Leaving Channel 4!

(I've been sat on my hands on this one for ages - over a month! -  but that's what happens (as it turns out) when you resign, it takes a while for official channels to happen and stuff - the PR was timed for 9:30 this morning, but it's been delayed a bit ...  meanwhile, @jemimakiss got a bit of a headwind on it, so here's some elaboration.)

I resigned from my rathergood job as Commissioning Editor for Education at Channel 4. I think a lot of folks are going to think I'm crazy, and they'd probably be a bit right. But sometimes, things and timings just happen: in my case, I had a magic startup idea that I actually want to go do, again. I've done this before (1998-2002), and always thought I might want to go back to it. This coincided recently with suddenly available office space close to home, and suddenly available 3D printers, and sudden, incoming queries about my availability outside of C4 for things like interesting-project consultancy.

Also we got the majority of the new projects signed and lined up for 2011. So that's all tidy.

So, here's what I'm doing. I gave C4 a long, long notice period (4 months), so I can help them get stuff organised as the place goes through its pretty radical change programme. Dr Jo Twist will pick up the baton, which I'm obviously over the moon with: she's a towering talent, and all the Education sites, games, telly and apps will be in literally the best hands in the business. And that's what I care about: making wonderful products for young people: long may it continue at C4.

As for me: the plan is to go raise finance and prototype. This stuff will take a while, so I expect I'll be doing much of that through 2011. Meanwhile, I'll also be getting stuck in to a few play-related projects: I'm organising the gaming section of the incredible Campus Party in San Francisco, for instance. LAN party roots ;-)

What's the startup? Dolls. That's all I'm saying for now, but you can take it as read that it'll be something pretty different from Barbie. And Moxie. And Liv. And BBF Ink. When was the last time you were in a toy shop looking at dolls? It's astounding how little innovation there is there. So that's where I've set my sights. I'm taking a bunch of learning to it: games and avatars, educational play, social technologies, identity parameters, emerging technologies... it's called Makieworld, for the mini makers out there.

I'll miss Education. We have the best team, and we have the most fun I think it's possible to have in a large corporate environment. It's not uncommon to find us screeching with laughter, and walking away from that is really tough. I'm fantastically proud of what we've accomplished in the three years of taking Education from a TV-only department to an any-platform, any-format department.

I'll miss our indies too, I've been blessed with working with some of the absolute best over the past three years, and it's won us a BAFTA, an Emmy, a Develop award, an armful of BIMAs (four of Channel 4's six this time round!), a Prix Jeunesse, a handful of Learning on Screen awards, and two SXSWs.

That'll do.

So thank you Margaret Robertson, Preloaded, Littleloud, Raw, Somethin' Else, Introversion, Neon Tribe, Oil Productions, Six to Start, Zombie Cow, Beatnik, Tuna Tech, Objective, Pulp Theatre, Public Zone, Fish in a Bottle, Big Talk, Failbetter Games, Hide & Seek, Coney and Ladbury PR, everyone I've inevitably missed (sorry in advance, I've only had one coffee) and all the brilliant folks about to work with Education in 2011. You're making education a lot of fun.

Which is, of course, exactly how it should be.

And with that... :-D

Comments

[JimPurbrick]

*ding* congrats! Hope we can trade #startup stories soon!

[Tadhg]

That's fantastic news*! Let me know if you need any help and welcome to startup London :)

(* As long as it's not those creepy life-sized dolls. Those are some of the most depressing things on Earth)

[james henry]

Cor, how exciting! Best of luck.

[Justin Eames]

Don't thank us! All our thanks to you.

Xxx Team fish in a bottle

[Elliot Richards]

Wow! I wish you all the best and look forward to hearing more as it progresses.

It's exciting!

[dan]

I look forward to finding out which font you'll be using for your logo.

[Simon]

Can't wait to see what you're working on :)

[Paul "Benoon" Bennun]

KTHXBAI

HEYYOHELO

Kettle on.

[Proper Games Ltd]

Wow! Your new venture sounds really exciting! Thanks so much for all your help securing Vinyltopia with us!

Best of luck from everyone here at Proper Games! X

[Richard]

Brilliant. Well done for everything at C4. Can't wait to see what your dolls do. Good luck!

[Alex amsel]

Great news for you! I hope it all goes amazingly well!

[Esther]

You've been more than amazing - thank you....your startup sounds brilliant xxx Pulp Team

[Matt]

heheh. nice.

[Account Deleted]

Congratulations! Go you! Looking forward to more news about your startup!

[Louby]

The minute my back's turned ... Massive loss to C4, massive gain for world of dolls and whatever else you touch no doubt. You're an inspirational gal, and I don't say that very often. Best of ... Anything I can do ... Laterz x

[Cory Doctorow]

You are a genius, which is why I married you. I can't wait to watch you conquer the world!

[Fraser]

Best of luck, not that you ever seem to need it ;)

[Alice]

Aw shit people, are you trying to make me cry? :)

Thank you.

Louby: overdue cocktails, no? x

[Foe]

Watch out Hamleys!

[Janey]

happy for you, sad for C4, and can't wait to see what you come up with in Makieworld xxx J

[Hugh Hancock]

Wow! Good luck with the startup, and I look forward to hearing more about it.

[Ribrob]

Brilliant! Though you'll be missed :(

[Bianca Blair]

Best of luck in your new venture, you'll be missed at C4.