News

Gorilla is strengthening its commitment to sustainability by becoming a BAFTA albert affiliate. BAFTA’s albert programme, established in 2011, aims to bring the screen industries together to tackle environmental impact as well as inspire sustainable living.

Like many sectors, the creative industries carry a large carbon footprint, and this has not changed during the pandemic. Creating media content often requires extensive resources – even for the simplest things such as travelling, eating, and using multiple buildings.

At Gorilla, we are working towards 100% renewable energy at all our locations, having already achieved this at our St. Mary’s Street facility. Gorilla also has ISO 14001 Environmental certification, but Managing Director Rich Moss knows that this is just the beginning:

“Environmental issues seem to have taken a backseat during the pandemic, so it’s important we continue to strive to reduce our footprint as individuals and as an industry.”

Gorilla is also creating new ways of working that will have a positive impact on the industry’s carbon footprint. With help from South Wales’ Clwstwr programme and UKRI, we recently unveiled a new remote editing toolkit that allows our team to work from wherever they are.

We have assessed the risk of COVID-19 at Gorilla through application of government guidance, and by contributing to and following the UK Screen “Safe Working in Post-Production and VFX” guidance across our business, to manage safety and health risks.

We have continued to work remotely throughout lockdown and not rushed into re-mobilisation of those remote staff.  We have taken time to reflect and prepare for a staged return to our new normal.  We expect our approach to evolve as we learn and adapt to the ongoing challenges of COVID-19.

How we are keeping people safe

We are focusing on the following areas to ensure we manage the spread of infection from COVID-19, carrying out specific assessments for productions and our offices and engaging with workforce throughout the process:

In our offices:

• Minimising – minimising numbers of people in the office at any time.
• Communicating – ensuring those who have symptoms or are ill know not to come into work.
• Commuting – considering risks in commuting especially on public transport, introducing mitigations such as staggered start times.
• Social Distancing – making every effort to ensure social distancing is adhered to from space planning to protocols and signage.
• Cleaning – increasing cleaning protocols.
• Face covering – providing washable face coverings to those who may require them on a commute and/or for wearing in circulation spaces of the office where social distancing may be accidently breached at times.
• Monitoring – regularly reminding people of the new COVID-19 working practices (such as social distancing).

In our activities:

• Travel – seeking to minimise travel requirements and follow social distancing principles within travel arrangements, wherever possible.
• Location – considering the physical capacity of space used, given the requirements of social distancing, as well as ensuring the provision of adequate hygiene facilities.
• Work Activities – considering the activities that people are going to need to undertake across roles and if these can be adapted or changed to reduce risk.
• Work Equipment – managing the sharing of work equipment from cameras and headsets to edit suites. Focusing on good hygiene and managing potential issues with touchpoints.
• Work Patterns – reviewing work patterns to encourage small groups (cohorts) of people who don’t come into contact with other groups.
• Rest Areas – reconfiguring rest areas and planning breaks to ensure rest areas are as safe as possible.
• First Aid and Emergency services – planning activities to reduce the risk of requiring emergency

  services to be called as well as advice to first aiders on COVID-19 risk.

• Masks, Gloves and Other Personal Protective Equipment – supporting government guidance by not encouraging usage other than in very limited circumstances, and for those travelling on public transport.
• Mental Health – reviewing the potential mental health impact for those working on productions and considering support on a case by case basis.

We are passionate about everyone having a voice which is listened to, so if you are concerned about anything relating to our duty of care and, more specifically, the risks associated with Coronavirus (COVID-19) to you or others, please let us know at hr@gorilla-group-tv.onyx-sites.io

This autumn sees an exciting collaboration between Gorilla and BBC Studios for long running sci-fi drama. Having wrapped up filming in early August, our post-production teams have just carried out the editing process for the eleventh series of Doctor Who which was broadcast last weekend.

Following a high demand for work this year, we have recently expanded into central Cardiff, complementing our Cardiff Bay HQ. The second premises include 10 permanent edit suites and on-site technical support. Currently going from strength to strength, we’re also increasing capacity at the original base with a new floor and 20 additional edit suites with flexible production space.

Rich Moss, the Managing Director of Gorilla says “We are proud to be working with BBC Studios alongside BBC Wales and other local suppliers on such a high profile and important series from Wales. Doctor Who was the original catalyst for Drama growth in Wales so it’s great to be part of the team.”

