Grant Taylor-Hill

Great to see the push for faster, more flexible “fast-track” apprenticeships, so training can keep up with what industry actually needs, especially in fast-moving sectors like tech and games. I’m a huge advocate for apprenticeships. They gave real credibility and validation to my own skill set early in my career, and that recognition made a big difference to my confidence and progression. Now working in games, I see how powerful this still is. Apprenticeships open doors, help studios grow talent, and give people opportunities they might not otherwise get. This stuff works and we need more of it. #Apprenticeships #GamesIndustry #Skills #LearningAndDevelopment #Careers 🎮

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Affordability in UK gambling is an 'acute science' As the UK prepares for a new era and a generational change when it comes to affordability, clarity is still needed over the most effective methods. Is there a danger that the ambitious target set by the policymakers will be missed and how damaging will this be? Fascinating stuff from Ted Menmuir and Charlie Horner, on the latest episode of the iGaming Daily. https://lnkd.in/e6YCiS3k

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If you work in the games industry watch this video. There's some really troubling information here about the lack of governance within the industry and it's important to learn about it so we can change it.

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FILM VOLT GROUP SECURES TV PRODUCTION RIGHTS AND BOOK PUBLICATION RIGHTS TO ‘THE YORKSHIRE SENTINEL’ FRANCHISE Chesterfield & Toronto July 2, 2025 Film Volt Group Limited is thrilled to announce the acquisition of the television production rights and book publication rights to The Yorkshire Sentinel, a gripping crime franchise based on the five-book series by acclaimed author Mark Moulton. At the heart of the franchise is DCI Alice Morgan, a decorated British Army veteran and former member of the Royal Military Police. After years of service, including intense deployments in Afghanistan, Morgan returns to civilian life and joins the local police force in a small Yorkshire town. As she battles the lingering effects of PTSD, she is determined to seek justice in a community where old grudges refuse to die. The adaptation promises a compelling blend of psychological depth, high-stakes crime-solving, and the raw authenticity of a protagonist shaped by the harsh realities of war. With the success of military and police procedural dramas, The Yorkshire Sentinel is poised to captivate audiences worldwide with its thrilling storytelling and complex characters. “We are incredibly excited to bring The Yorkshire Sentinel to the screen,” said Mark Busby, CEO at Film Volt Group. “Mark P. G. Moulton has crafted a deeply compelling character in DCI Alice Morgan, and we believe this series and books will resonate with audiences looking for gripping, character-driven drama. This acquisition underscores Film Volt Group’s commitment to producing high-quality, impactful content for global audiences.” Further details regarding casting, production schedules, and distribution will be announced in due course. The first book in the collection of four, published via Film Volt Group Publications, will officially launch on September 5th, 2025. For press and media inquiries, please contact: Emma Johnston Head of PR & Marketing Film Volt Group Email: PRM@filmvoltgroup.com #TheYorkshireSentinel #FilmVoltGroup #TVAdaptation #BookLaunch #BritishCrimeDrama #AliceMorgan #MarkPGMoulton #VeteranDetective #PTSDNarrative #YorkshireThriller #FilmVoltPublications

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🏴 Esports Wales partners with the Football Association of Wales to lead the Welsh FIFAe National Team We’re proud to announce a new partnership between Esports Wales and the Football Association of Wales (FAW) to deliver and manage the Welsh FIFAe National Team. This collaboration brings together football and esports to create a clear, nationally recognised pathway for players to represent Wales in international FIFAe competition. This partnership reflects the growing alignment between traditional sport and esports, and our shared commitment to innovation, inclusion, and national representation. Together, we’re building the future of competitive gaming in Wales. #TogetherStronger

