We’re delighted to introduce the Foundations 2026 Cohort.
This year’s cohort brings together 18 ambitious and forward‑thinking entrepreneurs working across film, TV, games, digital content and immersive production. Each participant is developing bold ideas and building businesses that reflect the evolving creative industries.
Delivered over five months, the Foundations programme is designed as a supportive and practical journey. Through a series of focused workshops and one‑to‑one mentoring, participants will explore the core skills needed to set up, grow, and lead a creative business. From strategy and sustainability to leadership and long‑term planning, the programme offers space to learn, reflect, and put ideas into action.
Alongside the learning, the programme connects participants to a strong peer network and experienced mentors, creating an environment where ideas can be shared, challenged, and strengthened. Together, this community helps turn ambition into confident, sustainable growth.
We’re excited to support this group as they begin the Foundations journey and we can’t wait to see what they build.
Now, let’s meet the 2026 cohort.
Ben Murray - Next Realm Ltd
Next Realm Ltd is a video game development studio operating as both a co-development house as well as producing internally developed intellectual properties
The co-development work includes providing consultancy/hands on/technical expertise to external companies/game development studios
Internal development includes creating, designing, building and releasing story driven narrative video games
Claire Masters - Harbourside Films
Harbourside Films is an independent television production company based in Southampton. Founded in July 2023, we currently specialise in the production of short-form VTs for the BBC’s The One Show. We are a contracted supplier, and this is currently our sole source of income, a situation we would like to change moving forward. Founded by an experienced group of network television producers, we have each created a wide range of high-quality content across a range of networks from the BBC, Ch4, ITV, Ch5, Discovery, National Geographic, Sky, to name a few.
https://harboursidefilms.co.uk
Danielle Goff - Lunar Pictures Ltd
Lunar Pictures was founded by Producer Danielle Goff in 2022. Danielle is a BAFTA & BIFA nominated and RTS, Grierson & Annie Award winning Producer. She is an alumni of the MA Producing course from National Film and Television School.
Lunar Pictures slate features elevated genre projects by under-represented filmmakers and voices who have historically been othered; Global Majority, Working Class, Queer, Neurodivergent and Disabled filmmakers. Lunar Pictures has produced work for; Disney, Sky Drama, BBC Films, Film4, Channel 4, Screen Scotland, Film London, BFI Midlands and Universal Music.
Danielle is one of Screen International’s Stars of Tomorrow 2023 and is represented by Independent Talent. Lunar Pictures is one of BBC’s Small Indie Fund recipients 2025.
Isabelle Stead - Big Little Stories
Big Little Stories is a UK-based film and television production company developing bold, socially resonant stories with global appeal. Founded by award-winning producer Isabelle Stead, the company’s slate includes the feminist horror Awakening, true-crime documentary American Prophet, drama series Bloody Women, and feature project The Coldest Cure. Focused on high-impact documentaries and scripted work, Big Little Stories champions female-led narratives and underrepresented voices, creating compelling, commercially driven IP for international audiences across film, television, and publishing.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/isabellestead
Jessica Winteringham
Jess is an award-winning producer from Bristol, working across production and development for public service broadcasters and streamers. Her credits include Werner Herzog's feature documentary 'The Fire Within', double Grierson-winner 'Stephen: The Murder That Changed a Nation', and BAFTA-winning 'Rio Ferdinand: Being Mum and Dad'. She developed the original treatment for Critics' Choice-winning, Emmy-nominated 'Hurricane Katrina: Race Against Time' (Hulu/Disney+). Fluent in Spanish, she has a strong track record in international storytelling, having worked in the US, Latin America, Africa, Australia and Europe.
Joseph Shepherd - Shepherd Creative
An independent production company making films, documentaries, and branded content that actually means something. We're neurodiverse-led and proudly northern. We work with brands, broadcasters, charities, and individuals who want storytelling not content that fills a gap.
Alongside our client work, we develop and produce our own original films. These are the projects that define what we stand for: New stories, underrepresented voices, and cinema that stays with you. When you work with us, you get the right people for your project.
Good work comes from good people. That's the whole philosophy.
https://www.shepherdcreative.co.uk
Juliet Kirby - Aluna
Aluna is a London-based production company developing a diverse slate of 20 projects across film, television, and documentary, with a mission to bring bold, untold stories to the screen that place women’s voices at the centre.
linkedin.com/in/juliet-kirby-48b81b103
Nadine Tayar - Pica Pica Films
Based in Bristol’s global factual hub, Pica Pica Films is a production collective founded by four award-winning industry veterans. Like its namesake, the inquisitive magpie, the company seeks out overlooked stories that reveal universal truths. Specialising in premium factual series and feature documentaries, Pica Pica elevates the human voice through character-driven narratives and world-class cinematography. With decades of experience across history, adventure, and wildlife, the team combines high-end production values with a collaborative spirit. Pica Pica Films captures incredible footage and crafts resonant testimony, creating global stories that stop audiences in their tracks.
https://www.picapicafilms.com/
Oliver Kendall - Mint Cake Productions
Mint Cake Productions is a Bath-based creative production company specialising in film, video and television content. Founded in 2019, it develops and produces branded content, communications work and narrative films. Mint Cake delivers projects from concept through to post-production. Recent narrative works include producing short films and developing long form content.
