James Martin, Red Production Company and Made in Leeds were among the winners at the Royal Television Society (RTS) Yorkshire awards, which took place at The Royal Armouries in Leeds on Friday.
Happy Valley (Red Production Company for BBC One) and Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell (Cuba Pictures/Feel Films/Supported by Screen Yorkshire’s Yorkshire Content Fund for BBC One) were the big winners of the night as both series walked away with three awards each.
In front of the camera, James Martin picked up the Presenter award for Home Comforts at Christmas (BBC Bristol for BBC One) and Christine Talbot collected this year’s Reporter award for her work on ITV’s regional news programme Calendar (ITV Yorkshire). Mark O’Brien, of local TV broadcaster Made in Leeds, was named the One to Watch.
This Is England ’90 (Warp Films/Big Arty for Channel 4) took home the Drama award, while independent production company, Daisybeck Studios, collected the Independent Spirit award for its contribution to the production industry in Yorkshire.
THE WINNERS:
Filmed in Yorkshire (Sponsored by York St John University)
Happy Valley Red Production Company for BBC One
“This was pure unadulterated Yorkshire, warts and all. The budget was used to great effect and the series showed exceptional storytelling.”
Second Screen
E Stings 2016 Rocket/4creative/Spredfast for E4
“…the campaign was extremely professional and engaged viewers in a simple, clever and effective way.”
Promotion or Commercial Production
Welcome to the Northern Powerhouse Motiv Productions
“The film was so effective…it has a strong, clear message and used graphics in a concise and understandable way to convey information.”
Factual Programme
Peter Kay: 20 Years of Funny Shiver for BBC One
“The show had great access, refreshing new footage and great contributors. Ultimately it was an extremely entertaining show. A great example of its genre.”
Factual Series
Body Donors Daisybeck Studios/GroupM Entertainment for Channel 5
“Body Donors found a previously untold story and portrayed it with extraordinary humanity and sensitivity that took the viewer out of their comfort zone.”
Director – Factual
Tarun Bhartiya – India’s Frontier Railways – Last Train in Nepal 3Di-TV for BBC
“Tarun’s direction was beautiful, atmospheric and engaging. The episode was full of humanity, jeopardy and extraordinary characters.”
Animation and/or Visual Effects
Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell Milk VFX/Supported by Screen Yorkshire’s Yorkshire Content Fund
“…stunning opening sequence which used animation and then live action…the makers had clearly done their research and there was attention to detail throughout.”
Presenter
James Martin – Home Comforts at Christmas BBC Bristol for BBC One
“This delicious programme featuring housewives’ favourite James Martin showed polish, audience appeal and high production values.”
Made in Yorkshire (Sponsored by Leeds Trinity University)
Forced Marriage Cops True Vision Aire for Channel 4
“The tenacity of the production team in sticking with the importance of this as a programme to be made, plus their careful nurturing of relationships with both the victims and the police, is a testament to good documentary making.”
Reporter
Christine Talbot – Calendar ITV Yorkshire
“Christine Talbot’s reports show a level of access, warmth and accomplished professionalism that was admired.”
News Report
Christmas Flooding – On The Aire Made in Leeds
“This small, hard-working team stuck with the story from start to finish with admirable tenacity and an impressive determination to keep it relevant, comprehensive and with a strong local focus.”
News Programme
The Closure of Kellingley Colliery – Calendar ITV Yorkshire
“A powerful, skilfully constructed special with a real sense of occasion and a clear regional identity.”
Professional Excellence: Production
David Roger – Production Design – Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, Cuba Pictures/Feel Films/Supported by Screen Yorkshire’s Yorkshire Content Fund for BBC One
“…the scale, complexity and ambition of Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell could not be ignored.”
Professional Excellence: Post-Production
India’s Frontier Railways 3Di-TV for BBC Four
“The post-production team faced a great deal of unique challenges; not least dealing with interviews and footage in four different languages. An impressive achievement.”
Writer
Sally Wainwright – Happy Valley Red Production Company for BBC One
“…brilliant, deliciously understated writing as reality breathed off every page of the script.”
Actor
Sarah Lancashire – Happy Valley Red Production Company for BBC One
“A spine-tingling performance. Sarah Lancashire managed to inhabit the policewoman’s uniform uncompromisingly, with a lack of vanity, and an ability to capture the multi-layered problems of her character.”
Director: Fiction
Toby Haynes – Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell Cuba Pictures/Feel Films/Supported by Screen Yorkshire’s Yorkshire Content Fund for BBC One
“Extraordinary direction in a tour de force encompassing a vast range of directing skills…Toby made sense of a challenging novel and transformed it into a visual spectacle with beautiful, intimate moments.”
Drama (Sponsored by Leeds Beckett University)
This Is England ’90 Warp Films/Big Arty for Channel 4
“The quality of the ensemble in every area is superb, with stories and characters that stayed with the judges. Never an inauthentic moment.”
One To Watch
Mark O’Brien Made in Leeds
“Truly a rising star both in-front-of and behind the camera. His on-screen performance is so assured, confident and engaging and he is just as impressive off-screen.”
Independent Spirit
Daisybeck Studios
“Daisybeck Studios work with other Yorkshire-based companies to bring the production eco-system together and bring employment to the region. They are a truly independent production company that makes you want to work in telly.”
Centre Award
Terry Ricketts
“For more than half a century Terry Ricketts has brightened the broadcast business with his personality and his professionalism. He started his long career in an award winning feature film and jokes that he’s worked his way downwards ever since. Recognised around the world this absolute one-off has thousands of friends in the industry and few, if any, enemies.”
