The film producing team of Kerri Birch and Kirk Dawson has recently returned from what they described as a very successful Focus Trade Show in London. And from the look of things, the husband-and-wife duo are looking forward to greater things in the film industry.
“ Focus – the locations and film trade expo – which is held each year in London, was very successful for us. We essentially attend this event to promote Barbados as an ideal place to film. Our last time at the show was in 2019.
Focus was phenomenal and people were excited to see Barbados represented,” Kerri stated.
They were part of the Invest Barbados contingent at the trade show and told Buzz, “People are looking for new and different locations to film. One niche we found is that people in the United Kingdom have a connection already with Barbados because of our Commonwealth ties.
So, they are looking at Barbados to possibly bring their productions here.”
The two who established their film producing company 13 Degrees North Productions ten years ago and have been in the film industry for 20 years, said they were quite pleased to be part of the Invest Barbados contingent, which was headed by Invest Barbados’ acting director of investment facilitation, Ann Mellows.
Taking film seriously
“It was good to see Invest Barbados and the Barbados Government taking an interest in film and allowing us to be part of the representation for the island. It shows that they are taking the film industry seriously and that there is a bright future for film in Barbados and for those who want to get into the industry. We were happy to fly the Barbados flag, as we sought to attract more producers to come to Barbados and shoot their movies,” Kirk said.
“For the future, we are looking at producing original content for Barbados and the Caribbean market.
We currently have some projects in the developmental stages, and we are currently seeking funding for these projects, one of which we are hoping to release in 2027. It will be based
on a book series by a Barbadian author.”
Kirk and Kerri who have filmed some of Hollywood’s top shows, including Below Deck, were part of the film production team last year of the Real Housewives of Atlanta show, filmed in Grenada, as well as the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills show which was filmed in St Lucia.
Both were filmed between July and August.
Visual album
13 Degrees North Productions launched their first film production, Voices of the Caribbean,
a visual album, in 2014, for Plymouth Brethren Christian community in the Caribbean. Filming took place in Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica and St Vincent.
They went on to film in other countries of the Caribbean and produced for the popular television show, Married to Medicine,
which was filmed in 2017;
Girls Cruise and filmed in 2018. They were also a part of the team for the Real Housewives – The Ultimate Girls Trip, which was filmed in 2021.
This was followed by Below Deck in 2023.
Currently, an advertisement which the couple produced for the regional insurance company CG Insurance, nabbed a Shortlist CLIO Sports Award. The Clio Awards, also simply known as The Clios, is an annual award programme that recognises innovation and creative excellence in advertising, design and communication, as judged by an international panel of advertising professionals.
The awards are presented by Evolution Media. (CH)
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