Input Video Group honoured by British Wheelchair Sports Foundation

Input Video, the Chiswick based production company, beat off competition from BBC Ceefax to win the British Wheelchair Sports Foundation’s Media Coverage Award for 2002.
The award was made in recognition of the company’s support of the Great Britain Wheelchair Rugby Development Squad.
Input was the main sponsor of the squad’s 'World Friendship Tour' which took place in July and August of this year. David Wood, Input’s Group Managing Director, who was attending as a guest of the Great Britain Wheelchair Rugby Association, received the award on the company’s behalf. Wood commented: “ Our business has grown through our involvement with the televising of professional sport and it has been particularly satisfying to be in a position to support the GB Wheelchair Rugby Development Squad and hopefully help many of its members to fulfil their ambitions of representing their country at the Athens Paralympics in 2004.”
In addition to sponsoring the tour, Input commissioned a 'fly on the wall' documentary of the event directed by Clive and Fred Rees of Ocelot Films. Their credits include the acclaimed British Lions rugby documentary. Clive Rees believes that “the Wheelchair Rugby programme will surpass the success of the British Lions film because of the unique insight given into the problems encountered by the disabled athletes and their positive outlook and frankness demonstrated during the filming of the tour. It will help the viewer to understand the challenges of disability sport from the athletes point of view”.
The programme, which has been fully funded by the Input Video Group, is currently in postproduction and the company are in discussions with UK and international broadcasters regarding its transmission. The Rugby Football Union have supported the World Friendship Tour from the outset and carried tour reports filed by Input Video throughout the tour on their web site. An extended version of the film will be released on DVD and VHS next year and will be available via the merchandising operations of the RFU.
The award completes an outstanding year for Input Video during which the company has seen continued expansion with its acquisition of non-linear edit house GM Editing and the launch of a Production Division headed up by former ITV Sport Channel Executive Producer, Dan Miodownik.
(GB)