UK film & TV craft certificate: production assistant (scripted) 2022 (Yorkshire)

This course is part of Centre of Screen Excellence: Yorkshire, a ground-breaking pilot delivered by Screen Yorkshire and supported by ScreenSkills using National Lottery funding awarded by the BFI as part of the Future Film Skills programme.

The UK’s film and television production sector boom continues in 2022, with a seemingly never-ending appetite for production crew across the UK.

This 5-month (March to July 2022) part time CoSE:Y production assistant course is an in-depth programme to ready trainees for new entry positions in the production team of fiction feature films and high end television. The programme is designed to equip participants with the necessary foundational skills and knowledge to confidently enter the workplace, with a clear sense of what is expected of them.

Who it's for

The course is entry level and is specifically targeted at trainees who have identified a career path in production assistance/management as their professional goal.

A keen, demonstrable interest in film and television is paramount. While no previous experience in the screen industries is necessary, here are some examples of the sorts of experience that would be useful to know about:

• Work experience with an administrative element – previous trainees have for example worked in a bank or in the pharmaceutical industries
• Experience in organising or helping with cultural events or film festivals
• Making short films with groups of friends in your spare time
• Experience as a runner or assistant in film and television
• Experience working in related industries such as theatre, publishing or journalism
• Film and TV training, either in a higher education or university setting

Entrants will be 18+ and some applicants may choose to undertake this award instead of going to University. University graduates are welcome to apply, as are people looking to change their career path later in life.

We are looking for a cohort of trainees who bring a diverse range of experiences to the group and we actively encourage applicants from groups who are currently underrepresented in the film and television industries.

Applicants who will be 18 years old on 28 February 2022 will not be required to pay a fee for this course. For students over this age the course fee is set at £2000 – however you may be eligible for bursary support covering the majority of the course fee. If you are 19+ and would like to apply for a bursary, please fill out the bursary application form linked to in the main application form.

What it covers

Students will take part in two ‘boot camps’ designed to prepare the trainees for the specific requirements of production assistants in film and TV, such as their role within a department, the way departments interact with other departments during production, set etiquette, sustainability training and preparation for freelance life (including CV and application writing, tax, invoicing and networking).

They will also receive valuable Health & Safety Production Passport training including Covid-19 safety training.

On completion of the certificate, you will:

• Understand how to communicate effectively with colleagues in both prep and on location/set
• Be able to develop and maintain good working relationships during the production process
• Understand hazards and risks in the workplace and be able to evaluate and minimise risks.
• Understand the nuances of production and post production and the role of the production department.
• Be able to read, understand and contribute to key production paperwork (call sheets, movement orders, daily progress reports etc)
• Develop a basic understanding of technical equipment involved in production, and related issues.
• Have a developed understanding of the principles of budgeting and scheduling and the implications for production.
• Demonstrate an imaginative response to projects and production challenges
• Demonstrate an awareness of production issues related to sustainability and the environment
• Be able to operate effectively as a freelance worker

How to apply

Applications are open until 11.59pm, Monday 28 February 2022. Applications received after this date will not be considered. If for any reason you need to submit your application by an alternative method or have any other queries then please contact training@screenyorkshire.co.uk

You may be invited to a phone/online interview during the week of February 28 2022. Successful applicants will be offered a place in the first week of March and will be expected to accept within 3 days of the offer. We will endeavour to contact everyone before March 21st, however, if you have not heard from us by then, please assume you have not been offered a place on one of the courses.

For more information, and to apply click here

Contact information

Email: training@screenyorkshire.co.uk