Skills Futures: critical AI skills for high-impact film producing

AI isn't the future, it's the now. Forward-thinking film producers are already harnessing its power; the gap between those armed and able to leverage responsible AI in practical and creative ways and those left behind is widening fast!

Skills Futures: critical AI skills for high-impact film producing tackles the industry's critical training void in AI head-on. Purpose-built for UK freelance film producers, this intensive hands-on programme delivers what the sector desperately needs: inspiration plus practical and creative AI mastery you can apply with confidence immediately.

Real-World Application at the Core

This programme is centred on real-world experience of AI use in film producing (pros and cons). It's applied technology referencing actual industry practice as experienced by Final Pixel working at the cutting edge of technology, and relevant examples from other film studios. We're arming you (not alarming you) with the knowledge of if, when, and how to use AI in film production and distribution pipelines, taking into consideration legal, ethical, and sustainability contexts.

You'll learn how to confidently discuss the impact and opportunity of AI, with talent, with commissioners and buyers, post-production houses, and colleagues keen to understand the use of AI across all production roles. One of our key learning objectives is to ensure you are equipped to advocate for creative and practical AI use where it brings genuine added value and innovation—and to know when to push for change and when not to.

This course is being delivered through a partnership between Final Pixel (award-winning entertainment studio) and StoryFutures (reputation for delivering high quality and inclusive training in use of immersive technologies to over 1400 creative industry professionals) at Royal Holloway, University of London.

This course is part-funded by the ScreenSkills Film Skills Fund with contributions from UK film productions.

Who it's for

Skills Futures offers 16-20 places to film freelancers, specifically established producers with three to five years’ experience in singles, broadcasts or streamer, theatrical release, series, or scripted feature films. The stackable programme is made up of in-person full days and ‘micro modules’ delivered online.

This is a nationwide programme and we welcome applications from across the UK. 

We always welcome applications from under-represented groups, including, but not limited to: those from minority ethnic backgrounds; people with a disability; people from the LGBTQ+ community and those from lower socio-economic backgrounds.

We offer inclusive training. If you have any needs which we can accommodate during the recruitment process and beyond, or would like support completing the booking form and/or would like us to send it to you in an alternative format, please email: Helen.ONeill@rhul.ac.uk

There is a small allowance for access costs for successful candidates to ensure participants get the most from the programme. Details of this funding can be discussed with the training provider once accepted onto the programme, and will be assessed on an individual basis.

What it covers

In 32 transformative hours, you will get hands-on to learn practical and creative AI skills that revolutionise how to work and thrive in the evolving digital era. Recognising the priority for producers to break down creative briefs and scripts into storyboards, film schedules, and workable budgets, we’ll provide samples as starting points.

The programme will take you from AI 101—demystifying artificial intelligence—through to how to creatively and practically storyboard, breakdown, budget, schedule, pitch, and scale a film idea using a range of AI tools, workflows, and pipelines. You will be able to quickly apply tools like Claude and other AI platforms to your actual job functions. From this foundation, masterclasses and workshops will elevate your understanding—teaching you how to enhance creative vision with AI, create assets efficiently, and understand their impact on the production pipeline (timelines, costs, and workflow effects).

Learning Progression:

• Week 1: in-person robust foundational AI skills, introduction to a broad range of tools and workflows, VP demos and inspirational AI-led use cases and teamwork (e.g., VP suite and 2 x cutting-edge demos)
• Week 2: online masterclasses from top tier industry experts for enrichment and media generation, hands on application of AI tools and pipelines (e.g., 3D object generation, animation, video generation, dramatised voice generation (script + narration), budget/schedule optimisation with AI)
• Weeks 3: interactive online workshop for hands-on project development, deepening AI skills (e.g., concept development, remote project workshops, producing early assets: concept art, draft scripts, first-pass pitch deck, agreement on final project direction)
• Week 4: in-person, on-set at Futures Studio for delivery of creative AI playbook/pitch with industry and peer feedback (e.g. teams use AI tools to complete pitch decks/playbooks, live pitches to industry stakeholders with feedback and peer review, discussion of future opportunities and roles

How to apply

This course runs from 12 March - 31 March 2026 and will be delivered partly in-person and partly online.

In-person sessions will take place at the cutting edge Futures Studio @Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, Surrey TW20.

• Thursday 12 March
• Tuesday 31 March

Other sessions will be delivered online (dates and times TBC)

Masterclasses

• Legal, ethical and industry standards - (date/time TBC)
• 2D gen AI creation and 3D Gen AI workshops - (date/time TBC)
• Video and animation Gen AI workshops - (date/time TBC)
• Music and dramatised voice Gen AI workshops - (date/time TBC)

Online interactive workshops: 2 x double workshop sessions each week  (dates and times TBC)

• creative development
• practical development inc pipeline development and pitch preparation 

Click 'apply now' to submit your application. 

Contact information

Name: Helen O'Neill
Email: Helen.ONeill@rhul.ac.uk