Brinkworth is opening a Bristol hub to create a sustainable base in the region that will include a three-year training and mentoring programme for unscripted TV.
Brinkworth West, which opens on 5 October, will generate new IP and projects and work closely with the London office to build premium shows. T
Senior production and programme development staff will begin their roles at the Bristol hub next month.
The training scheme, launched in partnership with 5, will give two candidates experience on Brinkworth’s unscripted shows over a six month placement, a total of 12 over the companies’ three-year commitment.
Chief executive Malcolm Brinkworth said: “Together with the opening of Brinkworth West, this reflects our commitment to build a sustainable production base in the region, offering new opportunities for young talented people to enter the industry.”
The exec previously built links to the production community in in the south-west with his previous Bath-based indie, Touch Productions. “Our hope is that we can create a vibrant and exciting place for programme makers in the years to come,” he said.
Brinkworth’s productions for 5 include 999: Critical Condition, Surgeons: a Matter of Life and Death [main picture] and upcoming series Life Support.
5 chief content officer Ben Frow added: “Access into this industry is getting harder, and nowhere is that felt more than in unscripted, especially if you’re not based in London.
“Partnering with Brinkworth to open this scheme in Bristol is exactly the kind of investment we should be making as a public service broadcaster: backing new talent outside the capital to help us keep making distinctly British shows our audiences love.”
The broadcaster has been operating a similar scheme in the scripted sector, centred on opening up opportunities for people from low-income backgrounds to work on its drama anthology strand Play For Today.
