BBC ALBA took home three hotly contested trophies at last night’s Royal Television Society Scotland awards ceremony in Glasgow.
Taking home the Documentary and Specialist Factual: Arts award was the poignant documentary Ceòl is Cràdh, produced by Sgeul Media. Presented by singer Mischa Macpherson, the award-winning programme openly and honestly explores struggles with mental health in the music industry.
Judges were unanimous in their decision to award the Children’s Programme trophy to heart-warming short children’s drama Cùm Sùil Orm. The film, produced by Isle of Lewis based indie Corran Media, was written by Will Murray – who was also nominated in the best writer category – and starred an incredibly talented group of island children.
In the Live Event category, Na Trads from BEEZR Studios came up on top for its high-quality coverage of the finest traditional music in Scotland. The event was produced during the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic in partnership with Hands Up For Trad and was presented by Mary Ann Kennedy and Alistair Heather.
Margaret Cameron, Director of Content at MG ALBA said:
“We are extremely delighted to see 3 BBC ALBA programmes from across a range of genres take home awards at this year’s RTS Scotland awards.
A huge congratulations to the teams behind the award-winning productions which shone through in highly competitive categories. These wins highlight the exceptional skill, talent and creativity across Gaelic media and we’re so proud of all nominees and award winners.”
Mischa Macpherson, Singer and Presenter of winning documentary Ceòl is Cràdh said:
“There was an important story to be told in Ceòl is Cràdh and I’m delighted that the team’s hard work has been celebrated by the RTS judges. It was a privilege to speak so openly and honestly with some of Scotland’s most talented musicians and I’m thankful that their stories have been shared and recognised.”
John Murdo MacAulay, Director of children’s drama Cùm Sùil Orm said:
“I’m honoured that our film has been recognised with such a prestigious award against such tough competition. I’m so grateful to the BFI Young Audiences Content Fund and the Eurovision Broadcasting Union for making this happen, to all the creative talent involved – and, of course, to the children and their families who took part.”
Alasdair MacCuish who picked up the Live Event award for Na Trads said:
“Live music brings people together and it’s a huge honour to bring our Scottish traditional music and culture to screens throughout the country through Na Trads. A huge thanks goes to all of the talented individuals who make the production a success, to the incredible musicians who are the real stars of the show, to Simon Thoumire and our friends at Hands Up For Trad, and to the RTS judges who recognised the unique warmth and cultural importance of this special event.”
BBC ALBA has received 6 nominations in this year’s RTS Scotland awards which recognise and celebrate the best talent, skills and creativity across TV production in Scotland. They are considered the gold standard for excellence across the television industry.
Nominations were received across five categories – Entertainment and Features; Documentary and Specialist Factual: Arts; Children’s; Writer; and Live Music – highlighting the high quality of BBC ALBA content across a range of genres.
In the Children’s category, two of the three programmes shortlisted were commissioned by the channel, demonstrating the high standard of Gaelic content available for children.
Margaret Cameron, Director of Content for MG ALBA said:
“It’s testament to the consistent high quality of programming created by BBC ALBA producers that six entries spanning a range of different genres were nominated for RTS Scotland Awards this year.
“It’s particularly encouraging to see two nominations from BBC ALBA in the Children’s category. This is a reflection of the excellent standard of Gaelic scripted children’s content we have on the channel and the result of collaborations with the EBU and the BFI Young Audience Content Fund. Our congratulations to all of the RTS Scotland 2022 nominees, we look forward to finding out the outcome in the coming weeks.”
The full list of BBC ALBA nominations are:
A full list of nominations can be found here.
The winners will be announced at an awards ceremony hosted by Des Clarke, Shereen Cutkelvin and Lawrence Chaney on 30th October at the Old Fruitmarket, Glasgow.
Cast and crew of a gripping new six-part Gaelic language-drama series, An Clò Mòr (The Great Cloth) have returned to the Western Isles for their final block of filming, bringing a wealth of new talent, jobs, and training opportunities to the Islands.