Making history as the first female doctor to play the role, Jodie Whittaker replaces Peter Capaldi as the Thirteenth Doctor. A leading female role and a long list of new staff will give a fresh approach to the familiar family drama. Without the infamous Daleks and Cybermen, it aims to reach out to a wider audience offering something slightly different with each episode.

Many new faces have joined Jodie Whittaker on her adventures including companion Bradley Walsh who plays the role of Graham, along with Tosin Cole and Mandip Gill. An esteemed group of writers and directors with varied backgrounds and styles pave the way for this new series. Malorie Blackman, famous for Noughts and Crosses joins Skins writer Ed Hime and Casualty writer and playwright Joy Wilkinson, who all bring a whole new energy to the show. Head writer, Chris Chibnall best known for Torchwood and Broadchurch is said to be writing five episodes and hopes the series will draw in new fans.

Gorilla’s Operations Director, Paul Owen adds “We’re really proud to be part of what is a great success story in Wales. The Doctor Who brand is something really special to be involved in.”

The new series will have 10 episodes and a Christmas special, with each episode of the series airing on a Sunday for the first time in the show’s history.

For more info: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006q2x0

We have opened a second facility near our former base on Cathedral Road which includes 10 permanent edit suites with reception and technical assistance to compliment our HQ in Cardiff Bay.

The location of this new facility near Sophia Gardens, Cardiff, provides a central location and convenient parking. For production companies, it offers short term or permanent office space and almost infinite edit suite expansion through connected serviced offices. This new facility offers the convenience of low cost on-site facilities with the flexibility of production space in any shape or size and length of lease.

First projects at the new facility include Teen Taxi (a 24-part series by Dragonfly Television and Film) and The Big Family Cooking Showdown (a 14×60 minute Voltage TV series for BBC2).

We are also set to increase the capacity at their current HQ at GloWorks in Cardiff Bay, with a new floor and 20 more edit suites and flexible production space.

As part of the expansion, we are in the process of recruiting additional staff talent. Cardiff Central train station is walkable distance from the new unit location which will benefit new commuters joining the growing team of creatives.

We are delighted to be working with visual effects studio and fellow GloWorks resident, Milk VFX,  to help bring local school children to film screenings taking place in South Wales this month as part of Into Film Festival 2016.

Together we have sponsored seven buses to bring 500 young people and their teachers from four schools across South Wales to Cardiff to attend screenings and take part in events at the Festival which takes places from 9th – 25th November.

The Into Film Festival is the world’s biggest youth film festival with a diverse programme of free screenings and events for 5-19 year olds. This year’s festival brings 185 free screenings and events to Wales, showcasing everything from specialist and classic film to exclusive blockbuster previews, all selected with educators in mind and with the aim of engaging new generations in the worlds of film.

The schools taking part are: Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Bronllwyn, Gelli; Aberdare Town Church School, Aberdare; Cyfarthfa Park Junior School, Merthyr Tydfil; and Pen-y-dre High School, Merthyr Tydfil.

Both Gorilla and Milk will continue to support Into Film in Wales beyond the festival to help create opportunities to bring the world of film to young people. We hope to bring on board other like-minded companies in the film and TV industry for future events.

Rich Moss, Gorilla’s Managing Director said: “As a proud Welsh company, we’re thrilled to be supporting Into Film’s efforts to engage young audiences across Wales in the wonderful world of film. Wales is hotbed of fresh, creative talent and we hope that by giving our school children the opportunity to attend screenings and take part in events and workshops, we can inspire the next generation of filmmaking talent here”.

Milk’s CEO Will Cohen said: “We are delighted to be able to help local schools take part in the Into Film Festival and support the brilliant work Into Film does in bringing film to the heart of young people’s education. We hope we might even inspire some of them to think about a career in the TV and film industry in the future! Film has the power to transform people’s lives.”

October 2016 marks the 50th anniversary of the Aberfan disaster which saw 116 children and 28 adult tragically killed when a colliery waste tip collapsed on Pantglas Junior School in the valleys village. The local community was devastated by the incident and the effects continue to be felt today.

