With the sun high in the sky over the iconic Liverpool skyline, PGGB and its North West Committee held their 2nd regional event at Hope Street Hotel on Wednesday 19th June, sponsored by Netflix, Panavision and Space Studios Manchester.
Approximately 100 attendees from across the North West’s production sector joined PGGB and their partners as a toasted was raised to the continued successes experienced across the region and sector. This also marked a first North West event for PGGB’s latest hire, Jonny Shelton, their new Talent Executive, who is himself based in Greater Manchester.
Whilst planning the evening, Liverpool Film Office – led by vice chair Lynn Saunders – offered vital local intel to PGGB as they sought the perfect venue for their landmark night. Chair Paul Munn demonstrated his ongoing dedication to both the North West Committee and the region itself by hot-tailing from his current production which, for once, was shooting elsewhere. PGGB were pleased to welcome Committee Member Dean Oram, from Panavision, and a representative of Location One, led by Committee Member Crispin Hardy.
The speeches all shared one transparently common theme; we do things differently here. Whilst this well-known mantra is widely accredited from down the M62 in Manchester, it’s clear that there is no competition between the two great cities - on the contrary, their ongoing collaboration has served to aide the beginnings of Screen Alliance North and ensured the region as a whole continues to garner a reputation for making world-class scripted content. Whether it’s The Batman in Liverpool, or A Gentleman in Moscow in Manchester, or those which visit both cities (Peaky Blinders, The Crown, Captain America, The Full Monty, Nolly, The Ipcress File, or The Irregulars – and its source material, Sherlock Holmes, amongst many others) – the list continues to grow and tell the world what their capable of.