With support from MG ALBA, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar and Screen Scotland, six budding media professionals have been given the opportunity to work on the production alongside stalwarts of the Scottish media sector on a six-month training scheme.
An Clò Mòr, produced by Solus Productions for BBC ALBA, and funded by MG ALBA and Screen Scotland, represents a significant milestone in the creation of high-quality scripted content for Gaelic audiences.
The colourful tale of passion, rivalry and intrigue among a Hebridean textile industry is being filmed on stunning locations across the Western Isles and in Studio Alba, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar’s television studio space in Stornoway.
As well as working on An Clò Mòr, the trainees work with other local and Central Belt media companies on a range of productions, developing new skills and experience in areas which will be beneficial in their chosen careers such as production, costume, script, locations and sound.
Margaret Cameron, Director of Content Additionality at, MG ALBA, said:
“MG ALBA, alongside Comhairle nan Eilean Siar and Screen Scotland, are proud to be supporting hands-on training opportunities for young people who are looking to gain experience in the dynamic Gaelic media sector. It’s encouraging to see new talent emerging both on-screen and behind the camera and I for one can’t wait to see the results of this next move for BBC ALBA into stellar scripted drama.”
Cllr. Donald Crichton, Chair of Comhairle nan Eilean Siar’s Sustainable Development Committee welcomes the new production and the opportunities it brings to the region:
“This is a truly unique opportunity for young people to learn new skills and experience from the very best in the business. Being able to work from our fantastic multi-purpose space at Studio Alba, as well as alongside local production companies, provides opportunities for our young islanders to hone their skills and talents without needing to leave the Highlands and Islands.”
Steven Little, Head of Production at Screen Scotland said:
“Developing the crew base is essential to the rapid growth of our screen industry as we continue to deliver training and production support right across Scotland. Collaborating with our colleagues at MG ALBA and Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, alongside Solus Productions made it possible to deliver a valuable production and training programme to the local community.”
Tony Kearney, Director and Producer at Solus Productions said:
“The Western Isles is famed for its beautiful, striking – and often dramatic – scenery, making it the ideal backdrop for a gripping drama like An Clò Mòr. It’s a pleasure to be working alongside an exceptionally talented crew from both near and far, and we’re delighted to provide an opportunity for the next generation of Gaelic media professionals. We can’t wait for audiences to see the fruits of our labour – watch this space!”
The 15th iteration of FilmG, the Gaelic short film festival, launched today (1st September) with aims to find the future stars of the media industry in Scotland.
Theme launch events were held in Glasgow and Inverness, with the FilmG team displaying their vibrant Buidhe (Yellow) theme to potential entrants.
FilmG Project Manager Murdo MacSween said: “FilmG is now live, and we are looking for films that are yellow in any way possible, apart from using that Coldplay song, that is banned!
“We’re hoping to see the best-ever FilmG this year and we’re excited about the fantastic ideas we heard about this week at our launch events.”
Young Gaelic creatives, social media content creators and past FilmG entrants gathered at Basta Pizza in Partick on Tuesday night for a collaboration event, a key aim of this year’s FilmG festival – to join the dots between the collection of skills, talent, and ideas.
Attending the event was Lana Pheutan, a writer/actress, BBC continuity presenter and former winner of FilmG: “It was great to come together and chat with folk who had taken part in FilmG over the years, but also to meet those who were considering it for the first time.
“I’m really looking forward to being a tutor again to help the next generation of young filmmakers as FilmG was so instrumental to me on my own journey.”
Pupils at Inverness Royal Academy then participated in their own collaboration event, engaging with the new FilmG theme and sharing their ideas and inspirations as they planned their film entries.
As part of the FilmG festival, school workshops will take place across Scotland. Further collaboration events are being planned in different areas, all feeding into the FilmG competition and its awards ceremony in February.
The FilmG competition is aimed at both those under 18 (Youth) and those over 18 (Open), with 17 distinct categories in total, and this year filmmakers will be celebrated for their originality, their creativity and for taking their own initiative.
