Impact case study database

JHM made a signification contribution to the artistic and commercial success of Y Gwyll (‘Hinterland’) and Craith (‘Hidden’). Both series reflect the commitment made in April 2013 by Rhodri Talfan Davies, then Director of BBC Cymru Wales, now BBC Director of Nations, to show more Welsh language, life and culture on the main BBC channels.

Looking back at the creative impact of John Hardy’s music within Y Gwyll and Craith, Rhodri Talfan Davies described the musical contribution to the overall feel of both productions as “simply indispensable”. John Hardy’s music, he added “was not merely incidental but intrinsic to both productions in helping to bring alive a range of cinematic landscapes and emotionally challenging scenarios” [R1].

Rhodri Talfan Davies also emphasised the legacy of both productions for the creative economy of Wales. “It’s unarguable”, he noted, “that these productions have made the rest of the UK and the World sit up and take notice of Wales as not only a place to base productions within but also as a place where we have great stories to tell and on our terms” [R1]. Reviews of the music for Y Gwyll include: “a haunting soundtrack” ( Guardian), and “surely one of the loveliest soundtracks to grace a crime drama” ( Radio Times). The music for Craith has been described as “an ominous, skin-prickling soundtrack skilfully employed to heighten the sense of dread” ( Guardian) [R8].

Y Gwyll (‘Hinterland’) was first broadcast in Welsh on S4C in October 2013. The series met with great acclaim and viewing figures were very strong, with a total of 4.93m viewings and an average audience per episode of 616,250. This figure represents an impressive 72% of the total potential audience of Welsh speakers (n=855,200) [R4].

The bilingual version (not all actors spoke Welsh, so some scenes were shot in Welsh with English subtitles and others in English with Welsh subtitles) was then shown on BBC Wales from January 2014. Finally, the bilingual version was shown again on BBC4, the corporation’s go-to channel for international drama, from April 2014. The series won 3 Welsh BAFTAs in 2014 with 6 other nominations [R6] and was nominated in the outstanding actor category for the Monte-Carlo Television Festival and the craft and design category for the Royal Television Society Awards [R7].

The success of the series generated two kinds of take-up, nationally and internationally. A one-off special and two further series aired in January and September-November 2015, and in October-December 2016, each with average audiences per episode of 543,750 and 641,250 respectively. BBC4 gave the show the strongest possible endorsement by scheduling it on Saturday evenings immediately after the final series of The Bridge. IMDb viewer ratings (n=9,906) average 7.8/10 with a median score of 8/10 [R4, R5].

International take-up was equally strong. Danmarks Radio (producers of The Killing) bought the show from the outset, before filming commenced and 10 other European national broadcasters (Belgium, Finland, Germany, Norway, Poland, Slovenia, Sweden, Netherlands, France and Ireland) have aired it, usually in the bilingual version, and two have entered into the spirit of the series by dubbing the Welsh into Flemish or Breton. The series is now streamed world-wide by Netflix (182.8m subscribers).

Among the most significant consequences for the Welsh TV industry in particular was a new project for which JHM again provided the soundtrack: the bilingual serial Craith (‘Hidden’), commissioned by Severn Screen for broadcast in 2018 (again, on SC4 first, then BBC Wales followed by BBC4) with a second series in 2019. Viewing figures for series 1 were an average of 443,750 per episode in Welsh and 738,750 bilingual; and for series 2, 413,333 and 540,000 respectively. IMDb ratings (n=2,585) are an average of 7.4/10 and a median score of 8 [R4, R5]. The series won a Welsh BAFTA in 2018 with 4 further nominations [R6] and was nominated in the best photography: drama category for the Royal Television Society Awards. A third series is planned. The success of Y Gwyll and Craith also created the conditions for two more very successful Welsh-language dramas, Requiem and Keeping Faith.

The creative industries sector is one of the fastest growing in Wales, with an annual turnover in excess of £3.5bn [ Komorowski, M and Lewis, J (2020) The Size and Composition of the Creative Industries in Wales]. Immediately prior to the onset of COVID-19 Welsh creative industries employed some 80,000 people, with 98% of these being small and micro businesses. The sectors in which JHM’s work has had its greatest impact include film, TV and the performing arts, sectors that employ over 15,000 people across Wales.

