Charanprite Dhami on joining the Film Forward programme

Film Forward Step Up Role: 3rd/2nd crowd and 2nd assistant director in film

Charanprite grew up in Leeds and studied criminology to Master's level at the Universities of Teesside and Edinburgh, despite having always wanted to be in film – the result, she says, of growing up with strict parents of Indian origin who wanted her to have a “steady” career. But she was determined to follow her dream and eventually studied film-making at the Prague Film School.

After returning to the UK, it took her six years to get her break in the industry but she persevered, landing a job as production assistant on Francis Lee's Bafta-nominated God's Own Country, which won him a best directing award at Sundance and was filmed in Yorkshire.

“I didn't know anyone in film and there were lots of barriers,” she says, reflecting on the industry's lack of diversity at the time. “It's not as bad now as it used to be.  When I first started I was often the only person of colour on set but I'm now in more diverse spaces. The industry is making a conscious effort – whether on race or gender.

“But I understand that people like to work with people they have something in common with. I wouldn't necessarily go out for a drink after work, for instance - it's not my culture, it's not what I do - but for someone else it may be that they want to get home to their kids.”

She thinks the industry would benefit from more transparency in advertising jobs. “We need a proper place where people would go to find out what's available. Too often I have wondered how people found out about what's out there– were they in some secret WhatsApp group?” she says, laughing.

Charanprite draws on her own past in HR and working with the police and courts to suggest how things might change. “Generally, whenever change comes, it has to be imposed. People benefit from keeping the system as it is because they have been working in it for so long - or haven't worked anywhere else – so they don't realise what's wrong with it. But it is changing because there's a determination to change as a new generation comes through.”

She describes the Film Forward initiative as “exciting”, adding: “It's wonderful that it's giving people an opportunity to step up in a safe way, without being scared or intimidated by the move, and without getting stressed out. It's great that you have someone to ask about the job without feeling stupid.”

Having benefited from its Trainee Finder programme, Charanprite is a fan of ScreenSkills. “Being part of the ScreenSkills family has been wonderful, they have given me so many opportunities and to get involved in things.”  She has just completed the ScreenSkills Succeeding as a 2^nd AD in HETV and Film course. “We're so lucky to have this organisation, one that is passionate about having good training and advancing people's careers.”

She hopes that Film Forward will help her make more connections in the film industry and praises the mentorship of people like Richard Knight at Screen Yorkshire and line producer Matthew Hamilton - “both wonderful men who want to champion people”.

Charanprite describes herself as determined and willing to put great effort into “more training, networking, whatever it takes” to achieve her ambition which is to eventually to become a 1^st AD “when I'm ready to take on that responsibility”.

“I think Film Forward saw that those qualities were part of this journey I've been on. I've had to try to create my own opportunities, and I've worked hard to get to where I want to be.”