Winner: ScreenSkills First Day: On Set - Gareth Ellis-Unwin ( Producer and ScreenSkills Head of Film & Animation), Georgette Turner (Line Producer) and Marco Calabrese (Production Coordinator)

Made with a stereoscopic 360 camera, ScreenSkills’ First Day: On Set is an innovative VR film that showcases the variety of roles available on a film and TV set, designed to be experienced on Oculus Rift/Go VR headsets and free to watch on YouTube. Since launching on YouTube in June, it has had over 25,000 views and has been an invaluable outreach tool throughout the pandemic. The film was supported by the BFI with National Lottery funds and made with assistance from EON Productions and Pinewood Studios who provided stage space and MBS Lighting and MovieTech who donated equipment.

Jury Chair, Producer and PGGB Chair Alex Boden said: 

"First Day: On Set uses technology in a compelling way to unravel the mystery of production. It’s a truly engaging and accessible film that explains what each department does. Available free to anyone, anywhere in the UK, who is interested in entering the industry, it will help ensure that much-needed new entrants from all backgrounds continue to choose to work in Film and High End TV."

Gareth Ellis-Unwin says: 

“This was a real passion project. We wanted to open up the hustle and bustle of a ‘real’ set to as many people as possible. Covid has made it more challenging to take visitors onto set, so this film has been an excellent tool. This award is for the many people who helped make this film a reality, the industry figures and companies who lent their time and resources, and our fantastic hardworking careers team at ScreenSkills. I’m pleased to reveal that we’re already in development for the second edition in our VR series, which will open up the world of post-production.”

Special mention: Season two of War of the Worlds (Urban Myth for Canal+ and Fox TV).

A special mention in the PGGB Innovation Award for Production Team category is also made for season two of War of the Worlds (Urban Myth for Canal+ and Fox TV). The first High-End TV production to resume in the UK after lockdown, War of the Worlds restarted filming on 13th July in a Newport studio and on location in South Wales and Bristol. The production team had spent 12 weeks putting plans in place, with changes on set including temperature checks, PPE, regular Covid testing, distancing between departments and partitions between make-up and costume areas that were previously communal spaces. The eight-part second series, which wrapped in October, is expected to air in Spring 2021..

Read our Q&A with the Adam Knopf, Head of Production Urban Myth Films below:

The Production Guild Innovation Award Winners