Event Report

(Photo by Callapro Films)

 
RTS Wales hosted ‘Meet The Makers’ for the second year running.  The event was held on Thursday 20th October, at The Waterguard, Cardiff Bay.

Once again it proved to be a huge hit, with an amazing response from both Production Companies and Freelancers based in Wales.

‘Meet The Makers’ is an annual event which aims to help build and strengthen the link between Production Companies / Commissioners and the Freelancers based in and around the Welsh Capital.

 
"I hope we don't have another General Election, at least for the next few years, but given the present political situation, who knows?"  This view is understandable from Dave Howard's perspective.  As BBC Cymru Wales' Technology Operations Manager, such large scale events pose significant logistical challenges.  "For the most recent Assembly Elections we hired around 20 satellite trucks, and we had to split our C1 TV studio to provide separate feeds for BBC and S4C."

Hywel Wiliam, Begw Dafydd Roberts, Eryl Huw Philips, Cian Dafydd Roberts, Gethin Cennin Williams, Hedydd Ioan, and Tim Hartley

Hywel Wiliam, Begw Dafydd Roberts, Eryl Huw Philips, Cian Dafydd Roberts, Gethin Cennin Williams, Hedydd Ioan, and Tim Hartley

But what is meant by 'talent'?  All agreed that in TV, it is broadly based, taking in content creation, production, craft skills and commissioning, as well as on-screen performers and presenters.  TG4's Padhraic O Ciardha suggested that a broadcaster's commissioners have to have their own talents, "they need vision and mentoring ability, they have to be tough but also engender trust".  S4C's Llion Iwan emphasised the importance of diversity in recruiting and managing on-screen talent, "it makes the output more distinctive".

 
Fog of Sex:  Carmarthen Bay Film Festival

That's That: The Three Loves of Vala:  Wales International Documentary Festival

 
"I really love my job", claimed Danny Hargreaves (above), the founder and MD of Real SFX, as he fired what appeared to be lazer gun at some lurking Daleks at the back of the company's premises in Cardiff.  On the evening of the 29th February, RTS Members were given some very impressive demonstrations of how to create realistic special effects for TV and film covering a wide range of situations.

(above)  Jamie Medhurst (Aberystwyth University),  Don McLean (Chair, RTS History Group),  and Tim Hartley (Chair, RTS Wales Centre)

National Screen and Sound Archive, Aberystwyth, 20 November 2015.