Chair, Bristol Media

Paul is a BAFTA-winning producer who worked at BBC Bristol for 30 years, including 20 as a series producer of TV and multiplatform projects in the Natural History Unit (NHU). He has a passion for biology and media that stretches from self-shooting wildlife films to facilitating ideas sessions for top BBC management. In April 2009 he left the BBC in order to be more involved in training, facilitation, digital production and working with new technology as a media consultant with his company, VID.

Innovation is the main driver of Paul’s work – delivering new ideas, embracing new technologies, working with a huge range of people from young children to academics, and devising solutions for technically demanding projects. Sharing this passion and developing new talent are also central to his working style. Paul was a founder member of the BBC Creative Facilitation network, producing ideas sessions for the Olympics and BBC Drama, as well as factual production. He ran the craft training programmes within the NHU for 6 years, and is a key contributor to the BBC Good Shooting Guide. His last project, Saving Planet Earth, involved 20 different platforms and launched the BBC Wildlife Fund.

Paul focuses on ideas development and delivery to multiple platforms, providing the tools, advice and structured learning to help take anyone’s ideas to realization. He is chair of Bristol Media, which covers digital and advertising agencies, PR and design as well as film & TV. He is on the Board of Watershed Media Centre, and of the Encounters Short Film Festival.

Paul’s experience of volunteering with Media Trust:

Paul volunteers as a Youth Mentor with Media Trust. He initially volunteered as a part of a project called “Face2Face”, making films with production teams of young people and BBC Bristol staff. The first group of young people came from a range of centres including e-shed and Knowle West Media Centre, the second worked with The Kingswood Foundation. Face2Face is now recognised as one of the BBC’s premier outreach activities.

Paul was involved in the organisation and delivery of the whole programme, and helped with camerawork and advising on specific projects. Since leaving the BBC he has volunteered with a group in Lawrence Weston, shooting a film which they devised, scripted and performed.

Paul says…

“I love working with a diverse range of people, and using media to enable them to tell their stories, express themselves, and just have fun! Media Trust has a great reputation, and works with challenging but very engaging people. The wider use of media fulfils a key role in society, and I enjoy being able to share my knowledge for such a good cause.”