A Tees Valley film production company has been helped to expand a vital new service to clients thanks to the support of Innovate Tees Valley.
Judy Kulpa, a Filmmaker at Middlesbrough-based Ithica Films, has been trained how to improve the quality of their drone footage with the help of the Teesside University-led programme.
Ithica Films was founded in 2014 by Teesside University alumnus Matt McGough with the help of a DigitalCity Fellowship which supports entrepreneurs in the Tees Valley to develop their business product or idea.
Innovate Tees Valley has been financially supported through the European Regional Development Fund, working with companies to help them try new things in their business and create and improve services, products and processes.
The programme’s Knowledge Exchange Internship Scheme part-funded Judy’s salary and also provided support from experts at Teesside University.
Mark Buschbacher, an Adobe-certified associate in video editing, colour grading and compositing from the University’s School of Computing & Digital Technologies, worked with Judy to train her in colour-correcting and delivering filmed content from drones as well as how to work with professional high-end digital content for Ithica’s clients. Nigel Crooks, the school’s senior sound engineer also delivered training on audio post-production techniques.
Judy, who is originally from Poland and moved to Selby in North Yorkshire as a child, graduated from Teesside University in 2017 with a BA (Hons) Film and Television.
She is now applying for her commercial drone operator’s licence which will allow Ithica Films to extend the capacity and portfolio of services it can offer clients.
She said: “I find it really incredible to get a job in an area I love and which I trained for with my degree.
“Mark’s been very supportive, taking me through how to use the software and different editing techniques.
“It’s great that I can bring these new skills into the team and make an impact.”
Matt McGough, Managing Director at Ithica Films added: “It’s been great for Judy to have access to support outside of our team, where she’s been able to take advantage of Mark and Nigel’s knowledge & expertise and apply it to her own work.
“Having the link with Teesside University has enabled her to have space away from our day to day filmmaking to hone new parts of her skill set so I’m glad we were all able to make that happen.”
Mark Buschbacher, who has worked on several blockbuster movies including Casino Royale, the Da Vinci Code and the Harry Potter films, said: “Ithica Films are doing some extremely creative work and producing some really compelling films.
“It’s fantastic to be able to work with Judy to enable her to bring more skills into the businesses and allow it to expand into new markets.”
For more information about Teesside University’s services to business visit www.tees.ac.uk/business