Film-maker Alan Fentiman saw redundancy as an opportunity to relocate and to become an entrepreneur. Deborah Johnson speaks to the latest If We Can, You Can challenge entrant.

AFTER being made redundant while living in London, film-maker Alan Fentiman found it difficult both to find another job and to make ends meet.

With the country in the grip of recession in October 2008, and with a wife and baby daughter to support, Mr Fentiman decided the time was right to leave the capital and start a new life elsewhere in the country.

The family left Peckham, south London, and moved to the rural North-East, settling in Barnard Castle. While his wife had already found a better paid job in the North-East than her role in London, Mr Fentiman was left to wonder what he could do as the next step in his career.

Having spent eight years in his previous job as a cameraman and editor, he decided to make the move into becoming an entrepreneur.

Since setting up in June last year, using equipment borrowed from his former employer, Mr Fentiman’s webbased business – Alan Fentiman Creative Video – has seen strong demand, and his website has won an international award from Webvanta for its design. He has also been part of the team behind a winning entry at the regional Royal Television Society Awards.

Mr Fentiman said the move to the region and the decision to become his own boss are some of the best decisions he has ever taken.

“The prospect of being able to move to the peace and tranquillity of the Durham Dales and still have the required infrastructure to run a webbased business was fantastic and something that wouldn’t have been possible five or ten years ago,” he said.

“Being made redundant also helped me to reassess my career and gave me the impetus to start my own business.

“I realised that there was a gap in the market for the lowcost production of broadcastquality video for websites and events.

“I had never considered setting up on my own company, but after an inspiring meeting with an advisor a plan was hatched to do some test trading as a freelance filmmaker.”

Mr Fentiman was helped to start his business by the Enterprise Agency and Business Link, who helped put his business plan together and in securing funding for him from the North-East England Investment Centre.

Mr Fentiman has now entered this year’s If We Can, You Can challenge, run by the Entrepreneurs’ Forum in conjunction with The Northern Echo, which seeks to find the cream of the region’s emerging business talent.

To enter the challenge, visit ifwecanyoucan.co.uk/challenge The closing date for entries is May 6.