ScreenSkills and Pinewood Studios are joining forces to offer people living near the Studios in Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, information on how to transfer their skills to much needed roles in film production.
Skills to Film aims to tackle skills shortages already identified by the industry by taking advantage of existing expertise in the local workforce.
The initiative will offer potential candidates an introduction to the film industry with a view to helping them find roles on productions.
Supported by the BFI as part of its National Lottery funded Future Film Skills Strategy, it is one of a range of initiatives aimed at recruiting 10,000 new entrants by 2022 and encouraging a more diverse workforce, including those returning to the industry after a career break and those with transferable skills from other sectors.
Skills to Film: Pinewood will focus on five areas in production - art, locations, costume, construction and accounts.
A range of skills and expertise that already exist outside the film industry are key to these departments, such as carpentry, plastering, design, sewing and fitting, finance management, marshalling and logistics.
Local individuals with such experience are encouraged to apply for a place on an introductory weekend at Pinewood Studios. The two-day event on 8 and 9 June 2019 will include industry panels with senior figures from across film and hands-on workshops where individuals can learn more about different departments in film and the specific skills required to work in them.
The weekend will be followed by a networking event at Pinewood Studios on Wednesday 26 June. This is an opportunity for Skills to Film attendees to meet production company staff and managers from across the departments.
There will be additional events across the year, enabling Skills to Film attendees to keep in regular contact with the studios and stay informed about upcoming opportunities.
Gareth Ellis-Unwin, ScreenSkills’ Head of Film and Animation, said: “We know that there are many roles within film that have their counterparts outside the industry. This initiative aims to encourage people with expertise we need to take up opportunities to work in film. We hope that there will be many who are excited to learn about the options and share their skills.”
Andrew M. Smith, Pinewood Studios’ Corporate Affairs Director, said: “The UK film industry is growing at an incredible rate. We really hope this initiative will help local people understand how their skills are relevant to the film industry, and that it leads to people finding roles in a thriving sector.”
It is anticipated that successful candidates are likely to take on opportunities in film alongside their current work in the first instance.
Individuals must live and/or work a commutable distance from the studios in Iver Heath.
Anyone interested in taking part will need to complete a short application through the ScreenSkills website and must be available for the introductory weekend and the networking event. Closing date for applications is 24 April 2019.
Research conducted by ScreenSkills’ Skills Forecasting Service has highlighted skills shortages in a number of areas, from location managers to production accounts, with considerable concern from the industry at the impact they are having, including delays in crewing up.
Jackie Campbell, Skills Development Manager, Buckinghamshire Thames Valley Local Enterprise Partnership, said: “As part of the UK’s fastest growing sector, Buckinghamshire ranks third out of LEP areas for the proportion of its workforce employed in the creative industries.
“We welcome the Skills to Film initiative to help attract more talent through raising awareness of the opportunities, encouraging diversity, and showing how a wide range of people’s skills in other sectors (such as accountancy, admin, digital, trades) are in demand in creative industries.”
Skills to Film is a nationwide initiative. ScreenSkills intends to work with studios across the UK in 2019.
For further information, please contact Louise Jury, Director of Communications and Marketing, or Elisabeth ten Cate, Communications Officer, on 020 7713 9800
Note to editors:
ScreenSkills, formerly known as Creative Skillset, is the industry-led skills body for the UK's screen industries - animation, film, games, television including children's TV and high-end drama, VFX and immersive technology. We work across the whole of the country to ensure that UK screen has access now, and in the future, to the skills and talent needed for continued success.
The BFI is the UK’s lead organisation for film, television and the moving image. It is a cultural charity that:
- Curates and presents the greatest international public programme of world cinema for audiences; in cinemas, at festivals and online
- Cares for the BFI National Archive – the most significant film and television archive in the world
- Actively seeks out and supports the next generation of filmmakers
- Works with Government and industry to make the UK the most creatively exciting and prosperous place to make film internationally
Founded in 1933, the BFI is a registered charity governed by Royal Charter. The BFI Board of Governors is chaired by Josh Berger CBE.
The Pinewood Studios Group is a leading provider of studio and related services to the global film and television industry. UK based Pinewood, Shepperton and Pinewood Studio Wales comprise 40 Stages, including the 59,000 sq ft 007 Stage, the globally unique underwater filming stage and one of the largest exterior tanks in Europe, 3 dedicated state of the art TV studios and associated production accommodation, a comprehensive post production and creative services division.
Renowned across the globe for excellence in its field, the Pinewood brand has been exported to studios in Toronto, Canada; Atlanta, Georgia USA; Iskandar, Malaysia and the Dominican Republic. Recent productions include Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, Mary Poppins Returns, Sherlock, Solo: A Star Wars Story and Paddington 2.