Careers In VFX Encouraged

VFX is the fastest growing component of the UK's burgeoning film industry: however the UK is not producing enough VFX talent to fuel this growth.
Two short films to help address the skills shortage in the UK's booming visual effects (VFX) industry by inspiring young people to pursue a VFX career have been launched.
Funded by Skillset, who worked in partnership with UK Screen and some of the UK's biggest VFX post-production houses, the films feature VFX artists from some of the UK's leading companies talking about how they got into the industry and what skills are needed to work on films such as Captain America, Iron Man and Harry Potter.
The two films are aimed at young people aged 10-plus and 15-plus respectively, as well as careers advisers, teachers and parents and advise what subjects to study and how to get started in the industry.
Skillset's Executive Director (Deputy CEO), Kate O'Connor, said: "VFX is the fastest growing component of the UK's burgeoning film industry. However the UK is not producing enough VFX talent to fuel this growth, leaving us reliant on skilled migration. This is not sustainable, which is why Skillset has launched a slate of programmes to ensure that the UK produces the talent resource our VFX industry needs to remain a world leader."
Sarah Mackey, Acting Chief Executive of UK Screen, said: "The short films are the perfect way to educate children, parents and teachers about careers in the VFX industry. The UK is a global centre for VFX and by encouraging young people to study the core subjects of math, science and art we investing in essential home grown UK talent."
The films were created in response to the recommendations of the Next Gen Report, which sets out how the UK can be transformed into the world's leading talent hub for video games and visual effects.
Encouraging young people to study maths, science and art at school, the films are the first step towards bringing the idea of a VFX career into the classroom and providing an online VFX careers-related resource hub for teachers, careers advisers and young people.
(LB)