3rd
Creative Networking Event
Technology Innovation
Centre (tic), Millennium Point
Wednesday 26th
January 2005 - From 6.00pm 'til LATE
Millennium Point, Curzon Street, Birmingham,
B4 7XG
| tic’s
e-Media Centre again hosted a gathering of creative
companies and related organisations at its 3rd
Creative Networks Millennium Point-based event.
The evening began with guests enjoying a hot buffet
in the tic Cafe, after which
the formal part of the evening took place in the
main Lecture Theatre.
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| The increasingly
popular ‘client pitching session’ provided
a lively introduction to several new and developing
enterprises in the region. Summaries of the latest
pitches: |
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Roger Cottrell
- Blind Samurai Films:
This film writer-turned-producer has written a script
for a feature-length, crime thriller which he describes
as ‘drawing both on the social realist strand
within British film making but also, on the plot
driven, Aristotelian conventions of better, American
crime movies, such as Training Day and Collatoral.’
Roger is seeking further investment to produce the
work. He is currently collaborating on this project
with Lighthouse and the Script Factory and as a
direct result of the Creative Networks Event with
Dreaded Little Films. |
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Rosie Kay
- Rosie Kay Dance Company:
Rosie is seeking future collaborators to assist
her company in all the production aspects of a proposed
promotional video. Its purpose is to present her
work and the company’s capabilities to theatres,
other venues and promoters to encourage bookings
and further development opportunities. |
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Marcellus
Lindsey - ENET Media Group, EMG:
Marcellus offers a range of products and services
to creative SMEs. EMG offers a free initial consultation
to assess a potential client’s needs and resources.
This is followed by mapping out an agreed plan of
tasks to achieve business objectives, giving business
support and taking the client from being ‘just
creative’ into being ‘a creative business’
able to carry out effective planning and administration
through to financial management and promotion of
the business. |
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Titiksha
Shah - School of Asian Performing Arts, SAPA: I
Titksha directs this training ‘centre of excellence’
for screen, TV and theatre – combining both
Eastern and Western performance techniques and a
range of training in acting and dance, and music
& instruments. The centre is launching a series
of new 1-year courses, developed in conjunction
with, and approved by, Birmingham School Of Acting.
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| Feedback from previous
Creative Network events had led to the opportunity
to hear from, and speak directly to, two of the
primary funding agents of the West Midlands. Our
speakers were:- |
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Mary
Mathews - Interactive Media Cluster Manager
Advantage West Midlands (AWM)
Mary described the processes which govern success
for her cluster – Interactive Media. These
include networking, marketing and showcasing, digital
technology, skills development and investment/finance.
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| tic’s
Creative Networks is an excellent example of how
networking is working for screen-based creative
companies to discover how new business initiatives
are being introduced in the Region.|
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Advantage West Midlands
are the Regional Development Agency (RDA) for the
whole of the West Midlands |
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Clusters are defined
as: "Geographic concentrations of interconnected
companies, specialised suppliers, service providers,
firms in related industries and associated institutions
... In particular fields that compete but also co-operate." |
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Michael
Ryan – Cluster Skills Manager (Media)
Learning Skills Council (LSC)
Michael highlighted that ESF funding is not just
for delivery of skills, but the associated activities
which add value to learning. By encouraging collaboration,
co-operation and discussion leading to the adoption
of the practices required to pioneer future work.
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| He stated;
"EU Funding is not designed to give advantage
to any one group over another, but to benefit
the business community as a whole."
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The LSC exists to
make England better skilled and more competitive.
They have a single goal: to improve the skills of
England's young people and adults to make sure we
have a workforce that is of world-class standards. |
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Conclusion
tic’s e-Media head Steve
Smith invited Rob Ellis to introduce the launch
of the tic’s ‘Creative
Networks’ Portal – www.creativenetworksonline.com
Rob is architect of the software design that enables
this portal.
He previewed its key functions and predicted what
its full capabilities would be.
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Rob strongly emphasised the principles
on which it is based: these cover collaboration, communication,
access to information and infrastructure, learning and
training, and, perhaps most important, the potential
for tic Creative Network participants to discover new
business opportunities.
Finally everyone adjourned to Millennium
Point’s newly-opened, licensed i-Bar, where there
were further opportunities for networking as well as
discussion and debate flowing from the issues raised
during the evening.
An attendee
comments on the evening:
"I am just dropping you a line to
say thank you for inviting us to the Creative Networking
Event on 23 Jan at tic.
The energy and effort put into making this a successful
and useful meeting was apparent from the start and the
information given by your speakers was valid and valued.
I thoroughly enjoyed my time at event and will definitely
be at the next one."
Paul Smith, Twisted Medai Productions
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