Tom Brumpton – Keynote Speaker

Tom Brumpton started working in PR in 2009, originally in music as a freelancer. His first major campaign was for Jesse Leach (singer of Killswitch Engage, a very popular heavy metal band) and his then-band The Empire Shall Fall. He secured national radio, print and TV coverage across the UK, Mainland Europe, and the US, and he was nominated for two awards for his work.

He began working with Music Promotion Inc as a UK rep in 2011. Through MPi he worked on a compilation record from The David Lynch Foundation to raise funds for its work in granting access and awareness of transcendental meditation to at risk groups struggling with PTSD. He also worked on the Grammy winning record “Strictly Roots” by Morgan Heritage in 2015 and had his work recognised by the Grammy award body in 2016.

He continued working primarily in music from 2010 to 2016, with legacy bands such as American Head Charge and Raging Speedhorn, alongside aspiring artists. Tom Brumpton managed the press for the Chatham House event “Art As An Act Of Defiance”, featuring the Lebanese band Blaakyum. In December 2016, he managed the PR campaign for the Team Rock crowdfunding effort for the staff of Metal Hammer, Prog Magazine, and Classic Rock. In 2017 Tom Brumpton was appointed a judge for the Heavy Music Awards, a national award show focused on heavy metal and hard rock.

In 2018, he managed the UK red carpet premiere for the British action film “Outlawed” and the Birmingham Comic Con panel for British sci-fi thriller “Black Site”, and the Canadian indie film “The Astronot”. That same year, Tom Brumpton handled the launch for the music documentary “Godfathers Of Hardcore”, securing coverage in both national music outlets in the UK, US, and mainland Europe, and the likes of The Hollywood Reporter, Little White Lies, and Variety. Also in 2018, he began working with German industrial label Trisol Music Group, handling affairs for the Luxembourgish neo-folk outfit ROME. He was a BAFTA Crew (Now BAFTA Connect) member in 2018 and 2019.

In 2019, he worked with Game of Thrones actor Toby Osmond following his appearance on the show, picking up national coverage including in The Ringer. Same year he worked on the short film “Down” starring Golden Globe winning actor Amanda Donohoe, and the male fertility documentary “The East Bit”.

From late 2019 onwards he began speaking on the topic of PR, branding and marketing at events for musicians and filmmakers. To date, he has done so for AMPAS, BAFTA Connect, BFI NETWORK, Film London, IFTA, NAMM, BBC Introducing, Output Belfast and Sonic Visions, alongside several BAFTA qualifying film festivals.

In March 2020 he became a member of BIFA. In August 2020, he handled the PR for the world’s first VR film premiere, for Tom Paton’s “The Ascent”, which was covered as part of an exclusive with Indiewire. He also handled the VOD release the same year, working alongside Strike Media. The same year, he handled the UK press for the Young Artists Academy’s 41st Awards Show. For the first half of 2021, he worked with Iranian/Norwegian metal band Confess, securing national coverage in music publications, but also in the likes of The Guardian and Sky News.

In 2021, Tom Brumpton continued to work across indie film titles including the Shudder animated fantasy film “The Spine of Night”, US drama “Along Came Wanda” and US comedy “Stealing Chaplin”. From January to April 2021, he handled press for the true crime podcast RedHanded, securing coverage with The Guardian, BBC Radio 4, and the Radio Times, among others. In June 2021, he became a full member of BAFTA. In 2022, he handled the Film Africa premiere for South African action comedy “The Umbrella Men”, along with the Manchester International Film Festival appearances for UK documentary “I Am Gen Z” and US drama “Spaghetti Junction”.

Same year, he handled press for the Nigerian sitcom “Becoming Abi”, which had been acquired by Netflix. He also handled the Sitges appearance for the psychological horror short film “Waving”. Throughout late 2022, he handled PR for the BAFTA Scotland & BIFA winning short film “Too Rough”, which was also longlisted for a national BAFTA for Best Live Action Short in January 2023. Tom Brumpton also supported the film’s latter festival run, including handling press for Hollyshorts, Edinburgh International Film Festival, Durban International Film Festival, and the Galway Film Fleadh.