Screen and Film School Birmingham set to open in Digbeth in September

Birmingham’s new film school is to provide practically led, industry-focused specialist degree courses designed to enable up and coming filmmakers to flourish as they access the creative sector.

Rated as a top 10 UK Film School, Birmingham’s sister school – Screen and Film School Brighton has spent the last 15 years turning passionate filmmakers into industry professionals. Screen and Film School Birmingham is aiming to bring these same opportunities to the new Midlands campus.

Screen and Film School’s bespoke combination of practical courses, high-tech facilities, industry placements, masterclasses, live project briefs and site visits provide students with an understanding of how to operate and thrive in the film industry.

Screen and Film School Birmingham is building outreach initiatives with local schools and FE colleges and has already formed meaningful partnerships with media companies including Optomen, North One Television, Early Day Films, and Daniel Alexander Films.

Part of the BIMM Group of colleges, Screen and Film School Birmingham, is opening its specialist facilities at Rea Studios on Floodgate Street in Digbeth. Situated directly opposite the successfully established BIMM Birmingham music college, Screen and Film School Birmingham will share premises with a new Midlands based Performers College for budding performing arts practitioners. The proximity of all three BIMM Group colleges will enable meaningful creative collaborations between the screen and film, music and performing arts cohorts.

The building will have two purpose-built film studios, a screening room, seven fully kitted edit suites, each with industry-standard software such as Avid, Adobe Suite, DaVinci Resolve Studio and Final Cut X. There will also be two mac rooms and an open plan communal reception area, providing everything students will need to succeed creatively. Students will be stepping directly into the industry from day one of their undergraduate degree course.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sports has revealed that by 2019, the creative industries had contributed £115.9bn gross value to the UK economy, second only to the digital sector – and more than the aerospace, automotive and life sciences sectors combined. To meet the demand for industry-ready graduates in the creative sector, Screen and Film School Birmingham will offer a BA (Hons) Filmmaking Degree course and the additional opportunity to join the final year of the BA (Hons) Filmmaking degree through a top-up route starting this September for young people who want a specialist film school experience in their last year of study.

CEO and head of institution for the BIMM Group, Adam Carswell, said: “While the recent pandemic has brought many challenges, it has also demonstrated the agility and resilience of the creative industries. With the ever-growing opportunities in the sector, there’s never been a better time to be a student or practitioner in today’s diverse, creative and world-leading industry.”

Executive principal of Screen and Film School, Dara Kilkenny, added: “Screen and Film School students are equipped with so many advantages. As with all BIMM colleges, our film students are taught by current industry professionals, and many well-known faces lead regular masterclasses offering a truly specialist insight into the industry’s wide-ranging and exciting opportunities.”

Screen and Film School Birmingham’s principal Hannah Stevenson said she felt highly privileged to shape and influence the next generation of filmmakers in the region. She said: “Our courses are 70% practical, and the industry focus means our students can hit the ground running as they begin their careers. I’m hoping students find their creative families, the peers they shall inevitably grow with, create with, and possibly set up companies with in the city.”

Birmingham is arising as one of the country’s most exciting, emerging hotspots for the creative industries. The film and TV industry is already forging links with Hollywood and Netflix alongside homegrown companies such as ITV and the BBC. A planned film studio development led by Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight – will be located a short distance from the Screen and Film School in the Digbeth area.

Screen and Film School will provide a bespoke combination of practical courses, high-tech facilities, industry placements, masterclasses, live project briefs and site visits.