Peter Bakare - Nutri Troops
Nutri Troops is a children’s IP that uses storytelling, animation and physical play to help children build healthier habits. Delivered across schools and community programmes, it brings its characters to life through interactive games, printed materials, cards and digital content that teach movement, nutrition and wellbeing in a fun, engaging way. The concept has been tested with thousands of children across the UK, shaping its characters and world through real audience interaction. Nutri Troops is designed as a multi-platform property, with animation, digital content and character-led storytelling already integrated across its delivery.
Phoebe Holman - Represent Studio
Represent Studio is a documentary and content production company creating bold, director-led films for cinema, designed to live across streaming and digital platforms. Our work centres on female-led productions, social impact storytelling, and underrepresented voices.
Our model embeds mentorship into every production, creating meaningful opportunities for emerging creatives to gain experience and build sustainable careers. Embracing a digital-first approach, we extend each project’s IP through youth-led, short-form content for multi-platform audiences.
The result is a studio that delivers both creative and cultural impact—producing internationally recognised work while developing the next generation of filmmakers.
Rose Palmer - Wild Rose Studios
Based in Oxfordshire, Wild Rose Studios is an independent film studio dedicated to cinematic storytelling, from feature documentaries to digital campaigns, exploring social justice, health and arts stories. We focus on telling big stories through a personal lens, using a creative and sensitive process to bring complex ideas to wider audiences.
https://www.wildrosestudios.co.uk/
Ruth Clennell - Tiny Jungle Studios
TJS is a full suite video production company dedicated to creating the best value for money combined with the highest standard in production.
Our in-house team of polyglot editors, film makers, animators and drone pilots combine their expertise to enable a deep understanding of a broad skill set.
It is the wildly varied skills of our team that enables TJS to seamlessly process the grunt work of all projects big and small - effectively oiling the wheels of production and post-production - so that our clients can focus on the bigger picture.
Be it social media content, short films, advertising, we love making it work!
https://www.tinyjunglestudios.com/
Sara Barbas - Miaowito Animation
Miaowito Animation is a Bristol-based Indie Studio founded by the award-winning animator, writer, director and creative producer Sara Barbas after attending the Creative UK - Creative Enterprise programme. Miaowito is driven by good emotional storytelling, strong characters and the excitement of working within a friendly, diverse and collaborative team. We creatively overview animated projects from script to screen in 2D, stop-motion, CGI and mixed-media, and are often commissioned for development and pilot writing, scriptwriting and and creative consultancy.
Sarah Dawes - Trail 3 Films
Trail 3 Films is a Bristol based production company, founded by actor and filmmaker Sarah Dawes. It specialises in conversation-driven horror and psychological storytelling.
Our aim is to create films that stay with you. Films that are cinematic, commercially viable, and emotionally grounded. Films that use horror as a lens for social commentary, and aren't just watched, but talked about.
From interactive series, award-winning shorts to contained, high concept features- we have a slate of projects in active development and production.
We're excited to build something new, a company that challenges the norm and finds fresh, meaningful ways to connect with audiences in an industry that continues to rapidly evolve.
Shereen Fares - Picilian Entertainment Ltd
Picilian Entertainment Ltd is a UK-based independent game studio redefining the future of gaming through innovative, narrative-driven experiences.
Founded as a self-taught team, we specialise in immersive games that push creative and technical boundaries. Our mission is to craft emotionally engaging worlds that amplify underrepresented voices and tell stories often overlooked, representing outcasts, the overlooked, and those seeking a second chance. By combining cinematic storytelling with cutting-edge mechanics, we create experiences that will captivate players and generate long-term engagement.
Sima Gonsai
Currently trading as Sima Gonsai Films, the company is a developing production label focused on unscripted storytelling and createch innovation. The work combines cinematic craft with inclusive, socially engaged narratives, specialising in stories that centre diverse communities and lived experience. With a track record of award-winning short-form content, international exhibition and broadcast credits, the company is now transitioning toward scalable formats and original IP development. Projects in development include documentary strands exploring women in sport and underrepresented perspectives. The company aims to bridge the gap between arts practice and broadcast, creating distinctive, accessible content for platforms, partners and global audiences.
Temi Akindele Barker - Five Sisters
Five Sisters is a premium scripted production company developing emotionally resonant, expansive storyworlds. Female-gaze storytelling is both our creative and commercial lens, shaping narratives that are commercially accessible, yet artistically ambitious, and speak to audiences globally.
Underpinned by four integrated pillars - Story, Audience, Experience, and Technology & Data - we work with the brightest emerging creative talent to bring these stories to life, creating distinctive content that centres audience connection.
_________________
Creative Enterprise delivers a range of programmes supporting creative founders and businesses at different stages of their journey.
From early ideas to established companies ready to scale, these programmes offer tailored support, expert guidance, and access to a thriving creative network. Together, they form a connected ecosystem designed to help creative talent grow, succeed, and sustain their work for the long term.
Creative Enterprise is delivered with support from BFI awarding funds from the National Lottery.