There are new and revamped categories this year, including the new Rising Star (Youth) and Industry (Open) awards, aimed at finding the next big thing in media, and there are the Production Design (Youth) and Creativity (Open) awards which could reward those who make films that follow the theme of Yellow (Buidhe).
The Yellow theme is a nod to the traditional eye-catching branding of FilmG, and this year filmmakers are asked to try and create films that incorporate yellow creatively.
The rules are all published on the FilmG website, but it is simple – create a Gaelic film, keep the duration under five minutes, and get it in before the deadline (9th December 2022).
MG ALBA’s Director of Strategy and External Affairs, Ealasaid MacDonald, said: “The launch of FilmG is always a highlight for MG ALBA, but it is a little bit special this year as we celebrate 15 years of the competition.
“It has evolved over the years to take account of the changes in the fast-paced media environment and we are all looking forward to seeing what imaginative and exciting content the theme Buidhe will inspire.”
To see the complete list of categories and to enter FilmG, visit www.filmg.co.uk or contact the team at Astar Media via filmg@astarmedia.scot.
FilmG, the Gaelic short film competition, is celebrating its 15th anniversary by announcing a bold new theme for this year’s festival of events.
Filmmakers are tasked to create films based on the theme of Buidhe (Yellow), a nod to FilmG’s eye-catching branding and a fun play-on-words with its double meaning also meaning “lucky” in Gaelic.
The FilmG festival will this year launch on 1 September, including a series of events and workshops, culminating in a December entry deadline for the hotly-anticipated awards ceremony in February.
FilmG is owned by MG ALBA, who brought in the new, Stornoway-based Gaelic company Astar Media to run the project.
Hoping to build on FilmG’s fantastic legacy, Astar Media’s Managing Director Murdo MacSween, said: “We’ve got huge plans for FilmG, with a motivated approach to create clear development pathways and allow those with a passion for craft or creativity to find their place.
“FilmG has been a game-changing vehicle for Gaelic, and we’re hoping to kick-start this year’s competition with a festival of events and grass-roots engagement.”
Alison Bruce, Brands Communication Manager at MG ALBA, said: “It’s great to see FilmG return for its 15th year. We’re delighted to be working with Astar Media to deliver this year’s competition and we’re looking forward to seeing their bold new approach come to life over the weeks and months to come.”
To find out more about FilmG, get in touch via the website www.filmg.co.uk or the FilmG social media.
BBC ALBA will bring a bumper summer of live and specially-recorded music to you as they broadcast from three of Scotland’s biggest festivals.
Coverage of TRNSMT, Belladrum and Celtic Connections will all be broadcast by BBC ALBA over the course of the summer.
Glasgow’s TRNSMT Festival kicks off the offering this weekend, July 8 and 9, as Niall Iain MacDonald hosts live coverage on Friday and Saturday nights from 9pm, before coverage continues on the BBC Scotland channel from 10pm on Friday, Saturday and on Sunday July 10.
The live programmes will feature musicians from the Main Stage, King Tut’s Stage and specially-recorded acoustic numbers from the TRNSMT weekend at Glasgow Green.
Headline acts include Paolo Nutini, Sam Fender, The Strokes, Foals, Lewis Capaldi and Wolf Alice.
Highlights will be broadcast from July 16 and 23.
Later in July BBC ALBA will have live coverage of the Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival from the beautiful Belladrum Estate near Inverness.
Highlights from all three days of the festival will be broadcast live on BBC ALBA from 9pm on July 28, 29 and 30 hosted by Fiona MacKenzie and Niall Iain MacDonald.
Audiences can also enjoy additional live coverage on the BBC Scotland channel from 11pm on July 29 and 30.
Nile Rodgers & Chic, Van Morrison and Emeli Sandé headline the Highland festival’s Garden Stage, with other acts including The Fratellis, Sam Ryder, Passenger and Tide Lines.
In addition to the fabulous line up of live music will be specially-recorded acoustic performances and interviews.
And if you miss any of the best performances, BBC ALBA will be screening highlights each week from August 6 at 9pm.
