GILBEY FILMS - Key Persons
Ade Adepitan is a well-known TV presenter, journalist and sports commentator. He co-hosted live coverage of the 2012 Paralympic Games on Channel 4's main show and will be on our screens again for this year's Rio Paralympics. Ade presented the Invictus Games and is also a regular reporter on BBC One's prestigious The One Show. He has won awards for his hard-hitting documentaries on C4 and the BBC. Ade shot to fame through his inspirational exploits on the Team GB Wheelchair Basketball team and he entered the public consciousness dancing in his wheelchair on the BBC One idents. He then worked for a number of years as a TV presenter for CBBC's Xchange and took a lead acting role in the drama Desperados.
Ade's positive attitude, determination, charisma and warmth have enabled him to become a powerful, inspiring, motivational speaker and diversity champion.
Job Titles:
- Company Founder
- Executive Producer
Andy has sixteen years' experience of the TV industry, working for BBC Sport on major events such as the World Cup and Olympic Games, and directing iconic programmes such as Grandstand and Football Focus. Andy decided to leave his much-loved role as Series Producer of Match of the Day in January 2012 to concentrate on Gilbey Films.
Andy has a real passion for TV and film - particularly short-form - as he believes it is the most effective, creative form of communication. Working in broadcasting has given him incredible experience as well as the opportunity to work with the best in the business, people who are keen to work on this venture. A former Paralympic swimmer and medallist, Andy took time out over the summer of 2012 to work on Channel 4's Paralympic Games coverage, directing the evening show with Clare Balding and Ade Adepitan.
Gilbey Films is now an established company with a fantastic and growing list of clients. Andy was a winner at the Stelios Disabled Entrepreneur of the Year Awards 2015.
As someone living with a disability I know from first-hand experience how important it is to find places - hotels, venues, attractions - with the right access to suit specific needs. I feel there's a genuine gap in the market - there are no specialist user-led production companies making films aimed at the disabled consumer. And that is how and why Gilbey Films began.
Annabel is an independent, active wheelchair-user who enjoys visiting art galleries, museums and places of interest such as National Trust and English Heritage properties. She is also a regular theatre and cinema goer and is a real advocate of TfL buses, which she uses when out in her electric wheelchair.
Being a community-spirited individual, with a personal interest in the accessibility of venues and locations, Annabel is a great asset to Gilbey Films.
Damon is a skilled journalist and an experienced presenter. As the editor of Ouch!, the BBC's
Damon Rose has been involved in disability media and arts since 1996, working as Assistant
Producer on BBC2's From The Edge and Radio 4's In Touch. He was also a presenter on the original
A freelance editor with over 20 years' experience in delivering programmes finished to the highest standards, Gerry is extremely talented and creative and is Gilbey Films' number one choice!
Working with both Avid and Final Cut Pro, he is experienced in many genres from news and current affairs (Panorama) to drama (Eastenders), features (The Culture Show), children's (Blue Peter, including BAFTA-nominated specials), entertainment (Glastonbury on-site editing), sport (Match of The Day, Football Focus and World Cup South Africa 2010 in Johannesburg), as well as promos for all BBC channels.
James is an experienced producer/director with a flair for creating compelling short films with strong, clear messaging. James developed his storytelling skills whilst working at the BBC. Since leaving, James has broadened his portfolio, working for ITV and C4, commercial and corporate clients as well as the charity sector. Credits include Xchange (CBBC), The Great British Bake Off (BBC), A Place in the Sun (C4). Clients include Hasbro, Black Tower and Coram.
James is an important member of the Gilbey Films team. As well as being an exceptional creative, he has finely-tuned people skills and is able to get the very best out of contributors. James produces beautiful, effective films that our clients love and make us proud.
Jo has worked with Gilbey Films from its very beginning: devising the innovative GF caterpillar logo; designing the first and new website, and providing the design strategy and design direction for the Gilbey Films' client projects across film and print.
Whilst designing at the BBC for over ten years Jo worked on broadcast graphics and then the BBC's digital web and interactive TV at its very start. Since then Jo has worked for many broadcasters, public sector and commercial clients designing brands and overseeing their output across all digital, interactive and print channels.
