Facilities Friday: Making the Imaginary Real

For our latest feature of Facilities Friday, we visited Karl Sharples of KSKS TV & Film in Fazakerley. 

A skilled craftsman and propmaker, with 20 years’ experience in welding, engineering and joinery, Karl describes his role as ‘making imaginary things real or real things fake!’ 

CREWSDAY TUESDAY: CAPTURING THE ACTION, JUST OUT OF FRAME

Crewsday Tuesday looks at Waterloo-based Alex Hurst, who works across film and television as a unit stills and art department photographer, a specialist role that helps shape the visual worlds audiences see on screen.

FACILTIES FRIDAY: BRINGING METALWORK TO THE REGION

Metalworker Harry Prescott of Proper Sets Limited has recently brought his craft, and young family, to the Wirral, joining a region he believes is full of opportunity for people working behind the scenes in Film and TV.

FACILTIES FRIDAY: MASTER CRAFTSMAN, BY ORDER OF THE PEAKY BLINDERS!

We spotlight C Relph Ltd, owned and run by Colin, a master craftsman with nearly four decades in set construction whose work has shaped some of the Northwest’s most distinctive productions – none more so than Peaky Blinders.

CREWSDAY TUESDAY: GET TO KNOW THE GRIP

Our latest edition of Crewsday Tuesday features Bridie Bennett, a grip trainee on This City is Ours season 2! 

LIVERPOOL’S VERSATILITY: A WOMAN OF SUBSTANCE

Have you seen Channel 4’s A Woman of Substance yet?

FACILTIES FRIDAY: THE QUIET BACKBONE OF PRODUCTION!

Direct Film has been a quiet backbone of the North West’s screen industry since the 90s, supplying the facilities that keep productions running long before most people even know a shoot is happening.

FILM + TV CHARITY: REEL IMPACT RETURNS

The final round of The Film + TV Charity’s ‘Reel Impact‘ programme has opened, aimed at strengthening fairness, partnership working, and support for mid‑to‑senior Black and Global Majority talent. 

CREWSDAY TUESDAY: SAYING ‘YES’ TO OPPORTUNITIES

This week’s Crewsday Tuesday turns the camera towards Pete Nance, a second assistant camera technician who has built a steady, skilled career across the Liverpool City Region by following his instincts, saying yes to opportunity and carving out his own path in the department. 

INTO THE LEAD: 2 BIRDS AND A PLAN

For our final look at the participants of Into The Lead, Screen Alliance North’s leadership programme for independent production companies across the North of England, we hear from Kate Robinson, founder of Liverpool-based production company 2Birds and a Camera.

INTO THE LEAD: BOOM POW!

We continue our look at Into The Lead, a new Screen Alliance North programme supporting and upskilling leaders of independent production companies across the North of England, with writer and producer Johanne McAndrew, founder of Boom Pow Productions.  

FACILTIES FRIDAY: BRINGING STYLE TO THE SCREEN

We spotlight Christine Clarke and behind Bijou & Vintage, a one‑woman costume supplier whose work –including for the recently released Netflix drama Run Away – has shaped the style of major productions across the Northwest and beyond. 

INTO THE LEAD: FROM LIVERPOOL TO THE WORLD

Continuing our series profiling participants of Into The Lead, Screen Alliance North’s leadership programme for independent production companies across the North of England, we hear from Sol Papadopoulos, co-director and founder of Liverpool-based Hurricane Films. 

INTO THE LEAD: COME INTO THE FOLD

Continuing our series spotlighting participants of Into The Lead, Screen Alliance North’s leadership programme for independent production companies across the North of England, we hear from Michelle Stein, co-founder of North West-based production company The Fold.

Film and TV Charity: Money Matters 2

FILM AND TV CHARITY REPORT REVEALS STRUGGLING WORKFORCE

Drawing on insights from over 2,000 people working behind the scenes in film, TV, and cinema, the Film and TV Charity’s latest Money Matters 2 report unfortunately reveals a workforce under mounting financial pressure. Key findings include:

– 46% of freelancers are struggling financially (compared with 27% of permanent staff)

– 74% are considering leaving the industry due to money worries

– 43% have already taken steps to leave – up from 32% in 2023

The results point to a sector losing stability, resilience, and confidence. However The Charity’s message is clear: short‑term fixes won’t be enough. Securing the long‑term health of the screen industries requires meaningful, coordinated, industry‑wide action.

That’s why we are proud to be supporting the Film and TV Charity at this Saturday’s ‘Northern TV and Film Gala’ at Liverpool Town Hall, raising funds for and awareness of the charity’s integral work supporting all aspects of our industry’s crew.

READ THE FULL REPORT HERE LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CHARITY