The skills pipeline means it is important to be inspiring the next generation of talent to come into the screen industries.
But the even more pressing skills challenge right now is at the mid- to senior-level, where skills shortages are acute in many roles and there is still progress to be made on inclusion.
ScreenSkills, the industry-led skills body for UK screen, has a range of ways in which it invests in training and retaining talent in off-screen roles – including supporting experienced professionals to advance into more senior roles.
Two examples of this are Leaders of Tomorrow, a three-year career progression programme for crew in high-end television, and Film Forward, which was launched this year to support change in the UK film industry by helping upcoming productions extend their talent network of experienced Black, Asian or minority ethnic professionals ready for the next stage in their career.
Film Forward matches film professionals who have at least five years’ experience in a variety of roles, for example, in camera, edit, sound and costume, with paid opportunities which will also include professional coaching. The programme is supported by the BFI with National Lottery funds as part of its Future Film Skills strategy.
The aim is for the successful candidates to gain practical experience in their chosen department working alongside a more senior colleague so they have direct experience of the demands and challenges of the senior role and can apply with greater confidence for future positions at that level.
Participating productions will receive support including a subsidy towards a placement allowance for the Film Forward candidate. The programme is intended to extend the network of talent known to those with hiring responsibilities on the production.
Gareth Ellis-Unwin, ScreenSkills head of film and animation and an Academy Award-winning producer, said: “The initiative has been designed to unblock some barriers to mid-career progression for professionals currently under-represented in it. We want Film Forward to champion the careers of those who in turn can support further positive change.
“We understand there are often time and budgetary pressures on productions that may lead them to stick with hiring the people they know. So, in direct response to requests from industry, we will make it easier for them to extend their networks to a greater diversity of talent.”
Amma Asante, director, screenwriter and ScreenSkills patron, said: “It’s so important that our industry provides the opportunity for professionals from diverse, Black, Asian and all ethnic minority backgrounds to progress into more senior roles and change the industry from within. I hope that productions will use Film Forward to provide experience to those they don’t yet know, creating a pathway for them to be hired for a more senior job next time. Everyone wins.”
Leigh Adams, Director of Education and Skills at the BFI, said: “Film Forward provides a fantastic opportunity for productions to meet and support talented professionals from under-represented ethnic groups. It is part of a range of activity supported by the BFI that aims to embed inclusive recruitment practices across the industry, ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to develop their skills at the highest level and progress in their career.”
Meanwhile, the ScreenSkills High-end TV Skills Fund has unveiled 19 mid-level crew identified by industry recommendation as Leaders of Tomorrow. They are being championed in a comprehensive programme of mentoring, masterclasses, bespoke training and paid on-the-job training over the next three years.
The Leaders of Tomorrow programme has been created with the aim of meeting industry demand for more effective career pathways to encourage increased diversity in leadership roles within the sector. Half the pool are Black, Asian or minority ethnic, three-quarters are female and two-fifths are based in the nations and regions including Northern Ireland, Scotland and wales as well as the South West to Yorkshire.
The pool of behind-the-camera talent was selected from more than 100 applicants who were nominated by a senior industry figure from across high-end TV for a place on the programme.
Fifteen places on the programme are being supported by the High-end TV Skills Fund with industry contributions from high-end TV productions, with Netflix and Sky Studios funding an additional place each and the BBC a further two.
Kaye Elliott, Director of High-end Television, said: “We know it is key that industry not only invests in bringing new people in, but also provides effective support to move people up into leadership and management roles. This comprehensive and inclusive programme has been designed to give mid-career professionals who are already rated by their peers the tools to progress into leadership roles and to ensure we have a vibrant and robust industry now and in the future.”
Christine Healy, Chair of the High-end TV Skills Council and COO of Watford & Essex, said: “Given the turbulence of the last year for freelancers, it is more important than ever that we put in place effective support to nurture and retain freelance talent for the industry.”
Piers Wenger, Director BBC Drama Commissioning, said: “It is important that BBC Drama plays a part in creating a pipeline of leaders in the industry. Being involved in this programme will ensure we are doing exactly that and help nurture the talent of the future.”
Alison Small, UK Grow Creative manager, Netflix, said: "We're delighted to support the Leaders of Tomorrow programme as part of our goal to upskill crew already working in film and television and support the next generation of British talent. This is the best way to spread opportunity right across the UK, diversify the workforce and keep our industry growing at the incredible pace we’ve seen over the last few years."
Amanda Wilkie Sweeney, Head of Production, Drama, at Sky Studios, said: “The UK is a global-leader in television production with a world-class and highly skilled pool of crew and off-camera talent. Working with ScreenSkills and the wider industry, we want to ensure clear pathways for new, diverse talent into the industry and importantly provide training, development and mentoring for off-screen talent to reach their full leadership potential.”
This work complements other activity including for new entrants such as the ScreenSkills Apprenticeship Pilot with Netflix and WarnerMedia which is offering 20 apprentices the change to work on major productions.Ten apprentices are training as broadcast production assistants and a further 10 as assistant production accountants across the wide-ranging slates of ScreenSkills’ partners on the project.
Supported by the Department for Education, this innovative pilot is in the vanguard of Government’s new flexi-job approach to apprenticeships.
For more information on these and other training opportunities in the UK screen industries, go to screenskills.com.