Skillset Launches Guiding Lights mentoring scheme for film
Friday 16th September 2005
A major new initiative pairing established industry figures such as Gurindha Chadha, Simon Pegg, Paul Greengrass, and Michael Kuhn, with young film professionals was announced today by Skillset, the Sector Skills Council for the Creative Media Industries.
Guiding Lights, run by Brighton based training provider Lighthouse, is a year long programme of mentoring, advice and support for 25 people in the early stages of their film careers and is a part of A Bigger Future, the UK film skills strategy, a joint project between Skillset and the UK Film Council to address skills development across all job roles in the film industry.
All initiatives under A Bigger Future are funded by the Skillset Film Skills Fund made up of lottery money via the UK Film Council and industry investment.
Judy Counihan, Director of Film at Skillset, said :
“Guiding Lights will identify emerging talent from diverse backgrounds and match them with top industry figures. Over 12 months those new talents will learn from the best and most experienced practitioners working in the UK film industry today. It is an amazing opportunity for young professionals to further their careers and for the industry to help nurture the new talent needed for future success.”
Tim Bevan, Co-Chairman of Working Title and Chair of the Guiding Lights Steering Committee, said :
“Training in film is very difficult as most skills used in the movie business from producer to production runner are learnt on the job. This is why the concept of mentoring is such a good one for our industry. Having a formal bond where someone learning about their chosen career in the industry can have ongoing advice from someone with great experience should be invaluable and help in the demystifying of all of our roles.”
Mentors and mentees will be carefully matched and a personal development plan agreed with each mentee. As well as having regular monthly contact, where appropriate, mentees will get the chance to shadow their mentor in the workplace.
A nationwide call for applications for mentees opens on 15 September 2005, closing on 1 November 2005.
Eligible applicants are writers, directors, producers, distributors, exhibitors, marketing executives, film publicists, sales agents, talent agents and business affairs executives who can demonstrate experience within the film industry.
For more information and an application form visit:
www.guiding-lights.org.uk or www.skillset.org
Confirmed mentor Marc Boothe, Producer of Bullet Boy and a member of the steering committee, said :
“The film business, like any other business is not just about what you know, but who you know. The Guiding Lights initiative is not just about supporting tomorrow’s talent today, its also one of the few initiatives that will connect talent, regardless of their background, with the desire, ambition and talent to succeed, with some of the smartest and sharpest minds in the business.”
Cameron McCracken, Deputy MD of Pathe, and steering committee member, said :
"One-to-one mentoring with experienced industry insiders offers a warts-and-all immediacy to the learning process. I can't think of a more effective way of delivering a custom made education."
Confirmed mentor Shawn Slovo, screenwriter of Captain Corelli's Mandolin, said :
"For screenwriters, the Guiding Lights mentoring scheme is an opportunity to develop projects through a dynamic relationship with a working professional. And for the mentors, this is a chance to share some of the skills and experience gained working in the industry, and to participate in a creative process with another writer."
Shane Meadows, Director of Dead Man’s Shoes and a member of the steering committee, said :
"The idea of mentoring in the current climate of the British Film Industry is revolutionary. To give support to up and coming film makers who would ordinarily struggle to find such help is great. It draws upon more established artists talent and passes it on to those who need it, in a first hand and easy to understand way. I am excited by the concept and look forward to witnessing the fruits of this wonderful project in the years to come".
