Advisory Group

Jim’s interests lie in community exhibition and audience research, although professional experience extends wider to include film and media education, project evaluation and film market analysis. Since 2006 Jim has undertaken a wide range of commissions through his consultancy, Bigger Picture Research, delivering quantitative and qualitative research, project evaluation, training and strategic and business planning advice.

Clients have included the British Board of Film Classification, British Federation of Film Societies, British Film Institute, BOP Consulting, Creative Skillset, Department for Children, Schools and Families, European Audiovisual Observatory, Film Agency for Wales, First Light, Irish Film Censor’s Office, Office of Communications, Screen England, Screen East and the UK Film Council. Jim is also founding Chair of Llancarfan Community Cinema, an award-winning, volunteer-run exhibitor in the Vale of Glamorgan.

Jim has worked in the creative industries for nearly two decades. Prior to establishing Bigger Picture Research he was Head of Research & Statistics at the UK Film Council, Head of Policy at the Advertising Standards Authority and a Film and Video Examiner at the British Board of Film Classification. Jim chaired the UK Film Research Network and was instrumental in setting up the European Film Agencies Research Network. From 2004 to 2007 Jim served on the BBFC’s Advisory Panel on Children’s Viewing, holds a PhD, funded by the British Film Institute, is a member of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, and sits on the Board of Media Education Wales.

Jim has written widely on film subjects in magazines, journals and online, and his book about Peter Jackson’s debut feature film, Bad Taste (1988), was published by Wallflower Press/Columbia University Press in December 2008.

Rhiannon has spent 19 years creating new opportunities for young people through Arts and Film Festivals. In 2016 she was a founding member of Wicked Wales, an international youth film festival screening short films from Wales and from all over the World. In 2017 she has joined a team of volunteers from Rhyl Little Theatre and FHW Young Programmers to launch Wicked Cinema an affordable, community run mobile cinema.

Rhiannon has consistently looked at ways to broaden participation and access in the arts and the creative industries for young people in Wales. A former vice chair of Arts Council Wales, Ffilm Cymru Wales, Trustee of National Museums Wales and Chair of the Scala Cinema Trust, she always tries to involve young people in discussions and as a former Leader of Denbighshire County Council and Councillor for over 20 years, she consistently championed this work. She has recently joined the Hijinx Board.

As an Internationalist she believes in the importance of creating international opportunities for young people and is pleased to be a member of the British Council Advisory Board in Wales.

Memo Arts Centre… full bio coming soon

Sana Soni is an independent film sales and distribution executive based in Washington, DC, originally from Budapest and New Delhi.

She has an extensive background in film and TV sales from multiple studios and independents in both Los Angeles and London, including Discovery, Warner Bros, NBC Universal, Signature Entertainment, National Geographic, and Walden Media. A UCLA and New York Film Academy graduate, she brings real-world market expertise to features and series in development or those looking for distribution.

Sana has spoken at the DC International Film Festival, served as a jury member for the Brooklyn Film Festival, and also executive produced an entire short-form TV series from conception to delivery during the COVID-19 lockdown period.

Nia Edwards-Behi B&W

Nia is S4C’s Diversity and Inclusion Officer.

Whilst she was a post-graduate student at Aberystwyth University, Nia began her career as a member of the team at the Aberystwyth Arts Centre. During the decade she spent there – in roles as varied as Ticket Office Assistant, Cinema Technician and Marketing and Communications Assistant – Nia was responsible for bringing matters relating to accessibility and inclusion to the fore.

Nia has a doctorate in Film Studies, and she is the Co-director of Abertoir, the Horror Film Festival.

Gary works in the film team at the British Council, the UK’s cultural relations organisation.

He is a founder and director at Animate Projects, where he has been commissioning and producing work with artists and animators for over 15 years. He was previously Head of Moving Image at Arts Council England, where his production executive role included working with artist filmmakers including Steve McQueen, Carol Morley, Andrew Kötting and Clio Barnard, running commissioning schemes with Channel 4 and the BBC and devising the Moving Image Initiative feature development partnership with UK Film Council’s New Cinema Fund.

Gary was born and bred in Carmarthen.

Sara Hulls B&W

Sara Hulls is the Co Director and Venue Manager of The Magic Lantern Cinema in Tywyn, mid Wales. Sara has been managing the Magic Lantern since 2017 and is responsible for the general running, programming and event management of the venue.

While the Magic Lantern is primarily a cinema, showing screenings daily, it is evolving into a mixed arts venue with live music, live comedy, theatre shows, arts workshops and the legendary Magic Lantern Party Nights!

Sara is passionate about creating strong links with the community and organises a variety of events to bring the community together and ensures a diverse programme which appeals to everyone within the community.

Sales and Distribution Consultant… full bio coming soon.

Meet the Film Hub Wales (FHW) advisory group: