Ffermio Trailer Competition

Telesgop’s welsh agricultural programme, Ffermio, is currently taking a break over the summer months.
However, this was not without launching its annual competition amongst  the hustle and bustle of the Royal Welsh Show.

On Tuesday 21 July, the well-known trailer competition was officially launched at the Ffermio stand by the programme’s producer, Mererid Wigley. The Ffermio crew handed out leaflets and talked in detail about the competition, in which three fantastic trailers are up for grabs.
Mererid said: “We would like to thank Ifor Williams Trailers for these fantastic prizes once again this year.

“We just hope that the response to the competition will be as good as ever - start watching in September for the first of the questions in the competition.”

The competition gives you the chance to win HB506 Horsebox, TA510 Livestock Trailer a P7e with motocinch to transport a motorbike and also the chance to win digital cameras. 

Between September and November 2009 the Ffermio team will hold a competition featuring a different question every week. The first letter of all the answers, once rearranged, will create a 6 letter word.

You can send in your answers along with your name, full postal address, post code, telephone number and e-mail address. Please send postal entries to Ffermio Competition, S4C, PO Box 10, Bargoed, CF81 9YD- Or use the entry form on the website s4c.co.uk/ffermio.

Safe Use of Veterinary Medicines’

Agriculture students in Wales will be given the chance to inject fun into their studies, thanks to a new free learning website.
And Wales’ popular agricultural show proved to be the perfect location to preview this exciting project, with Wales’ chief Veterinary officer, Christianne Glossop  supporting the scheme.

On Tuesday 21 July at the Royal Welsh Agricultural Show, the preview of the the National Grid for Learning’s (NGfL) ‘Safe Use of Veterinary Medicines’ took place in the Telesgop trade stand, with material author Mary Richards, of Coleg Gelli Aur present.
Co-ordianted by Telesgop, this project consists of bilingual teaching and learning resource examining the safe use of veterinary medicines, split into 23 main modules containing video clips, images, interactive activities and fact sheets to encourage students to develop a thorough understanding of animal health.

Under the Swansea-based company’s multi-media expertise, the online resource will be made available free of charge via the National Grid for Learning Wales’ website (www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk) by the end of the year.

This project is sponsored by the Welsh Assembly Government as part of the Department for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills’ Welsh and bilingual resource commissioning programme.

Telesgop dresses up for the races at Ffos Las.

On Thursday 18th June the Telesgop crew were invited to the opening of the new Ffos Las racecourse near Trimsaran in Carmarthenshire, the first National Hunt course to be completed in Britain for over 80 years. Our cameramen Gareth and Steve and newbie presenter Kathryn were very excited to be a part of the special occasion.

Ffos Las opened its doors for a sell-out first race meeting with over 10,000 race goers attending. It follows a £20m renovation project of what was once Europe's largest open-cast coal mine, financed by the Walters Group, headed by David Walters, the company chairman and racehorse owner.

It was an incredibly exciting and star studded night with local and global race goers dressed to rival the Royal Ascot for the Ffos Las version of ‘Ladies Night’. Everyone was in high spirits; including Welsh captain Ryan Jones who was celebrating a small win.
“It’s fantastic here and has been an absolutely fantastic day out, I’m not sure if I will be able to come the next time, I’ve spent a fortune!”
 Another welsh rugby legend who attended the glamourous event was local Trimsaran boy Jonathon Davies. He once worked as a labourer on the site and now 25 years later was honoured with having the Grand Stand named after him.

“Most people have had a Grand Stand named after them when they are dead, so I’m very glad that hasn’t happened to me.”
The gates opened at 1pm with events planned throughout the evening. Welsh tenor Wynne Evans began the race proceedings singing the Welsh national anthem accompanied with several thousand voices just before the very first race at 6.20pm. The winner of the first of many races to come at Ffos Las was jockey Donal Fahy and horse Plunkett. This could not have been better news for Welsh trainer Evan Williams.

‘Being a Welshman it’s amazing to have won the very first race here at Ffos Las. David Walters has done an excellent job here and we are very grateful to him.”

Ffos Las have eight more events planned for 2009 and Telesgop are looking forward to a few more glamourous occasions!!

Telesgop has first official MP visit

On Friday 19th June Telesgop were very excited to have a visit from Siân James MP, Labour member of Parliament for Swansea East.  Siân James was elected in May 2005 and since has been involved in many national and specific local issues, joining campaigns for road safety, free-cash machines, better public transport, protecting children and major developments.

Siân is incredibly passionate about Swansea and we were delighted that she came to see us and demonstrate her support. Siân was very impressed with our new offices, taking the time to look around our new edit suites and meet all our staff.

