Leitch case study - Screen Academies
The industry has historically relied on informal recruitment practices and entry routes resulting in a lack of diversity amongst the workforce.
In response, Skillset has established the Skillset Screen Academy Network. Launched in July 2005, the UK-wide network is made up of seven academies - including a Film Business Academy, the world's first ever dedicated centre of film business - which are endorsed by the film industry as centres of excellence in film skills and education at a further, higher and postgraduate level.
The network enables the industry to cast its net wider to benefit from the greatest range of diverse talent available across the UK.
A partnership between Skillset, the UK Film Council and the industry, the Screen Academy Network receives £5m funding from Skillset over 2 years and the Academies have been able to leverage over £2.5m additional funding from the Higher Education Funding Councils in England, Scotland and Wales.
The UK-wide network is a key part of A Bigger Future, which tackles the creative development and skills needs of all jobs across film from script development through to exhibition (screening films in cinemas), covering both new entrants and professional development for the existing workforce.
Potential new entrants now have an industry endorsement signposting the best education routes into film careers enabling them to make informed choices about which paths to follow.
The network allows the industry to become more involved in shaping and influencing course content to reflect actual skills needs and contributing more to the skills development of the existing and future workforce.
The seven Academies (in some cases run by consortia of colleges) are:
- The Bournemouth Screen Academy
- The Screen Academy Scotland
- The Screen Academy at London College of Communication (LCC) and Ealing Institute of Media (EIM)
- The Screen Academy at the London Film School
- The Screen Academy at the National Film & TV School
- The Screen Academy Wales
- The Film Business Academy at Cass Business School
Around 3,500 students are currently benefiting from Academy courses.
The courses cover all the skills needed by the industry including scriptwriting, computer animation, broadcast and film management, post production, costume making, model making, directing, special effects, hair and makeup, and sound.
Qualifications on offer include City & Guilds and Higher Education Diplomas through to undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. There are also summer schools, work placements, master classes, bursaries and online learning.
The Skillset Film Business Academy meets a particular skills gap identified by employers - business skills. It offers full and part time courses in film business and is developing the world's first Executive MBA in Film Business - designed to help people fast track their career in film business (eg. facilities, media law, accounting, distribution, marketing and international sales).
A new online MA in Film Production and Business Management offered by Skillset Screen Academy Wales is designed for freelancers who currently work within production companies but want to take their skills to a higher level in order to set up their own creative businesses.