Two very special Celtic Connections concerts from the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall will also air on BBC ALBA later in the summer.
Capercaillie and the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra (BBC SSO) partner to perform some of Capercaillie’s greatest hits, creating a magical blend of traditional and classical music on September 17 at 9pm.
Gaelic electronic dance music giants Niteworks also join forces with the BBC SSO for a thrilling performance which will be screened on September 24 at 9pm.
An accompanying documentary about Niteworks and the creation of their much anticipated third album, released earlier this year, will air on September 22 at 9pm.
MG ALBA Director of Content Additionality, Margaret Cameron, said: “A summer of music on BBC ALBA takes our audiences from festival fields to urban concert halls, covering a variety of amazing talent along the way.
“Behind this rich selection of musical styles lie key collaborations with Celtic Connections, BBC SSO, TG4 and the BBC Scotland Channel as well as the Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival, TRNSMT and producers Beezr Studios, BBC Scotland Productions and The Ninety.
“We’re delighted to share these brilliant line ups with our audiences.”
Their ambition for Gaelic media underpins MG ALBA’s direction of travel as they publish their Annual Report in a year where the impact and value of Gaelic media has been an increasing focus.
The Annual Report contains an overview of the key moments MG ALBA and the wider Gaelic media sector have experienced throughout the year, with a wide range of programmes and media focused initiatives demonstrating the vibrant health of Gaelic media across a range of platforms.
It is not without concerns. Lack of growth in iPlayer viewings demonstrated the impact of a reduction in new original content, with very limited amounts of drama and comedy not being enough to consistently secure the younger audiences that BBC ALBA needs to engage with.
This was a year of where securing the future of Gaelic media in the digital media world has been paramount. The partnership behind SpeakGaelic created an innovative and vibrant multiplatform learning programme for Gaelic, modernising the ability to learn our language in the digital world and demonstrating the importance of collaboration to achieve results.
An economic impact assessment by Ekos showed a return on investment of £1.34 on every £1 spent on Gaelic media, illustrating why MG ALBA presented a vision of the future – Lèirsinn: A Route Map for Gaelic Media – which is ambitious but demonstrates what real investment could bring. MG ALBA’s Chair, Allan MacDonald, who highlights in his annual message that had MG ALBA’s funding kept pace with inflation since the inception of BBC ALBA in 2008, core funding this year would be in the region of £20 million as opposed to the actual level of £12.8million stated:
‘The BBC ALBA channel is currently not equipped to deliver for the audiences it serves. There must be a renewed settlement for Gaelic media that reflects the current times in which we live, and MG ALBA is working closely with the Scottish and UK Governments to deliver this. Securing Gaelic media in the digital domain is vital as a key component for the future of the Gaelic language within our communities. ‘
Speaking as the Annual Report was published, Chief Executive Donald Campbell, looked to the future but acknowledged that investment is needed for MG ALBA to deliver saying:
‘’MG ALBA is proud to present our vision of Gaelic media, outlining what could be achieved with the right funding. This underfunding is now significantly impacting on our ability to serve audiences with the wide and diverse range of content they deserve, particularly in the era of global streamers where competition for audiences is fierce. This must be addressed if we are to be confident of a future Gaelic media service that is relevant in the modern digital era for all our audiences.”
MG ALBA has paid tribute to its Director of Multiplatform content, Iseabail Mactaggart, as it is announced she is to join the Department of International Trade as its Deputy Director, Scotland.
Donald Campbell, Chief Executive of MG ALBA, said:
“Iseabail has made a huge contribution to MG ALBA and to Gaelic media since she joined us as Director of Development & Partnerships in 2014 and then in her role as Director of Multiplatform Content since 2016. Under her leadership we have seen great success in the internationalisation of Gaelic media content, the development of comedy and drama for BBC ALBA and the delivery of Gaelic digital media to all audiences.
Iseabail has cemented FilmG as a key outlet for young people seeking to develop and share their media content. And she leaves us having launched the user generated content site, càrn, and after leading the successful development and launch of SpeakGaelic, a once in a generation media intervention in Gaelic learning.
