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All In A Day’s Work
PAUL ASHTON’ S
“come on, let’s do it” spirit of the earlier years are but passions of the past, and that the time has come to free-wheel a bit? Certainly not, it seems, at least if you are – like Paul Ashton, Channel 4’s Commissioning Editor, Special Projects - “in television” and as fired up by the
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into education. Ron Allison was left breathless.
SEVEN
new technologies and the opportunities they bring, particularly
Does reaching one’s mid-fifties mean that the old enthusiasms begin to wane, that the vitality and the
Paul Ashton is delighted to have had a part in winning BAFTAs in what, revealing a Plymouth Brethren up-bringing, he calls two “dispensations.” As Channel 4’s Commissioning Editor, Schools, he was responsible for Rat-a-tat-tat: Beans On Toast And Ketchup On Your Cornflakes, winner of the Best Schools Factual – Primary category in the 1999 Children’s Awards. This year, still with C4 but now Commissioning Editor, Special Projects, he again brought a winner to air with Homework High, best in the Interactive Awards Online Learning category.
Paul’s route to Channel 4 was by way of facing the “front line inner-city chal-
lenges” as a teacher at an Islington Comprehensive, as an Advisory teacher for ILEA, working with the English Media Centre and then writing scripts for BBC Schools Radio before discovering the utter- most parts of Kent and Sussex as Education Officer for the BBC’s South-East Region.
Television came next where, working with the enormously influential Dr Eufron Gwynne Jones, the BBC’s Head of Schools Broadcasting, Paul became the scheduler for BBC Two’s schools programming. It was challenging and satisfying but it seemed to Paul that producers had “more fun.
“Can I become one? Please.” was the question; “Yes” was the answer and the result, from 1985 to 1991 was a flow of
innovative, stimulating programmes – many devoted to the English language. They were, however, limited by the tech- nology available at the time.
Then another move. Channel 4 was required to take on the schools pro- gramme remit from ITV. They posted an advert Paul says he would have written for himself. He got the job. The message from his new boss Michael Grade was a joy – “Yes, it is schools, but be experimen- tal, be innovative and don’t be afraid to fail as long as you do so interestingly.”
Now there are three particular pro- jects engaging Paul as the broadcasters, the educationalists and the institutions move towards digitilisation.
Research hundreds of hours of archive programming to decide which to take from analogue to digital. Create web- sites in the manner of Homework High (500 visits a night already). Develop virtu- al reality simulations (and here the possi- bilities really do seem to go “to infinity and beyond”).
Interactivity through simulations, communication through websites – get- ting the teachers as well as the broadcast- ers on side and on-line – that is what now enthuses Paul. And knowing BAFTA is alongside does help enormously. ■
DATELI NE FEBRUARY
STEPHEN WOOLLEY
Continued from page 6
Tim Angel, in particular, has been in the vanguard of the reformation of BAFTA and I know I speak on behalf of the film and television committee by saying that his impression upon the future of the British Academy will be everlasting. Certainly the phenomenal work that Amanda Berry is engaged in and her team, including the tireless Doreen Dean, will be undergoing a testing time coping with the bringing forward of the ceremony by two months.
Fortunately Simon Relph, who has been part of BAFTA for more years than he would care to remember, has inherited an organisation and schedule that he himself has been partially instrumental in creating.
Our awards ceremony in February will not only benefit from consistency; Sky, Orange, the Odeon Leicester Square and Initial are already in place, but also 100% cast iron studio endorsement. Next year’s biggest and brightest event will be hosted
“Never has being a member of the
British Academy been more beneficial
or crucially influential.” Photograph of Steve Woolley by Steve Wood
by the excellent actor/comedian/writer and raconteur Stephen Fry, who has the daunting challenge of presenting the cere- mony that’s not only broadcast live on Sky One, but also performed to an audience of 2000 industry luminaries.
This feat requires nerve, intelligence, wit, discipline and spontaneity in equal amounts The sincere intention is that this will not be the last ceremony Stephen will be hosting on behalf of the Academy.
Critics may say that we are in dan- ger of becoming Americanised
by this move, but quite the
reverse is most likely. A look at
last year’s ceremony illustrates
just how indigenous British and European talent is appreciated
by our members.
The non-American recipients at last year’s awards ceremony included Lynne Ramsay for Ratcatcher, Notting Hill (most
at the Premiere of The End Of The Affair
popular film) and East is East (Best British
Film).The actors Jude Law, Maggie Smith and Michael Caine (Fellowship) were all honoured, while Irish writer Neil Jordan (Best Adapted Screenplay), and Spanish director Pedro Almodovar (Best Director and Best Non-English Language Film) also picked up awards.
The nominations which last year received more votes than any other in living memory, included actors Ralph Fiennes, Linda Bassett, Rhys Ifans, Om Puri, Timothy
Spall and Jim Broadbent.
The majority of awards went to American Beauty, a
thoroughly American film made within the confines of the Hollywood studio system but definitely one of the more origi- nal and thought-provoking movies in recent years. Yet one of its BAFTAs went to a Brit, edi- tor Tariq Anwar.
The ultimate persuasiveness the new date will exert is, of course, upon the Oscar voters. The British Academy nomi- nations and awards will occur before the American Academy, giving their members an opportunity to consider our selection and choices.
The respect that Hollywood has for the opinions of our writers, directors, actors and technicians is at an all-time high. This was emphasised only this month in Steven Spielberg’s eulogy at the Britannia Awards organised by our BAFTA LA cousins. His pro-Brit remarks regarding ‘a tidal wave of artistry, and we in the US have been the beneficiaries’ are echoed throughout Hollywood.
The BAFTA vote can now literally turn heads. The eyes of the film world will now be excitedly focused on this particular Sunday in February and never has being a member of the British Academy been more beneficial orcruciallyinfluential.■ SteveWoolley
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