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Ampere Analysis unpacks UK broadcaster YouTube distribution strategies Ampere Analysis has released a social video tracking tool that reveals how UK broadcasters are using YouTube. It reveals the shift towards more long-form content and the types of content that dominate their YouTube channel collections. A separate survey demonstrates the potential for extra reach using the video sharing platform. The company shared some very informative, granular data during a recent webcast (YouTube’s Evolving Role for UK Broadcasters’) hosted by senior analyst Josh Rustage. His charts showed that the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and 5 had over 120 YouTube channels between them in Q1/2025. The BBC operated 50, ITV had 42, Channel 4 had 26 and 5 had three. These figures include channels that are either broadcaster or broadcaster studio owned. Rustage explained that reality TV, soaps, gameshows and chat shows are good candidates for distribution within YouTube channels because their value [in terms of gaining ad-supported viewers or helping drive subscriptions] decays more quickly than drama, for example. The story below from The Media Leader includes: ·      The % of YouTube content from these broadcasters that is being published for global consumption. ·      Figures demonstrating the growth in the proportion of uploads defined as long-form (20+ minutes). ·      How the broadcaster YouTube channels are organised by genre. ·      Estimates of the incremental reach these broadcasters can achieve by using YouTube as a distribution platform. Ampere Analysis believes YouTube can now be used as a new release and monetisation window, and cited the way Channel 4 now treats its soap/drama Hollyoaks. Each new episode is released at 7am to Channel 4 streaming (BVOD) before it airs on linear TV at 7pm. One week later the same episode is published on YouTube. “This is after they have already created value from the owned-and-operated services,” said Rustage. Ampere Analysis looked at the windowing for long-form content that Channel 4 published to one of its YouTube channels, Channel 4 Documentaries, between Q1/23 and Q1/25. It found that 41% of episodes were uploaded to the platform within 0-7 days of their original [owned-and-operated] air date. You can see the figures for the later windows in the story. Rustage noted that windowing [more expensive] scripted content for YouTube is more of a challenge. https://lnkd.in/eGsxvZpj   

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News | British Esports announces multi-million pound funding secured for flagship Gaming and Esports Arena set to open in early 2026 in Sunderland. Europe’s first-of-its-kind 5G facility from a federation can support esports players in major future tournaments including Esports World Cups and Olympic Esports Games. Read more: https://orlo.uk/y8CLe #InvestNorthEast #Esports #5G

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We are proud to share a preview of our strategic direction for the year ahead. ​While we are part of the chartered institute, our local challenges in Merseyside require a bespoke approach. We can't just follow a generic playbook; we need to address the specific skills gaps and digital divides in our city region. ​On December 1st, our committee will lock in the operational plan to deliver on three key aims: ​Integrating with local industry (Merseyside LTD 100). ​Operationalising digital inclusion (Real volunteer hours, real impact). ​Retaining our graduate talent right here in Liverpool. ​​To be clear: This isn’t just about the national BCS mission. This is a specific, localised strategy designed by this branch for this region. We are pivoting from being a passive provider of lectures to an active ecosystem partner. Stay tuned for the full roadmap. ​#BCS #MerseysideTech #DigitalSkills #StrategicPlanning #Liverpool #

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Wakefield and Nottingham-based video games developer, everplay group plc, has confirmed its acquisition of a 20 per cent minority stake in Super Media Group for a total consideration of £2m. https://lnkd.in/ev9rxMjQ

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Hayley McQueen's top tips for a career in sports broadcasting 🎥 See what the Sky Sports News presenter said as we spoke to her about the industry and securing a role within it 👉 https://lnkd.in/drgNVjdd

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The UK government has unveiled the members of its new UK Video Games Council, which includes joint chairs Jason Kingsley CBE and Nick Button-Brown https://lnkd.in/g5cwgDst

