Sky Vision, Welsh Government Continue Factual & Entertainment Fund

Sky Vision and the Welsh government have extended their funding to support the creation and production of factual and entertainment TV programs and formats in Wales.

The fund is part of Sky Vision and the Welsh government’s commitment to support the growth of the independent TV sector in Wales. It has been extended until March 2019. The extension will enable independent production businesses in Wales and production companies in the U.K. that produce in Wales with Welsh talent to create and develop new programming. It will also be used to generate tasters or pilots from production companies based in Wales and to maximize distribution revenue.

Sky Vision and the Welsh government have already invested in several qualifying projects with the £400,000 ($524,000) fund. Projects that have received investment include Blink Films’ One Star to Five Star for Channel 4, Telesgop Productions’ The Climate Challenge for S4C, and Cwmni Da and Mac TV’s Tide, which will air on S4C, TG4 and BBC Northern Ireland in 2019.

The fund has also supported sizzles from ThinkOrchard, Midnight Oil Productions and Folk Films. The three projects, which are all seeking broadcaster commissions, range from World War II historical series to observational documentaries, and cookery and lifestyle programs.

Barnaby Shingleton, the director of entertainment and factual at Sky Vision, said, “We’re incredibly proud to be supporting the creation and development of factual content in Wales, and we hope that this extension will encourage more production companies to apply for funding. We’re looking forward to seeing them make exciting, thought-provoking programming that will educate and inspire.”