The success of these creative industries depends upon a highly skilled workforce, and JHM has made a significant impact in this area. Aside from generating skilled work for musicians and music technicians, JHM has provided many career development opportunities for graduate students. Benjamin Talbott and ‘Tic’ Ashfield have both become highly respected and established composers in films, TV dramas, documentaries, as well as in theatre and dance. In 2016 they were awarded the Welsh BAFTA ‘Best Original Music Score’ for their joint work on the Welsh/Argentinian art movie Galesa [R6].

Talbott has also composed music for a number of niche action film dramas [R2] and Ashfield has gone on to create the music for several educational animation films, radio dramas, theatre performances, dance projects and education projects, including music for games production company Frantic Assembly and music and sound design for five Sherman Cymru plays [R3].

Talbott has written, “I am proud to have composed for John Hardy Music in a variety of capacities, leading on some and collaborating on others. As always, all projects at JHM are true collaborations, and the music would never turn out to be what it is without all of the composers’ inputs. Working with others to create something greater than what each of you could imagine alone is perhaps one of the most exciting things in life, and certainly so when making music” [R2].

Impact on Young Practitioners

Beneficiaries of Crowley’s contribution to the three international exhibitions are the international professional community in performance design, and within this a particular community of emerging practitioners and students through innovative internship programs. These internship programs play an essential part in supporting early career development within a global industry, and in securing an environment of interdisciplinary collaboration and innovation for the industry, and have now become an embedded feature of these flagship industry events. Further beneficiaries are the theatre, film, TV and screen industries in Wales, where significant growth over the period from 2013 to 2019 has been accompanied by increased demand for outstanding young as well as established professionals in scenic design technologies.

Crowley’s involvement in the programming of WSD2009, along with the recently approved building plans at RWCMD, persuaded him to propose hosting WSD2013. This coincided with the College’s international ambition, the Design department’s growing reputation and the opportunities afforded by a major capital extension to the College campus. It was clear that a door was opening to making step change in Wales’ profile and contribution to performance design. The process of applying to host the exhibition allowed Crowley to present the College’s facilities and academic programmes to the international industry and to a host of potential collaborators and students. As Markéta Fantová, artistic director of the Prague Quadrennial, writes, “These presentations took place at all international performance design platforms, serving not only WSD’s goals, but raising visibility of the college among hundreds of performance design professionals, theorists, educators and students” [R2]. In addition, she notes that the volunteer program at WSD2013 was outstanding, allowing students to play a major role in the running of the event. Many of these students have since gone on to build significant careers in the industry across many fields, from costume to lighting. A number of these volunteers graduated from RWCMD, including April Dalton (Welsh National Opera, the Royal Academy of Music, the Theater St. Gallen); Joe Fletcher (Wales Theatre Award in 2016 for Macbeth, Honorary associate of RWCMD in 2019); Jen McGinley (National Theatre of Scotland, Royal Lyceum Theatre, Northern Stage); Kie Yamamoto (“Odomo TV” for the Japan Broadcasting Corporation (NHK), “Attamaru Utopia” for NHK); Gregory Rostek (Royal Opera House, Welsh National Opera); Nate Gibson (LAMDA, Longborough Festival Opera); Brad Lee (now the Programs Coordinator for PQ); Hristo Takov (Music Theatre Wales, National Dance Company Wales) [text removed for publication].

The success of the volunteer program at WSD2013 was a prime instigator for the inaugural PQ-OISTAT Internship, introduced at PQ2019. Crowley was chosen to lead this pilot and design its structure. As Markéta Fantová indicates “All of his previously gained experiences and methodologies played their role in the development of our new internship that was focused on the training of a small, diverse group of qualified students rather than attracting large numbers of participants” [R2]. The program received 316 applications, of which only 16 were selected, reflecting the desire of the organisers to focus on the training of top students. From their selection in November 2018, these interns were engaged in the project, and arrived in Prague two weeks prior to the opening in June 2019.

