Member profile Matt McGough, Ithica Films
For our latest member profile, we spoke to Matt McGough, owner and managing director of award-winning Ithica Films based in Middlesbrough. Matt is a member of the North East (South) branch.
Matt launched Ithica Films eight years ago after a career in video production and earning broadcast credits for the ITV and Discovery channels. “I felt there was a need for high quality brand storytelling and launched Ithica, where we try to tell a story with a cinematic eye rather than being just a corporate video production company.”
Over the past eight years Matt has grown Ithica to a team of eight. They produce brand and promotion films, television advertisements and short documentaries for both public and private sector clients.
“We’re deeply in love with what we do,” says Matt. “We have grown as a result of the good work we have done which means we do get referrals but our business development strategy has involved targeting specific companies including corporates and public sector organisations that we would like to work with.”
Given the nature of Ithica’s work, the Covid-19 pandemic put pay to some of the company’s projects over the last two years. Matt says: “We had work commissioned but we couldn’t get projects over the line because of the restrictions. Like many small businesses, it was a disruptive period of time for us.
“Post-pandemic, it does feel a bit like we’re starting out again as a business. But we took the time last year to re-assess our internal processes and decide where we wanted to be. Our focus now is on growing throughout Northern England and Scotland, taking what we do really well here and expanding our geography again, both nationally and internationally.”
Matt says he found the IoD a ‘source of strength’ in the early days of the pandemic. “I felt my voice was being heard and that I was part of the conversation around the challenges facing businesses. I did feel like we were not alone and I really valued that.”
Matt’s optimism for the future of Ithica is buoyed by winning a prestigious Royal Television Society (RTS) Award for the North East and Borders 2022. Receiving an RTS award is seen as the pinnacle of achievement for anyone in the television and film industry.
Ithica won the Centre Award which highlights individuals or organisations who have contributed to shaping broadcasting, production or technical sectors in the region.
Matt adds: “The Centre Award is special recognition of what we have achieved as a company. To get the award at this time is incredible, it means a lot to me and the team and shows what we have achieved but also what we can go on to do in the future.”
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