I’m delighted to be working with Third Films from this autumn providing audience strategy consultancy for their upcoming projects.

It’s a fantastic chance for me to be part of Third’s production process, to learn some new skills and to apply my experience in audience development and programming to a new arena.  Really looking forward to it!

Here’s the release:

North East production company Third Films looks to audiences consultant in innovative new approach to development

Production company THIRD FILMS has joined forces with a Newcastle-based audience development consultant to road-test a new approach as it develops its upcoming slate.

With 6 feature films currently in funded development Third, based in Newcastle upon Tyne, has enlisted freelance Newcastle marketing and film programming consultant Jonny Tull to give guidance and advice to the company on audience strategy for its in-development features before they head into production.

Third have produced 8 features since 2008 including the Newcastle-shot and Venice premiering BYPASS, released in 2015, and which starred rising film and TV actor George MacKay (Captain Fantastic, Pride, 11.22.63).

Where most film productions connect with the public much later in the production process, Third’s lead Producer Samm Haillay is keen to challenge this model, hoping to nurture the audience for his projects at the earliest stage of the development process.

Samm says:

“We’re doing this so we deliberately start to think about the people who want to watch our films as early as possible. That’s where Jonny comes in. His experience and understanding of cinema audiences mean he will be a great addition to our team. This is a new way of working for film production and Jonny coming on board as Audience Strategist and working alongside us from the earliest point in the production process will give us a unique insight into how our projects will best connect and resonate with filmgoers.”

Jonny recently left Newcastle’s Tyneside Cinema after 22 years, where he worked in senior audience development and film programming roles. Having embarked on a freelance career he’s now working with clients across the UK. He hopes to draw on his many years of experience for this role:

“I’m delighted to work with Samm and Third Films again. Samm has always been a visionary producer and keen to explore new ways to bring his work to the public. Having only just recently branched out as a freelancer, I was eager for a production project to get my teeth into and this gives me a chance to take my specific experience in working with audiences and place it in a really useful and vital new context.”

 Jonny begins work with Third Films in September.