(Photo: Jon Rennie, Deborah Dunnett, Amanda Rees, Tom Ware, Martyn Ingram, and Julian Carey)
In a new partnership between the RTS Wales Centre and the University of South Wales (USW), this year’s Student Awards evening was held at the USW ATRiuM theatre on the 31st January, in an event attended by around 150 students, public and RTS Members. The awards evening was preceded by an Industry Day, which featured a full programme of events linked to the launch of the university’s new Film and TV School, including a conference on the future of the TV industry in Wales, an industry fair, a Channel 4 factual formats master class, an audio recording workshop, 1:1 sessions with commissioners, It’s My Shout short film screenings, and a workshop on performance and media with Academy Plus.
In the afternoon session, Network Supply from Wales – Smoke and Mirrors?, which looked at talent development in Wales, Deborah Dunnett (Channel 4), noted that, “London is full of people from the Nations and Regions, which can be a challenge if your job is to encourage network supply from the nations”, while Amanda Rees (S4C) added that new producers should, “raise the bar by being mentored by excellent people". Also on the panel were Julian Carey (BBC Cymru Wales), Jon Rennie (Bait Studios), and Martyn Ingram (Wales and Co), with the discussion chaired by Tom Ware (USW). All agreed that many ambitious producers want to work in London for the early part of their career, but to counteract this, strategies were needed to build and retain talent in the nations.
Stand-up comedian and Made in Cardiff Station Manager, Daniel Glyn (right), skilfully hosted our Awards evening bilingually (in English and Welsh). He was also one of the jury members, along with Lynn Courtney (ITV Cymru Wales), Sophie Francis (Bath University), Martyn Ingram (Wales & Co), Owain Morgan Jones (S4C), Samantha Rosie (BBC Cymru Wales), with the jury chaired by Judith Winnan (who is also RTS Wales Centre Chair). Besides the five main awards (covering animation, comedy & entertainment, drama, factual, and short features) the jury made a number of craft awards, including camerawork, editing, production design, and sound, along with a new category, original score (music).
The Wales Centre would like to thank Channel 4, Boom Cymru, Gorilla, Hoot Studios, Loosemores Solicitors, Cloth Cat/Bait, and Made in Cardiff for sponsoring the awards, and also the Welsh Government for its support.
A full list of the winners and the full adjudication is available in our Awards section.