Gov.uk: Membership of new Creative Industries Taskforce announced
// Caroline Norbury // creative industries // UK Government
We’re thrilled to unveil the latest cohort of 16 entrepreneurs and innovators in film, TV, games and immersive productions embarking on their journey towards investment readiness. This dynamic group represents the future of the screen industries, poised to reshape the landscape with their groundbreaking ideas and unwavering determination.
Join us in welcoming these trailblazers as they dive into the Creative Enterprise Investment Readiness Programme, where they’ll gain the tools, knowledge, and support needed to thrive in the competitive world of investments. Get ready to witness their growth, success, and impact as they chart a course towards greatness!
Throughout their journey, these aspiring entrepreneurs will receive unparalleled support from amazing mentors. This year’s stellar mentor line-up includes: Aimee Bateman, Cecilia Thirlway, Sandra Tusin, Tim McSweeney, Travis Baxter. These seasoned experts will provide invaluable guidance, insights, and mentorship, empowering our cohort to navigate the complexities of the investment world with confidence and clarity.
Now, let’s meet our new cohort!
The Investment Readiness 2024 Cohort:
AiAi Studios – Aiwan Obinyan
Cultural Consultants, Research, Branded & Original TV/Film Documentaries, Podcasts.
At the heart of our approach is a desire to change perspectives on contemporary and historical events – unearthing difficult truths, and bringing audiences with us, whether they are within the community we’re speaking on or not. Driven by a deep understanding of the human experience, we create powerful stories that challenge perspectives and bridge divides. We go beyond simply showing data – we connect the dots between research, theory, and raw human experience, crafting high-impact content that sparks dialogue and change
BAFTA Winner // Filmmaker // Exec Producer. Aiwan is the company founder and over 15 years has built a solid reputation in the entertainment industry through the mediums of sound design, music, film and TV production and more recently podcast production. She has overseen all our work with clients including gal-dem, VICE, GAY TIMES, UNHCR, Amazon, BBC, Channel 4 and more.
Amber Eye Films – Angela Gourley
Amber Eye Films is interested in diverse, witty female led genre films with heart. She has a particular interest in projects with interesting and complex female leads or female ensembles, and which explore new worlds.
Angela has been mentored by Elizabeth Karlsen of Number 9 Films and Will Johnson at Lookout Point.
Antler Studios – Emily Bailey
A diverse boutique British studio, creating the next III-games. Their award-winning debut, Project Grove, has been backed by UKGF, Epic Games, ELEVATE-2020 and Crowdfunded by 300+ fans. Antler Studios is currently a micro team of four, looking to double their studio studio size over the next three years. Their belief is that lean, agile teams often create the next III Indie hits. Antler’s goal is to create stunning, novel games – the kind which echo in your head days after playing them. They’re building a studio imbedded with a next-gen inhouse marketing team, built around mega-fans living on Streams & TikToks.
Co-Founder & CEO of Antler Studios. Emily previously lead BD & Ops at CULT Games, participating in two fundraising rounds and signing powerhouse Developers including Witch Beam. Now alongside her work at Antler, Emily is Director at Code Coven CIC, helping the global non-profit bring underrepresented talent into the gaming industry and elevating those already in careers through academic courses and accelerator programs. Emily also cofounded GREEN-BiT Software, a company aimed at reducing the industry’s carbon footprint. Emily is a BAFTA Member, awarded SPG100 and was selected for Forbes 30 Under 30 Europe list.
Caspian Films – Thembisa Cochrane
Caspian Films was founded by producers Thembisa Cochrane and Georgie Paget to make high quality cinema for the international market. Completed films include D.R. Hood’s sophomore family drama and Belgian co-production US AMONG THE STONES (2019); period biopic THE COLOUR ROOM, directed by Australia’s Claire McCarthy (Ophelia), starring Phoebe Dynevor (Bridgerton) and Matthew Goode (The Imitation Game) which was released in the UK by Sky Cinema in 2021; and MY DRIVER & I, an Arabic-language coming-of-age story filmed in Saudi Arabia and the feature debut from internationally award-winning actress and writer-director Ahd Kamel.
