By her own admission, Natalie Chan’s pathway into the screen industries was “a bit non-linear”. Despite having kept one eye on film and TV and nurturing a love for going to the cinema, it was during her time working in theatre that the idea of moving into screen started to emerge.
She said: “I got into working in theatre; and really saw the power of storytelling in raising awareness on social issues, driving positive change, and then got reminded with the power of film, digital and screens industry, it could reach even further, building allyships and connecting people across the globe, and so I’ve been inspired to progress in the screen industry ever since”
Having worked her way to a producer role while in theatre, Natalie was eager to expand on the skills she’d gained and put them to use in a new environment. Her opportunity came during covid when she successfully applied to the Film and TV Charity’s community grant to undertake sector support work.
She explained: “I ended up running two webinar series with them and BFI Network on fundraising to make your projects happen, and job-juggling. They were hugely successful and I ended up with a freelance contract with the charity, continuing peer to peer support work. This motivated me to progress to working as a runner/ in production, and I trained in the production assistant course with Screen Yorkshire in 2023.”
Unfortunately, having secured a contract working for the Met Film School in Leeds, Natalie’s progress was slowed by the strikes and production downturn that followed.
It was then that she looked at the possibility of securing a ScreenSkills bursary, something she had been told about by a previous recipient who she had worked with through Film Hub Midlands. The bursaries are cash grants designed to remove financial obstacles to career progression. They are open to everyone and can be used to cover a range of purchases and fees – from training costs and accommodation to driving lessons and equipment.
Natalie explained how the bursary helped: “I used it to pay for travel, accommodation and expenses while I undertake a Production Manager Bootcamp with All Spring Media, as I am looking to step up within production.”
The course proved to be hugely beneficial for Natalie and her progression plans. She said: “I learned about scheduling and budgeting across scales in film and TV, mapped out about how I can transfer my problem-solving and people management skills into film/TV production settings, and so much more. I also connected with a really special group of peers, and I really valued we all cheered each other on at moments of crossroad, it has really kept me going.
“The course also taught us invaluable soft skills like conflict management skills, understanding reaching compromises, having the opportunity to practice having difficult conversation, give each other feedback, it was valuable for me. I now confidently know that my skills can be valued and utilised across sectors.”
It wasn’t the first time Natalie had applied for a ScreenSkills bursary. Having had two previous applications turned down, she was able to take on the feedback from she received in reply to turn a ‘no’ into a ‘yes’. She said: “The process was very straightforward, and the assessment criteria has been clearly laid out, so I would recommend reading those carefully and responding directly to those points.”
The experience furthered her belief in the importance of the bursaries and their ability to help those at different stages of their screen career: “It removes barriers, and supports us in progressing our careers, and I am a huge advocate of continued training and development, in particular in our fast paced industry, the time and space to reflect, plan intentionally towards the future and see the bigger picture, is so valuable.”
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