Dare Pictures has been crowned Emerging Indie of the Year at this year’s Broadcast Awards for establishing itself as a “high watermark producer” in just three years.
Founded by Derren Lawford, Dare (Diversity, Allyship, Representation and Empowerment) landed its first commission with Channel 4’s Fugitive: The Mystery of the Crypto Queen [main picture], a co-commission with German label Tandowski Films.
It was also behind BBC Storyville film Dalton’s Dream and C4’s The Secrets of UK Prisons, one of the most successful films in the broadcaster’s Untold youth strand.
The company has secured funding from diverse indie investment vehicle Rosegown and Endeavour-backed Asylum Entertainment and has also received a BFI International Business Development Award.
In a LinkedIn post, Lawford wrote: "To try and succeed as a new indie in these tumultuous times deserves a round of applause every day if you ask me."
He added: "Surreal moments like last night and receiving this award do give me faith and hope that our industry is open to new ways of working and it gives me the courage to keep committing to the idea that having values can be of commercial value too."
Dare beat shortlisted indies Zandland, Nest Productions, Salamanda Media, Screendog Productions and ‘visual podcast’ producer Listen to the award.
Consolation for Screendog came in the form of its Best Original Programme win for C4’s The Jury: Murder Trial.
Elsewhere at the awards, Studio Lambert was named Indie of the Year for the second year running and also won the entertainment category with Netflix’s Squid Game.
The global smash, which the All3Media-owned company co-produced with sister label The Garden, beat shows including its own The Traitors to the award.
C4 cleaned up in key factual categories with wins for Love Productions’ The Piano (Best Popular Factual); Hungry Bear Media’s Me and the Voices in My Head (Best Documentary Programme); Story Films’ To Catch a Thief (Best Documentary Series); Basement Films’ Kill Zone: Inside Gaza (Best Current Affairs) and ITN Productions’ Channel 4 News report Inside Gaza: Israel-Hamas at War (Best News Programming).
BBC wins included 72 Films/Open University co-pro The Zelensky Story (Best Specialist Factual) and Blast! Films’ BBC3 doc High: Surviving a Drugs Bust (Best Multichannel Programme).
Special awards went to Little Gem and ITV Studios’ ITV1 drama Mr Bates and the Post Office and Baby Cow/Fulwell 73/Tidy Productions’ long-running BBC comedy Gavin and Stacey.
For a full list of winners, click here
