The Bottle Yard Studios’ Site Director Fiona Francombe has joined the Board of The Production Guild of Great Britain, the UK’s most prestigious membership organisation for film and TV production management professionals.
Based at Pinewood Studios, The Production Guild represents and supports those working in accounts, production, assistant directing, location management, post production and VFX. Its 900 members are the most experienced and well respected professionals working in film and TV drama production today.
As a member of the Board, Fiona will play a key role in The Production Guild’s growth and work, helping to ensure the UK maintains its leading edge as the destination of choice for feature film and television production. Using her understanding of the industry in Bristol and the South West of England, she will seek to help The Production Guild provide effective support to its members based outside of London.
Guy Barker, Chair of The Production Guild says: “”I’m delighted to welcome Fiona to the Board. Her knowledge and experience, of working in TV drama production in location management and line production and more recently of founding and running a fast-growing successful studio in Bristol, gives her excellent understanding of our members’ needs, especially those working in the regions. She will be a huge asset and her skills will greatly complement those of the rest of the Board.”
Fiona says: “Having been a member of The Production Guild for over sixteen years, I feel honoured to have joined its Board. The excellent work it undertakes to guide, inform and train those working in production cannot be underestimated. As levels of production continue to go from strength to strength outside London, particularly for high-end TV drama, I look forward to lending my voice from a regional standpoint to help The Production Guild shape its priorities to ensure it meets the needs of members working all around the UK.”
Fiona has managed The Bottle Yard Studios since the Bristol City Council initiative opened in 2010 with the aim of boosting levels of film and TV production in Bristol, leading its strategic development into an established UK studio space accommodating high calibre TV and film titles from both the UK and overseas, including BBC dramas Poldark, Sherlock: The Abominable Bride, Wolf Hall and Disney/ABC Studios’ Galavant. Fiona previously spent more than 14 years working as Location Manager and freelance Line Producer in Bristol, Bath and the West Country, with credits including Casualty, I Saw You, Bertie & Elizabeth, Teachers, Persuasion and Lark Rise to Candleford. Fiona has been a Production Guild member for sixteen years, and prior to that was elected as a committee member of the Guild of Location Managers. She is also currently a member of the RTS Bristol Centre committee and the BBC / Bristol City Partnership Steering Group.
The Production Guild encourages professionalism in UK production by providing information, advice, events and training to members. It informs, advises and guides members on legal, financial, fiscal, and commercial developments within the US, UK and European production environments. It also campaigns on issues that impact the competitiveness of the UK film and TV industry globally and contribute to film policy, working closely with film and TV bodies including BAFTA, British Film Commission, Creative Skillset, Film London, BBC, ITV and Creative England.
The Production Guild of Great Britain Board is chaired by Guy Barker (Financial Controller). Other Board members are: Kevin Trehy – Co Vice-Chair (Senior Vice President of Physical Production, Warner Bros), Andrew Noakes – Co Vice Chair (Co-Producer), Lara Sargent – Treasurer (Director, Sargent-Disc Ltd), Stephen Bristow (Head of Business Development for the Film and Television Unit, Saffery Champness), Neil Chaplin (Financial Controller), Steve Clark Hall (Producer), Mark Cooper (Producer), Brian Donovan (Line Producer), Marianne Jenkins (Unit Production Manager), John Graydon (Partner, Saffery Champness), Iain Smith OBE (Producer), Frith Tiplady (Co-MD, Tiger Aspect Drama), Christine Healy (Head of Production, New Pictures), Ali Moshref (Production Executive, Film Finances Inc).