Screen Finance Focus Event
in partnership with Screen South and Create South East
thursday 27 march 2025
2:30pm - 5:30pm
plus networking, 5:30pm - 6:30pm
the ashford cinema, elwick place
ashford, tn23 1ae
The Screen Finance Focus Event is a free half-day on business and investment featuring in-depth panels and networking opportunities.
Presented in partnership with Create South East and supported by Screen Ashford, this timely Screen finance event will explore opportunities for film, games and TV companies. It will examine the need and opportunities for broadening exploitation of intellectual property, working collaboratively across (sub)sectors, developing services, and transferring skills to broaden revenue potential. It will also address changing market circumstances, aspirational producer models, and legal and business aspects.
Panels will include:
- Show Me the Money
- State of the Market
- Sustainable Creative Companies
Highly experienced industry speakers will share insights into raising equity investment for projects and companies, comparing distinct business models across film, TV and games. They will discuss investor motivations, aligning interests, and exploring repeat and long-term investment. Speakers will reflect on investment models, financial frameworks, legal considerations, and building relationships.
The Screen Finance Focus Event aims to:
- Increase understanding, interest, and capabailities of & in screen-based companies across film, TV, and games
- Look at pathways from low-budget UK indie projects to high-end international productions
- Examine successful business models and what ‘investment-ready’ looks like
- Explore screen-based financing models
- Discuss business diversification
- Extract greater value from intellectual property.
Attendees will gain insights into the business of screen industries and should feel more informed about exploring equity and other finance investments as part of a sustainable business approach.
Screen Finance Speakers
Screen Finance brings you an all-star panel of industry experts bringing you unique insights into finance across screen-based industries.
Pauline Burt mbe, frsa - event chair & facilitator
Pauline Burt MBE, FRSA is recognised for advancing an inclusive and sustainable creative sector with a particular focus on addressing socio-economic disadvantage, building environmentally sustainable capabilities and advancing financial and business models that enable talent and companies over the long-term. Previously CEO of innovative film agency Ffilm Cymru Wales and risk manager to commercial debt and equity financiers including the Royal Bank of Scotland, Rand Merchant Bank, Knightscove and VIP Germany, she has circa 200 feature film and tv credits. She has since developed consultancy services through her company, Script to Screen.
Sheryl Crown - panel chair
Sheryl is a twice Oscar and BAFTA-nominated, award-winning Producer and Executive Producer (Solomon and Gaenor, Searching for Sugarman). A respected Script Development Executive, she has strong industry ties across talent agencies, distributors, and financiers. Through her company, Rubicon Pictures, she collaborates internationally and is producing Glenrothan, Brian Cox’s directorial debut. She also holds key roles at Gold Rush Pictures and MYRA Entertainment. Formerly Head of Development at New Sparta Productions, she specializes in financing and international co-productions. Passionate about storytelling, she champions distinctive, commercially viable projects with global appeal, heart, and humor.
anwen griffiths
Anwen Griffiths is Head of Legal and Business Affairs at BBC Films. Previously a a partner at media law firm Lee & Thompson, she leads BBC Film’s business affairs activities, managing the legal team, liaising with and supporting producers of BBC Film titles and forging partnerships with financiers, distributors and sales agents across the UK and international industry. She is also a BFI governor and has a background in film production with over 25 years of experience advising across all legal and commercial aspects of production and finance in independent film, previously working in-house at the BFI and as a board member of Ffilm Cymru Wales for six years, where she was also vice-chair.
james pugh
James joined Protagonist Pictures in 2017 as Head of Business Affairs and became Chief Operations Officer in 2021. Overseeing legal, financial and operations and corporate, he works closely with the Chief Commercial Officer, CEO and external partners on the greenlight and executive production side of the business, combining an analytical eye with a big-picture-led approach. Prior to Protagonist, James had business affairs roles at Studiocanal and Curzon Artificial Eye. He is a qualified solicitor and before entering the film industry he worked in publishing and as a data and business analyst.
Alan Martin
Alan Martin co-founded Metrodome Films in 1991, later establishing its Distribution division, releasing hits like Donnie Darko and Human Traffic. In 2003, he joined Gold Circle in LA, working on box office successes like White Noise and The Wedding Date. As an Executive Producer, he has supported UK talent on films such as The Machine and The Party. He advised on Men in Black 4 and Rocketman investments. Since 2021, he has been with Good Gate Media, producing films and games. Current projects include The Man in My Basement (Disney). Alan is also an Honorary Research Fellow at Exeter University.
Matt Spall
With over four decades in the games industry, Matt Spall has held leadership roles across development, publishing, and digital innovation. As the co-founder of Pitchify, Branching Narrative, Playora and Morpheme Game Studios, he has been at the forefront of game development, interactive storytelling, mobile gaming, and now digital marketplaces. His extensive experience spans product management, business development, and consultancy for major studios, including Take-Two Interactive, Psygnosis, Virgin Interactive, and Eidos Interactive. A specialist in emerging technologies, Matt continues to drive innovation in production techniques, video game design methodology, and more recently, game sourcing and funding.
Phil Hunt
Phil is an innovator in film and beyond, having produced or executive produced over 550 films in the past 25 years. As founder of Head Gear Films, one of the world’s largest independent film financiers, he invests in around 40 projects annually, including TV and video games. He is also involved in Bankside Films, Bohemia Media, and multiple distribution companies. A BAFTA voting member and industry speaker, he mentors emerging talent and advises global film festivals. Previously an advertising and music photographer, he still occasionally picks up his Hasselblad – and debates changing his name to Punk Rock Warlord.
Mariyah Dosani
Mariyah is Director of Media & Entertainment Financing at Calculus, overseeing all aspects of production financing and structuring individual funding provisions for film and TV projects. Before this, she worked in international content distribution across the UK and US, managing cross-continent co-productions at companies including Dick Clark Productions, Sky, and Universal. With extensive experience in global media partnerships, Mariyah brings a deep understanding of financing and distribution strategies to her role, ensuring projects secure the right financial structures for success.
jo nolan - host
Jo Nolan, Managing Director of Screen South, is an experienced producer and company manager across film, media, and the arts, with expertise in independent film production, talent development, and executive producing. She has supported award-winning UK filmmakers, including Oscar & Cannes-winning Andrea Arnold, and has overseen over 350 productions, from features to shorts and music promos. As a producer for BBC Arts’ New Creatives South and C4’s Random Acts, she delivered 170+ projects. She has led major European creative programs and currently heads Develop-Create XR with BFI. A BAFTA voting member and RSA Fellow, Jo is dedicated to nurturing new talent and innovative storytelling.
