Indielab has announced the 15-strong cohort of independent TV production companies looking to unlock their potential and supercharge growth by joining its 2022 TV Accelerator. The selected indies, each chosen as a business that could benefit hugely from the programme, come from across Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and England, and continue to reflect the diversity - in terms of gender, ethnicity, accessibility, and background - that Indielab is so passionate about supporting and extending in the sector.
The selected Scottish Indies are Montrose Pictures, Oxford Films Glasgow and Studio Something.
The 12 other Indies in the selection include At Land Productions, Brown Bred Productions, Chalk Productions, Frieda, Goat Films, Gold Wala, Osprey Television, Other Productions, Studio Crook, Telesgop, Tyrone Productions and Zandland Films.
Between them, the cohort covers scripted and unscripted content and a wide range of genres from hard-hitting feature docs, current affairs, and music to specialist factual, kids, comedy and primetime entertainment formats. Significantly, many of the chosen indies prioritise unheard and under-represented voices, both on and off-screen, while some have a clear focus on creating regional and purpose-driven content.
Indielab 2022 TV Accelerator cohort group shot. Courtesy of Indielab.
Victoria Powell, founder and CEO of Indielab, comments: “I am thrilled that our flagship UK TV Accelerator continues to be in demand and that we have attracted such a wide range of applicants to join the 2022 programme. We are especially pleased that so many have already put themselves on a culturally forward-thinking path that will help the UK’s production ecosystem broaden and evolve. We now look forward to helping them hone their visions and set them on a supercharged growth path.
“This year, in addition to our acclaimed bespoke modules on subjects such as business planning, investment readiness, and identifying opportunities in the changing TV landscape, we have added major new focuses on accessibility awareness and inclusive leadership. The accessibility seminar, supported by Channel 4, will look at areas of best practice to promote and support accessibility throughout a business, while the inclusive leadership sessions will help our participants to fully embrace the importance of building a healthy and sustainable culture, as well as a healthy slate. Inclusive leaders and authentic healthy cultures are fast becoming the bedrock for successful indies of all sizes; attracting the talent, partners and investment that leads to continued creative and commercial success.”
The 2022 programme, which starts this week and runs until the end of June, will be delivered through a mix of virtual and in-person bespoke masterclasses and seminars from leading industry experts. Sam Barcroft, founder of Creatorville, will be delivering this year’s keynote address, while other speakers include Daniel Pearl, VP unscripted UK originals at Paramount+, and Babita Bahal, group head of diversity, equity and inclusion at Fremantle.
The BBC continues to be a core funder of Indielab as part of its long-term commitment to the growth of small companies across the UK, through its Small Indie Fund and wider commissioning strategy. Channel 4 continues to support the programme too, this year also contributing funding to ensure that the Accelerator is as open and accessible as possible.
The TV Accelerator benefits again this year from three bursary schemes: the first, a diversity scheme for three indies run by founders from diverse backgrounds, is sponsored by Sony Pictures Television; there are bursaries for three Scottish independent production companies funded by Screen Scotland; and bursaries for Welsh companies with support from Welsh Government funding through Creative Wales.
Additional supporters are global distributor Banijay Rights, law firm Harbottle & Lewis LLP, which provides a free legal helpdesk, Nyman Libson Paul LLP which provides financial, tax and commercial advice and accountancy firm Ecovis Wingrave Yeats, which provides a finance helpdesk advising on government support available to indies. The TV Foundation, the umbrella charity of the Edinburgh TV Festival, also adds its support this year. Each sponsor specialises in a different field, and together they ensure that the programme’s participants have access to 360-degree support and services.