United Kingdom

The UK Section holds monthly evening meetings, where we get together to socialise and discuss topics impacting our industry. Take a look at the meetings listed below, sign up and come along! Priority is given to SMPTE members, but newcomers are very welcome. At every event, there will be an interesting technically-oriented presentation, plenty of time to network with industry peers, and ample refreshments courtesy of our sponsors and supporters.

Next meeting

SMPTE UK celebrates... Young Innovators and Emerging Talent

Location: Sky Central Cinema, Grant Way, Isleworth, TW8

Date: 9^th December 2021. Doors open 18:30. Presentation starts at 19:30. Event ends at 21:30.

We’ll hear from a selection of recent entrants into the industry, who will deliver a series of lightening talks on their areas of knowledge, followed by a Q&A - led by Polly Hickling.

Just like all SMPTE UK events, this meeting is open to existing professionals and students alike. It’ll be a great opportunity to spot who’s new in our sector and get an understanding of the pathways and experiences of those who are currently entering our disciplines for the first time.

We're thrilled to be invited to the Sky Central Cinema at its Osterley campus, so join us as we celebrate the achievements of young innovators and emerging talent, and encourage them onwards in their careers.

Attendance is free of charge. There will be ample refreshments courtesy of our hosts, Sky.

Previous meetings

On Thurs 11^th Nov 2021 we held a section meeting in London:

Bill Lovell Memorial Lecture 2021: Prinyar Boon

Over 50 SMPTE members and friends were welcomed to the DTG offices in Vauxhall for the Bill Lovel Memorial Lecture 2021. This event is a celebration of SMPTE members in a very social way and after having to miss the 2020 BLL we were really looking forward to getting together and the DTG made us very (very) welcome!

This year Prinyar Boon let us into his life of music, rock climbing, playing in a band, the early days of television, being shipwrecked and of course his passion for all that’s new and exciting in media technology today.

The trouble with each BLL is getting everyone in their seats and starting the event – why? Because our main attraction is always in demand and “doing the room” meeting and greeting - but we finally settled for a really good talk full of anecdote, personal thought and a lot of laughter!

We will say no more about Prin’s talk here – watch the video and enjoy.

Thanks once again to all who contributed to the event and Prin’s story and of course to our sponsors, the DTG for their support and “ample refreshments!”

On Tues 19^th October 2021 we held a virtual section meeting:

SMPTE UK visits... BBC Research & Development

85 of us, including SMPTE members from the US as well as a posse of media students from Solent university in the UK, joined researchers from the BBC as they presented their work on a number of exciting subjects looking to the future.

We covered several great topics:

• Communities of Practice, empowering the next generation of makers
• Channelling our inner Greta Thunberg to pursue Sustainability in Media
• How to make a Public Service Internet, that's not a dumpster fire of content
• Debunking Disinformation and Deepfakes by protecting trusted content

We also heard from the BBC Graduates, who each did a 60-second brief on the work they're involved in, and at the end of the meeting, we did a reverse Q&A, where the BBC Graduates asked the SMPTE board questions about the industry.

The meeting was recorded, and you can re-watch it here.

Please note the presentation on HLG has been removed from the recording due to content rights.

On Weds 22^nd September we held our first section meeting of 2021:

SMPTE UK – back together again after lockdown! So…what’s been going on in our industry over the past 18 months?

50 SMPTE members and friends gathered together in the iconic ‘Crown and Two Chairmen’ pub in London’s Soho for a wonderful evening of discussion and networking. We had an energetic and opinionated panel session featuring the following industry personalities:

• Chris Johns, Chief Engineer, Sky
• Bruce Devlin, Mr MXF
• Carys Hughes, Design Engineer, Sky
• Andy Quested, Chair ITU-R Working Party 6C
• Andy Beale, Head of Engineering and Innovation, BT Sport

The panel covered a lot of ground - bringing young people into the industry (and convincing their parents!), Rise, remote production, standards bodies and filibustering, Low Earth Orbit satellites, business models, 4K HDR versus HD HDR, iPhone Outside Broadcasts, and the next Big Thing: Object Based broadcasting.

Lots of discussion followed, but the big topic of the evening was clearly bringing young people into our industry. We all agreed there is a problem with attracting students to study broadcast engineering and to apply for jobs in our industry.

SMPTE UK has big plans for reinforcing links with universities and encouraging graduates. But as individuals we all have an opportunity to invest in inspiring young people to join our industry. Have a look at the Rise Up Academy, and help out!

Thanks to our sponsors for this evening: pixitmedia for the ample refreshments!

SMPTE is a members’ organisation - we gather together for community, to educate one another, and to set standards, and we'd really like you to play a part.

Become a SMPTE member and receive these benefits:

• Meeting others working in our industries - through section meetings
• Receiving 10 copies of Motion Imaging Journal a year
  - full of the latest techniques and news from SMPTE sections around the world (instructions)
• Regular SMPTE Webinars
• Access our archive - Look back over SMPTE's work over the past 102 years
• Attending events, conferences and courses at discounted rates
  – you can easily save your subscription and it can be offset against tax
• Discounts on conference papers, proceedings and Standards in the SMPTE Digital Library
• Preferential booking for our meetings 
• Take part in standards work ensuring interoperability and directing the way our industries move
• Be an active member of the world’s largest Members society dedicated to those working with the moving image, its audio and metadata on any platform.

At only $165 – about £125 tax deductible - you get so much and an opportunity
to enhance your career putting you in touch with others working across the creative
and video industries of the UK and around the world.

(Student members free then just $15 about £11 a year and recent Graduates get a discount on full membership!) 

We look forward to welcoming you at our next meeting.

We really want to hear your ideas and suggestions as we build up SMPTE UK. Feel free to get in touch if you have topics for talks you think people would be interested to hear; or a venue we could use for one of our evening meetings. We're always on the hunt for a new broadcast or media facility to tour!

Add your name to our mailing list — scroll down to "Local sections" then tick "United Kingdom" or contact us.

Meet the UK Board of Managers

John Ellerton, BT Media & Broadcast (Chair)

Prinyar Boon, PHABRIX Ltd

Carys Hughes, Sky UK

Polly Hickling, Solent University

Paul Gardiner, Sony

Andy Rayner, Nevion

Phil Tudor, BBC

Marina Kalkanis, M2A Media (Governor)

Mark Harrison, DPP (Governor)

Legal Information

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