the last few months cooking up a recipe sure to be palatable to the government. The new proposal, published by the DOMS, has a much more...

TV from the heart. (Month in Review).(Independent Television terminates its ad agency, HHCL and Partners)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... With its [pounds sterling]17m-a-year deal to get a ride on Sky's bandwagon finally in place, as Christmas approached ITV was girding its loins to stem the leak of audiences to BBC1. Dropping English & Pockett's three-year-old lovey-dovey "TV...

RTS award for creative contribution. (Month in Review).(Radio Television Society, Independent Television)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Among the (430) recent casualties of ITV's cash crisis, John Willis and Andrea Wonfor have done their bit to head off union complaints that it's the poor what gets the sticky end of the redundancy lollipop. Granada's md, worldwide production...

One-ITV. (Month in Review).(television advertising revenues)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... There's never a good time for a 15% slump in ad revenues, but now is probably better than any other -- leading the government consultation paper on media ownership to bend over backwards to pave the way for a more viable One-ITV. Media stocks...

Do it on the desktop -- again. (Facilities).(television production)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... I can't understand why the idea of making television "on the desktop" (Televisual, December 20C1) should come as such a shock to the TV industry when its next-door neighbours in the publishing industry have been doing it on the desktop for most...

Kylie turns them on. (Commercials).
January 1, 2002... I was appalled, shocked and... Well actually I was quite thrilled to see young Ms Minogue shedding her kit in your magazine. I have noticed over the years that cinema commercials are tending towards the the raunchier side of things, and...

Never work with animals. (Broadcast).
January 1, 2002... I suppose it's a reflection of a me-too trend in current TV output but last month's magazine seemed to rotate exclusively around animals -- whether it was crocodiles, monkeys, Gorillaz or even that wretched fox. Wherever I flicked, the...

Thompson's bid for independence. (Opinions).(BBC's Mark Thompson)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Anyone get the feeling they've been round this way before? January 2001: BBC TV director Mark Thompson apologises for "the length of time it's taken the BBC to finalise our commissioning plans for independents." December2001: Channel 4...

C4's golden ages. (Interview Hamish Mykura).
January 1, 2002... Channel 4 history is buoyant and making a play for the 8pm slot this year, as a new incumbent steps into Tim Kirby's boots as commissioner. Simon Meek picks the new man's brains to find out what he wants. Success breeds success, as Channel...

ITV lays the bait. (In Production: Bait).(Independent Television)
January 1, 2002... Nick Elliott may be sufficiently worried about his drama budgets over at the network centre to publicly beg bosses not to cut them back, but ITV is still soldiering on to produce decent home-grown drama. Monogram is in production with its...

Faces trade places. (TV Commissioners).(job changes throughout the industry during 2001)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... A clearout at BBC entertainment and comedy a whole raft of departures at Channel 4 and an almost completely new commissioning team at Channel 5. It's been a restless year for broadcast commissioners. It's enough to make your head spin....

The future is in the archive. (Archive).(news footage of events)
January 1, 2002... Footage libraries, already busy with the with the digital channels' demand for archive material, since September have seen a growing demand from the US for news footage. In the aftermath of 11 September, producers around the world are...

Graphics in revolt: A year of more work but more dissatisfaction in the graphics sector Sam Espensen talks to the troops about the pitfalls of unknown territory. (Graphics).(Industry Overview)(Statistical Data Included)
January 1, 2002... Exhortations to broadcasters to unleash the talent of the graphics community have not fallen on deaf ears. Last year's survey revealed a community not only itching to be included in all areas of broadcasting, but also to embrace the new...

M2 en-route to high-definition. (Facilities).(M2 Television)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... M2 Television is breaking into the high-def market with the purchase of a 5D Cyborg M. It is the first facility in Soho to get the compositing tool. The [pounds sterling]140k investment will pitch M2 against The Farm's Home, which has held...

Jaleo to overhaul and relaunch. (Technology).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Jaleo is to rebrand its editing/compositing software in a bid to increase its share in the high-end post market. The revamp will coincide with the release of an HD version of Jaleo (v4.O), currently in beta at Baraka. It will be launched in...

