The Duke of Edinburgh Film & TV Inclusion Award is an important initiative that shines a light on the inspirational work that is helping foster and progress talent inclusion in Britain’s screen production workforce. The award was presented in a live ceremony, hosted in association with Walt Disney Studios at London’s Savoy Hotel on Thursday 8th February, as part of PGGB’s Talent Showcase.
Presenting the award, HRH The Duke of Edinburgh said: “It’s been interesting to see how things have moved forward since 6 Foot From the Spotlight won last year’s award and how the award has opened more doors. There’s been a fantastic response from the film and TV community. You have to break down barriers, so again we’re shining a light on the people who are connecting the dots to encourage the next generation.”
Commenting on the winner Lyndsay Duthie, PGGB CEO said: “This award spotlights those whose innovations have expanded accessibility, diversity and inclusion in our industry to inspire the next generation of talent and Million Youth Media’s passion and commitment to that very goal shines brightly. We celebrate their relentless endeavours to provide talented young people from under-represented communities, with the tools, opportunities and knowledge they need to thrive.”
The PGGB Talent Showcase has been sponsored by Walt Disney Studios. Commenting on Million Youth Media’s win, Candice Campos, Vice President, Physical Production, Lucasfilm, said: “Million Youth Media’s unwavering commitment to promoting and supporting under-represented groups within the creative industries sets a shining example to us all. It’s only by harnessing the unique imaginations of the widest possible pool of talent, that we can make sure our stories are for everyone, and I can’t wait to see what MYM achieves next.”
Million Youth Media and MYM Academy was founded by Fully Focused Productions which is one of the UK’s leading youth-driven production companies, making award-winning content with and for young people. Winner of Edinburgh TV Festival’s New Voice Award; Best Company For New Talent 2023 and also nominee for Best Small Indie at Edinburgh TV Festival 2023.
Nick Bedu is Co-Founder and Head of Production and Teddy Nygh is Co-Founder and Creative Director. Multi award-winning producers and directors respectively, Bedu and Nygh are visionaries who have consistently pushed boundaries and challenged stereotypes. The MYM Academy has allowed thousands of talented young people from diverse backgrounds to shine, and that vision and commitment is helping to change the face of the film and TV industry. Their 2021 BBC Scripted comedy Series PRU created over 60 paid placements across the show and was recently acquired by Netflix, streaming on the platform since December 2023. In turn the youth led, managed and curated, MYM: Million Youth Media YouTube channel has launched and supported over 450 films with over 87M views and almost 500k subscribers, making it the leading platform for young and up-coming filmmakers across the UK and around the world.
All of those involved with Million Youth Media are generous with their time and freely share their industry knowledge. They are honest about the barriers people can face and how harsh the industry can be when you are new and don’t necessarily have a strong financial and emotional support system in place to fall back on. Million Youth Media is helping to nurture young people who possess creative talent and flair but often face many personal challenges. The consistent wins of the MYM alumni within the industry are immense and the team’s commitment to this is dedicated and ongoing.
PGGB’s Talent Showcase and the Duke of Edinburgh Film & TV Inclusion Award is in association with Walt Disney Studios as part of its long-term commitment to build a more inclusive UK film and television industry – and supported by Entertainment Partners.
We’d like to acknowledge two further partners who are invaluable in making the event happen: staging specialists Encore, and venue partner The Savoy.
The other five nominees included Access All Areas, Access: VFX, Georgette Turner, Resource Productions and Screen Alliance Wales.