Thembisa is the co-founder of Caspian Films, a PACT Future30 company and producers of THE COLOUR ROOM (2021), US AMONG THE STONES (2019) and MY DRIVER & I (2024). She previously worked for Spier Films on projects including THE HARVESTERS (Cannes Un Certain Regard 2018); YOUNG ONES (2014) starring Nicholas Hoult and Elle Fanning; THE SALVATION (2014) starring Mads Mikkelsen and Eva Green; and OF GOOD REPORT (2013) which won 7 South African Film & TV Awards. She has worked with partners like Film Cymru Wales, Pathé UK, Mubi and the UK Global Screen Fund among others.
Cinnect – Urvisha Patel, Presh Williams, Richard Baffoe-Djan
Cinnect is an end-to-end, B2B global marketplace for trading Film and TV rights.
Providing content buyers and sellers new licensing & distribution opportunities to international, independent content properties, with the efficiency and transparency of a modern marketplace.
We work with film production companies, distributors and Video-On-Demand companies to reach new markets directly and connect the right content with the right platform, with a streamlined and simplified process.
Fortified by a 20-year-long friendship, our team brings a combined 30 years of expertise in marketing, technology, and business development. This bond has fueled our successful network-building in film distribution and marketing since 2015, first with Big Picture Film Club, and now Cinnect. Our diverse skill set and deep industry knowledge enable us to navigate challenges and pivot effectively, reflecting our commitment to innovation in film and TV content licensing.
Copper Candle – James Simpson
Copper Candle is leading the way in Metaverse Live Events. With vast experience in producing XR experiences for theatre, film and cultural experiences, they are now developing the future of concerts, music and storytelling in computer games such as Fortnite. Their unique experience as leading technologists from the live events industry, combined with their patented product suite for use in Unreal Engine, means that existing live events producers and artists can work with Copper Candle in the same way they work in the real-world, but with the output presented to a global audience of millions.
James is a creative technologist and industry figure, specialising in 3D Visualisation at the Royal Opera House with additional credits at the National Theatre, Royal Shakespeare Company and a wide assortment of West End and Broadway credits including Miss Saigon, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, &Juliet and Grease. He is currently finishing his PhD on 3D Visualisation and writes for several leading entertainment magazines as well as running a successful Vlog providing training and insights. James founded Copper Candle after becoming the runner-up in the Unity/Microsoft Hololens global competition and his experience working with the RSC on the worlds first virtual, live performance; Dream.
Frolic Films – Camilla Wren
Frolic Films is an independent production company developing bold, commercial and diverse stories for the screen. Founder Camilla Wren was awarded a BFI Vision award in 2020 and a BBC Small Indie Fund in 2023 to develop a slate of TV and Film projects. Frolic has a TV drama series by writer Kate Wickens in development with BBC and Netflix, and is co-producing two international TV drama series with French production companies Oble and Make It Happen Studios. In feature film, Frolic has an adaptation of cult lesbian noir novel AFTER DELORES by Sarah Schulman in development with the BFI.
Camilla Wren’s production and development experience spans 17 years across film and TV drama. She was one of Edinburgh TV Festival’s prestigious Ones To Watch talent scheme in 2020 and Film London’s Breaking the Glass Ceiling programme 2023, recognising diverse leaders. Most recently she was a producer on Drama Republic’s adaptation of David Nicholls’ bestselling novel ONE DAY for Netflix. In feature film, Camilla was part of the team that developed the Warner Brothers Studio blockbusters: THE LEGEND OF TARZAN, and the first two films in J.K. Rowling’s FANTASTIC BEASTS franchise before setting up Frolic Films to champion emerging talent.
