Ms Lesley McKimm:

Recently, I presented at a business day where people were giving talks about design and creative thinking for business. My partner and I at Newgrange Pictures were invited to discuss the artist, the hero's journey and storytelling because storytelling, product design and so on are becoming increasingly important. It was an interesting crossover in that we were talking to those present from a creative perspective about design thinking in business for successful companies that were involved in computers and other areas. We had something to give them but they also had something that we needed. There is not enough convergence. As a producer in a production company, I studied arts, which are great and creative, but in terms of hard business, growing companies and sustainability, production companies are the main engine for developing projects, employment and ensuring that projects get financed and come to fruition. They need to be strong, to be sustained and to grow. More business expertise is needed. There is some synergy between the film and television sectors with business agencies like Enterprise Ireland but not enough.