Neil Hatton Email & Phone Number

London, United Kingdom

UK Screen Alliance is the trade association that represents video and audio post-production, visual effects, animation, physical special effects, camera and equipment hire, freelance talent agencies and studios.In 2004, I was a prime mover in the setting up of the organisation then known as UK Post and subsequently the UK Screen Association, and I was an elected board member for many years before being appointed as CEO in 2016. In 2017, I brought Animation UK into partnership with UK Screen to persue mutuall compatible goals. We operate as a single entity under two brands, but I rebranded UK Screen Association as the UK Screen Alliance. Successes have included:Creating and promoting apprenticeships in post production.Setting up apprenticeship levy transfers to entirely fund apprenticeship for our SME members.Influencing government policy to allow flexi-job agency apprenticeships for freelancers.Collaborating on the outline content for the Media Broadcast and Production T Level.Getting more roles recognised on the Shortage Occupation List, shielding our members from salary inflation caused by high salary thresholds for visas.Proving a conduit for information and feedback between goverment and our sector during the pandemic particularly when there was great uncetainty on the financial support available.Writing and maintaining the Covid guidelines for the post & VFX sector, allowing companies to continue working safely through the pandemic.Working with BFC to promote the VFX sector to inward investors.Promoting the case for reform of the AV tax credits to benefit VFX and animation.

London, United Kingdom

London, United Kingdom

Post-production and Broadcast ConsultancyEvent Management & ProductionProducer of "File Delivery Made Real", an event tour in 5 cities in the UK for BBC Academy, for which I also directed and produced 5 short training videos.Producer of "Sound Matters" Loudness and Audibility event tour to 6 UK cities for BBC Academy.TrainingRan and delivered AS-11 DPP file delivery training across the BBC for production managers, producers and editors.Post Production and Management ConsultancyWorkflow review for A&E Networks UK. Report and WorkshopsPost Production SupervisionIron Maiden at Download Festival Donington 2013. Iron Maiden at Rock in Rio 2013.

London, United Kingdom

Responsible for strategy, business development, leadership, P&L, sales, marketing, supplier relationships, technical direction, frontline HR and employee development.When I joined Azimuth it was in need of complete refurbishment having been purchased out of administration. I project managed the installation, drawing up the outline concepts and supervising the detailed design process to give 12 edit suites, grading, graphics and three audio suites, all connected to a new MCR and server room. This alone saved the company £250k compared to the systems integrator quote they had prior to my arrival.Over four years from 2008 to 2012 through the teeth of the recession, I increased turnover with double digit growth every year. Azimuth was rated in Televisual’s UK facilities survey as “very friendly, welcoming and accommodating”. Clients included Discovery EMEA, NBCUniversal, BBC Worldwide, IMG Media and rock band, Iron Maiden. I was Post Production Supervisor on their Blu-ray,”En Vivo”, that was a number one in 10 countries.

London, United Kingdom

As MD/owner I had total responsibility for all aspects of the company including strategy, business development, leadership, sales, marketing, training, finance, HR, IT, and technical direction. I also retained my skills as an online editor and colourist on Avid Symphony.I founded Frontier Post in 1992 with just one offline edit suite and over the next 15 years built it to be a full service facility including online and audio. I was an early adopter of non-linear editing and became the UK’s first editor to cut a broadcast documentary on a Lightworks.In 2006, I purchased audio dubbing company, Skyline, successfully relocating its staff and equipment into Frontier Post.Frontier Post was rated in Televisual’s UK facilities survey at number 47. Our high producer poll rating of 8= and peer poll rating of 13= showed we were punching well above our weight.Broadcast clients included Tiger Aspect, Tigress, TalkbackThames, Endemol, BBC F&L and North One. I gained Microsoft accreditation for Frontier Post to be a preferred HD promo production facility for Xbox360 games. This started a successful relationship with Eidos, leading to production and post-production work on online promotions for million-seller games including Tomb Raider and Hitman. Other clients from the games industry included Square Enix (Final Fantasy) and Microsoft’s Lionhead Studios (Fable).

London, United Kingdom

London, United Kingdom

London, United Kingdom