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Producer Director Top Tip January Series #25 of 31 - Get on the Phone If I say this one, am I officially old? It feels almost too obvious to say, but I see it more and more… people are scared of talking on the phone. And honestly, it’s incredibly frustrating knowing an issue can be fixed with a simple call but it not happening. There’s absolutely a time and place for emails and WhatsApp. But they’re slow and they’re easy to ignore. And when you’re waiting on one missing piece to unlock everything else, sometimes you just need a direct conversation. A person to person chat can also be the magic key to extra information, a favour, or even charming your way into an extra hour at a location! We’re people-people, after all! ALSO! If you’re reading this and you’re below Producer level but want more editorial responsibility, use the phone as the audition! As a director, I’m not going to let you loose on your own with a contributor, a master interview, or a sensitive situation if I don’t think you can talk. It’s not that you COULDN’T do it… it’s that I don’t KNOW you can. The best place to show that is in a busy office, on the phone, handling conversations, thinking on your feet, letting everyone else around you hear how amazing you are in those scenarios. So… What’s the verdict? Certified old man holding onto simpler times? Caveat: Every director has their own way of working so what works for me might not work for you, I’d love to hear what does, in the comments! (Turns out I have a lack of photos of me specifically in an office on the phone… so here’s one of two great phone talkers, Rob Butterfield and Ayaan A. )

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The UK Government has unveiled a major investment package in the UK’s film and TV industry that it says will open doors for young talent from all backgrounds and secure the nation’s position as a world-leading production hub. The Screen Growth Package, worth £75 million (€87.9m), forms a central pillar of the forthcoming Creative Industries Sector Plan, designed to enhance the UK’s status as a global creative superpower by 2035. #UK #FilmProduction #TVProduction #Filmmaking #Investment #ProductionHub #GovernmentFunding #Policy #Regulation

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Independent and accurate broadcast auditing underpins confidence in advertising data. Impartial auditing enables organisations to confirm what aired and reconcile delivery against booking contracts — consistently and independently. AFSTEREO audits all pre-recorded and non-pre-recorded broadcast content, recorded directly from transmission across radio and television. No pre-watermarking. No pre-fingerprinting. No advance preparation. The focus is simple: clear, trusted, defensible broadcast data that supports accountability and transparency. More on AFSTEREO broadcast auditing at www.afstereo.co.za #AFSTEREO #BroadcastAuditing #RecordedAtSource #AdvertisingAccountability #TrustedBroadcastData #BroadcastCompliance

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British communications regulator Ofcom yesterday said it is seeking public and stakeholders’ views on areas where broadcast regulation might be reformed or streamlined to support growth and innovation across the sector... Read More At:- https://lnkd.in/gAgfpVPW Ofcom #public #stakeholders #views #broadcast #Sector #Ofcom #britishcommunications #news #NewsUpdate #newsfeed #dailynews #IBWNews

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Had the pleasure of visiting the Game Jam 4 All launch at the University of Staffordshire campus yesterday in Stratford.  Hosted by Tencent, the event featured a number of talks from key stakeholders such as UKIE, Charlotte Nichols MP, SpecialEffect and the wonderful Wobbly Gamer, Mathew Allcock. Our very own Ivana Randelshofer joined a panel on "Accessibility Is Game Design." It really struck a chord with me. Here's my three takeaways from the various discussions. Firstly, it's not about dumbing down skill, it's about reducing the barriers to your game; I saw an incredible SpecialEffect video of a gamer playing Call of Duty with just his breath, his tongue and his shoulder.  The speed at which he was moving in the game was dizzying.  Their videos never fail to stir up emotions. Accessibility isn't just about physical disabilities; the assembled students were tasked with considering a full spectrum of areas such as vision, hearing, emotional and cognitive.  The latter really felt personal as it's an area I've really woken up to with my ADHD diagnosis.  I found myself scanning back all the dungeons I'd explored over my gaming career and asked myself "Have I been in this one before?!" and wondering just what some of these features could do for me. Lastly, circumstances change. People get injured, they get older, and abilities you might initially take for granted can change.  Accessibility also comes into play here.  It really is for everyone.  Thanks to the team for having us, and really making me think.

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