Firm News

BPU Helps Media Company raise £154,000 grant  funding

A £1.5 million Welsh-made children’s comedy series is to begin filming now funding has been secured.

Tati’s Hotel – described as Fawlty Towers for kids – is a 26-part series by Cardiff’s Machine Productions, in partnership with Screen Door of Canada, and will be shown on CITV in the spring of next year.

Machine Productions was launched three years ago by former Casualty series producer Jane Dauncey and Jane Steventon. Their first production,– Zig Zag Love – which featured Robert Carlyle,  took a BAFTA Cymru earlier this year, as well as winning Best Film at Norwich and Swansea Bay Film Festival.

Now Machine is aiming to build on this success with their latest production. “Tati’s Hotel is very unique.  It is brilliantly written and is about a 7 year old girl in charge of a magical hotel. It will employ around 100 people at the main stages of production, and will take advantage of the wealth of talent we have in Wales,” said Jane Dauncey.

A £154,000 grant from the WAG Single Investment Fund has cornerstoned funding for the series. This was obtained by Machine Productions’ accountants BPU. “We are very pleased to have been able to secure this funding for the project, which has in turn levered in further backing bringing the total package to £1.5 million” said BPU’s Huw Palin.

“This support from the Welsh Assembly Government underlines their commitment to nurturing the creative industries in Wales,” he added.

Ieuan Wyn Jones, Minister for the Economy and transport, welcomed the news : “The creative industries are a crucial part of the Welsh economy and a key sector identified in our Economic Renewal programme. As a government we want to make sure the sector is in the strongest possible position to compete and bring about long term, sustainable growth.

“Our aim is a vibrant, thriving creative industry, from TV, film, online to music and it’s great news to hear that support from the Welsh Assembly Government is enabling this production to go ahead in Wales.”

Jane Dauncey is delighted that the funding is in place and Tati’s Hotel is moving into top gear. “Finding support generally for children’s programming is not always easy because the advertising market is more limited than for adults, and therefore broadcasters and other backers are more difficult to find.

“However, we feel it is vital that youngsters should have high quality drama created for them, and this is the task we have set ourselves at Machine Productions. We have several other projects in the pipeline to follow Tati’s Hotel and are looking forward to developing them.”

She feels that the BBC’s plans to create the new Drama Hub in Cardiff Bay will be vital for the future of the creative industries in Wales. “This is excellent news. There is a huge amount of talent in Wales and this will help to focus it strategically. Being based in a city with a drama hub can only be good news from our point of view.”

Machine’s business plan predicts a £5 million annual turnover within the first five years, and the company is well on target to achieve this. “The type of work we are involved in obviously has implications for cash flow,” said Jane Dauncey.  “We decided at the outset that we would stay lean and mean during the research and development phases of projects, and then expand rapidly during production, as we are now with Tati’s Hotel. “

A partnership approach to major productions is another part of Machine’s business strategy. The link up with Screen Door of Ontario brings many advantages, from helping to secure funding, risk spreading, and a platform for a broadcast audience in Canada.

“We have several more projects in the pipeline to follow Tati’s Hotel. Barbara Machin (creator of the BBC’s Waking the Dead) is writing a new serious crimes unit show for Machine and ITV1 - and we are looking forward to producing more top quality entertainment using Welsh talent.”

For further information on how we can help your business raise grant funding or for a free financial review of your business please call Louise Williams, Marketing Manager at BPU

Tel: 029 20734100 or email louisew@bpuaccountants.co.uk