Golden square post. (In Brief).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Golden Square Post has teamed up with vfx house Double Negative to put together a 3D department for the broadcast market, A team of three animators and a producer from Double Negative will reside at Golden Square. The 3D division is already at...

Framestore and CFC unite. (Facilities).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Post monoliths Framestore and sister company CFC have abandoned their separate identities and merged to become Framestore CFC in a move that will threaten The Mm's dominance in the UK. The senior management team remains unchanged and is led...

Esprit pictures gears up for facility launch. (Facilities).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... David Blackham, ex-BFV founder and ceo, is making his first move back into the facilities market after his acrimonious split with the Bristol post-house. John Everett (ex-Spirit Pictures) and Blackham have teamed up to launch the...

Resolution in staff shake-up. (Facilities).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Resolution has axed four floor-level workers despite finding room for two new management positions. The redundancies were a symptom of "overstaffing," according to md Mike Saunders. Two edit assistants from the Old Street site, and an...

Newcastle blooms with post job. (Facilities).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Newcastle facility Imagine and cg house Mere Mortals teamed up to create the eight minute corporate documentary for TTV Productions which won first place in the Nations in Bloom competition. The short film, directed by TTV's Richard Smith, is a...

Sony. (In Brief).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Sony is geaning up to launch the first in its IMX camera range next month, signalling a move away from traditional acquisition formats to mpeg2. The MSW900 contains a "metadata feature that inserts digital information directly on to the tape,"...

Disc. (In Brief).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... The premises of the now defunct Money Channel is operating as an independent facility under the name Disc. The east London studios will be capable of housing up to 10 channels, five of which will be in place by April. Adrian Rogers and Michael...

Softimage XSI. (In Brief).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Softimage XSI version 2 is shipping this month with over 2500 new features and enhancements, claims the manufacturer. Real-time shaders and hair and fur simulators are new to the product, as well as 3D web authoring tools that integrate both...

Key players pull out of IBC 2002. (Business).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Avid and Digidesign are pulling out of this year's IBC, fuelling speculation that the trade show's authority might be weakening. Other major exhibitors including Quantel have also hinted that they will not have such a big presence at this...

FastStudio.DV gets a revamp. (Technology).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Pinnacle Systems aims to relaunch its FastStudio.DV editing software this March, integrating other software applications into the package. Ex-Fast general manager Steve Wise is now heading up Pinnacle's software division where he is...

Adobe licenses Sonic for DVD. (Technology).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Adobe is teaming up with Sonic Solutions to create it's own DVD authoring application for the desktop PC. The idea is that Adobe license Sonic technology as a first step in its DVD software developmentc cycle, to bring the product to market...

Orbital moves into television. (Business).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Audio installation firm Orbital Sound has appointed a new board of directors in a bid to push the company into the broadcast marketplace. The new directors are all internal promotions: Jane Finlay (director of personnel), Sebastian Frost...

Broadband gives way to narrow. (The Business the Works).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Broadcasters are getting tough. They want more for less and won't even consider outsourcing anymore. Take the BBC's producer's choice: your right to choose the best for the project and where you wanted to work. Or was it just a good lunch with...

It's prawnography. (Crust).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... What has eight legs, a penchant for fish and can kick the living crustacean out of anything that moves? A seven-foot boxing shrimp, of course. Baffled? So was Videosonics' Simon Gursham when Giant Films asked him to do sound design for its...

TV for twenty-O-two. (In my view).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... The only hand to go up when Dan Tapscott called for a show from the under-30s at last year's RTS conference was Lindsey Fallow's. She'd made his future-gazing intro-film and, after three years as reporter/director on Tomorrow's World, she's now...

January TX guide: The producer's guide to the month on the box. (The End).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... 2DTV The Best Bits, 31 December at 23.30: ITV ITV's last show for 2001 mocks everyone from the Beckhams to Bin Laden. From Triffic Films and the makers of Spitting Image (who now have commissions for two more series for spring and autumn...

When media moguls marry psycho potentates. (We Have Seen the Future).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... RDF Media could have stumbled on the future of mankind when it set about rounding up the Freud dynasty in four hour long shows that kick off this month. The Century of the Self, for BBC2, takes the story, all the way from grandad Sigmund back...