Future Tech Games Ltd – San Shepherd
Future Tech Games (FTG) is at the forefront of social VR gaming, introducing The Flip on Meta Quest on April 18th, 2024. FTG’s ethos is simple: games should bring people together. By pioneering in the realm of social VR, FTG aims to transform co-op gaming into deeply social experiences where players don’t just play games – they live them. FTG focuses on creating vibrant, shared virtual spaces that foster connections, making every game a journey in camaraderie, adventure, and fun. With a commitment to innovation and community, FTG is setting new standards in how we experience games together.
San Shepherd has sat at the cutting edge of gaming and tech, contributing to titles like SSX3 and Burnout Paradise, and launching the AR app Star Chart and VR platform Multiverse. At Future Tech Games, he’s redefining social VR with The Flip, blending the cooperative spirit of Left 4 Dead with VR’s immersive potential. San’s work bridges technical excellence with a passion for community-centric gaming, proving games are more than play – they’re about connection. His vision? Games that are not just experienced but lived, making every virtual interaction a moment of shared adventure and creativity.
Greenlit – Peter Storey
Greenlit.com is the UK’s leading funding platform for the creative sector. We have helped hundreds of projects raise millions of pounds, through our crowdfunding platform for film, theatre, music and gaming. We also offer a simple solution to help producers process and cashflow tax credits and VAT refunds. We are also building our equity crowdfunding business, to enable creatives to raise funding, while allowing investors to engage with the screen, stage and music sectors in a transparent, sustainable way. Our goal is to turn creatives into entrepreneurs, providing the tools and funding they need.
Trained as an actor and lighting designer, Peter began his career in film as a gaffer, illuminating productions from small to huge. Following an MBA from London’s Bayes Business School, Peter specialised in tax-backed finance for international coproductions spanning Europe. He founded Greenlit in 2019 with the goal of building connections between the creative and business sectors. Creatives often don’t understand the challenges and discipline of entrepreneurship, while funders are often sceptical of film and the broader creative sector. Peter’s mission is to build a platform that bridges this gap, for the benefit of everyone.
Hoho Entertainment Limited – Helen Howells/Oliver Ellis
Hoho Entertainment is a children’s Intellectual Property development, production, distribution and e-commerce company. Our mission is to make kids’ content to entertain & delight children worldwide and enabling them to interact with their favourite brands and characters both on and off screen. Hoho was co-founded in 2011 by Oliver Ellis and Helen Howells and since then has produced three CG animated series: ‘Cloudbabies’ for the BBC (currently Hoho’s most successful YouTube Channel); ‘Shane the Chef’ for Ch5 Milkshake; and ‘Toad & Friends’ (adapted from The Wind in the Willows) for Warner Media Discovery.
Oliver Ellis and Helen Howells, Hoho’s co-founders, collectively have over 40 years’ experience in the children’s TV development, production, distribution and consumer products business.
Oliver and Helen met while they were both working for independent distributor Target Entertainment as Director of Children’s and Family Entertainment and Commercial Director respectively. Prior to this both held senior positions: Oliver as Creative Director at Entertainment Rights, Head of Programming at ITEL and Head of Co-production and Development at Cosgrove Hall Films; Helen as International Licensing Director for NY based 4Kids Entertainment and Multimedia Manager at S4C International.
Inceptive Films – Dominique Webb
PInceptive Films, based in the East Midlands, was launched in 2020 by producer Dominique Webb, with an aim to tell original, memorable, and entertaining stories that hit right at the heart of the audience. Inceptive Films have worked with Sky Studios, ITV Studios, the BFI and Ffilm Cyrmu. The company has several commercial film and television projects in active development, with broad international appeal, and are working with some of the best writing and directing talent in the UK. Inceptive Films is a supporter of underrepresented voices and passionate about equality and inclusivity in our industry.
