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The View From Here - The future of Public Service Broadcasting in the Nations and Regions
Key industry figures including Pat Loughrey - Director of Nations and Regions at BBC, Stuart Cosgrove - Director of Nations and Regions at Channel 4, Steve Morrison - CEO, All3Media and Michael Jermey - Director of ITV Regions spoke at The View From Here, a South West Screen/Ofcom/SWRDA event exploring the key issues raised in the second phase of Ofcom's recently published review on the future of PSB in Bristol on Tuesday 28 October. We will be releasing audio from the event as a podcast shortly - subscribe to our podcast here.

Culture Minister visits Aardman to discuss plans for Animation Centre of Excellence
Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Andy Burnham MP visited Bristol-based animation studio Aardman on 23 October to discuss the proposed Aardman animation centre of excellence. Andy Burnham met with Aardman's Head of Broadcast, Miles Bullough and South West Screen's Chief Executive, Caroline Norbury to talk about the finishing school. Aardman and its Oscar-winning ® animated films are specifically recognised in 'Creative Britain' which is the Government's creative industries strategy document published earlier this year. The strategy commits to exploiting the opportunities of new technologies and encouraging employers to set up ground-breaking new innovative places of learning. The Secretary of State gave his backing to the centre and said he would continue to take a keen interest in its future development. As part of his visit to Bristol, Andy Burnham MP also visited the Watershed Media Centre to see the Wildscreen Festival in action and meet the festival's Chief Executive Harriet Nimmo.

Small Talk Diaries wins two Panda Awards
Small Talk Diaries, a ground-breaking nature TV series by Bristol-based Ammonite, picked up two Panda awards at a glittering ceremony in Bristol on 22 October. The series, which was originally developed with the help of an 'Alliance' award from South West Screen in 2006 and then commissioned by CBBC, used filming techniques honed on nature blockbusters like Life in the Undergrowth to introduce children to the mini-beasts that can be found in most back gardens and playgrounds. The Ammonite team were presented the Parthenon Entertainment Award for Innovation and the Best Series Award by Joanna Lumley and television presenter Steve Leonard at part of the Wildscreen Festival. The Panda Awards are firmly established as the most prestigious in the natural history filmmaking calendar - over 420 entries were received this year, with 22 prizes awarded. To view the full list of Panda winners, click here.

South West Screen welcomes major figures from creative industries to its board
South West Screen is delighted to welcome five major figures from the creative media industries to its board of directors.Following a recruitment process over the summer, five high-calibre individuals who bring with them a wealth of experience and fantastic contacts have now joined the existing expertise on the board.
The new board members include Bebo's Director of Digital Content Dan'l Hewitt; Rebecca O'Brien, who has produced ten feature films with Ken Loach including Palme d'Or winner The Wind that Shakes the Barley; Charles Wace, Chief Executive of the UK's largest regional independent production company and Chair of Pact (Producers Alliance for Cinema and Television); Brian Leonard CBE, a former Director at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport; and Freelance Educational Media Consultant Chris Wensley.
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