Projects & Experience
Experience
Paul established VID in 2009, developing projects in the technological and creative sectors and facilitating collaborations in the Bristol region, and now plays a central role in the economic and skills development of the West of England, covering Bristol & Bath, recognised by an MBE in 2019.
Paul has worked in innovative multiplatform media production since 1999, in award-winning teams, and has 20 years of experience as TV Series Producer, winning a BAFTA award in 1989. His experience includes producing and directing, self-shooting, executive producing, development, multiplatform and interactive production, virtual teamworking, mentoring, outreach and the devising of new working practices.
He became a trustee of Watershed in 2002, developed his experience in facilitation from 2004 and was a founding director of Bristol Media in 2005. Alongside his support for creative teams and companies, he is an experienced assessor, mentor and facilitator of media projects for young people, and delivered the internal training in the NHU for 6 years, focusing on junior staff under 25 and including all types of single camera production, location sound & specialist equipment.
Current Projects
2015 - date
Media Asset Management for TV companies including John Downer Productions, Pioneer Productions, Nutopia, BBC and Humble Bee
2017 - date
Innovation Project Bid Evaluation for University of West of England (UWE) programmes including Innovation for Growth, Scale-up for Growth and Digital Innovation Fund.
2020 - date
Creative Company Mentoring for Limbic Cinema and Cognitive Paths through the West of England Combined Authority Creative Scale-up programme.
2019 - date
Bid-writing and Industry Liaison for University of Bristol MyWorld project, awarded £30m in fuding from the UKRI Strength in Places R&D fund.
Voluntary roles
Advisor to Creative Industries Federation UK Council since 2016
Advisor to Creative Industries Council cluster group since 2016
Emerging Talent Mentoring through Babbasa Youth Empowerment Programme
Advisor to Social Mobility Commission on the development of a toolkit for Creative Industries, due for publication in Autumn 2021
Selected project history (21st Century)
2018 - 2020
Our City. Film competition for young people sponsored by local TV companies with Bristol Mayor Marvin Rees, developed as part of the bid to attract Channel 4 to Bristol.
2016 - 2018
Aardman Animations. Facilitation of Senior Management Team Awaydays.
2013 - 2014
West of England Local Enterprise Partnership. Consultancy on growth and talent development within creative industries of the West of Engalnd region.
2012 - 2016
Bristol City Council. Creative Industries advisor, facilitator and producer for Temple Quarter Enterprise Zone development http://www.bristoltemplequarter.com/
2012 - 2015
Arkive In Your Pocket. A technology project lead by University of Bristol with BBC R&D, Provision, Mubaloo, Wildscreen, and funded by UKRI. It produced prototype wildlife video and Augmented Reality location experiences, turning consumers into producers.
2012 - 2013
Skillset. Assessor for University Courses in creative industries including TV, animation and digital production, aiming for "Skillset Tick" accreditation.
2010 - 2011
Bristol-BBC Anchor Project. Developing collaborative working between the BBC and creative organisations in the city.
SANE (Single Asset, Numerous Experiences) Technology Strategy Board project. creating a new approach to metadata creation in creative industries.
First Light and Media Trust. Project evaluation.
Think Future Now. Sustainable production stimulus and facilitation project.
2008 - 2009
BBC Digital Media Initiative. Consultant/SME for new working practices in the BBC.
2005 - 2007
Saving Planet Earth. Major interactive series with 36 programmes, 20 million viewers and 20 platforms, raising £2m to launch the BBC Wildlife Fund.
2004 - 2008
BBC Creative Facilitation Team. Providing an internal service to develop BBC projects and teams using Action Learning Facilitation, audience Insight, storytelling and other creative thinking techniques.
New Music for Wildlife Mentor and lead producer on composer programme for BAME musicians.
2003 - 2004
Venom ER Observational documentary series for Animal Planet, New York TV Festival finalist.
BBC Leadership Course
2003
Life of Mammals Interactive. The most-used BBC factual interactive TV application of 2003. Second only to Wimbledon Interactive overall. Described by New Media Age magazine as "textbook-perfect interactive TV".
2002
Executive Producer of Blue Planet Challenge. Winner of Cream design award. Nominated for Broadcast 2002 award in "Best Use of New media" category.
Series producer of "The Trench" on BBCi Hull interactive service Trench Project won EMMA for learning 18+, combining TV, web & ADSL. BBC Kingston service won EMMA as best interactive TV service.
Selected project history (20th Century)
1999 - 2001
Series producer of "Wild" on BBC Two.
Including website team, and self shot wildlife documentaries. Self-shot series Tiger Trail has an audience of 3.2m.
1998
X-Creatures. Wildlife detective stories.
Audience increased throughout series to peak at 5.7m for Tasmanian Wolf. Investigation disproves "Bigfoot" - finally admitted as a hoax in 2002. Winner of Best Short series at Missoula Wildlife Film Festival.
1993 - 1996
Series producer of 3 series of Nature Detectives for BBC One, 3 series of Wildlife Showcase for BBC Two, including the first reverse co-production with ORF.
1994 - 1998
Devised, managed and ran local training for TV production, including start-up for new productions. Implemented NHU work experience.
1992 - 1993
Producer 2 Seconds to Midnight.
A 90-minute environmental history of the Earth for BBC Two. Regarded by Steve Burns - VP Discovery Channel as "how the environment should be covered".
1987 - 1992
Really Wild Show & Roadshow.
BAFTA for best Childrens' Factual Series. RTS Nomination for Best Childrens' Factual series.
1988 - 1991
Author "BBC Book of Dinosaurs" and "Wildside - Rainforest".
1988 - 2009
BBC Natural History Unit
Series Producer
1982 - 1987
BBC Natural History Unit
Assistant Producer, Director & Producer
1981 - 1982
BBC Natural History Unit
Researcher
1979 - 1981
BBC Bristol
Regional Film Librarian
1979
Manchester Polytechnic
Post-graduate Diploma in Librarianship
1977
Bristol University
2:1 Honours Degree in Zoology.