Dominique Webb is a drama producer working across film and television and has produced work for the BBC, ITV Studios, Sky Studios, the BFI, Creative UK and Arts Council England. Her films have won many awards and screened at BAFTA and Academy qualifying festivals. ‘The Knock’ and ‘Going Country’ both won Best UK Short Film Awards, and feature film ‘Lapwing’, theatrically released by Bulldog Distribution, saw excellent reviews and international wins for cast. Dominique is a BAFTA Elevate producer and alumna of BFI Insight, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and the Higher Education Academy.
Jolly Griffin – Anna Griffin
PIn 2021, as with hundreds of lockdown babies, Jolly Griffin was born – a film and TV production company between Screen Star of Tomorrow and BIFA nominated producer, Anna Griffin (SISTER MIDNIGHT, CALIBRE) and BAFTA winning writer and performer, Jolyon Rubinstein (THE REVOLUTION WILL BE TELEVISED) focussing on commercial and subject-subverting, character driven content for international audiences. In 2023 the company received support from the BBC’s Small Indie Fund and has an active development slate with broadcaster support We aim to create fan audiences through thoughtful and playful work bringing nuanced content that positively affects a broad spectrum of viewers across all genres.
Anna Griffin has a background in independent filmmaking and has produced titles including the Netflix breakout hit, CALIBRE, by Matt Palmer, and her most recent Cannes Directors’ Fortnight title, SISTER MIDNIGHT, by Karan Kandhari supported by Film4 and BFI. Anna has a passion for championing new voices in film and TV with a real devotion to her home region, the East Midlands. She’s developing projects with 2024 BAFTA Fellowship Awardee, Samantha Morton, BAFTA nominated filmmaker Sandra Goldbacher, emerging screenwriter and award winning playwright Sophie Ellerby and Nottingham’s all female comedy trio Major Labia. With Jolly Griffin, Anna intends to bring the sensibilities and cinematic vision of independent filmmaking to make boundary pushing TV for global audiences.
Neon Picturehouse – Joseph Morel
Neon Picturehouse is a full service production company focused on human storytelling. Our purpose is to connect people through truth, morality and beauty, reminding audiences what it means to be human.
Joseph is ✨ Co-Founder & Executive Producer at Neon Picturehouse ? ? International Producer (Budgeting multi-million pound projects) ? Award-Winning Director, Over 3 Million Views ?
PAGURO FILM – Giada Mazzoleni
PAGURO FILM is an indie production company founded in April 2018 in the Midlands, with the aim of developing emerging author projects particularly focused on genre for today’s cine-documentary and fiction market for an international audience.
Film producer and film educator, BFI x BAFTA Crew 2021, Biennale Cinema College & EGF alumna, with credits at A and B rated festivals and a strong expertise in low and medium budget production. Festival director of Marcello, the first italian film festival in the Midlands.
SuperScout – Gabriel Isserlis
SuperScout.ai is unleashing the value of your personal locations database. Its revolutionary time-saving features include smart uploads that auto-tag locations with keywords, a robust search engine to find the perfect spot in seconds, and advanced user permissions for seamless collaboration. SuperScout.ai is here to transform the way filmmakers save and share locations.
My expertise lies at the intersection of creativity and technology. With degrees in film making and software development, as well as a decade of work in music, theatre, and photography, and years building tech startups, I have a unique set of insights. These have inspired unique technical solutions to problems I have experienced first hand in the creative industries.
Wolf & Wood Interactive Ltd. – Ryan Bousfield
Wolf & Wood are an independent games studio based in the North-East of England. The small but multi-talented team have designed, developed and published a number of first-person titles across console, PC and VR platforms.
A failed musician and mortgage advisor, Ryan brings a unique slant and wealth of “life-skills” to his happy place of making games. His mastery of cutting edge technologies and sense of storytelling has led his studio, Wolf & Wood, from solo-dev to a small studio of equally talented and skilled people. Writer, designer, composer and wearer of many other hats, Ryan has directed his company to launch five video game titles on all major Console, PC and VR platforms.
