Gaming

The first games were launched in the 1960s. By the 1970s there was a recognised Games Industry with video arcades and home entertainment consoles. Home computing got big in the 1980s and brought a period of huge expansion and creative innovation. Games became an industry, and moved away from 2 or 3 talented, devoted creative “mavericks” being responsible for every aspect of a project. Developing top of the range Computer Game titles now involves large teams of people, and costs millions of pounds. 
It begins with market research and development in national and international operations. Teams of people then work to produce design documents from which all the elements that make up the final game are drawn and which sets down all possible paths the games can take players and any of the mechanics of actual gameplay that are relevant. If the game has story or narrative elements scripting and storyboarding also takes place.

Working from this design document the technical aspects of the game are decided and the game code, animation, graphics audio production and special effects follow. The application of the technical expertise then turns the creative products into paths for gamers to enjoy. Teams work on the projects in a system of production much like producing a movie. Like movies the risk is great – the game may not grab audiences, the investors may lose money.

Photo Imaging

The total Photo Imaging workforce comprises around 43,100 people. 51% of these are based in the south of England, with the largest proportion - some 38% - in London and the South East. The rest of the workforce is spread throughout Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the remaining regions of England, with the highest concentrations in the South West (13%) and the East of England (12%). The Photo Imaging industry is made up of 8,700 companies, two thirds (68%) of which are sole trading or freelance photographers.

Interactive Media

The interactive media industry is a very fluid sector with many overlaps with, and blurred distinctions between, other sectors. In particular, as interactive media products become more sophisticated, their development increasingly has greater overlap with the software and IT sector. As convergence gathers pace, the boundaries between interactive media and other forms of digital media become yet more blurred - particularly as television broadcasters look to multi-platform, ‘360 degree' commissioning models. 

In a rapidly evolving industry, any definition of it risks quickly becoming out of date.Interactive media itself is a vague and often misunderstood term. We must look not just at what the sector does and who does it, but also at other stakeholders who operate in the grey area at its fringes, as well as considering those who use its products. The market for interactive media contributes to a number of significantly larger markets. This is taking into account those who enable it, buy from it and, in turn, are enabled or supported by it. 

The biggest of these are e-commerce and online advertising. The UK's interactive media industry is worth several billion pounds annually, but its products support a far larger economy.Definition of the sector is difficult not only because of the pace of change, but also because there are many companies and individuals involved in interactive media who more accurately fit within other sectors. In many ways it is not so much a sector as a discipline, as its creation and use is increasingly becoming part of everyday activity across all sectors of industry in general. 

Film

The UK's film industury is part of a constantly evolving creative media landscape. When talking about the film industury, we refer to it in six seperate parts: Development, Production, Facilites, Distribution, Exhibition and Export. The nature of the industury means production companies are often set up for specific production companies are usually set up for a specific production and the shut down The latest research shows there are around 400 'permanent'(registered) companies in the film industry, this figure varies depending on the number of productions being worked on at any one time. 
Of the companies existing today, we can say approximately 43% are production, 13% are distribution and the remaining 44% are exhibition companies.In 2006, the UK film industry contributed £4.3 billion to the UK economy, up from £3.1 billion in 2004. The UK industry is an independent creator of feature films, a co-production partner and a provider of services to the international film industry. In 2007, UK production activity was £747 million, making it the fourth highest production year on record. 

Animation

The animation Industury in the UK consists of a large workforce that stretches across many of the in the creative media industries. You will find animated content on television, in feature films, commercials, websites and computer or video games. Just over 2000 people work in animation in the UK, half of them freelance, and there are currently more than 300 companies producing a range of work. Animation is a relatively small sector that is growing in success and popularity. Flexible scheduling by broadcasters has increased opportunities for animators and the internet provides another platform for short and experimental work. Big-budget features such as Toy Story have enjoyed great commercial success and 2002 saw the introduction of the first ever Oscar for an animated feature, won by Dreamwork’s Shrek. 
The Animation Sector is divided into four main sectors: •2D drawn or traditional; •2D computer generated •stop frame; and •3D computer generated. Most companies will concentrate on one discipline and but some studios do all four. There are a wide range of freelance, some contract, and some more permanent jobs in animation. These can be found at small production companies, larger studios, computer generated post production facility houses and at computer games developers or interactive media designers.

Advertising

Advertising is a form of communication intended to persuade an audience to take some action, usually to purchase or consume a product or service. It is totally focussed on the client and the client's marketing or advertising need for a brand or product. It crosses multiple platforms from broadcast, print, billboard and online.
t is a sector which leads the way with cross-platform innovation as campaigns cross boundaries between TV, radio, print, billboard and interactive media. Job roles within advertising are varied and include copywriting, creative, media planning and buying, account management, production and client services.
  There are around 13,000 business in the sector who produce £6.2 billion of the UK GVA annually. Around 70% of the industry is based in London, with the north west having the second largest concentration at 6%. It is a young industry with 47% under 34. 46% of the workforce is female and only 6% is from black, asian or ethnic minorities (source: Creative and Cultural Skills, 2007). It's importance as a sector to the broadcast and print industries are crucial. Advertising funds 75% of commercial television, 95% of national press, 80% of magazines, and 95% of commercial radio. Without advertising revenue the quality and quantity of programming and editorial would suffer.

Publishing

Publishing is made up of various different groups of industries such as Books, Magazines, Journals, News Papers and other Information Services.

The publishing industry makes a staggering £10.1 Billion a year. It is one of the biggest export in the media industry.

The industry consists of a majority of small companies: 88% of them having less than 10 employees. Yet the 3% with 200 or more employees have over half of all those working in the industry on their payroll.

The main geographical area of employment is London and the South East. The East of England is next, followed by the South West, Scotland and the North West. In Wales and Northern Ireland the sector is predominately made up of small publishers and news media.