Anna Higgs joins Film4 in new digital role

Higgs, who is a former Screen Interntational Star of Tomorrow for her producing work, will start in the new post in September and will look to commission film-makers to make content in the digital space, find new talent to work in the area and work on cross-platform marketing opportunities.

Film4.0 was announced in May, to make sure the film arm of Channel 4 is encouraging audiences and filmmakers to embrace multi-platform content.

Higgs will report directly to senior commissioning editor Katherine Butler.

Channel 4 controlller of film and drama Tessa Ross said “We are thrilled to have found in Anna the perfect person with whom to launch our new digital venture, Film4.0. She combines a passion for innovation with a clear expertise in delivering it to audience and she will be a wonderful addition to the team.”

She won a BAFTA Interactive Award for Learning in 1998 and has also worked as an interactive design consultant across digital TV, film and gaming for clients such as Sony, Sainsbury’s, BskyB, Telewest and the BBC.

Higgs has an MA in producing from the NFTS.

She set up production company Quark Films in 2006 with a fellow NFTS grad, Gavin Humphries. Quark has worked on productions such as the feature documentary The People Vs George Lucas, TV doc Boy Cheerleaders as well as shorts including Wish and Milk Teeth. Film4 recently worked with Higgs on short See Me. Quark will continue with Humphries at the helm.

Higgs was a nominee for the British Council’s Young Screen Entrepreneur of the Year award 2009.

She said: “I am incredibly excited to be heading up this groundbreaking initiative.  Working with a team that has such phenomenal talent relationships and having the freedom to take risks was simply an unmissable opportunity for me I look forward to Film4.0 making a real impact on how new and established talent works with digital platforms as well as connecting to audiences in new and deeper, more rewarding, ways.”