RTS Midlands

Alongside Q&A panel sessions with top execs who work on some of the country’s biggest shows, practical workshops In the exhibition hall included how to make drama with BBC One’s Doctors in their specially created hospital set, filming on smartphones, using drones and how to make a podcast.

The major broadcasters joined more than 40 exhibitors from across the industry to give attendees one-to-one advice on how to break into the industry, from creating the perfect CV to gaining professional experience.

Jeetooa said: “If you messed up your line, the boat team had to get on and very slowly reverse the boat back to the starting spot. That’s the reverse of shame.”

The 69ft narrow boat, called Dorothy, is the fifth star of Zomboat!. It plays a vital role as the very slow means of escape for sisters Kat and Jo and friends Sunny (Jeetooa) and Amar when a zombie apocalypse breaks out in Birmingham.

Actor David Harewood spoke about his bumpy road to success – including the tough life lessons he learned from Spike Lee and from Erik Estrada of CHiPs – in a candid and entertaining homecoming evening in Birmingham.

During the RTS Midlands’ “In conversation with…” event, the Homeland star enthralled the audience in the prestigious surroundings of the Council House’s Banqueting Suite.

Steve Smith, the founder of London-based animation studio Beakus and Olobob Top producer, described the hard work and personal risk involved in getting an animation idea commissioned for television. He discussed the development of the characters, how the animations were refined to make the production process manageable and gave the audience a glimpse into the incredible amount of planning required in producing a series.

The Dudley-born comedian sent a message to the awards. “Thank you for sending me these films to peruse, enjoy and, in some cases, spit out my tea with laughter,” he said.

“The hard work and perspiration that has gone into these little gems is very easy to see. The makers care about their films and filled each frame with emotion, enthusiasm and energy. I laughed a lot at the winning entry, but I was also moved by the other pieces.”

Head judge Shirley Ballas, dancer Giovanni Pernice and his celebrity partner from the 2018 series, Faye Tozer, joined the new executive producer, Sarah James and her predecessor, Louise Rainbow, to discuss the work that goes into producing the hit BBC One show.

Rainbow, who has been Strictly’s executive producer for the past six years, explained that pre-production begins in January, when discussions start on securing celebrities before the show’s launch the following September. 

Khan won the Acting Performance (Male) and Outstanding New Talent awards, and was also named Best Writer, with the co-writer of Man Like Mobeen, Andy Milligan.

More than 300 people attended the awards ceremony, which was hosted by television presenter Trish Adudu, at Birmingham Town Hall in November.

ITV News Central took home a hat trick awards for News Programme of the Year; Journalist of the Year for Balvinder Sidhu; and Digital Creativity.

A crowd of animation fans were let in on those secrets and more at the very first “Animorsels” evening at Antenna, Nottingham in late October.

Aardman model maker Jim Parkyn was the star attraction at the evening event, which was organised by the Nottingham-based animation and production company, Bottletop and sponsored by RTS Midlands.

Panel sessions took place throughout the day at the RTS event. “The secrets behind TV sport”, hosted by BBC WM presenter Richard Wilford, featured Sports Personality of the Year deputy editor Michael Jackson, BBC sports news correspondent Natalie Pirks and BBC Sport editor Jo McCusker, who offered advice to budding sports broadcasters.

The commissioners day offered informal chats, pitching sessions and networking. “We wanted an informal feel to the day as we wanted to encourage honest and open discussions between the indies and the commissioners,” said RTS Midlands Chair Caren Davies.

She added: “It meant that the indies could see numerous people in one day instead of having to go back and forth to London, which can be quite costly and time-consuming for some of the smaller companies.”

RTS Midlands is planning to host more of these types of events in the future.