Mentors already confirmed to take part include:
Agents
Natasha Galloway at PFD
Jodi Shields at Casarotto
Tim Corrie at PFD
Nick Marston at Curtis Brown
Sean Gascoine at Lou Coulson
Michelle Kass at Michelle Kass
Sue Rogers, ICM
Leo Davis (casting agent)
Writers
Tony Grisoni (FEAR AND LOATHING IN LAS VEGAS)
Shawn Slovo (CAPTAIN CORRELLI'S MANDOLIN)
David Scinto (SEXY BEAST)
Frank Cottrell-Boyce (24 HOUR PARTY PEOPLE)
Simon Pegg (SHAUN OF THE DEAD)
Christopher Hampton (DANGEROUS LIASONS)
Simon Beaufoy (THE FULL MONTY)
William Osborne (TWINS)
Will Davies (JOHNNY ENGLISH)
Deborah Moggach (PRIDE AND PREJUDICE)
Juliette Towhidi (CALLENDAR GIRLS)
Directors
Gurinder Chadha (BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM)
Nick Love (FOOTBALL FACTORY/THE BUSINESS)
Paul Greengrass (THE BOURNE SUPREMECY)
Asif Kapadia (THE WARRIOR)
Paul McGuigan (GANGSTER NUMBER ONE)
Lynne Ramsay (RAT CATCHER)
Gilles McKinnon (HIDEOUS KINKY)
Richard Loncraine (RICHARD III)
Dominic Savage (OUT OF CONTROL)
Edgar Wright (SHAUN OF THE DEAD)
Joe Wright (PRIDE AND PREJUDICE)
Producers
Margaret Matheson (KIN)
Norma Heyman (GANGSTER NUMBER ONE, DANGEROUS LIAISONS)
Jeremy Thomas (LAST EMPEROR)
Marc Boothe (BULLET BOY)
Sarah Radcliffe (WISH YOU WERE HERE)
Kevin Loader (ENDURING LOVE)
Michael Kuhn (KINSEY)
Andrew Eaton (24 HOUR PARTY PEOPLE)
Jon Finn (BILLY ELLIOTT)
Frances Higson (ORPHANS)
Stephen Woolley (THE CRYING GAME)
Ruth Caleb (BULLET BOY)
Elizabeth Karlston (LITTLE VOICE)
Barnaby Thompson (SPICE WORLD)
Graham Broadbent (HILARY AND JACKIE)
Allan Niblo (THE BUSINESS)
Distributors
Michael Williams-Jones, ex Miramax
Nick Manzi (RedBus Distribution)
David Kosse (Universal)
Jane Right (BBC Films)
Ian George (Pathe)
Rupert Preston (Vertigo)
Exhibitors
Tony Jones at City Screen
Ian Riches – Curzon
Margaret Taylor (ex UGC)
Sales Agents
Alison Thompson (Pathe)
Jane Barclay (Capitol Films)
Alex Stone (Hanway)
David Garrett (Summit Entertainment)
Joy Wong (The Works)
Business Affairs
Guy Avshalom (RedBus Distribution)
Pierre du Plessis (Little Bird)
Angela Morrison (Working Title)
Jo Smith (DNA)
Andrew Hilderbrand (Film Four)
Sheeraz Shah (Working Title Films)
Paul Grindey (Film Four)
Lyndsey Posner (ICM)
Peter Watson (The Recorded Picture Company)
Will Evans (UK Film Council)
Marketing and publicity:
David Livingstone, (Working Title Films)
ENDS
SKILLSET PRESS OFFICE
Eve Ragout
020 7520 5752
07968 010 325
Notes to Editor
1. Skillset is the Sector Skills Council for the Creative Media Industries covering Broadcast, Film, Video, Interactive Media and Photo Imaging. Sector Skills Councils (SSCs) are licensed by the Secretary of State for Education and Skills and by Ministers in the devolved administrations to tackle the skills and productivity challenge by sector. SSCs are independent, UK wide organisations developed by groups of influential employers in industry or business sectors of economic or strategic significance. SSCs are employer-led and actively involve trade unions, professional bodies and other stakeholders in the sector.
2. A Bigger Future is a joint strategy developed by Skillset and the UK Film Council with the support of the Northern Ireland Film & Television Commission, Scottish Screen and Sgrin Cymru Wales.
3. The UK Film Council is the lead agency for film in the UK ensuring that the economic, cultural and educational aspects of film are effectively represented at home and abroad. Investing Government grant-in-aid and Lottery money in film development and production; training; international development, export promotion; distribution and exhibition; and education, with the aim of delivering lasting benefits to the industry and the public alike.
4. Lighthouse is a non profit organisation dedicated to providing high quality professional development, training and support for emerging filmmakers and artists.
