Connect & Inspire: ITN Productions Leeds

This course is part of the Connect & Inspire strand which offers a variety of sessions, from in-person networking and online roundtables to in-depth case studies, designed to promote the sharing of knowledge and the building of relationships across Unscripted TV. 

ITN Productions is opening its doors in Leeds for a special Connect & Inspire session in collaboration with ScreenSkills.

ITN celebrated its milestone 70th birthday last year and has been a main player in the broadcast and news world since its launch all those years ago. With its wealth of experience, the company is possibly best known for producing the output for three newsrooms: 5 News, ITV News and Channel 4 news. ITN Productions was set up in 2010 to encompass the non-news operations of ITN, and now has a varied and prolific slate making award-winning premium documentaries, live broadcast output,  fast turnaround topical and current affairs docs,  drama, podcasts and a growing portfolio of digital content for UK broadcasters and global streamers. This includes The Investigation of Lucy Letby, a global top 10 film on Netflix; Ant Anstead: Born Mechanic, a returning car and restoration series on Discovery Quest; to the much-loved and applauded Michael Palin travelogues for 5. They also produce all of Channel 5’s highly-rating topical daytime programmes, live on air from 9.15am until 3pm, starting with The Jeremy Vine Show through to Vanessa Feltz.

Aside from their London head office ITN also has a strong presence in the regions and nations – with a thriving base in Leeds responsible for winning and outputting numerous commissions. Join us here for an evening specially developed for ScreenSkills where the team will share their wealth of knowledge and expertise with a series of bespoke masterclasses. You will get the chance to attend each of the sessions on the night, with welcome drinks and a chance to meet and mingle with the team.

Who it's for

Researchers and APs seeking to gain insight into ITN Productions Leeds; the content and productions we make and how we make them. Please note that spaces are limited and places will be prioritised for those based in the region. Support for travel is available; please email USF@screenskills.com

We are committed to ensuring all our courses are accessible to everyone. Please email the above address with any access requirements so that we can make the arrangements you need.

What it covers

We are offering the following masterclass sessions, led by our Leeds-based Exec Producing team:

Working with talent – Breaking down how production can be different when working with talent. The extra considerations that need to be thought about, and what can be at stake. Examples around talent management, script writing and production management.

How to Make Premium Docs/True Crime - What are the ingredients of making crime docs in a premium space? What elevates it from other crime content? Often, it’s access and approach – what are the differences? A 360 review of a case, interesting entry points to familiar crimes, and assets.

Digital - Led by Director of Digital Content, TV Production George Cudmore, this session will discuss ITN's approach to the digital world, our plans to succeed, how production companies are approaching digital more broadly and the keys to winning in this area. The session will also cover the variety of roles within a digital team and the skills required and most desired by digital execs here and in the industry. 

In attendance will be:

• Caroline Short - Head of Global TV
• George Cudmore - Director of Digital Content, ITN Productions
• Nicola Addyman - Executive Producer, NW
• Ricardo Pollock - Executive Producer, NW
• Zara McFadden - Talent Executive for ITNP

Trainers

Caroline Short - Head of Global TV at ITN: Caroline is Head of Global TV for ITN Productions, based in ITN’s Leeds office, where she runs the team. Since joining ITN in 2020, initially as Head of Regions and later becoming Head of UK Factual, Caroline has made a range of high rating Docs, Box Sets, Factual series and Formats for Netflix, Channel 4, Channel 5, BBC, and Crime and Investigation. She was the executive producer of the Netflix global top 10 film, The Investigation of Lucy Letby, for which she secured exclusive access to Cheshire Police. Prior to ITNP, Caroline worked as an Executive Producer at the BBC, and worked across brands such as The ONE Show, Rip Off Britain, and the award-winning BBC 3 series Sex, Drugs and Murder: Life in the Red Light Zone.

George Cudmore – Director of Digital Content, ITN Productions: George Cudmore is Director of Digital Content for ITN Productions. Leading this new team, George is responsible for ITN Productions' direct-to-consumer strategy, building creator partnerships, trialling formats and launching new digital content across genres including entertainment, crime, royals and using ITN’s archive. George joined ITN from Zoo 55 where he was Digital Channels Director. There he led the strategic and commercial direction of the Social Video business, building audiences and commercialising ITV Studio's 160+ owned-and-operated digital channels, as well as the ITV network’s YouTube partnership, delivering across all ITV UK based programming. 

Ricardo Pollack & Nicola Addyman – Executive Producers: Ricardo joined ITNP in September, having worked across docuseries, single films and feature docs. His credits include Hospital and The Met for the BBC, Bad Boy Billionaires: India for Netflix and, most recently, feature doc Twitter: Breaking the Bird for BBC Two, also released as a four-part series on CNN. Nicola also joined us in September and recently worked on Groomed: A National Scandal for C4 and multiple series across BBC TV and radio. Nicola has previously Series Produced for us as a freelancer on various programmes including Cops Gone Bad and some of our air fryer shows. Both have stellar reputations and credits with specialisms that complement our ambition to keep taking our Leeds office, and ITN Productions as a whole, from strength to strength and prove our continued commitment to production outside London.

How to apply

Click ‘apply now’ at the top of the page and follow the instructions to apply for your place: you must login or register before you are able to complete your application.

Our courses are popular and often book up quickly. If you are no longer able to attend, we ask you to please use the “decline ticket” function on the right-hand side of the page so that we can release your place to someone on the waiting list.