Judges 

KATE BRADSHAW

Kate joined ITV.com from IMG in January 2008. Her role is to commission interactive experiences around ITV’s top TV brands, as well as made for broadband content from a wide range of content producers. Websites around Britain’s Got Talent, X Factor, Britannia High, Primeval and a partnership with NetVibes have been Kate’s most recent commissions.  At IMG, Kate was Director of Production New Media working on 360 content propositions and developing interactive IP.  Prior to this Kate delivered the BBC’s first broadband channel for BBC Two, featuring over 80 catch-up titles, exclusive short form video and mixing official content with UGC, fan sites and blogs.  Her commissioning and production credits include The Apprentice, Dragons’ Den, and Picture of Britain.  Kate joined the BBC in 1999 as Executive Producer BBC Wales New Media, and then joined UKTV.

ALEXANDER GIBBINS

Alexander graduated with a Bsc (Hons) in Music Technology and Audio System Design at the University of Derby where he is now a lecturer in Multimedia Technology including aspects of video and sound technology, music production, recording, sound design, sound arts, graphic design and human computer interfaces.   He is also keenly involved in electronic systems design including large-scale immersive events, sound and light technologies and multichannel sound.  His professional interests cover video and audio content generation for live and electronic media, live performance of music, sound art and digital visual arts including generative video and motion recognition.  He is an Associate Member of the Audio Engineering Society.

STEPHEN GRAY

Stephen studied business at the University of Plymouth, and then found his passion for digital content through studying Media Lab Arts at the Institute of Digital Arts and Technology.  After University, he practised as a new media consultant before setting up his own digital agency ‘Stickee Ltd.’ in 2001.  Since it’s beginnings Stickee has worked with some of the most cutting edge brands, where in most cases Stephen acted in a creative consultant role.  These clients include: BBC, Channel 4, MTV Networks, BSkyB and EMI.  Stephen is a guest lecturer for several digital media University courses as well as an occasional speaker at industry events. 

MARK HERBERT

Mark specialises in designing inspirational digital media for public exhibitions and permanent installations.  He studied Graphic Design and Illustration and worked in magazine design before moving to animation for broadcast, film and video.  For much of his career he has concentrated on creating unique and experimental audio-visual experiences for visitor attractions and museums.  He uses a mix of animation, graphics, archive and purpose shot material to succinctly tell complex stories and has particular expertise in designing multi-source shows and in utilising interactivity to create innovative exhibits. These include the audio-visual elements at the National Cold War Museum and a 30-source theatre show for a US museum.  He is currently working on a Swansea playzone and a NATO exhibition, as well as growing the Cosmic Carrot partnership that produces documentaries, films, titles and visual effects.

MARK LEAVER (Chair of the Judges)

Mark is Director of Development at South West Screen which is the funding and support agency for the cultural and economic development of film, television and digital media in South West England.  With over 16 years experience in the media industries Mark worked within a variety of organisations prior to joining the agency in 2005, from independent consultant and dot com start up to national broadcaster and international corporation. With a track record of successful business development, Mark has built businesses and realised ideas across both the television and digital media sectors.

COLIN PORTER

Colin is the Chairman of The Brand Foundry and is based in London.  In 1979, founded the branding consultancy Coley Porter Bell, now one of the most successful and highly regarded British design companies. In 1989, the company joined the international media group, WPP, and he became Chairman.  Colin is also a founding member and former Chairman of The Design Business Association, the representative body of the British design industry.  Elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts in 1990, he lectures regularly on design and brand related issues and has spoken, at the request of the British Council at international conferences.  In 1998 Colin founded a charity initiative called Design for Good.  In 1999, together with his business partner Mike Axford he formed The Brand Foundry and now focuses exclusively on his core experience; the design and management of both retail and corporate brands.

LISA SARGOOD

Lisa Sargood is one of four Multiplatform Commissioning Executives working within BBC Vision. Since her appointment in 2007 she has commissioned a range of well received interactive projects including Big Cat Live, Springwatch & Autumnwatch, Oceans and the Timewatch Live Dig at Stonehenge, plus a number of new 24/7 science, history and natural history products which will iterate through 2009.  Previously she worked in publishing and as Web Editor for the Environment Agency. She joined the BBC in 1999 as Category Producer for Nature Online. In 2002 she became Editor and a year later merged the Nature website with Science Online to create BBC Science and Nature Online. Under Lisa's editorship the team delivered such successes as the Planet Earth Explorer, Climate Change Experiment, Sleep and Sex ID. The site won a number of major industry awards, including an Interactive BAFTA, a Prix Europa, two RTS awards and a New Media Age award.

JO TAYLOR

Jo Taylor is 4Talent Manager at Channel 4 her role is to strategically align Channel 4 vision for nurturing and developing the widest diversity of new talent and voices by creating a portfolio of multi platform activities.  She joined Channel 4 in 2007 having worked previously in a variety of roles at the BBC and in the Independent production sector.  Prior to these roles Jo's experience as mainly been in the genre of Factual Television and has worked as Managing Editor of the Documentaries and Contemporary Factual dept at the BBC. She started her career as a Production Manager and Production Executive of the Consumers and Investigations unit that produced programmes such as Watchdog, Rogue Traders, and Rough Justice.

TOM THORNE

Tom Thorne is the Managing Director and owner of leading mobile agency Candyspace. Tom has spent the last 10 years working in interactive media, production and design with the last 5 years dedicated specifically to mobile marketing, technology and content creation for the small screen.  His knowledge of multi format content publishing, brand, virtual communities and emerging markets place him at the forefront of marketing within the mobile arena. Current clients such as Microsoft / Xbox, Samsung, Harper Collins, Warner Brothers and Sega enjoy working with one of the most creative mobile agencies in the UK.

RICHARD VICKERS

Richard is a Senior Lecturer in New Media at the Leicester. He previously worked as a freelance photographer and designer, before becoming interested in the possibilities of interactive multimedia in 1994. The emerging digital technologies had an immediate impact on his work as a photographer and he was an early exponent of the ‘digital darkroom’. He gained industry practice as a multimedia producer, working on a broad range of websites and interactive multimedia projects for commercial clients and arts organisations, before moving into lecturing full time.