Film Forward 2025

Film Forward 2025 is designed to tackle the lack of representation of Deaf, Disabled and/or Neurodivergent professionals at mid to senior levels in virtual production, post production and VFX in the UK. The programme aims to give professionals the tools to progress to a more senior level in their careers by matching participants with at least three years’ of relevant experience with paid placements.

Film Forward is part of ScreenSkills Film Skills Fund's wider commitment to increasing and improving diversity and inclusion at every level of the film industry regardless of background or educational attainment, across the UK.

The programme will be delivered by ScreenSkills Film Skills Fund in partnership with the Adobe Foundation.

If you require an alternative format for the application, or have any questions about the programme, please contact us as soon as possible at film.team@screenskills.com 

Who it's for

• The programme is open to Deaf, Disabled and/or Neurodivergent professionals
• Professionals seeking the next step up in their career in their chosen field
• Professionals with at least 3 years’ experience in virtual production, post production, VFX or in a role with transferable skills

What it covers

Successful candidates will:

• be offered a four-week paid placement in a step-up role to support development
• experience and train alongside in-house crew, enabling them to apply for future positions at that level
• become a part of the department they are placed in and will receive an agreement/contract from the hiring company covering the placement period
• build and broaden their networks 
• access industry networking opportunities and introductions
• have industry press exposure

Please note that applying to Film Forward 2025 does not guarantee applicants an interview or a placement. We will match candidates from the Film Forward talent pool subject to shortlisting criteria, interviews and practical considerations.

Job roles for Film Forward placements:

We are advertising 10 potential roles in order to fill a maximum of five Film Forward, paid placements.

Please review the available roles and apply for the one that will help you take the next step in your career.

Bild Studios

• Unreal Engine operator

Final Pixel

• Virtual production stage technology and stage operation
• Unreal Engine artist in virtual production
• Team support in virtual production 
  

Framestore

• Senior CFX TD
• Senior animator

Molinare

• Digital imaging technician (DIT)
• Colour assist
• Notorious DIT - producer
• Post production manager

How to apply

You will need to have a ScreenSkills profile to apply for Film Forward. If you do not already have an account,  you will be prompted to create one. 

To apply for Film Forward 2025, click on the 'apply now' button.

Eligibility Criteria:

The programme is open to Deaf, Disabled and/or Neurodivergent professionsals who must:

• live in the UK  
• have evidence of the right to work in the UK   
• be over 18   
• be freelancers and not in permanent employment   
• currently work in a mid-level role  
• have a long-term aim to move up to a senior role

Applicants will be asked to explain their career journey and aims in their application. If shortlisted, candidates must provide two written references

Applicants must:

• Make themselves available for placements offered to them during their time on the programme  
• Be open and flexible to consider opportunities across the UK
• Make themselves available for press and PR opportunities during their time on the programme, if successfully offered a place on the Film Forward cohort.
• ensure their ScreenSkills profile is accurate
   

Judging information

ScreenSkills will shortlist applicants based on their application, ScreenSkills profile and CV.
  
Successful applicants will be invited to an interview over Zoom, with members of the Film Forward team and a relevant industry professional.   

If unsuccessful in getting to interview stage, please note that due to the volume of applications we receive, we will be unable to provide individual feedback.   

We anticipate that all candidates who will be invited to attend an interview will be notified by 28 February 2025.    

Due to the high demand for places, we reserve the right to take into account the previous support you have received from the Film Skills Fund as we wish to ensure our funding supports as many mid-level crew as possible.  

Film Forward is open to Deaf, Disabled and/or Neurodivergent professionals with over 3 years of relevant experience in their chosen field.  So that we can comply with our reporting obligations, appropriately monitor our data and inform our recruitment decisions in relation to positive action, you are requested to provide this information on your ScreenSkills profile, which will be treated in the strictest confidence.  We will ask for explicit consent of this on the application.

As this is a targeted programme to address historic under-representation in the industry, please ensure your profile is accurate and up to date.

ScreenSkills is committed to diversity and equality of opportunity in all aspects of its work.  All applicants are judged solely on their ability to do the placement for which they are applying. We consider that this positive action would be a proportionate means of achieving our legitimate aim, namely to improve diversity in the industry, and is compliant with the Equality Act 2010.

Any questions regarding eligibility for the Film Forward programme, or objections to the use of individual diversity information as part of the programme, can be forwarded to film.team@screenskills.com.

If you require an alternative format for the application, or have any questions about the programme, please contact us as soon as possible at film.team@screenskills.com 

Applications close at 17:00 on 6 February 2025 

Contact information

Name: Naomi Joseph
Email: film.team@screenskills.com