Apply now for craft certificate courses in Yorkshire

People with an interest in a career in film or television can apply now to five part-time courses in Leeds that will provide them with a clear pathway to working in the film and television industry.

The craft certificates are part of Centre of Screen Excellence: Yorkshire, a ScreenSkills initiative supported by the BFI awarding National Lottery funds as part of the Future Film Skills strategy.

People can apply for the following courses (deadline 18 January 2021):

• Grip
• Lighting
• Hair and make-up
• Costume
• Production assistant (scripted)

All courses will be delivered by the NFTS from March to July 2021 with the support of Screen Yorkshire and in partnership with University Centre Leeds, Keighley College and BECTU Grips and Crane Technicians Branch.

They will be taught by craft specific tutors alongside film and television professionals through a combination of practical training in person, online tutorials, online masterclasses and mentoring support. A work experience module is intended to be included in the programme, if possible under Covid-19 restrictions.

The craft courses are part of a portfolio of initiatives being rolled out across the region by Centre of Screen Excellence: Yorkshire, aimed at upskilling the local workforce and creating new opportunities for individuals wishing to develop their careers in the screen industries. The long-term aim is to ensure that the region is a nationally-recognised centre for training in the screen industries.

It is the second time the craft course programme will be run. The first iteration launched shortly before the first lockdown in early 2020. The NFTS adapted the courses to ensure that students were offered a rich learning experience, despite pandemic restrictions limiting face-to-face and classroom training. This included online industry masterclasses with industry professionals such as ScreenSkills patrons, the costume designer Sandy Powell (The Irishman, The Favourite), and writer/director Sally Wainwright (Gentleman Jack, Last Tango in Halifax) as well as producer/director Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire, 28 Days Later), director Yann Demange (Top Boy, ‘71) and production designer Rick Carter (Avatar, Back to the Future, Star Wars and The Goonies).

Gareth Ellis-Unwin, head of Film and Animation at ScreenSkills, said: “ScreenSkills is committed to providing people from any background with pathways to break into this exciting industry. The courses will help to build and sustain a skilled local workforce that will enable Yorkshire and Humber to develop as a home to film and television production. We congratulate the students who underwent training this year, some of whom have already found work in the industry, even during the pandemic. And we hope to see strong applications for the new round of recruitment.”