A number of television programmes have been commissioned to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the tragedy – Gorilla has been involved in three of these:

Cantata Memoria – Rondo Media for S4C

A special concert the Wales Millennium Centre to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the Aberfan tragedy featuring performances by bass-baritone Bryn Terfel, soprano Elin Manahan Thomas and harpist Catrin Finch and a newly composed piece from world-renowned composer Sir Karl Jenkins.

We used Quadrus to simultaneously record the production across multiple channels for the broadcast.

The Aberfan Young Wives’ Club – Shiver Cymru (ITV Factual/ITV Cymru Wales) for ITV

An original network documentary which sees the story of the Aberfan disaster and its aftermath told through the eyes of seven women who are part of the Aberfan Young Wives Club. Directed by multi-award-winning director Marc Evans, the programme features extensive archive footage of the disaster and subsequent events as well as a specially-commissioned soundtrack composed by James Dean Bradfield of the Manic Street Preachers.

Gorilla dubbed, completed the grade in Baselight and onlined the production.

Surviving Aberfan – Testimony Films for BBC 1 Wales

Documentary combining archive film with people today, each telling their stories of tragic loss, miraculous survival and heroic rescue. Some of the survivors talk for the first time about the most harrowing day of their lives, and how they have lived with the memory for half a century. An intimate and deeply moving portrait of a community that suffered a heart-breaking disaster, yet somehow found the strength to carry on with hope and dignity.

Aberfan: The Day our Lives Changed – ITV Cymru Wales

An hour long documentary telling the story on one of the most seriously injured survivors of the Aberfan disaster, Phillip Thomas, as he remembers the events of 21 October 1966 when he was a 10 year-old pupil at Pantglas Junior School.  Featuring interviews with those who lost loved ones and some of those involved in the rescue operation, the programme provides another moving perspective on the impact of the tragedy and the resilience of the human spirit.

Gorilla dubbed the production.

As a proud Welsh company we were honoured to play a part in the productions, each of which offers an alternative perspective on this tragic event in Welsh history.

We are very proud to once again be sponsoring the Iris Prize Festival as it celebrates its 10th anniversary in Cardiff this week.

The annual festival which showcases the best in LGBT film-making takes place in the capital city between 12 and 16 October, with its centrepiece – the Iris Prize award ceremony – being held at the Park Inn Hotel on Sunday 16th.

The Iris Prize continues to be the largest LGBT short film prize in the world, with its winner receiving £30,000 to make their next short film in the UK as well as funding and a whole host of support and guidance from Iris, its sponsors and supporters. Gorilla is very proud to be on hand once again this year to offer post production support and guidance to the winner as part of the prize.

The highlight of this year’s award ceremony will be the appearance of Lord Glendonbrook who will be announcing the 10th winner of the Iris Prize who will take away this priceless award.

For more information on the festival and to purchase tickets for any of the events, visit the Iris Prize website.

We are very excited to reveal that Gorilla has won the contract to post-produce the next series of Channel 4’s fixed-rig factual programme One Born Every Minute.

The popular 10x1hr fixed-rig series will be recorded at Liverpool maternity unit before being posted back at our HQ back in Cardiff.

It’s a proud moment for Gorilla as not only is this our first fixed-rig project but it is the first ever to be completed by Welsh post company.

Rich Moss, Gorilla’s MD said; “We are hugely excited to work with Dragonfly on the beloved ‘One Born Every Minute’ series for Channel 4. Fixed Rigs are seen as a difficult area to break into so we welcome the confidence shown by Dragonfly and Channel 4 in selecting a Welsh company and Nations supplier.”

The news comes after it was recently confirmed that we will be posting Decline and Fall for Tiger Aspect and that we have been awarded the BBC Promos (Marketing) contract, making us the sole external provider of post services to BBC Wales Creative services for over the past decade.

We are proud and excited to announce that our MD Rich Moss has been elected to the Board of the UK Screen Association.

Rich joins an esteemed group of industry representatives on the Board which comprises directors from companies providing production facilities and specialist services to the Screen industries – film, televisions and commercials.

On his election, Rich said, “The Creative Industries have never been more relevant and important, both culturally and economically to Wales, and I look forward to bringing a positive input from a Nations perspective to UK Screen.”

UK Screen is an independent, industry-funded body which works to promote a fair, healthy and competitive UK screen services sector. The new board will meet for the first time on 28th June.