An independent television company boss has been shortlisted for a top honour for the second time this year for a pioneering documentary series for pre-school children. Nia Ceidiog, from Cardiff, who produced and directed the show, will be up against some of the biggest names in broadcasting at the finals of the British Academy Children’s Awards 2010.<\/p>\n
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It comes hot on the heels of being shortlisted for an international Rose d\u2019Or Award for Y Diwrnod Mawr (The Big Day) which is the first ever documentary series for pre-school children. The first series, shown in S4C\u2019s Cyw slot in the Spring,\u00a0proved so popular that another 26 episodes were commissioned and are currently being broadcast on the channel. The series has been shortlisted in the Pre-School Live Action category along with three programmes from CBeebies, Grandpa in my Pocket, Big and Small and Something Special.<\/p>\n
The glittering ceremony is being held at the London Hilton, Park Lane, on Sunday, November 28.<\/p>\n
Nia\u2019s company, Ceidiog Cyf, was set up in 1996, and has just moved into bigger premises in Rizla House, Pontypridd, where they are developing a new studio.<\/p>\n
She said:\u00a0\u201cIt has always been a dream of mine to make a documentary programme for very young children.<\/p>\n
\u201cY Diwrnod Mawr tells real stories from the lives of real children \u2013 mainly in their own words.<\/p>\n
\u201cChildren love to see other children on TV. I just want to tell their stories in an entertaining but real documentary.<\/p>\n
\u201cY Diwrnod Mawr\u201d manages to bridge the gap between entertainment and education, and Nia, who searched high and low for youngsters aged four to seven with interesting tales to tell, has found it very rewarding.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was difficult choosing which children to include \u2013 because they all have stories and are great. But it has been a real pleasure getting to spend time with the children and their families,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am really thrilled to have got this far, and whatever happens at the ceremony it is certainly\u00a0 going to be a big day for us at Ceidiog.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m a huge fan of the other three shortlisted programmes which are all broadcast on Cbeebies \u2013 it\u2019s great to be on the same list as them.\u201d<\/p>\n
The news has delighted Si\u00e2n Eirian, S4C\u2019s Head of Children\u2019s Services.<\/p>\n
She said: \u201cY Diwrnod Mawr is a pioneering Welsh series which offers young children a taste of factual and documentary programmes \u2013 programmes that offer memorable and sometimes evocative experiences.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis nomination proves that S4C\u2019s significant investment in children\u2019s programming has been a great success and it has made a substantial contribution to the Welsh language and cultural life in Wales.\u201d<\/p>\n
Nia\u2019s story could have been completely different because her early career plans had nothing to do with television.<\/p>\n
She recalled:\u00a0\u201cFrom about five years of age I was determined to be a French teacher. In fact it was almost an obsession which stayed with me until a few weeks before I graduated in French and Welsh at Aberystwyth,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Instead of going on to teacher-training she took up a drama course and subsequently spent a year as an actress with Cwmni Theatr Cymru before being asked to join HTV Wales as a presenter.<\/p>\n
That was the start of her career in television which saw her become a well-known face in Wales.<\/p>\n
It was during intervals in her continuity work on S4C in the 1980s that Nia started writing children\u2019s stories which, after being illustrated, were used to help fill short slots between programmes \u2013 and that eventually resulted in the writing of the classic children\u2019s series, FiremanSam\/ Sam Tan.<\/p>\n
She went on to gain valuable experience as a producer and enjoyed her work behind the camera.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was a case of feeling my way and gaining experience. I just love what I do – I\u2019m very lucky.\u201d she added.<\/p>\n
Ceidiog delivers programmes in various genres including lifestyle, documentary and children\u2019s programmes.<\/p>\n
They made television history in 2008 \u00a0after striking a deal with Al Jazeera Children\u2019s Channel\u00a0 over the pre-school series, Meees (Baaas) which is about a family of all-singing, all-dancing multi-racial sheep.<\/p>\n
Al Jazeera Children\u2019s Channel bought the first series and liked it so much that they decided to jointly fund the second and third ones in partnership with Ceidiog and S4C.<\/p>\n
As founder and head of the company she is also delighted to have received the Investors in People award from the UK Commission for Employment and Skills.<\/p>\n
\u201cCeidiog is a smallish , friendly company, with between six and nine employees but we employ many freelances who were also interviewed by the assessors,\u201d said Nia.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe award is a tribute to the entire team, all of whom make an important contribution,\u201d she said. \u201cIt is all to do with the culture of the company, and we like to think that we treat everyone properly.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cInvestors in People is a quality benchmark \u2013 and recognition that we strive to do everything very well – from production to company practice.\u201d<\/p>\n