ScreenSkills is proud to return as a partner of this year’s Stars of Tomorrow series, spotlighting and celebrating the off-screen talent as well as the actors that make the UK such a great place to make film and television.
The partnership provides an opportunity to highlight the skills and training that supports and nurtures a diversity of production talent while offering pathways to get into the sector and develop a career in screen.
“All the stars were new entrants once, and many of them continue to turn to ScreenSkills to support their careers as they progress,” says Gareth Ellis-Unwin, ScreenSkills’ head of film and animation. “We congratulate every one of this year’s Stars of Tomorrow for the grit, determination, hard work and flair that has won them the recognition of their peers and a place in this prestigious list. But we would like to also take this opportunity to remind everyone in the industry that we can all help create the conditions for talent to emerge and thrive.”
ScreenSkills initiatives, made possible through voluntary donations to skills funds alongside National Lottery funds awarded by the BFI, support those at each stage of their career journey and range from job-specific training in craft or technical roles to skills in leadership and management.
New entrants can benefit from receiving experience of working productions through placement programmes such as Trainee Finder, a programme used for Birchanger Green, the debut film of 2018 Star of Tomorrow Moin Hussain, with trainee placements across production, sound, camera and art departments. Producer Michelle Stein “highly recommends” the programme. “During their experiences on the set, they were able to gain valuable first-hand knowledge within their chosen departments as well as essential support from the team supervisors,” she says. “Trainees are a vital part of any production and a much-needed resource for the industry.”
Director Luna Carmoon, one of the 2022 Stars of Tomorrow, used Trainee Finder to place production and assistant director trainees on the set of her upcoming film, Hoard.
This investment in screen talent helps develop a trained, industry-ready workforce that boosts the industry across the UK. Lyndsay Duthie, CEO of the Production Guild, who sits on the ScreenSkills Film Skills Council, believes this work is “vital” to the success of UK screen. “As production continues to boom and our world-class production talent is in demand, ensuring the skills are there to service this through innovative ways is key,” she says.
Anita Overland, producer of films including Steve McQueen’s new project Olly, chairs the ScreenSkills Film Skills Council (FSC) and knows from first-hand experience the challenge of finding crew. That is why she urges her industry colleagues to help build a bigger and better-skilled labour pool by contributing to the Film Skills Fund. “With your support, we can develop a stronger, more diverse and better equipped workforce by investing in the long-term sustainability of UK filmmaking,” Overland says. “I know as much as anyone how difficult it is to find the money from the budget to contribute to the FSF. But if we invest now, we can avoid the costly implications of crew shortages and skills gaps. We owe it to the next generation of filmmakers to ensure they have the development opportunities they need to thrive.”
Find out more about the Film Skills Fund and details on how to contribute.
