New film academies planned for UK

A brand new network of screen academies to educate and train new filmmaking talent was announced today by Skillset, the Sector Skills Council for the audio visual industries.
Seven academies in England, Scotland, and Wales will share over £5m funding and will work together to provide new courses (including the first ever film MBA), summer schools, work placements, master classes, bursaries, online learning resources and a talent scout programme to help develop the brightest and the best.
The Screen Academy Network, which includes a Film Business Academy, is endorsed by the UK film industry as providing the best education and skills development for the future workforce at a further, higher and postgraduate level. The UK wide network is a key part of A Bigger Future, the UK Film Skills Strategy, which Skillset is implementing to tackle 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.
Speaking at the launch, Stewart Till, Deputy Chair of Skillset, Chair of the UK Film Council, and CEO and Chairman of United International Pictures, said: “The Screen Academy Network and Film Business Academy will provide superior skills and talent development, unrivalled anywhere in the world. It brings the industry and the education system much closer together ensuring UK film gets the skilled talent it needs for a strong and healthy business. It will help us build an aggressively competitive industry in an increasingly tough global market.”
(GB)