Blogs tagged "BBC"
July 2019
CMC 2019: Report – Commissioner Conversations BBC
Changemaker Alvin Owusu is a highly inspirational 18-year-old who uses his disadvantaged background as a driver to help young people through The Advantage Group. His aim is to demonstrate to businesses that diversity is not charity, but in fact, good business sense, using Stormzy as an example of how this can work. Through his outreach he aims to help change 2000 young lives for the better. Takeaway: Mantra for BBC Children's: ‘Making the good popular and the popular good’. Will commission good quality content that aims to instruct but also entertain. Using influencers in a way that doesn’t shoehorn them into an awkward format. BBC Education is restructuring- bringing Bitesize and Education together. Detail: The session opened with Helen Foulkes…
July 2018
CMC 2018: Report – Commissioner Conversations – BBC
This session invited key speakers from the BBC to reveal their strategy for the future and how the CMC audience can engage with them through pitching, development and production of content across all platforms. Takeaway: • The ‘Fewer, Bigger, Better’ strategy will provide focus for priority brands, but not at the expense of new content across all genres and platforms. • There are opportunities to pitch for new content for 13-16 year olds which will sit on BBC iPlayer. • Across CBeebies and CBBC there are opportunities to pitch for drama, as well as games and short form content for apps. • Animation is still key across both channels and there is an open door policy for pitches. Detail: Tim…
July 2017
CMC 2017: Report – Play to Learn or Learn to Play?
The full session is available here as a podcast: Emma Cooper led the open talk on the educational side of gaming and what this can do for the future of education. Takeaway: There is a demand for quality educational games Government needs to invest more in other creative ways of learning Newer technologies can lead to greater exposure for educational gaming Detail: Ever since the closing of BBC Jam, the independent side of the e-learning industry had lost money and confidence in gaming with educational purposes. With new developments being made to help bridge the gap, is this helping to rekindle a student’s love of learning with a love of gaming. It is now a crowded market for casual games,…
CMC 2017: Report – Meet The Commissioners: BBC
A panel of BBC commissioners from across the departments told a keen audience everything they need to know in order to confidently pitch, from they types of shows they're looking for to details of development deals and IP rights Takeaway: Wanted: Content for gaps in programming. Wanted: Inventive brand extensions that take popular shows to another level. Wanted: Comedy, diversity and and passionate hosts who can really inspire young minds. Detail: Cheryl Taylor, Controller, CBBC Kay Benbow, Controller, CBeebies, Lucie McLean, Head of Product, Children's, BBC Design and Engineering, Jakie Myburgh, Business Controller, BBC Children's Variety’s Stewart Clarke introduced the panel, before reminding us of the recent big news for BBC Children’s: the additional £34m investment over three years. He then asked the question on…
CMC 2017: Report – Best Friends Forever?
This session addressed the issue of the lack of feature length children’s films being produced in the UK. Would the ideal situation be to follow the German and Dutch model and bring together broadcasters and funders to collaborate on projects? Takeaway: Collaboration between broadcasters and funders is a way to gain high quality content Funding schemes are a way of encouraging new content Longevity of a project is key in children’s film Detail: Head of Business for NTR Hedda Bruessing explained how their mission was to “bring special programmes to everyone”. The children’s department is the biggest section of the broadcaster, and with 25 per cent of programming aimed at children she believes that kids deserve content linked to their…
CMC 2017: Report – Reflecting and Serving Neurodiversity
The team creating new preschool programme ‘Pablo’ discussed making an inclusive, positive show which promotes understanding for children on the autistic spectrum. The session explored the process of developing stories celebrating neurodiversity and asked how we can put children’s ideas and creativity at the heart of programming Takeaway: New programme 'Pablo’ will provide an insight into the experiences of a neurodiverse child Authentic and insightful stories have been developed through working closely with people who have personal experience of autism Creating accessible games content through the addition of extra features is important in making products as inclusive as possible Detail: Gráinne McGuinness, Creative Director at Paper Owl Films, believes in creating meaningful content for preschool viewers. ‘Pablo’ is a programme…
CMC 2017: Report – So Over Unboxing – What’s Next?
The full session is available here as a podcast: Guest blogger Sid Sloane puts his slant on the experts’ view of what the next big thing in digital will be. Takeaway: The best way to prepare for ‘what’s next’ is to be clear about where you, and your audience, fit into the digital world Digital will always be a two-way process The future is now! Detail: Just lately my mantra has been don’t dwell on anything be present, which takes a lot of in-the-moment thinking. So when it comes to the question ‘what next?’, the answer is now. It takes a lot of now to be present. The now is exactly what our panel of committed content providers who formed an…
CMC 2017: Report – Are We Open?
Prof. Jeanette Steemers moderated this morning’s session dedicated to covering many of the policy issues facing children’s television today, in a ‘Question Time’ panel format – asking how is the industry open for ideas, challenges and potential problems within the current climate? Takeaway: Policy, budget and funding will impact the creative industries in short and long term Securing terms of trade suitable for everyone should be an industry priority UK is a powerhouse of creative talent, so thought should be given to how we protect and nurture it now and in future Detail: Leading the panel’s discussion, Prof. Jeannette Steemers reminded delegates of regulator Ofcom’s upcoming consultation to ‘Hold the BBC to account for the delivery of its mission and…
CMC 2017: Report – Opening Keynote
Broadcaster Nihal Arthanayake introduced the two keynote speakers from BBC, James Purnell, Director of BBC Radio & Education, and Alice Webb, Director of BBC Children’s and Director of BBC North, to discuss the details of the BBC’s increase in children’s spending announced today. Takeaways: BBC announces additional £34m spend on children’s content over next three years. CBeebies and CBBC content and channels remain in place though fewer and bigger will become the watchwords. The new money will mainly be used for digital developments, greater interactivity and new content for 12-16s. A key development will be personalisation of the iPlayer, allowing older children and young teens to receive recommendations and customise their content from a range of BBC content, not just…
July 2016
CMC 2016: Report – Volunteers’ Career Guidance Session
Over 80 students and young people from the industry make up the CMC volunteer team. You'll see them everywhere in their yellow tee-shirts. They're from a wide variety of institutions across the county, including Edinburgh, Leeds, Sheffield, Hallam, Nottingham, Lincoln, De Montford Leicester, Manchester, Brighton and Sussex. On Monday 4 July they were all briefed, given their CMC business cards, assigned their tasks and went to a career tips session organised by recently graduated Oli Ridgeon. Takeaway There’s no set path or hard and fast rules to get into children’s media, but there are certain attributes that can help you along the way, including: Persistence Willingness Having a positive attitude and a willingness to be helpful, and listen Taking rejection in your stride…
July 2012
CMC 2012: Making vegetables talk!
I’m Jon Hancock – I’ll be blogging at this year’s CMC. Your emergency exits are ... Hmm, maybe not. I’ve been at the Beeb for 12 years – working my way up the ranks within the Children’s department across CBBC and CBeebies. Now at the dizzying height of Series Producer, I’ve been spending the last couple of years making vegetables talk in the joyously bunting-tastic Mr Bloom’s Nursery. It’s a hoot to make – wonderful team, and I don’t care what you say, Ben Faulks (Mr Bloom himself) is the nicest bloke in telly. That Mumsnet readers find him the tinciest bit attractive isn’t something that I’m going to exploit TOO much this summer as we film the new series…