itf blog

The latest news from the
Indie Training Fund

Hello Hoxton
5 August 2010
By claire

ITFNewOfficePic

New home for ITF…

Lux Building (3rd floor)
2-4 Hoxton Square
London
N1 6NU

020 3487 0354


How to monetise digital media
15 July 2010
By rychard

We were proud to sponsor the ‘Monetising Digital Platforms’ workshop at this year’s Children’s Media Conference in Sheffield.

In a tropically hot room, the session – led by Peter Cowley and Justin Judd – focused on how TV and digital media indies can commercially exploit content across TV, digital media, interactive and 360 platforms.

Peter and Justin focused on revenue generation, offering case-studies of specific projects, and then examining how concepts can be developed with monetisation in mind.

Delegates were guided expertly through the monetisation maze, exploring current examples of what’s working and what’s making money; what rights they own and what they could exploit; what is selling the best on new platforms; what opportunities exist in Broadband, VOD, IPTV, Mobile, non-broadcast corporate and branded content; and how to capitalise on international opportunities.

Delegates included Aardman, Animated Yorkshire, Back2Front Animation, BBC, Bold Creative, Brown Bag Films, Complete Control, Conker Media, Disney, Icecandy Entertainment, Target Entertainment Group and other media producers and freelancers.

To see Peter and Justin’s predictions for the future, please check out the workshop summary by clicking here.

Peter Cowley is former MD of Digital Media at Endemol, where he successfully extended high-profile TV shows onto digital channels – including Big Brother and Deal or No Deal – and has pioneered some of the very first mainstream web series including Signs of Life (BBC), The Gap Year and Beat (Bebo), and Kirill (MSN).

Justin Judd founded i-Rights to focus on the management, distribution and exploitation of IPR and content on emerging digital platforms. i-Rights is now part of the Digital Rights Group, one of the world’s leading independent distributors of content. He was previously Controller of Interactive Media for Granada and has worked as a TV producer in the UK and US, winning an International Emmy in 1994.

Justin and Peter deliver regular workshops for ITF. They run the Multiplatform workshop: Making Money from Digital Platforms and Rights.

Photograph of Justin Judd (l) and Peter Cowley (r) at CMC Workshop, June 2010

Justin Judd (left) and Peter Cowley (right) at CMC workshop, sponsored by ITF.

Multiplatform workshop: joined-up production
14 July 2010
By rychard

Many thanks to Lion TV’s Kirsty Hunter and Mint Digital’s Andy Bell for leading an engaging workshop that immersed its delegates in the challenges of joined-up multiplatform production.

The session aimed to break down the barriers faced by production companies and digital interactive agencies who need to work together to create cross-platform content, but often lack the tools and common language to do so.

<p>Photo of ITF Multi Platform Training Workshop</p>

One of the interactive exercises

Andy and Kirsty gave those attending the chance to find out from case studies, lively discussions and sharing their own experience, what makes effective multiplatform projects. Attendees put their newly-gained knowledge to the test in team exercises that saw them developing and pitching multiplatform treatments, and then creating a successful multiplatform workflow.

Delegates who attended the session can access the day’s presentations here

Those who enjoyed this workshop may also find the following upcoming multiplatform training of interest:

Cross-platform: Generating New Projects & Markets, 14.10.10, London.
Generating Innovative Content, 19.10.10, London.
Cross-platform Storytelling, 10.11.10, London.
Making Money from Digital Platforms & Rights, 18.11.10, London.

book more courses

Compliance: Keeping up to Date
28 May 2010
By claire

The sold out pilot of the newest edition to the short course programme was a resounding thumbs up. Belinda Copland and Ian McBride (Media Compliance Services) took delegates through a morning session of issues facing production staff who who may be expected to ensure compliance obligations are met, through a series of case studies and interactive discussion.

The course aimed to combat the fear of creativity being stifled in the name of compliance by giving delegates confidence and knowledge in establishing where the boundaries are. This highly cost-effective interactive course should help to avoid expensive and preventable mistakes.

What the delegates thought:

‘the seminar as a whole was very useful and well presented. It gave a good clear general overview to compliance in an engaging and informed way’ Leonora Chao, Pioneer Productions

‘very experienced and interesting speakers’ Kate Mayne, ITN

Delegates who attended the session can access additional course material

Multiplatform workshop: Making Money from Digital Platforms and Rights
23 March 2010
By claire

Many thanks to Peter Cowley (Endemol) and Justin Judd (i-Rights) for leading another engaging multiplatform session on 23 March 2010.

Delegates can view passworded course content

Look out for further multi/cross-platform training in coming soon…

Cross-platform: Generating New Projects and Markets 08.07.10
A one-day workshop to encourage TV, digital media and interactive producers to originate, develop, plan and pitch multiplatform projects

Cross-platform Storytelling 15.07.10
A full-day workshop to develop the storytelling & writing skills of TV and digital media production teams over a range of platforms and genres and to review trends in cross-platform scripted content.

Multiplatform: Joined-up Production 17.06.10
A one-day workshop to help production companies and digital interactive agencies work
together to create cross platform content

Making Money from Digital Platforms and Rights 18.11.10
A half-day introductory workshop to help production companies and interactive agencies understand how to make money from digital platforms, and to exploit the content rights in both broadcast and corporate markets

Book more courses

June 2009 course – Previous delegates can still view the passworded June 09 presentation

Multiplatform workshop: Joined Up Production
17 March 2010
By claire

Indie Training Fund thanks delegates and trainers Kirsty Hunter (Lion TV) and Andy Bell (Mint Digital) for their input once again on the Multiplatform workshop, Joined-Up Production that took place on 12 March 2010.

