BFI Film Academy Short Course 2024/25
Aged 16-19 and looking to start a career in film? Sign up to the BFI Film Academy Short Course and become a part of the future of the film industry.
'I really enjoyed everything and there was such a range of speakers.' - BFI Film Academy Student
'It's made me realise that I can work in film' - BFI Film Academy Student
We are excited to announce that we will be delivering the BFI Film Academy Short Course programme for 2024/25
We are searching for 20 talented, enthusiastic and hard-working 16-19 years olds from the South Yorkshire region, to take part in this year’s prestigious BFI Film Academy at Showroom Cinema, Sheffield. We are particularly welcoming applications from those groups currently under-represented in the film industry.
The course is free to take part, and we have a generous bursary scheme that can cover the cost of any travel or access requirements to ensure that the programme is accessible as possible.
The course will run from Wednesday 6 November until Saturday 1 February, giving you the opportunity to develop professional skills, work with industry professionals and take your first step into the film industry. The course will run every Saturday with a break over the Christmas period.
Course Enquiries: [email protected]
About the BFI Film Academy
BFI Film Academy offers opportunities for ambitious 16-25 year olds, anywhere in the UK, to get to know more about film and how to forge a career in the screen industries.
Delivered at locations across the UK and supported by the Department for Education, National Lottery, Screen Scotland and Northern Ireland Screen introductory hands on filmmaking courses build knowledge and skills and show the different pathways into the industry. For talented and committed young people aged 16-19, short courses have an excellent track record of inspiring the next generation of filmmakers and crew. For more information about the BFI Film Academy and the Specialist Residential courses and to apply please click here.
We are proud members of the Yorkshire Consortium, offering BFI Film Academy Short Courses throughout Yorkshire and the Humber region. If you are 16-19 years old, based in Yorkshire and the Humber, and interested in applying but aren't based near South Yorkshire, you can also check out the following courses taking place in Leeds, Bradford and Scarborough: /cinema/bfi-academy-north
How do I apply?
The deadline for submissions this year is Wednesday 16 October.
What is involved?
By taking part in the BFI Film Academy, you will:
- Be immersed in all aspects of hands-on filmmaking which will help you to develop your practical knowledge and skills working alongside industry professionals who are respected practitioners in their field.
- Gain a real insight into the exciting world of cinema, equipping you with skills and experience that are essential to becoming part of our future film industry.
- Watch a range of cinema from British independent to specialised film.
- Work in teams on a practical film-based project spread across ten weeks. The films from last year will be screened at the Spirit of Independence Film Festival this year.
- Work towards a recognised qualification from NCFE.
- Become part of the BFI Film Academy Alumni and access exclusive opportunities, advice and professional development.
Who can apply?
To apply for the BFI Film Academy you must:
• Be aged 16–19 years old on the first day of the course
• Be based in South Yorkshire
• Have a passion or talent for filmmaking and an ambition to work in the film industry
• Be able to commit to the duration of the course (10 weeks, 9th November – 3rd February)
• Not currently be at university or enrolled at university when the course starts
Course dates
The course takes place on Saturdays and there will be an optional online session each Wednesday to work on and develop your short film project.
2024 - 2025 Course Dates
06/11/2024 - 01/02/2025
Wednesday 6th November 2024 (Timings TBC)
Saturday 9th November 2024 (09:15 - 15:15)
Saturday 16th November 2024 (09:15 - 15:15)
Saturday 23rd November 2024 (09:15 - 15:15)
Saturday 30th November 2024 (09:15 - 15:15)
Saturday 7th December 2024 (09:15 - 16:15)
Saturday 14th December 2024 (09:00 - 16:00)
Sunday 15th December 2024 (09:00 - 16:00)
Saturday 11th January 2025 (09:00 - 16:00)
Saturday 18th January 2025 (09:00 - 16:00)
Saturday 25th January 2025 (09:15 - 16:30)
Saturday 1st February 2025 (09:15 - 15:30)
The speakers - more TBC
Paul Fraser - Screenwriter & Director
(A Room For Romeo Brass, Once Upon A Time in The Midlands, Somers Town)
Paul is a screenwriter and director, best known for Dead Man’s Shoes, Heartlands, A Room For Romeo Brass and Somers Town. He has worked closely with Shane Meadows on various other projects, including a trilogy of films about their East Midlands hometown. He has also directed music videos for artists including the Arctic Monkeys, Tired Pony and PlanB. He makes commercials in the UK with Tomboy Films and Jumper Productions in Ireland. He also edits and advises on scripts, individually and in workshops, in the UK and around the world.
Sally Cancello – Director / Actress
(Fargate)
Sally Cancello is an award-winning actor, writer, director and producer based in Sheffield. Sally studied acting and theatre directing in London before progressing onto film. She started writing and filming her own comedy in 2014, going on to film 10 comedy shorts/sketches over the next 18 months. Sally entered The Funny Women Awards with her fifth short film "Time Again", which then won "Best Comedy Short". She continued to make comedy films on zero budget until she secured BFI Network funding for her current short film, "Fargate" (which had it's World Premiere at The Manchester Film Festival in March). She is currently working on a treatment for a comedy feature film (which also has development funding from the BFI Network) and is developing two ideas for TV.
Cat Marshall - Producer
(Everybody's Talking About Jamie, Warp Films, Screen Yorkshire)
With over 12 years film and TV experience, Cat (she/her) is responsible for building relationships with regional employers and incoming production to create work placement opportunities for alumni of Screen Yorkshire training programmes. She also works on delivering Screen Alliance North initiatives aimed at upskilling our screen workforce in the North. She works three days, and alongside her Screen Yorkshire role is also an independent producer as well as running training organisation Transforming Film.
Yen Yau - Training Specialist
(No Time To Die)
Yen Yau has over 20 years’ experience of working in the screen industries. Currently Director of Training Programmes for The Grierson Trust where she supports new entrants into factual TV, she also occasionally provides consultancy on film/TV careers. She worked on the latest Bond film, No Time To Die looking after its trainee scheme, and was Careers Manager for national film education charity, Into Film. She is a member of Create Central, the screen industry body for the West Midlands, and is a Board Trustee of the Centre for the Moving Image (incorporating Filmhouse & Edinburgh International Film Festival).
MORE SPEAKERS TBC
What our alumni say...
Taylor - BFI Film Academy Alumni
The BFI Film Academy was a fantastic opportunity because it helped me develop my film-making skills and learn more about the film industry. During the course, I made contact with like-minded creatives and found the guest speakers who contributed to the course incredibly informative. I really appreciated the opportunity to have my very first short film screened at the Showroom Cinema and the guidance we received from established local filmmakers was really helpful. The course provided a fantastic platform to share skillsets with others and a recent collaborative project with other BFI students led to my directing and producing a music video which was recently played on BBC Radio
Dylan - BFI Film Academy Alumni
The BFI Film Academy has been instrumental in developing my passion for filmmaking. Not only has it taught me the ins and outs of working in the film industry but it has opened many paths for me through career, networking, and mentorship opportunities. I would recommend the BFI Film Academy for anyone considering a future in the Film industry as a brilliant foundation to start from for young, amateur or intermediate filmmakers.
Holly - BFI Film Academy Alumni
The BFI Film Academy has been one of my most treasured experiences and I’m incredibly thankful for everything it has taught me and all of the people I have met because of it. I have learnt so much about working with new and bigger groups of people, entering the industry and it has really changed my perspective of the path I want to take with my career. It has been so much fun and such a rich, fulfilling learning experience that I will carry with me into my future. I am incredibly proud of everyone on the course for working so hard.