The Media Innovation Awards 2010 – the region’s top creative industry awards – will be judged by 13 media and design professionals who have worked with household names such as Microsoft, the BBC and eBay.
This year’s judges bring a broad range of expertise gained across many disciplines in the creative media and design industry including film, television, animation, graphic design, video and sound technology, photography, interactive multimedia, mobile technology and digital media. The judges have built their own businesses, work for national organisations or lecture in various media sectors.
Mark Leaver, Director of Development at South West Screen, will be the chair of the judges; he has over 16 years of experience gained across both the television and digital media sectors, having worked for international corporations and as an independent consultant and for a national broadcaster. The other judges are:

Bethan Corney, co-producer of Tigress Productions and former FIVE commissioning editor for natural history
Michael Nutley, editor-and-chief of New Media Age and a business journalist specialising in software and telecommunications
Alexander Gibbins, a lecturer in Multimedia Technology at the University of Derby
Stephen Gray, founder of digital agency ‘Stickee Ltd’, and guest digital media lecturer
Mark Herbert, an inspirational digital media designer specialising in graphic design and animation for public exhibitions
Jack Renwick, creative director at design agency The Partners
Colin Porter, chairman of design company The Brand Foundry and also the founder of Coley Porter Bell, one of the most successful British design companies
Rebecca O’Brien, director of the UK Film Council, South West Screen and Film Industry Training Board with 20 year’s experience as an independent film producer – her latest film is “Looking for Eric”
Jo Taylor, 4Talent manager at Channel 4 where she nurtures multi platform activities
Tom Thorne, managing director and owner of leading mobile agency Candyspace
Richard Vickers, senior lecturer in New Media at the University of Lincoln
Obe Arif, Managing Director of Redtangle, he has extensive experience in multimedia design, production and gaming.

Karen Stockdale of the Media Innovation Awards said, “The Media Innovation Awards have gained a reputation for seeking out creative innovation combined with technological expertise and attract the some of the finest work in the region. The level of competition to win an award is becoming hotter every year and it is essential to have a strong panel of judges to select the nominations and winners.”
The Media Innovation Awards 2010 opened in November and entries to win one of the sought-after awards are invited from some 8000 people working in the creative industries including members of Bristol Media, Cornwall Media Focus, The Gloucestershire Media Group, Plymouth Media-Partnership, Wessex Media Group, Cornwall Design Forum, Creative Bath, Designed in Devon, Dorset Design Forum, Gloucestershire Design Network, Somerset Design Enterprise Network, South West Design Forum, South West Music Forum, Swindon Media Group and West of England Design Forum.
The awards will be presented at a gala dinner on 18th March 2010.
For further information on the Media Innovation Awards visit the website www.mediainnovationawards.com <http://www.mediainnovationawards.com/> or for sponsorship opportunities contact Karen@pm-p.com or call 01752 346530.