The day-long workshop gave those attending the chance to find out from case studies, discussion and sharing their own experience, what makes effective multiplatform projects, what’s hot and what isn’t, and how to devise, plan and manage projects successfully.

Delegates attending this workshop were able to get funding through the Skillset Multiplatform Bursary scheme.

What the delegates thought:

‘excellent. Combination of extensive practical experience plus conceptual understanding – good communicators’

‘very comprehensive and specialised – excellent!’

‘tutors’ knowledge and presentations were excellent’

Delegates only can see the passworded presentation

Joined Up Production will next take place in June (date tbc) and 28 October 2010 (confirmed)

view the course outline

book places

Key employment law changes and developments: get the updates
16 March 2010
By claire

The overhaul of the current sick note system and the introduction of the Statement of Fitness for Work or “fit note” took effect from 6 April 2010.

Also important changes to the amount of paternity leave new fathers can take and proposed amendments to the right of both parents to take parental leave. The rate of Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP), Statutory Paternity Pay (SPP), and Statutory Adoption Pay (SAP) was also increased.

ITF’s one-day Intro to Employment Law seminar on 13.05.10 will include these changes and the basics of employment law for independent production companies.

Who’s it for? This seminar is suitable for producers, production managers, human resources staff and anyone wanting to know more about the legal side of recruitment and staff management

Book by Wednesday 5 May for 10% off

Special offer price: ITF Member £135 / Pact or freelance £200 / Corporate £270

Cross-platform workshop: Generating New Markets & Projects
25 February 2010
By ian

We’ve updated this workshop to make it even more commercially useful by including sessions on new business opportunities in branded content and the public sector as well as on TV.

Led as usual by multiplatform pioneering expert Mike Flood Page (Editorial Director of Illumina Digital) , the new guest speakers included:
Dan Fletcher (partner in Brand Kameleon) about sponsored content opportunities
Mike Saunders (Digital Media Director of Kew Gardens) on the big money available in the public sector, with institutions like Kew, the V& A and the Tate exploiting their priceless IP assets
Andy Smith (Teachers TV Commissioner) revealed how much his channel & online site rely on indies coming up with good treatments to deliver many of his commissions

The delegates had developed cross-platform projects to a brief in small groups during workshop sessions which they pitched to Andy for Teachers TV, who then gave valuable feedback to them.

They said the speakers stimulated them to think of new commercial market opportunities, as well as giving them new perspectives on multiplatform projects:

“All the industry experts were top notch and very impressive” (Tom Gabbuttt – Capsule Films)

“The ‘public sector’ was a real eye-opener in an area I didn’t know much about.
The Pitch was great fun, got us all working which was great…. I learned heaps” (Birte Pedersen – Windfall Films)

The majority of the delegates had been awarded new Skillset Multiplatform training bursaries which had enabled them to attend, and some of them to cover the additional travel and accommodation costs of coming from further afield around the UK.

The tutors have suggested the following links to help develop future creative multiplatform projects and new commercial market opportunities:

Delicious
Ning
Twitter, Tweetminster, Tweetdeck
Channel 4 Big Brother, Dispatches Battle Scarred, Derren Brown The Events, Breaking the News, Producers, 4ip, Landshare, Big Art Mob, Sexperience, Embarrassing Illnesses, Alone in the Wild.
BBC Springwatch, CBBC Masher, Get Cooking, BBC3 Hub esp test, Commisioning Multiplatform, Editorial Guidelines
Sun Quiz Live
Kameleon
Mashable
Kew Gardens
Teachers TV

Please use the Comments field below to post and discuss your responses and progress

Delegates only can see the tutors’ passworded presentations:

Inspirational new Cross-platform Storytelling workshop
By ian

The first of these new ITF sessions led by expert multiplatform writers Sean Coleman and Andrew McCaldon was inspirational for those attending.

“A really productive day. it definitely helped suggest some really good avenues for how I might be able to take my project on to the next level” (Ed McGown – Met Film)

“The case studies opened my eyes to what is possible”  (Dominic Weston – Icon Films)

“Excellent. Informed, pleasant and aproachable. Each [trainer] had different areas of expertise and interests that reflected in their presentations and advice” (Meg Jayanth – Met Film & Freelance)

Thanks to all the delegates for bringing such interesting proposals to develop as multiplatform projects in the small group workshops, for sharing their knowledge and expertise, and for their generous suggestions for enhancing each other’s projects.

“It’s particularly interesting to discuss what people are currently doing and what they’re passionate about, and give/receive individual feedback” (Meg Jayanth – Met Film)

“Great cross-fertilisation in the workshops” (Dominic Weston – Icon Films)

The majority of the 10 delegates had been awarded new Skillset Multiplatform training bursaries which had enabled them to attend, and some of them to cover the additional travel and accommodation costs of coming from further afield around the UK.

We expect them to keep in touch with each other, feedback on this session, and possibly form a network support group to exchange ideas and develop future cross-platform projects together, preferably using the Comments field below.

Here are some useful links from the tutors to inspire you to devise your own cross-platform projects:

And Sean Coleman’s personal definitions of some multiplatform jargon to provoke debate, your own versions and re-interpretations in the Comments field below:

Delegates only can access the workshop presentation materials

Protected: Multiplatform: Joined-Up Production presentation notes
20 February 2010
By claire

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