Everyone at MG ALBA would like to thank Iseabail for her commitment and passion to our work and we wish her all the best in her new role.”
Allan MacDonald, Chair of MG ALBA said:
“Iseabail has been an extremely effective Director of Multiplatform content, driving forward the work of BBC ALBA beyond the linear service. Her strategic approach to content across the multi-platform media in which we now work has facilitated opportunities for engagement with Gaelic media in a world which is increasingly driven by digital presence.
I have no doubt Iseabail will continue to support Gaelic media to thrive, and we wish her well for her future.”
MG ALBA is delighted to announce that Stornoway-based media and project management company Astar Media has been awarded a two year contract to deliver Gaelic short film competition, FilmG.
Astar Media will be responsible for strengthening FilmG’s role as an important talent development vehicle, and for increasing its profile as a celebration of the digital content being created by new generations of confident Gaelic speakers.
FilmG has seen many of its participants go on to develop media careers and receive further industry recognition. Since its launch in 2008, the competition has seen over 1000 film entries, generating a significant volume of new and engaging Gaelic content, with a greater focus on creating a digital community in Gaelic.
Each year, the competition culminates in a highly anticipated awards ceremony which is broadcast on BBC ALBA.
The competition had previously been delivered in partnership with Skye-based multi-media company Cànan Graphics Studio (CGS).
Alison Bruce, Brands Communication Manager at MG ALBA said:
“Encouraging and inspiring filmmakers to become involved in the dynamic Gaelic media industry has always been at the heart of FilmG. CGS has made huge strides in fulfilling this aim since the competition’s inception and MG ALBA would like to thank everyone at CGS for growing FilmG to where it is today. We look forward to working with Astar Media to continue to develop and build on the success of the competition among Gaelic speakers of all ages and abilities. Through the tender process, we were particularly impressed by Astar Media’s ambitious outlook and passion for developing the competition with Gaelic language and culture at its heart.”
Budding filmmakers and industry professionals alike are encouraged keep an eye out for more information about how to enter this year’s FilmG15 competition in the coming months.
BBC ALBA is delighted to announce Bekah MacLeod as its latest CBBC ALBA presenter.
The 24-year-old, from Skeabost, Skye, was on air for the first time last week as she made her CBBC ALBA bow on Wednesday.
The Sabhal Mòr Ostaig UHI alumna relished her on-screen debut as a part of the Gaelic-speaking presenting team, joining the presenter team consisting of Calum MacDonald, Ellen MacDonald, Hannah McKirdy, Zach Ronan & Lana Beaton.
Bekah, who is an avid reader and is currently trying to learn to roller skate, with some degree of success, has always loved TV and drama.
Calling on the experience she gained at the University of the Highlands and Islands through Sabhal Mòr Ostaig’s TV course and from her work towards a degree in Gaelic and Media Studies, Bekah thrived in the studio environment.
Currently living in Glasgow, the former Portree High School pupil has also spent time elsewhere in the BBC, undertaking an MG ALBA-sponsored student placement at Radio nan Gàidheal in Stornoway.
Speaking after making her TV debut and explaining her route to working in broadcasting, Bekah said: “I’ve had a few different jobs and never really knew what I wanted to do, but I’ve always loved being on stage and performing.
“I did some extensive training on my TV course where we covered a little bit of everything over two years”.
“Day one in the studio was fun – but it’s quite different with the camera pointed at you!
“It was weird looking back at the recording as you notice things you wouldn’t normally see in yourself – I didn’t realise I blinked that much! Or you think: ‘Oh gosh what am I doing with my hands?’.
“The support I’ve received from everyone at BBC ALBA has been super helpful.
“It’s cool explaining to people what my job is and telling them I spend part of my day recording in a CBBC studio like we used to watch when we were younger.
“Between my placement at Radio nan Gàidheal and my early career with BBC ALBA, they have really helped me confirm to myself that working in the media is the perfect place for me.”
