Skills Bootcamp: BFI Film Academy Course

We teamed up with FACT in Liverpool, the UK’s leading organisation for the support and exhibition of art, film and new media, to develop a British Film Institute Film Academy course.

Entering the film industry may sound incredible, but it can also feel like an impossible task, especially for those with little prior knowledge or skills. The result is that many people with talent simply don’t enter the industry. That’s why our Institute for Creative Enterprise (ICE) teamed up with FACT. Keen to make filmmaking accessible to anyone with talent, we created a pathway into the industry for aspiring filmmakers, regardless of their background. Aimed at 16-19 year olds in the Northwest, the course takes the form of a 10 week skills bootcamp. And with a course fee of just £25, and bursaries available for those who needed financial support, we aimed to make the course accessible to all.

Under the guidance of our film experts, the hands-on course builds practical knowledge and skills and allows students to explore their own creativity within a supportive and dynamic environment. The programme is ideal for those with a passion for film, and develops an understanding of screenwriting, cinematography, sound, directing, production, and editing. Working alongside seasoned professionals from within the industry, students really do gain invaluable experience. Upon completion, students are awarded a BFI/Screen Skills NCFE ‘Preparing to Work in the Film Industry’ qualification. The course provides the perfect opportunity to take the first steps into the creative industry, or even explore the possibility of going into further or higher education to learn more.

The course builds upon programmes where ICE have already seen success, such as a government-funded Kickstart scheme, dubbed 21 Media, that helped to create jobs for 16-24 year olds on Universal Credit. Those attending the programme worked on Hamlet Within which premiered at Cannes Film Festival in 2022. The Ferryman, a short film written and directed by a group of people on the 21 Media programme, was also screened at Oakville Film Festival in Ontario, Canada. Supporting and fostering talent via these programmes really does open up incredible new opportunities – for those on the programme and the wider film industry.

“ICE and FACT are dedicated to making film accessible to all, no matter their background or previous experience.“

Professor Martin McQuillan, Director of ICE