One of the interns, Aziza Kadyrova, has written extensively about her experiences at PQ2019. She said that the internship program “managed to create a bridge for emerging artists to access the previously unreachable resources” [R5]. She also “met potential collaborators from various performance backgrounds…found support for a project on the migrant crisis in Mexico; received invitations to participate in design education forums and academic events,” and said that the internship program “will remain an excellent way to encourage young practitioners to keep running the marathon that is a career in performance design” [R5]. Sean also managed the International Volunteers at PQ2019. Markéta Fantová adds that “ both programs will continue to have a long-term impact on careers of the participating students and plans are set to bring some of them back in more permanent roles for PQ2023” [R2]. The significance of this programme is further evidenced by the decision that the Prague Quadrennial 2023 internship programme will launch in June 2022 and reconnect in Canada in August 2022 (at the delayed WSD2021), with Crowley continuing as project leader [R3].

Crowley has also played an important role in the development of PQ Studio, the educational wing of PQ. Having been formed in a modest way for Scenofest 2003, the internship programme has grown from a very small initial size to nearly 1000 students in 2007 and finally into a major project that in 2019 involved over 3500 students from around the world in PQ itself as well as in other PQ-led work.

Markéta Fantová sums up the international impact that Crowley’s work has had on performance design practice: “There are very few practice-oriented events internationally connecting performance designers, scenographers, technicians and industry professionals. Among the most important are the Prague Quadrennial, OISTAT/World Stage Design and USITT. Sean has been both an active participant and a leading force behind many projects organized by the above-mentioned international events. In discussing Sean’s contribution to PQ 2019, we should see it in the long-term context of his participation. For over two decades Sean has been an active member of the international design community championing the work of emerging designers. His push to create experiences of significant value to young artists by empowering them to make meaningful contributions has undoubtedly altered the lives of countless professionals and has helped shape the industry into a more supportive global community. Sean has spent many years building professional and student networks, developing international education methodologies and, over time, gained access to many design communities around the world” [R2].

Impact on Creative Industries

The impact of Crowley’s work in raising the profile of scenic design technologies and supporting the development of outstanding young industry professionals has been tangible across the creative industries in Wales, with the resultant economic and reputational benefits. The creative industries sector is one of the fastest growing in Wales, with an annual turnover in excess of £3.5bn [ Komorowski, M and Lewis, J (2020) The Size and Composition of the Creative Industries in Wales], and with internationally acclaimed work such as Doctor Who, A Discovery of Witches, Craith, and His Dark Materials bringing global attention and reputational benefit for Wales. Creative enterprises comprise 8.25% of the total number of Welsh enterprises, with 98% of these being small and micro businesses, and film, TV, and the performing arts employ over 15,000 people across Wales. The design sector itself has seen above average employment growth rates of 5.1%. WSD2013 had a direct economic impact of £741,690 [R6].

The impact of Crowley’s research on the development of students and young practitioners, and on the profile of the creative arts in Wales, as detailed above, has made a significant contribution to the development of this sector. Alongside evidence of the professional success of RWCMD graduates previously involved in the WSD2013 internship program, the impact of his research on teaching within the College is also indicated by successes in the Linbury Prize, the UK’s most prestigious prize for stage design for graduating designers which offers winners a professional commission and cash prize. Of 28 winners since 2007, 10 have been from RWCMD [R7].

The particular impact of Crowley’s work on the Creative Industries in Wales is described by Ed Thomas, CEO of Threecliffs Productions Ltd and Production Designer for blockbusters such as Doctor Who, Sherlock and Da Vinci’s Demons: “Sean’s connections and his understanding of the events, theatre, film and television industries along with his ability to inform, nurture and develop have led to his graduates becoming a major contributor to the success of the Film and television industry in Wales and beyond. The design for performance course at the RWCMD is without doubt the premier of its kind in the world. The impact that Sean has had and the part he has played in that success cannot be overstated. Sean’s continued contribution and the excellence of the design for production course is critical to the future of the industry in Wales” [R4].

Internationally acclaimed designer, Pamela Howard, writes, “I believe that Production Arts in Wales generally is perceived as being a new and potentially innovative player on the World Stage.  Wales has a strong tradition of actors and singers and since Sean Crowley has been at RWCMD, bit by bit he has been raising the profile nationally and internationally of Production Arts, which its graduates then filter through the professional profile in Wales and other countries. There are many new questions on the agenda, politically and with the Pandemic, but Wales is emerging with its own strong identity within the international world, and Sean has a vision of that” [R1].