IT'S been another excellent year for the north's film and television industry according to government-backed agency NI Screen.
Throughout 2018, cameras rolled on the second series of Krypton, Dublin Murders, Mrs Wilson, Doing Money, Death and Nightingales, Derry Girls series two and Line of Duty series five.
Torvill and Dean, which was shot on location in the north earlier this year, will be aired on ITV at 9.15pm on Christmas Day.
Since airing in January, C4 sitcom Derry Girls has picked up multiple awards including two IFTAs for Best Comedy and Best Writer (Lisa McGee), the Radio Times Comedy Champion 2018 Award, the Best Comedy Series Award at the Edinburgh TV festival and the RTS Craft Award for Best Director of a Comedy (Michael Lennox). The series has also been nominated for Best Comedy Series at the 2019 Broadcast Awards.
The latest series of hit NI-shot BBC cop show Line of Duty was nominated for four BAFTA Television Awards; Best Supporting Actor (Adrian Dunbar), Best Leading Actress (Thandie Newton), Best Drama Series and Virgin TV's Must-See Moment.
Locally produced animated series Lily’s Driftwood Bay won an IFTA for Best Animation and was nominated for Best Pre-School Series at the 2018 Emmys, while Pablo from Belfast production company Paper Owl Films was nominated for a Children’s BAFTA and is one of three projects from the north shortlisted for Best Pre-School Programme at the 2019 Broadcast Awards alongside Claude, and Becca’s Bunch.
Richard Williams, Chief Executive of Northern Ireland Screen, said; "2018 has been a fantastic year for the screen industries in Northern Ireland and we look back with a great sense of pride at all our achievements both on and off camera.
"This year we came to the end of Phase 1 of our Opening Doors strategy. We are delighted that over this period the overall value of the sector has doubled and the economic targets set out have been exceeded – reaching £270 million against a £250 million direct Northern Ireland spend target.
"As we enter Phase 2, we hope to deliver a minimum of £300 million in direct NI spend."
:: Northernirelandscreen.co.uk