We look forward to seeing Siân again in the near future!

TB : The scale of the problem in Wales

Telesgop have just won a tender to produce a public information DVD for the Welsh Assembly Government . The bi-lingual DVD will be shown the Royal Welsh Show this summer.

In 2008 the Welsh Assembly Government established a TB Eradication programme for Wales. The aim of this programme is to eradicate Bovine TB from Welsh cattle and other animals.

Most people do not understand the scale of the problem in Wales, nor the Welsh Assembly Government’s comprehensive approach to tackling the problem.

Over 12,000 cattle were slaughtered in Wales because of the disease in 2008 compared with 669 in 1997. This has had a devastating impact on families as well as the rural community in general.

Telesgop hope to highlight the problem through heart-felt stories from across Wales.

A separate DVD will also be produced for farmers and the agricultural industry  to outline the main causes for the spread of the Bovine TB and measures that need to be implemented to eradicate the disease.

Telesgop: Supporting the future of the Industry.

On June 1st, Telesgop welcomed two of it's newest recruits; Eilian Roderick and Kathryn Lane. They are both students on Cyfle's latest training course 'Multiplatform Development for Television' and are completing their 9 week industry placement with Telesgop.

Eilian from a very young age has been passionate about drawing and always dreamed of becoming an animator. After graduating with a 2:1 degree in Animation at Glamorgan University he has worked for companies such as MooNoo and Greenfield, gaining experience in illustration, animation, event management and bluetooth marketing before being accepted on the Cyfle course.

"Telesgop is a great place. I actually wake up excited to go to work as I get to do what I love doing, in an extremely friendly and relaxed environment."

Kathryn began on the other side of the camera dancing and acting, developing a keen interest in the media along the way, She graduated with a 2:1 in Media and Cultural Studies from the University West of England, Bristol and from there has gained experience with the BBC3 development department, the Wave and Swansea Sound and has taught dance and drama to children in New York and South Wales, before embarking on the Cyfle scheme.

"I am so excited to be at Telesgop. It is such a fantastic opportunity. I am learning so much and everyone here couldn't be more welcoming."

Both trainees are predominantly working in the new media department, Eilian focusing on creating animations for exciting new projects and Kathryn on website development and 360 degree content. However, they are both getting a taste of everything that Telesgop has to offer from pre-production to post production and enjoying every minute of it.

Euros Jones-Evans, the Commercial Director of Telesgop has taken the new trainees under his wing.

"We are really thrilled to have them both with us, to be able to nurture their talents and provide experience in a vast array of disciplines, particularly multiplatform. This is the second Cyfle training scheme that we have been involved with and hope that it will continue in the future."

Best Wishes to Iolo and Vidzapper.

We would like to wish Iolo Jones all the very best for the future, as his period as the Chairman of our Board of Directors comes to an end. But we are pleased that our relationship continues through Vidzapper 1.3.

Iolo is now concentrating on developing multimedia platforms for clients such as World Match Racing Tour Channel for 10 80 media and Endesa TV developed by Vivocom, for one of Spain’s largest energy companies.

All this means that he will be spending significant time abroad.

Iolo has made a large contribution to Telesgop’s recent success and he was a strong chairman. We’d like to thank him for his enthusiasm and vision and wish him every success. We look forward to continuing to work with him on Internet TV projects.

University of Wales TV launched with live web-streaming at the Celebration Ceremony

The University of Wales video-streamed a graduation ceremony live on the web for the first time last week, enabling 4,000 people connected with its 131 institutions across the world to watch as family members and friends received their degrees in Cardiff.

The University of Wales awards degrees in more than 30 countries worldwide and for the first time ever international students from countries including the Czech Republic, Japan and Sri Lanka, were able to “take part in” the ceremonies which took place at City Hall in Cardiff by logging onto any Internet-connected computer anywhere in the world. The three ceremonies were streamed live onto the University of Wales TV Channel by Swansea-based multimedia production company Telesgop.

 Vice Chancellor of the University of Wales, Marc Clement, said: “Even though we had around 500 students present to collect their degree at City Hall on the day, we had thousands of International students from as far and wide as China, Germany, Poland and Singapore unable to make it to the ceremony because they were out of the country. We thought it would be an exciting opportunity to use this technology available to us from Telesgop to broadcast the ceremony on the Internet so everyone, including family and friends, could share and enjoy this memorable occasion.

