Students and colleagues from the University of Westminster’s School of Media and Communications (SMC) attended the Edinburgh TV Festival, celebrating the Festival’s 50th anniversary as well as the University’s 50th anniversary of launching the UK’s first media degree. This is also the first year that the School was there as an official partner - the only London-based partner supporting The TV Foundation, which is the festival’s charitable arm.
Held between 19-22 August, the Edinburgh TV Festival brought together over 2,000 TV leaders and creatives from around the world. Colleagues who attended were Dr Doug Specht, Head of the SMC, Professor Lucy Brown, Assistant Head of School, Natalie Walter, Course Leader of Television Production BA Honours, Dr Virginia Pitts, Senior Tutor and Course Leader of Film, Television and Moving Image MA, and Julia Toppin, Senior Lecturer in Music and Television. They had the chance to see speakers help shape debate in the global TV industry, including in the famous MacTaggart Lecture, celebrating its landmark 50th edition, presented by James Harding, Co-founder of Tortoise Media and Editor-in-Chief of The Observer. The festival hosted over 70 events from insightful discussions by television tastemakers to masterclasses by field experts and is the only event featuring every UK channel and top commissioners discussing the year ahead with special previews and insights.
Highlights from the festival include an opening debate with BBC News Analysis Editor Ros Atkins on TV’s place in the new world order, the Edinburgh Fellowship Award Interview with Shonda Rhimes, CEO of Shondaland, a masterclass with the top creative talent behind the global hit series Adolescence, The Alternative MacTaggart with Munya Chawawa, and lastly, In Conversation: Charlie Brooker from Black Mirror.
The TV Foundation supports new entrants and established creatives in their TV careers, helping to amplify voices and nurture talent with free career development opportunities. The Foundation also champions sustainable storytelling and aims to improve inclusion. Its entry-level access talent scheme offering opportunities at the TV Festival and ongoing support, The Network, hosted four recent graduates: Melanie Domingues Tomaz Da Silva, Harrie Blackadder and Adji Seck from the Television Production BA Honours course and Xiaoyu Zhang from Media and Development MA. The scheme provided them with access to a free festival ticket, specialist industry training and networking opportunities during the festival and on-going industry mentoring support to boost their careers in television.
TV Foundation Impact Director Gemma Bradshaw said: “We’re delighted to be partnering with the University of Westminster. Their students have already demonstrated their incredible passion and commitment to making their mark in the TV industry.”
Dr Specht added: “I’m proud that we are a major partner of the TV Foundation. Supporting the Edinburgh TV Festival and the wider screen industries reflects our commitment to empowering new voices, nurturing talent and ensuring our students connect with the very best in television. By collaborating with the TV Foundation, we drive innovation, foster diversity and help shape the future of the creative sector.”
Professor Brown added: “This partnership opens doors for our students and connects Westminster talent directly with the heart of the TV industry. It has been a joy to see our students write scripts for the BBC’s EastEnders and pitch their ideas to Channel 4.0 commissioners. They are showing the creativity and energy that will shape the future of television.”
Natalie Walter said: “I’m thrilled for our students and graduates who can benefit from this opportunity. Television has the power to change lives and this experience will likely shape theirs in a very exciting way from meeting their heroes in acting, writing, directing and producing to raising their profiles and connecting them to talented creatives, forming connections they can build their careers with.”
Melanie Domingues Tomaz Da Silva said: “It has been a really intense experience but full of learning and I think the most important thing is I felt I was part of the industry.”
The festival directly contributes to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 4: Quality Education, 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth and 10: Reduced Inequalities. Since 2019, the University of Westminster has used the SDGs holistically to frame strategic decisions to help students and colleagues fulfil their potential and contribute to a more sustainable, equitable and healthier society.
Learn more about Film and Television courses at the University of Westminster.
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