Screen industry skills boost for the North
North screen alliance reports back on its mission to power up careers in film and TV
More than 6,000 people across the North of England have benefitted from Screen Alliance North’s training and events in just their second year of activity, according to new figures released by the partnership.
Formed in April 2023, Screen Alliance North brings together Liverpool Film Office, North East Screen, Screen Manchester and Screen Yorkshire. Backed by the BFI through National Lottery funding, the skills cluster aims to tackle industry shortages while making careers in film and TV more accessible to people from all backgrounds.
Almost 10,000 people attended events delivered by the partnership this year, with nearly 400 activities taking place - from bootcamps and training sessions to shadowing placements and on-the-job learning.
The work has reached a broad range of people, with 48% of trainees identifying as disabled, 28% as LGBTQ+, and 24% coming from low socio-economic backgrounds.
Speaking on behalf of the Alliance, Alison Gwynn, chief executive of North East Screen, said: “We’re committed to ensuring that opportunity is not determined by postcode or class, and that the north is not just a place where productions are made, but where careers are built and sustained.
“This year we’ve built strong new connections and developed existing relationships, working with stakeholders and collaborating with employers, to create 100’s of meaningful opportunities for people across the North and are proud of what we have achieved.”
Looking ahead, the partnership is already delivering its third year of activity while planning future funding possibilities.
“As the agencies have worked more strongly together, the cluster has evolved and we feel the strength of our partnership is benefitting productions and crew as well as making the industry more accessible for new entrants from all backgrounds.
“We know what’s happening in our individual regions so together we have a very strong position and can support each other. We want to make a big difference to the industry and collectively we can achieve that in a sustainable way that grows production in the North.”