From regional South Australia to Plymouth and becoming Chair this year of the RTS Devon and Cornwall centre, my journey has been a long one. After arriving in South West England from Australia in 2006 on a late-bloomer’s gap year that is still going, I’ve been freelancing in the region as a camera operator, working in news graphics and floor managing, but primarily plying a trade as an offline editor.

I joined the Devon and Cornwall committee in 2019, helping out with a few edits for the region’s student awards, and have since taken on the role of producing this event. I relish the opportunity to help showcase the young talent coming through.

After 27 years working in television, my passion is to give back and try my best to encourage the next generation, helping them break into this wonderful industry. With so many brilliant universities and colleges in the region, there are many opportunities to do this. We have amazing student member numbers in the region.

I’ve fallen in love with Devon and Cornwall. For me, there’s a constant reminder of home in the long sprawling beaches and the tiny towns bursting at the seams in the summer. I do love the familiarity of this, but I also love the year-round lush, green countryside that I’m not so used to. I’m not ashamed to admit that there’s nothing quite like a nice Cornish pasty and a pint of Proper Job to help realise how good we have it in the South West.

I want to use the platform of the RTS to shout about the growing film and television opportunities here. Twofour Post Production, based in Plymouth, is one of the shining lights as it continues to grow and enhances job opportunities across all facets of post-production. Rock Oyster Media is another Plymouth company producing high-quality television and recruiting local talent to help bring to life shows such as Gary Barlow’s Wine Tour: South Africa and Ainsley’s Food We Love.

Since 2019, Screen Cornwall has been attracting productions to the Duchy, and training and developing local talent. From HBO’s House of the Dragon and Beyond Paradise for the BBC to Malory Towers for CBBC, Screen Cornwall does an amazing job of attracting huge productions to the area and securing work on them for locals. It also works closely with partners, including the BFI Network South West, BBC Writers and Falmouth University, to explore opportunities for creatives to connect with professional training, support and funding.

Now Devon wants in! Soon to be launched, Screen Devon, is the new screen agency for the county, promoting the area as a desirable destination for high-end productions while at the same time increasing the skills of the film sector within the county. This sends out a strong message that film and television is alive and well in the South West.

The ambition is to enable local people to continue living in this beautiful part of the world and work in the industry. With companies from the region securing more and more commissions, this is becoming a reality. I’m all for travelling far and wide, but not everyone feels the same way. One positive outcome from Covid has been the growth of remote working for many sectors of our industry, which means that more South West-based TV people are able to pitch for jobs without having to leave their homes. That’s what I do, and I love it.

We need a vibrant TV industry in the South West, and the RTS is well-placed to help. I have no doubt that we can do great things.

Matt Geraghty is Chair of RTS Devon and Cornwall.