BBC North selects over 40 northern agencies for Children's Initiative
More than 40 creative companies operating in the north have become involved with an interactive initiative being carried out by BBC @North.
The digital, production, TV, design and gaming companies have been selected to become involved in the initiative being led by BBC Children’s, which will move to Salford’s MediaCity next year as part of the BBC’s relocation.
The 24 Manchester and Liverpool based companies chosen are All Out, Amaze, Catalyst Digital, Code Computerlove, Conker Digital, CTI Tech, Love Digital, Magnetic North Digital, McCann Digital, Milky Tea Digital, Onteca, Playbox Games, TT Animation, Reading Room, Splinter, Studio Liddell, SASS Digital, Bellyfeel Digital, Glasshead, Dolphin, Fluid Creativity, Fudge, Savvy and Stardotstar.
The Yorkshire companies chosen to get involved are, Chameleon TV, Digital Welly, Gamerholix, MadebyPi, MezzoFilms, Numiko, Sense Internet, Swamp, Capsule Films, True North Productions, Fuse8 and RadioWaves from Leeds DESQ, Rattle, Tune Technologies, The Workshop, Yoomee, Team Cooper and Stripey Design from Sheffield and Tumeric Media from Barnsley.
The companies will work in small groups with senior subject experts in both Children’s content and technology, in an effort to learn more about working with the corporation.
Their ideas will also be developed at intensive workshop days, with the best ideas being put forward towards the final commissioning selection process.
The BBC anticipates that four final projects maybe commissioned with a total budget of £500,000 for CBBC and Cbeebies.
Peter Salmon BBC Director North said: “I am very encouraged by the level of interest we have had in the @North initiative with over 100 companies formally applying. This is a new way of working for us and, as well as more detailed work with the companies we are announcing today, we intend to stay in contact with all the companies who have expressed interest in relation to future opportunities.”
Adrian Mills, leading the project on behalf of BBC Children's, added: “This new development process is about bringing people, technology and creativity together. We are excited to be working with the successful companies across the North to help develop bold ideas into fresh new content for our online users and audiences.”
The successful commissions are likely to be announced in September.