“Over the last year we have developed a fantastic relationship with Telesgop and by bringing their skills, experience and expertise into this project, we were able to produce a ground-breaking service for our students dotted all over the world. Internet streaming technology is allowing more and more people to see events like these, despite the distance between locations, and as you can see from the number of places and people we reached out to, over 131 institutions and 4,000 students across the world, the day was a tremendous success.”
 According to the Commercial Director of Telesgop, Euros Jones-Evans, the streaming technology process was fairly complicated, and involved a number of Information Technology professionals on the day:

 " In order to cover the graduation celebration we had to rig four cameras in the large Assembly Room within the County Hall. In order to achieve the ‘live’ web streaming we had to cover a number of complicated processes. By the time the signal had reached the University of Wales Internet TV platform and streamed through our latest Vidzapper software, it had passed through half-a dozen points, with a number of encryptions in the process. Using the onsite broadband connection we were able to show the ‘live’ proceedings instantly on the new University of Wales TV Channel, which was quite extraordinary. Since the event we have been getting on average 1500 hits a day on the University of Wales TV from across the world, which is proof that if you provide a reliable service you will attract a loyal audience." 

 Telesgop has edited the film since the ceremony and made it available to viewers over the Web as a streaming package, so students as well as family and friends, can re-capture their key moments of the day. The video is on the University of Wales TV Channel, which members of the public can access at www.wales.ac.uk and it is also available to purchase online as a DVD at the University of Wales Web Shop.

 On the ceremonial day, the University of the Wales also presented Stefano Pessina, the billionaire owner of the Boots brand with an honorary degree of Doctor of Science, and famous Welsh opera singer, Rebecca Evans, received an honorary degree of Doctor of Music.
 Marc Clement added:

 “Not only has the new Web casting service to our new TV channel enabled all of our students taking our validated degree schemes to be part of the ceremonial proceedings but it is a great way of using technology to enhance the reputation of the University of Wales to the global community. This is the first Internet streaming general-public project the University of Wales has done and after such a success, it certainly won’t be the last.”

Telesgop becomes one of the Urdd’s main sponsors.

In May of 2009, Telesgop launched i’r new partnership with the children’s charity Urdd Gobaith Cymru with a sponsorship agreement of 2 years until the middle of 2010. The project is an exciting one, and it will include the production of a DVD showcasing all of the Urdd’s centres and activities which will promote the organisation to the public. In the Eisteddfod Genedlaethol in Cardiff, Telesgop will be sponsoring by donating the drama medal for the main ceremony on the Wednesday. We look forward to the opportunity to build this relationship for the future, and supporting this great charity’s work.

May the First sees the launch of Truetaste.TV for the Welsh Assembly Government

Telesgop are part of a team contracted to deliver the True Taste Awards 09/10 for the Welsh Assembly Government. A key part of our role in the partnership was to produce a website and web-channel for this year’s Awards.

Truetaste.tv offers information on this year's Awards and categories, profiles of all of last year's winners, links to various food festivals, events, markets and restaurants. It also has a private section offering advice and support to past winners so that they can benefit further from winning an award. But not only are people able to read about some of the winners, but watch them too in a new, dedicated web-channel. Past ambassadors and winners, from Rachel's Organics to Edwards of Conwy and Oaklands Organics explain what winning at the Awards has meant to them and their business. Viewers are also able to watch items from the IFE in March 2009, various farmers markets around Wales and the first ever True Taste food fair in the heart of London in March 2009. During the year, we plan to follow the competition as it develops and will be filming at the official launch, the judging day, the behind-the-scenes preparation for the event and of course, at the Award Ceremony itself where interviews with all the winners will take place.


MD makes it through the London Marathon in one piece.

Elin Rhys, Telesgop’s MD managed to complete the London Marathon this year for the first time despite her advancing years and dodgy knee! Elin was running in memory of her father who died of cancer at the end of last year. She raised £3500 for Children with Leukaemia and although she now has to descend staircases backwards, she had a ball on the day, completing the race in 5 hrs 54 mins and 15 seconds. She’s even contemplating doing it all over again next year!

7in7on7

Telesgop is proud to be supporting a group of fearless record breakers (another term for mentalists!) as they attempt a world’s first: to run 7 ultra marathons of 50km each on all 7 continents in 7 consecutive days; all in the name of charity.

Our very own commercial director, Euros Jones-Evans, their “logistics man, camera man, production & sound engineer, calming man and all round good guy” is out there with them:

“I am thrilled to be involved in such a dynamic project for such a worthy cause and I look forward to guiding the boys through to their final leg back on home soil – Hopefully with a world record in tow!”

All of us at Telesgop wish him and the team all the best!
Visit www.7in7on7.com for more information on how you can show your support.

Telesgop wins tender to produce 16 part series about Wales, Cymru 2009!

