Hartlepool production firm receives funding boost from the BBC

An emerging Hartlepool production firm has received another BBC boost as the region continues to attract and foster more film-making talent.

Hartlepool firm Sea & Sky Pictures will join five other North-East companies in receiving financial support through the £1m Small Indie Fund, as well as a BBC commissioning editor as a mentor to support their growth.

The seven-figure fund was launched in 2020 to support the development of small independent production companies with turnovers below £10m across Drama, Entertainment, Comedy, Factual, and Daytime sectors.

It comes after Sea & Sky Pictures was selected as a North East production company to co-develop a slate of ideas for BBC Comedy working alongside Hat Trick as part of the BBC’s Regional Partnership Scheme.

This partnership will see the company co-develop a raft of original comedy projects to help strengthen and enhance local talent and project development in the region, with the aim of getting more of the North East seen and heard within the BBC’s comedy output.

Adam Boabda, managing director of Sea and Sky Pictures, said: “Now we are part of The BBC Small Indie Fund and it’s our Unscripted department who get to work with commissioners, and hopefully create the next big returnable format. The support we are getting is central to our future growth as a company and for the North East as a whole.”

It comes after the £11.4m North East Screen Industries Partnership was backed by £4.5m of investment from the Tees Valley Mayor and Combined Authority. The partnership, delivered by North East Screen, was established to capitalise on the BBC’s huge commitment to invest £25m in the region to help fund TV production and talent development across the region’s creative sectors.

Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen said: “Sea & Sky are another great example of the sheer depth of talent we have right on our doorstep. I’m delighted the BBC is sitting up and noticing how much we have to offer by their investment in Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool following their £25m commitment to the region.”

The Mayor and the five Tees Valley Council local authority signed The Filming Friendly Charter signed late last year to boost the TV and film industry by making it even easier to shoot projects in the region.

Cllr Shane Moore, Combined Authority Cabinet lead for culture and tourism and leader of Hartlepool Borough Council, said: “We have the local expertise in organisations such as Hartlepool’s Northern Studios and a wealth of creative minds in our town to make our cultural vision a reality.

“By working together with the BBC, North East Screen and filmmakers, can have a lot to offer here in the Tees Valley and the sky is the limit for what we can achieve.”

By Mark Adair – Correspondent, Bdaily

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