2017 Funding Award Judges Announced

March 22, 2017

The news is out. Whicker’s World Foundation is thrilled to announce the 2017 judges for our £80,000 Film and TV Funding Award. Our panel of five industry judges are currently in the process of creating a shortlist of five documentary makers who will go on to pitch at Sheffield Documentary Festival 2017. 

Artistic director Jane Ray said “We are absolutely thrilled with the range of talent and expertise on our judging panel this year. We have a brilliant line up representing all aspects of documentary production from the highest levels of directing, journalism, commissioning and distribution.  They have a tough task ahead as we have some fantastic applicants but this is a team who will deliver, in one case, perhaps literally as Richard Klein was once a postman.  We are in very safe hands.”

As well as the £80,000 for the winner and a £15,000 Whicker’s World Foundation is partnering with TVF to offer a guaranteed option for a distribution deal for the winner. TVF will also be supporting the five finalists in the production of  their final promotional reels for their pitches. 
Consultant editor Jane Mote said “TVF has already picked up rights for both last year’s winner and runner up and they seem to really understand the Whicker’s World mission. This extra option of distribution for the winner means the final film has a virtually guaranteed audience across the world. “

We’ll be announcing the final shortlist on Monday 10th April alongside our Audio Recognition Award. To the judges….

Seyi Rhodes

Seyi Rhodes is a British television presenter and investigative journalist. He has worked for the BBC, Channel 4 Television, Five Television and Current TV. From 2008, he has been the in-vision presenter and reporter for Channel 4’s Unreported World documentary series, produced by Quicksilver Media.

Liz McIntyre

Prior to becoming CEO of Sheffield Doc/fest Elizabeth was Head of Production and Development at Factual Discovery UK, and Factual commissioner for Discovery Networks International. An award-winning documentarian and Head of Documentary Campus Masterschool, she sits on the Board of Women in Film & Television, and the BAFTA TV Committee.

Mak Ck

With over a decade of experience working on factual programmes and documentaries, Mak has filmed in 25 countries across 5 continents. His debut feature documentary The World’s Most Fashionable Prison centres around a fashion rehabilitation programme inside the Philippine’s largest maximum security prison. His second effort Little People Big Dreams explores a controversial little people theme park in China.

Richard Klein

A former postman, bank clerk and newspaper reporter, Richard Klein is now the Creative Director of IWC Media after working at ITV as Director of Factual, and spending 20 years at the BBC where he was Head of Documentary Commissioning and Head of Independent Factual and Controller at BBC Four. 

Harriet Armston-Clarke

Harriet Armston-Clarke is Division Head at TVF International, the world’s leading independent distributor of documentary and factual content. TVF International’s catalogue encompasses everything from factual entertainment and lifestyle series to exceptional award-winning documentaries, representing some of the most innovative and creative content makers from across the globe.