Telesgop wedi ennill tendr Cymru 2009, i gynhyrchu 16 rhaglen adloniant ffeithiol i S4C!
Mae’r gyfres o 16 rhaglen yn cyd-redeg gyda’r newid o analog i ddigidol fydd yn digwydd yn raddol dros y misoedd nesaf, ac yn gyfle i ddathlu tirwedd a gweithgareddau cymundedau mewn amryw o lefydd o gwmpas Cymru. Mae’r tim cynhyrchu yn hapus dros ben i ennill y tendr hwn ac yn edrych ymlaen at ymweld â’r ardaloedd dan sylw.

Telesgop joins winning team to stage True Taste Awards.  Feb 09

The True Taste Awards is an annual event hosted by the Welsh Assembly, and celebrates the very best in food production Wales wide. Telesgop and Strata Matrix and Howel Food Consultancy  put in a joint bid to stage the event which will be held in the Autumn.
We’re delighted that the bid was successful and we look forward to working together, and to tasting the produce!!  

Telesgop and Rondo win joint bid for S4C events.  Feb 09

Telesgop and Rondo have decided to come together in order to produce events for S4C. The bid was successful in an open tender and filming commences soon. Rondo and Telesgop’s combined experience makes it an ideal choice for covering some of important events in the Welsh calendar. Rondo has many years experience in covering musical and sporting and cookery events, and Telesgop is well used to producing programmes from countryside, agricultural and food shows.

Our new offices opened with a bang by Deputy First Minister - Feb 09

On Thursday 5th February, we launched our new offices and exciting new services at Ethos in SA1. The Deputy First Minister, Mr Ieuan Wyn Jones was officiating, and our guests ate, drank, chatted, found out about the docks,  listened to jazz and contemporary music, visited our new edit suites, watched some of our work, looked through real Telescopes, learned about other local businesses and the event obviously finished with a bit of a bang! The fireworks were the talk of the town.

Joint Venture with the University of Wales - Feb 09

The University of Wales and Telesgop have formed a new partnership aimed at creating internet television channels especially for students all over the world, developing a digital campus, a lecture platform, an educational tool and a social network. The Vice Chancellor of The University of Wales, Professor Marc Clement, was present at the launch of our new offices, and the venture was given enthusiastic support by the Deputy Prime Minister, Mr Ieuan Wyn Jones.

Discovery channel commissions WW2 landmark series - Jan 09

Home Front Britain (in association with the BFI).  The landmark series will re-visit the Ministry of Information films made during the Second World War, examining the way they portrayed life during the war years and the messages they delivered to the British people at this turbulent time.  The series will be high-profile, being the centrepiece of Discovery’s Second World War Anniversary Season and will be central to its publicity and promotions campaign. 

Two new posts filled - Jan 09

 Our new Development Producer is Molly-Anna Woods, who joins us in March from London. She will join Branwen Davies’ development team, and work closely with Simon Berthon in an attempt to gain more commissions from international and London commissioners. She has spent the last three years working as a producer for BBC World Service news and current affairs in London.

Geraint Huw Reynolds is our new Editor, and is moving back to Wales after many years in London. Geraint has worked as an editor and assistant editor on many Hollywood movies including Cold Mountain and Die Another Day. He is originally from Carmarthen and joins the editing team mid February.

Joint venture with rugby legend Jonathan Davies; JDsays.com - Jan 09

Telesgop have embarked on a joint project with Welsh rugby legend and broadcaster Jonathan Davies, launching his very own blog. ‘Jonathan Davies Says’ at http://jdsays.com

It will include posts on a variety of subjects, including news on the up and coming 2010 Ryder Cup team and other sporting events, life in general and of course the Six Nations Rugby Tournament. Read what Jonathan thinks about the prospects of the teams in the tournament and take advantage of the opportunity to leave your own comments.

Education Tenders - Dec 08

Telesgop have won five contracts awarded by the Department for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills of the Welsh Assembly Government to produce classroom materials in Welsh and bilingually. The work includes materials on poets and poems, grammar and language, materials for Welsh learners and for agricultural students on beef production. The Company is very proud of winning these contracts as they appreciate the importance of the relationship between innovative media work and educating the next generation.

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Euros Jones Evans joins us as Commercial Director - Nov 08

Simon Berthon, former MD of  3BM joins us as Director, Network Production. - Nov 08

Telesgop accepted into Knowledge Bank. - Oct 08

Telesgop moves in to E.thos purpose built office within the E.thos buiding - Sept 08

Telesgop receives a grant form the Welsh Assembly to enable growth into wider markets, resulting in the creation of 12 new jobs and the purchase of the latest High Definition Editing facilities. - Sept 08

Golwg wins a grant from The Welsh Arts council to establish a new web based magazine and strengthen the take up of Welsh language magazine readership. Telesgop has forged alliance with Golwg to supply training and content.