The Production Guild of Great Britain (PGGB) has announced the members of its North West England Committee, the third of six National and Regional Committees being established by the leading UK membership body for production professionals, in response to the continuing boom in film and High-end TV production across the UK.
The PGGB North West England Committee is sponsored by Space Studios Manchester, Panavision and Netflix. It will be chaired by Cheshire-based producer Paul Munn, who is currently producing children’s drama A Kind of Spark for BBC Children’s, 9 Story Media Group and LS Productions, based on the award-winning book by neurodivergent children’s author Elle McNicoll. Paul’s other credits include the upcoming ITV/Masterpiece adaptation of Henry Fielding’s classic novel Tom Jones, which he recently line produced. Vice Chairs are Lynn Saunders, Director of Liverpool Film Office and Mark Hackett, Commercial Director of Space Studios Manchester. Committee members are: Dean Oram, Panavision UK’s Regional Manager and Head of TV Drama; and Crispin Hardy, Managing Director, Location One.
Producer Paul Munn says: “I’m very pleased to be chairing the Production Guild’s new North West England Committee. With its lively production hubs and expanding studio infrastructure, we continue to see high volumes of domestic and international production coming through the region, and I intend to work with my colleagues from the Guild to make sure we keep on encouraging that growth in High End television drama and feature films.”
Lyndsay Duthie, PGGB CEO, says: “This is the third of our six PGGB National and Regional Committees to launch. With each new network of professionals we establish across the country, PGGB becomes a stronger voice for those behind the camera whose hard work is servicing the ongoing boom in production the UK is seeing nationwide. I thank all of the Committee members for joining us in our efforts to better represent the views of the production workforce in their part of the country.”
Mark Hackett, commercial director, Space Studios Manchester says: “I’m really excited at the opportunity to work alongside colleagues at PGGB’s North West England Committee, to support the region to become a recognised destination for high-end domestic and international film and TV drama production.”
Dean Oram, regional manager and head of TV drama, Panavision UK, says: “Panavision is proud to be a longtime supporter of The Production Guild of Great Britain, and we’re thrilled to be part of this new committee focused on North West England. PGGB’s commitment to highlighting and celebrating regional production contributes greatly to the further advancement of the filmmaking community in these markets.”
PGGB’s North West England Committee is the third PGGB National and Regional Committee to be established, following the Bristol and South West England Committee which launched in September 2021 and the Northern Ireland Committee which launched in May 2022. Locations have been chosen in line with the British Film Commission’s Stage Space Support Development hub centres. Three further Committees are set to launch in Scotland, Wales and Yorkshire in the coming months.
Each committee will meet a minimum of four times per year and deliver a variety of activities within their area including forums, masterclasses and networking events. PGGB’s Chair and CEO will meet with the six National and Regional Committee Chairs annually as a steering group.
