Technology Award (small organisation): Diverse Made Media

WINNER: Diverse Made Media

About Diverse Made Media

Diverse Made Media is a Disabled-led TV and film production company creating high-quality content for brands and broadcasters. The company focuses on authentic behind-the-camera representation and developing inclusive technology that transforms how productions are delivered.

Issue

Founder and Director, Chris, a full-time wheelchair user, aspired to become a camera operator but encountered significant physical barriers that made this role inaccessible.

While diversity in front of the camera has improved, behind-the-camera roles remain largely inaccessible, often because decision-makers lack lived experience of disability. As a result, key technical roles, such as camera operation, have historically excluded wheelchair users, limiting both career opportunities and industry representation.

What they did

Inspired by Steadicam systems but unable to use them due to weight and positioning constraints, Chris set out to develop an alternative.

An initial prototype, mounting a stabilisation arm to his wheelchair, demonstrated potential but revealed safety risks and limited flexibility. Building on this, Chris collaborated with engineers and industry experts to develop CAERUS, an innovative camera platform designed through both technical expertise and lived experience.

CAERUS uses advanced stabilisation technology within a modular, adaptable system. It integrates with self-balancing and powered wheelchairs and can be operated either directly by the user or in coordination with an Assistant Camera, allowing seamless integration into standard production workflows.

The platform is designed for flexibility and future development, with upgradeable components that ensure long-term relevance as technology evolves. Rather than a single solution, CAERUS establishes a scalable system that can adapt to different users, needs, and production environments.

Impact

CAERUS creates direct and transformative impact by opening up camera operation as a viable career path for wheelchair users. Roles that were previously inaccessible are now realistic, paid opportunities, supporting economic independence and long-term career progression.

Beyond employment, the platform strengthens confidence and aspiration. By enabling disabled professionals to operate at a high level on set, CAERUS challenges assumptions about what is possible and provides visible, practical representation behind the camera.

It also improves day-to-day working conditions by reducing reliance on ad-hoc adjustments or personal advocacy. Instead, users can work independently, safely, and with greater dignity, shifting the experience from accommodation to autonomy.

The impact extends to the wider industry. Adoption of CAERUS encourages production teams to rethink accessibility, recruitment, and on-set practices, creating more inclusive environments across multiple roles and departments.

Importantly, CAERUS has future-facing impact. By demonstrating that structural barriers can be removed through design, it creates a clearer pathway into the industry for the next generation of disabled creatives.

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