The eagerly awaited launch of 4iP in the West Midlands has arrived with regional screen agency Screen WM, Advantage West Midlands and Channel 4 unveiling their £10 million joint investment 4iP fund.
In addition, Screen WM also announced a £1.3 million support package.
4iP is a creative pilot fund that aims to re-invent how publicly-valuable content is conceived, funded and delivered on new media platforms.
There has been massive excitement and anticipation surrounding 4iP since the announcement earlier this year that a £10 million new digital fund had been secured, with Birmingham set to become one of the first UK commissioning hubs for England and Wales for 4iP.
Submissions can be made to 4iP via its website, www.4ip.org.uk and all proposals will be considered as long as they support truly innovative use of digital media and demonstrate genuine public value.
4iP’s editorial focus will be on working with the best talent from around the region both individually and within more established businesses.
The new £1.3 million support package, which has been announced today (October 24), will be delivered by Screen WM to support digital screen media in the region and will help with 4iP project development, major networking and showcase events, attracting top level commissioners to the region, and innovative cross-sector workshops to help encourage collaborations between regional TV, film, games, arts organisations and digital media companies.
Mick Laverty, Chief Executive of Advantage West Midlands commented:
“The West Midlands has a growing reputation based around the Serious Games Institute in Coventry, the Digital Laboratory, and the work of our universities and top New Media agencies. The fact Channel 4 has chosen to base their lead commissioning hub in Birmingham is testament to our strengths. 4iP is great news for the West Midlands economy and creativity and a catalyst to further growth”
Suzie Norton, CEO of Screen Media said: “Screen WM is at the cutting edge of digital media production in the UK and was the first to sign up to 4iP.The fund presents an incredibly exciting opportunity for the region’s screen media companies to lead the way in digital innovation, and the additional £1.3 million support package will enable these companies to get the help and support they need to enable them to achieve this”
Ian Austin, Regional Minister for the West Midlands commented: “I am thrilled that the West Midlands was the first region to partner with Channel 4 on this groundbreaking initiative. I am looking forward to seeing the innovative content that this new fund will produce. And I am excited by the opportunity that this will give to creative businesses to pioneer new digital techniques that might not otherwise have been developed. This can only be a good thing for the West Midlands' creative economy. This cutting edge initiative has the undoubted potential to boost our media industry”
Tom Loosemore, Head of 4iP said: “4iP is a bold and ambitious public service initiative and since its launch in March of this year we have been greatly encouraged by the huge levels of interest and support we have seen for it. We’re now officially open for business in the West Midlands and, working closely with Screen WM, I’m tremendously excited about the wealth of creative talent and ideas that that we expect to see coming through 4iP”