About

The Gloucestershire Media Group (The GMG) was formed in 2003 to support the development, integration, and expansion of media companies, freelancers and activity in Gloucestershire.

The GMG is a not for profit organisation that currently receives funding, along with 4 other clusters across the South West, from the South West Regional Development Agency (SWRDA) managed locally via the South West Screen (SWS).

The group is governed by a board of directors. On a daily basis, the group is run by Anna Krenkova the GMG Director, Jessica Marklew the EVOLVE Project Manager and Holly Thomas the GMG Administrator.

The GMG’s office is located within Llanthony Warehouse, Gloucester Docks. To view GMG’s Equal Opportunities, Health and Safety and Complaints policies, click here.

Anna Krenkova, GMG Director
Anna is the Director of the GMG. She originally joined the GMG in 2006 to project manage the GMG Train Project. Whilst studying for her BA in International Studies and Economics at the University of Birmingham, she spent her summers working at the Magic Media Studios in Cologne, Germany on various productions ranging from ‘Who wants to be a Millionaire’ to ‘Top of the Pops’. Her love for anything European led her to study for an MA in European Integration which was followed by working for the Czech President in the beautiful Prague Castle and the European Union in Thessaloniki, Greece. Realising that writing EU policy was really not ‘her thing’, she returned to England and after various appointments including a stint at the Learning and Skills Council took up her Project Management post at the GMG. Finally, she could see what EU money (the GMG-TRAIN as well as the EVOLVE project are EU funded) was doing on the ground (much more satisfying) and was re-united working with lovely creative people. Anna’s main responsibility now is to develop and mange a strategy that will make the GMG a sustainable organisation that will continue to deliver value to its members in many years to come.

Jessica Marklew, Evolve Project Manager
Joining the GMG as a full time Project Manager in October 2008, Jessica comes from an arts project management background. Her early career ranged from training as a professional contemporary dancer, to becoming a Small Business Advisor with Barclays Bank Plc. After re-training in arts and events management, she went on to manage Arts Council funded projects, established an IT business in Philadelphia, USA, and then held the post of Head of Marketing for Bath International Music Festival and Literature Festival. Jessica brings a wealth of experience and is responsible for running all aspects of the Evolve training project at the GMG.

Holly Thomas, GMG Administrator
Holly is the latest recruit to the GMG and her role will be varied. Not only will she be providing key support to the day to day operation of the GMG but she will also be the primary contact for the GMG membership. Other duties will be to help engage the wider media community within Gloucestershire through the organisation of a range of new GMG events. Holly is 23 and has a BA (Hons) in Performing Arts after being educated at Cheltenham College where she acquired 3 A Levels, also in the Arts. Acting since the age of 4 she has completed a professional tour of West Sussex performing a solo piece. As well as a variety of stage acting she has also been involved in corporate training videos and designer name photo shoots. Holly’s appointment to the GMG is an exciting step for both parties. She brings with her a passion and energy and will be a valuable addition to the team.

Lee Stephens, Action Image Productions Ltd
(AIP); an independent production company based in Cheltenham. AIP have, for a many years, been delivering a wide range of productions, both locally and nationally, across the Private and Public sectors for household names such as C&G, Lloyds TSB, Nestle and Bacardi as well as the University of Birmingham, NHS and local Councils. AIP are currently working on a new internet TV channel for the Legal profession and this should be launch late summer 2009. Before moving fully into the media industry Lee spent many years in the private sector and this has provided him with a wealth of management skills and business knowledge which he has been able to put to good use. He is passionate about supporting the local creative sector and individuals applying this in his own business as well as supporting the GMG.

Greg Browning, Silicon 19 Media
Greg has his fingers in a number of carefully selected pies. Having completed his post-graduate training at the BBC, Greg worked as a Network Analyst for BBC Transmission (now part of Arquiva) advising an M&A team on broadcast and telecoms acquisition projects across Europe. In 2001 he founded Silicon19 Media Ltd, a boutique media services company specialising in broadcast and media production within the fields of arts and science. Clients include Channel 4, The Royal Society, Glyndebourne Opera and British Red Cross. Recently he has been involved with U-soap Media Ltd, a TV and online format development company based in Bristol, serving as Business Development Director and board member. Greg is also Senior Producer and MD at Polyphonic Films, recently exec producing their critically acclaimed debut feature The Full Monteverdi. The film has been broadcast across the globe and released on DVD by Naxos Global.

Andy Freedman, Cirencester Media Academy
Andy is Head of the Cirencester Media Academy which provides training for industry professionals, students and the community, and has been in partnership with the GMG since 2004. The Academy has close links with a range of local companies including Aardrman Animations, EHS Brann and is a partner in North by South West, one of the Skillset Media Academies.
Cirencester students regularly win video production awards and many former students now work in the industry. Andy continues to have practical involvement in some of the corporate work produced at Cirencester..
Previously Andy worked at Media Arts in Swindon (now Create Studios) providing training for companies, organisations and freelancers in screenwriting, finance and production management and set up UK’s first screenwriting residency. At various times Andy has been part of Bristol Film Makers Co-op, wrote scripts for BBC schools TV and was involved in Media education and training in Bristol and London. He represented the South West on the BFI’s Film and Video Forum, has been a consultant for the Film Council and is involved in a number of industry training projects. This includes writing media production units for Edexcel and training materials for publishers. Currently Andy is chair of the Gloucestershire Digital Arts Forum, a trustee of Stroud Valleys Artspace and an investor in the Stroud Brewery. When he is not in meetings, Andy likes to spend time up mountains, in the cinema or trying to catch waves.

Andy Ginn, Gloucestershire College
Andy Ginn is Director of Creative Academies at Gloucestershire College, Patron of Cheltenham Art Gallery and Museum, and a member of the Gloucestershire Design Network. Andy contributed to Gloucestershire First Creative Industries Task Force, is a member of GHURC Blackfriars Creative Quarter Development Group, and works with industry, schools, college and university partners within the North by South West Skillset Media Academy. He is currently working to help deliver the NEXUS project, a demand-led accelerator unit for Gloucester docks. Andy lives in Painswick and enjoys fiddling with or riding a Moto Guzzi motorbike and if that’s mysteriously temperamental, walking, mountain biking, reading and the arts instead. Gloucestershire College is an Apple, Adobe and Protools authorised training centre and offers a comprehensive choice of highest quality full and part time education and training at all levels. Industry-spec music recording, design studio and TV production facilities at the new Gloucester docks campus can be hired to professional, schools and community groups via Andy.

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