Welcome to Issue Two of the Newsletter for members of "The Creative Networks"

The Creative Networks at the Technology Innovation Centre (tic) is about bringing all parties involved in screen-based media in the West Midlands together. This includes the diverse and often disparate creative companies, freelancers and associated businesses in the region.
Creative Networks seeks to promote successful business development and collaboration, and long term sustainability through knowledge and use of innovative technologies and creative practices.

Regular monthly face-to-face networking events are held at tic. These events offer opportunities for companies to network and make pitches, detailing the resources they are seeking or the projects and challenges they are planning.

Visit our online portal www.creativenetworksonline.com for up-to-date news, funding, business support, training and tender opportunities.

Wednesday 27th April - From 6.00pm ‘til LATE at tic, Millennium Point
The Collaborative Networking Event for Creative Industry Professionals

The next event is scheduled for Wed 27th April 2005 starting at 6pm at tic. There will be opportunities for you to network and pitch your products and services, and form partnerships and collaborations with other colleagues from the Creative Industries Sector. Advance notice is strongly recommended for those who wish to pitch.

If you would like to attend please email (mention any special dietary requirements)
Mandeep Chana mandeep.chana@tic.ac.uk or phone Ha Vu on 07967 706 445
Please do join us.

Great success stories on collaboration projects have resulted from the Creative Networks events – so get pitching. Do contact us first if you would like to try!
We will disseminate success stories on the Creative Networks portal at www.creativenetworksonline.com

Michael Bradbury
Company: 3rd Eye Broadcast
Michael introduced his independent Birmingham based production company. 3rd Eye Broadcast deal with a range of clients from global networks to U.K.-based terrestrials and other independent U.K. companies. It provides production and post-production services to a range of both broadcast and corporate clients. 3rd Eye Broadcast is aiming to develop and increase its television output to networks. If people have TV ideas or pilots ready for production, 3rd Eye Broadcast welcome well written one page proposals that include genre, slot, channel etc. which could be taken forward to the relevant Commissioner.
email: info@3rdeyebroadcast.com Web: www.3rdeyebroadcast.com

Nico Jones
Company: Foresight Visual Media
A Custard Factory-based production house, Foresight provides clients with a ‘one-stop-shop’ offering video graphics, music and artwork from a close knit team under one roof. They would take on any type of project, whether corporate, creative, promotional or personal. Foresight specialise in title sequences, special video montages, digital grading, custom 2D/3D graphics and visual effects, as well as having an in-house musician and offering full artwork and web design capabilities.
email: enquiries@foresightvisuals.co.uk web: www.foresightvisuals.co.uk

Darren Cox
Company: More Internet Communication
More Internet Communication's mission is to help businesses realise more fully the benefits of using the Internet in order to boost business through the medium of their websites. ‘More’ offer extremely effective and efficient new technology methods of enhancing a company’s customer online service. Darren said: “The ‘exciting bit’ is being able to convert hot prospects and engage with them pro-actively, moving them from online to offline – in real-time.” More Internet Communication offer an assessment of businesses’ online presence, offering best-practice advice in the use of technology to enable them to market their websites in order to ‘engage’ with customers in a new way.
email: consultdarren@yahoo.co.uk

Peter Spalton: Freelance Rainmaker - Facilitator - Consultant
Peter Spalton is a freelance business development director. He may look like a ‘suit’, but describes himself as a ‘rainmaker’ – someone who establishes added-value, powerful relationships with both people and businesses. Peter is looking for creative people in PR, Advertising, Creative Copy and Graphics, as well as in Multimedia, with whom to collaborate in industrial markets.
email: peter@spalton.co.uk web: www.spalton.co.uk & www.rainmaker.biz

Scott Herford
Company: Ultratainment
Australian producer Scott, together with colleagues Jane Hrouda, and Michael Lenn, are currently working on feature films, 2 television series, and 2 public funding bids. Scott wanted to prepare the tic Network for a future more comprehensive pitch, promising some real ‘news’ at the next meeting. In the meantime Ultratainment offer their showreel to any interested parties.
email: scott@ultratainment.co.uk web: www.ultratainment.co.uk

Claire Ingham - PACT Trainer, (Producers Alliance for Cinema and Television)
Claire addressed the Creative Network’s key ‘Focus of the Month’: Commissioning Tactics and Pitching. Claire’s own training had been in Screenwriting for Film both at the University of Stirling and University of California, Santa Barbara, USA. She had also studied Script and Screenwriting with Malcolm Bradbury on the MA programme at the University of East Anglia. She showed two video clips of TV programme trailers, asking the audience to consider just what messages each clip was designed to communicate, and the differences between them. She used the responses to demonstrate the facets of pitching and commissioning and how to use special techniques to ensure the relevant impact was achieved. Claire’s key points were:-

	A typical pitch may simply begin with a 1-line email to a commissioning editor, followed with a written outline up to 2 pages long.
	The importance of introducing remarks which would elicit budget limits.
	The value of employing pictures and images to illuminate and amplify the text.
	Always use ‘action’ words and ‘active’ verbs to add dynamism.
	The importance of positive (but not ‘over the top’); hyperbole should be avoided.
	Seek to be hard-hitting, in an ‘effective’ but not aggressive way.
	Ensure the conclusion leaves the recipient or reader ‘wanting more’.

For those unable to attend the presentation Claire has kindly allowed her presentation to be stored in the tic’s Digital Asset Management System. To view the pdf document please visit: http://www.creativenetworksonline.com/cnnews/claire_ingham.pdf

Full Biographical notes:
Claire Ingham is a producer, development consultant and script editor - and owner of Midlands film and television drama production company Fat Cat Productions. As well as developing and producing drama for her own company, Claire specialises in the development of feature-length drama projects and series for a number of other UK film and television companies.

Before launching Fat Cat Productions, Claire worked as a Producer/Director for Granada TV, Central TV, Hallmark UK and Carlton Communications, specialising in the launch and marketing of new drama/children's programmes and was the Creative Director/Producer of Children's ITV between 1996 and 1998. Claire has also written for popular television drama, radio and for film, and is currently building a slate of feature, TV and short film projects with a number of established writers and directors. Her Jerwood/First Film short 'Hearing Things' was premiered in the UK in December 2004.

Claire and her associates also lead development programmes, writing initiatives and workshops for the Producer's alliance PACT, and for the regional screen agencies in the East and West Midlands. Claire is also visiting lecturer for Screenwriting & Film Making courses at De Montfort University and the University of Worcester.
email: claire@fatcatproductions.org.uk web: www.fatcatproductions.org.uk