Producer: Dapo Oshiyemi
Dapo Oshiyemi is an Executive Director of the pioneering UK film production and distribution Company Talking Drum Entertainment Ltd which specialises in Black film & TV. He has a successful track record of taking film projects from script through to marketing and distribution, driving revenue growth and significant returns in a global market whilst exceeding profit expectations.
An experienced strategic thinker Dapo holds qualifications in Business, Finance, Marketing and Project Management in addition to being a Fellow of the British Chartered Management Institute. Dapo was the publisher of ‘Africans Around Town’ the first African magazine in the UK and in conjunction with the African Video Centre pioneered the introduction of Nigerian films into the United Kingdom & Ireland. In 1999 he was included in the UK’s first Black Who’s Who and has written numerous papers and articles on the black segment of the global film industry, led film trade delegations while working tirelessly with Governments, Film Agencies and private organisations in the UK, Nigeria and South Africa to formulate film policy towards building a commercially viable black segment of the global film business.
Executive Producer: Jezz Vernon
Jezz Vernon is a distribution, sales and production executive with over 17 years of experience within the film industry. He has been a member of the Film London board since 2015 and runs two companies- Port Royal London (Consultancy) and the Old Grog Films (Production), as well as consulting on distribution and sales for the industry. He has also lectured at Bath Spa University, Met Film School, Middlesex University and Norwich University of Arts.
In 2002 Jezz was appointed Marketing Director at film company Revolver before joining film distribution company Metrodome in 2005 becoming Managing Director in 2012, launching a production slate the same year and expanding the group into international sales. Jezz was the company’s supervising producer on their most profitable film and documentary slate, latterly funded in conjunction with equity investment fund Moli Films. Metrodome’s releases under Jezz included The Secret in Their Eyes, I Am Love, Frances Ha, The Falling and Sunset Song. Throughout his career Jezz has worked in close collaboration with filmmakers and talent including Terence Davies, Tillda Swinton, Noah Baumbach, Bruce Weber, Lukas Moodysson and Julie Christie.