We are delighted to announce the launch of the Film&Media Saturday Club in 2021-22. This dynamic programme will be a new addition to the National Saturday Club’s existing subjects: Art&Design, Fashion&Business, Science&Engineering and Writing&Talking.

In this first year, the Club will be supported by the British Film Institute (BFI) through the DCMS Youth Accelerator Fund and National Lottery funding. The Film&Media Saturday Club will celebrate and explore the breadth of film and screen from production, editing and sound design to VFX, scripting and animation. Club members will develop practical and technical skills across filming, editing, sound, and lighting, as well as key transferable skills such as problem-solving, persistence, and collaboration.

Hosted by universities and colleges across the UK, the Club will bring the film and screen industries to life, creating the perfect space for young people to discover the burgeoning opportunities in this rapidly growing sector and the opportunities for study in further and higher education. Industry experts and professional tutors will guide Club members through the programme, developing their skills, building their confidence and sparking their imagination.

On the launch of this new subject, Saturday Club Trust Chief Executive Lucy Kennedy said “We are delighted to be launching a Film&Media Saturday Club at a moment when the British film and screen industries are thriving and opening up a myriad of exciting opportunities to young people. It is a crucial time for FEIs, HEIs and industry to nurture future talent from all backgrounds and communities, to ensure a dynamic and diverse future for the UK film and screen sector. We’re very grateful to the BFI for their support of this first year of the programme through the DCMS Youth Accelerator and National Lottery Funding.” 

Leigh Adams, Director of Education and Learning at the BFI, said: “Investing in, and supporting, entry level grass-roots level education and training is essential for the future growth and sustainability of the screen industries. Working in conjunction with the brilliant National Saturday Club and a range of geographically dispersed FEI’s and HEI’s we will help open up opportunity and increase access, which will help to inspire young learners and the next generation of filmmakers.”

In 2021-22 the Film&Media programme will launch with several Saturday Clubs across the country, hosted by National Saturday Club partners including: Banbury and Bicester College, Cambridge School of Creative Industries, Anglia Ruskin University, London Screen Academy, Manchester Metropolitan University, Reading College, University of Bedfordshire, University of Salford and University of Wolverhampton.

Barking & Dagenham College piloted the Film&Media Club in 2020-21 and Yvonne Kelly, the College’s Principal and CEO said “The film and screen industries offer an exciting and real opportunity for young people of all backgrounds. Investment in the industry is rising and despite a pandemic, over £2.84 billion was spent in the UK for film and high-end TV production* with investment in the industry set to increase. East London in particular right now is a great place for young people who are interested in the business. With new film studios being built close by, new facilities at our College and a growing UK wide industry, now really is the time to consider it as a career choice. The key though is to attract new talent to ensure we have people with the right skills to meet the growing demand and provide an understanding of the huge range of jobs available within the industry. That’s why we are excited to be the first to pilot the Film&Media subject within our National Saturday Club programme. This is a chance to really showcase the fantastic opportunities out there for young people wanting to enter the industry.”

*UK Film | Facts and Stats (weareukfilm.com) 

Image credit: London Screen Academy