Into The Lead is a new development programme for senior leaders working in independent production companies across the North of England.
In our interview with Garry Paton of Manchester-based Finite Productions he discusses his career, current and past projects and his experience of this new initiative which is supported by Screen Alliance North and BFI with National Lottery Funding.
Hello Garry. Can you tell us about your organisation and your role there?
Together with producer Carys Evans, I run Finite Productions, an independent film and creative content company, which has a focus on narrative cinematic films, led by talented emerging writers, directors and producers. I am also a Partner, alongside James Parker, at Content Chemistry, a video and animation company based in Cheadle Hulme, supporting global clients in the healthcare and technical industries.
We transform complex scientific and technological information into captivating and dynamic visual stories which educate, engage and excite audiences. We work on an array of media solutions from virtually-captured contributions, dressed up with slick animations all the way through to IMAX-sized event openers, and everything in between to meet the needs of our global clients, their employees, and their intended audiences.
How did you make a start in the screen industry?
I started as a work experience runner at the BBC, which was one of my favourite jobs in the industry. I got to sit across numerous programmes happening at one time and learned so much from the many people leading these. I was lucky enough to be offered a position after the experience and I worked there throughout my second and third years of university while studying for my degree in media.
I’m still connected to many of the people I met in that role — some are great friends — and the skills I picked up were a springboard for lots of opportunities since.
What are some of the key productions you/your organisation have worked on (in the local region or otherwise)?
From an LGBT international co-production with Palestine about a young woman smuggled across the West Bank border searching for her brother in Tel Aviv, Israel (NOWHERE), to a homegrown BAFTA-nominated tale of a Scottish farmer caring for her mother with dementia (YOU LAND), to the story of a crazed shop detective with a grisly demand from two petty lipstick thieves for Hulu and Fox Digital Studios (LIPPY), Finite Productions has produced and executive produced a diverse portfolio of narrative films which have gone on to compete and be selected for hundreds of film festivals worldwide.
What opportunity did Into the Lead provide for you at the current stage of your career?
Into The Lead was a great opportunity to connect with like-minded business leaders in the North of England, to discuss the current state of the industry, approach problems together as a collective, and to learn from industry speakers about their experience, insights and ways to approach these concerns.
It also allowed me to bring my commercial experience from Content Chemistry and look at ways of applying this to the narrative slate and business development at Finite Productions.
There was some great takeout with the commercial proposition, which is something we’ve been doing a lot of work on at Content Chemistry. Connecting with industry to hear how the landscape is moving was beneficial as we think about the approach in the narrative space at Finite Productions. It was encouraging to hear from the speakers, and to discuss with peers, about the balance between the integrity of filmmakers and their stories and how to position this within the current market.
It was also valuable to discuss trends and approaches within sustainability, which we already have a great focus on, to learn about other leaders’ approaches to this.