Deep in the Buckinghamshire countryside (well about an hour from London!) Jo is the Creative Director at 24a, an agency that provides branding and design solutions for businesses across all formats and outputs: from business cards and websites, to motion graphics.
Kate is a producer/director who has worked on a wide range of programming including Come Dine With Me (C4), Piers Morgan's Life Stories (ITV) and Xchange (CBBC). She quickly builds a rapport with her contributors, gauging the right approach whether they are an adult with a learning disability or a high profile celebrity such as Sir Elton John.
Kate started out her career with a placement on the BBC's Extend scheme for disabled people. After working in a number of roles at CBBC, she flew the BBC nest to become a freelancer.
Having worked as part of ITV's development team, she is full of creative ideas and as a photography graduate is always looking for the best shot.
Job Titles:
- Radio Producer With BBC Radio 4
- Voice - over Artist
Maggie Ayre is a multi-award winning radio producer with BBC Radio 4. She began her career making audio programmes for blind and visually impaired people in Liverpool before joining the BBC in London and later going on to report, produce and present her own programmes in the UK and abroad.
With a rich, elegant voice that is simultaneously clear and authoritative, warm and welcoming, Maggie is Gilbey Films' preferred voice over artist. Clients love her soft Scottish tone; whether it's a disability access film or a training project, her presentation style adds quality and finesse.
Marc is a gifted motivational speaker and helps individuals and organisations to recognise and harness inner strength, ability and leadership skills. With excellent presentation abilities it is no surprise that Marc was an ambassador for the London 2012 Olympics, and he worked extensively on BBC Radio 5 Live's Paralympic coverage.
Originally a fine artist then a successful stills photographer, Mark moved into animation and visual effects a few years ago as a new challenge in the quickly evolving world of Digital Media. Excited by the recently affordable facility to produce ‘high-end' graphics he began working with 3D and 2D animation software.
Mark's main skills lie in directing, CGI and compositing, and he also produces live action HD visuals. Mark's work has been recognised with several awards over the years, and most recently his film Continuum was shortlisted for the Guggenheim YouTube Play Biennial in 2010. Check out his showreel here…
Murray is best known as Britain's first disabled model. Winner of the Model in a Million competition, Shannon went on to become the first wheelchair user to feature in a high street fashion campaign when she modelled for Debenhams in 2010. Since the competition Shannon has also been able to pursue her first love of acting. Following training she has had a number of both acting and presenting roles, including an episode of BBC One's Casualty.
Paralysed at the age of 14 after a diving accident on holiday, Shannon spent time at the Spinal Injuries Unit at Stoke Mandeville. She went back to school and then on to complete a law degree at university. As an intelligent and articulate individual Shannon has become a spokesperson for many issues related to spinal cord injuries and disability in the media, both on-screen and in print.
Tanya is a disabled activist and former BBC TV executive. She's worked for the World Service, Radio 4, News, Children's, Independent Commissioning and finally as Channel Exec for BBC One and Three. Having retired from the BBC after 25 years, Tanya is determined to give something back to the industry she loves by promoting diversity. Tanya shares her knowledge and insight when she can by sitting on the BBC's Diversity Advisory Board. She mentors disabled, BAME and socially disadvantaged individuals and advises productions on portrayal.
Tanya advises Gilbey Films on both diversity and film-making matters.
Tina is highly experienced in production management having worked for over 20 years at the BBC. While at the BBC she worked in a variety of roles as a script supervisor, production coordinator, production manager, trainer and production executive across a range of genres. Tina also worked as a Business Affairs Manager for the BBC Current Affairs and Daytime commissioners for BBC One, Two and Three, where she managed the contracts with independent producers.
Tina spent 2012 working with the Executive Producer and Producers of the Olympics and Paralympics Opening and Closing Ceremonies, which she found an amazing and unforgettable experience. As well as working part time for Gilbey Films, Tina runs production management courses at the National Film & TV School and for Project Diamond, the new diversity monitoring initiative across all broadcasters.