Lights, camera and action for TV and film ideas fund
17 September 2025
Rising stars in the region’s growing creative industries are being backed to develop new ideas for TV, film, and online with more funding announced by Mayor Richard Parker
The West Midlands IP Fund will open for a second round of applications later this month with grants of up to £20,000 available.
The fund has already played a starring role in the recently announced revival in Birmingham of the much-loved children’s classic Bagpuss, and new BBC drama The Hairdresser Mysteries, which will be filmed locally.
They are among five TV series and three feature films that have been commissioned after being developed by production companies in this region thanks to funding through the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), Create Central and Creative UK.
The fast-growing digital and creative industries are at the heart of the region’s Growth Plan as one of the high growth sectors that will drive the economy into a new era of prosperity.
Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands, said: “We’re already unlocking the potential of our homegrown creatives to help them get their ideas off the storyboard right here in the West Midlands.
“Our IP Fund is bringing Bagpuss back and won a BBC commission for a new daytime drama. That’s the success I want for more of our local talent. Because it’s the big ideas that will bring in more investment and exciting jobs and opportunities. That’s our plan to be centre stage of the UK’s growing creative industries.”
Mayor of the West Midlands, Richard Parker, is backing filmmakers and producers to develop new TV, film and other on-screen content ideas.
Last week the Mayor, Create Central and the BBC signed a new agreement for the corporation to almost double its production spend in the region to £40m a year, creating more screen industry jobs and training opportunities for local people.
Backing up the BBC commitment, the WMCA's IP Fund will help more local filmmakers and producers like Ché from Wolverhampton and Anton from Birmingham develop new on-screen ideas.
They run the Birmingham-based independent studio, Acclaimed Content, and secured their first commission thanks to support through Create Central.
Their 30-minute documentary, Queen of Trucks, was commissioned by BBC Three and followed Shannan Paterson as she ran a HGV driving school in Willenhall, with the goal to get young people into careers behind the steering wheel.
It was the springboard Ché and Anton needed and has led to more work from the BBC and Channel 4. They are currently filming a second series of their gameshow Family Face Off for Channel 4.
Ché said: “We had been pitching but just hadn’t been able to make the breakthrough, so getting a chance to develop the idea for Queen of Trucks with the BBC was the opportunity we needed. It was vital and valuable and without help it wouldn’t have been there.
“It gave us the first commission on our slate and got us in the room with commissioners. We’re now in an exciting position working with multiple broadcasters and now operating in the digital, branded space.”
Ed Shedd, chair of Create Central, said: “Ideas are the lifeblood of our creative economy and nurturing them early is essential to building a sustainable and thriving screen sector in the West Midlands. We’re pleased to be able to announce that the next phase of the West Midlands IP Fund will be ready for a new call out before the end of the month.
“It's more opportunities for production companies in the WMCA area to access targeted development funding to grow their own original IP.
“Building on the success of our pilot collaborations with the BBC and Channel 4, and the Narrative call out earlier this year, the next phase of the fund will continue to empower local storytellers with the resources they need to shape compelling, high-value content that connects with audiences here and around the world."
Paul Ashton, head of film & TV at Creative UK, said: “We know how valuable development funding is for regional screen SMEs and we’re pleased to be working with WMCA and Create Central again to keep delivering this critical support.
“Recent announcements from fund recipients Mill Bay Media, Threewise Entertainment and Full Fat TV all show just how much indies in the West Midlands can achieve with the funding to help them realise their IP with real confidence and momentum.”
Register an interest in the West Midlands IP Fund on the Creative UK website.
Birmingham-based Threewise Entertainment is bringing back 1970s children's favourite Bagpuss in a brand-new live action and animated musical adventure thanks to investment from the West Midlands IP Fund, which is funded by the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) and delivered by Create Central and Creative UK.
Following the signing of a new memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the Mayor, WMCA and Create Central, the BBC announced new dramas The Hairdresser Mysteries and Detection Club will be produced in the West Midlands, with The Hairdresser Mysteries - developed with support from the WMCA's IP Fund - also to be filmed in the region.
The West Midlands IP Fund was launched in July 2024 and is supported by the West Midlands Combined Authority and Create Central, and delivered by Creative UK, providing development funding in the region.
