Screen Image & Sound Cluster

Opportunities in

Digital Media

Innovation

Serious Virtual Worlds Conference 08

Richard Hyde

Deputy Chairman

Advantage West Midlands

Presentation Outline..

Profile on theWest Midlands

Channel 4 4IP Regional hub

Exploiting wider opportunities

Summary ofKey Observations

SGI as a thought leader

RecentSuccesses

West Midlands is a UK leader in digital media

Population 5.3 million9% of the UK population

Birmingham, 2nd City only to London

Diverse mix of cultures

Creative & Cultural Sector7.3% UK, 1.8m, 50,000

Profile - AWM – RDA – Regional Government

Making the greatest impact – targeting need – investing in success

17,000 jobs 6,000 helped to get jobs 1,300 new businesses 12,000 businesses supported

17,000 jobs 6,000 helped to get jobs 1,300 new businesses 12,000 businesses supported

£300m+ pa 2,500 projects£300m+ pa 2,500 projects

Serious Games and Virtual Worlds are key area to invest in

Profile – Digital Media Strengths

20% UK Games Production

Interactive mediaTop New media agencies

MUSIC PRODUCTIONBirmingham top 5 global destination for diversity

serious gamesUK hub, games based learning, virtual worlds, global profile

Film active region For production

Film active region For production

Regional Successes

£4m Film Fund

£7m SGI &

HelloDigital

23-26 Oct 08

Serious GamesIDM proof of concept

£6m Custard Factory

ICE

Creative Space, Hubs… Creative Space, Hubs…

Serious Virtual Worlds Conference

£600K Development

£5m Digital Media MusicIndustry

European Regions in top 5

Serious Games Institute Thought leader for Serious Games & Virtual Worlds

virtual conferences and data simulation.

Funding streams Demonstrators, Proof of Concept, Science City…

… are Stepping stones to opening new markets and creating real commercial success

Second WednesdayMany SME’s moved here for collaborative benefits

New Opportunities in Digital Media

£5m from AWM = £10m ring-fenced for the regionPart of which can be spent with partners

from the UK and abroad.

Commercial return, budgets £20K-£1.5m

£50m over 2 yearsNon televisionDigital Media

IDM will act as funnel for

Serious Games ideas

Channel 4 Commissioning Hub for 4IP in Birmingham

What is Digital Media?

Digital television, digital radio, internet and mobile

What is Digital Media?

Digital television, digital radio, internet and mobile

Screen, Image & Sound ClusterAll ‘digital creative industries’

Film, television, animation, interactive media, games, radio, music, digital imaging

What is Digital Media?

Digital new media includes…

Computer aided social networks

Pix

el Le

arn

ing

4IP at Channel 4 embraces

‘content or technologies allowing a more complex,

interactive relationship and allowing users to create, modify and comment on

content. Peer to peer and file sharing

technologies

Collaborative knowledge networks

On-line Journalism

and Broadcasting

Imagined and alternative life

networksInteractiveLearning

and leisure

anything interesting

we’ve Missed..!

Exploiting wider opportunities in Digital media

Beyond Channel 4 4IP….We are pursuing other avenues of collaboration…

Many are sceptical of virtual worlds …You will not be able to bring some organisations or sectors from their current thinking easily

Innovation Technology CouncilTechnology Strategy Board

European Funding Calls

In Summary… opportunities in digital media

AWM remain committed to sector

Think ‘outside the box’ for cross-sector collaborations, get help

Build SGI, Screen WM, Business Link

So start talking about opportunities today!

Channel 4 4IP is a huge opportunity

Not everyone is on board, many need a ‘stepping stone’ approach

Contact Details

thank you for listening!

David Furmage

Screen, Image & Sound Cluster Manager•044 121 503 3397 davidfurmage@advantagewm.co.uk

Dan LacariInteractive Digital Media ProjectDan.Licari@bcu.ac.uk

Screen West Midlandswww.screenwm.co.uk

Richard HydeDeputy ChairmanAdvantage West Midlandswww.advantagewm.co.uk