New ScreenSkills Film Trainee Finder trainees welcomed by industry professionals

Award-winning professionals shared expert industry advice with 107 new ScreenSkills Trainee Finder trainees in preparation for their year on the paid placement initiative for new entrants.

Spread across two consecutive weekends, the trainees were invited to online induction sessions designed and run by ScreenSkills and thecallsheet that involved 38 speakers and panellists over 30 hours of activities at the start of the trainees year on the programme.

ScreenSkills’ Head of Film and Animation Gareth Ellis-Unwin welcomed the 2022/23 cohort to ScreenSkills and introduced the award-winning  First day: on set (360 video), giving trainees an insight into what it is like to work on set. The first weekend also saw sessions on practical elements such as handling finances, writing CVs and guidance on how to find work, as well as talks by former Film Trainee Finder alumni offering advice on what the cohort can expect from the programme and how to make the most of their experience.

Location managers Richard Knight (Dead Man’s Shoes, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie) and Amie Tridgell (Cruella, Paddington 2) provided location masterclasses and ran the trainees through tasks, set etiquette and details of working on production. Producer Laura Rees hosted a panel discussion with production managers Emma Mallett, Joanne Dixon, Katherine Tibbetts and Tom Ormerod who spoke about the importance of trainees within the industry and offered valuable advice.

The following weekend’s sessions focused on departmental specifics offering access to Oscar, BAFTA and Emmy-winning heads of departments, a chance for each trainee to ask direct questions and hear the HODs’ first-hand experiences with their chosen craft.

Speakers included: Chris Munro (production sound mixer), Camilla Stephenson (location manager), Chris Carreras (assistant director), Naomi Donne (make-up designer), Steven Hall (director of photography), Jane Petrie (costume designer), Mark Everson (editor), Maria Djurkovic (production designer), Michael Mann (production manager), El West and Kar Walker (accounts), Bob & Alex Bridges (video assistants), Teresa Orlando (assistant director), Sandra Phillips (art director), Beth Gillman (costume), Phillip Chambrin (production coordinator), Cei Frampton (sound), Musonda Chola (assistant location manager ), Anna Koronkiewicz (assistant editor), Claire Anne Williams (hair and make-up) and  Heather Crompton (focus puller).

The trainees are now ready to be placed on production across a range of roles.

For more information and to offer a placement, which is subsidised by ScreenSkills, contact Celia.