Sara Missaghian-Schirazi on joining the Film Forward programme

Current role: development producer/director

Film Forward role: team support in virtual production

Development Producer and Director Sara Missaghian-Schirazi joins the Film Forward programme with a wealth of prior experience working across digital and broadcast projects. Having specialised in developing and delivering innovative content for emerging audiences and platforms, the Glasgow local now looks forward to furthering her skills through the Film Skills Fund initiative.

Based on the existing Film Forward programme, this year’s iteration, launched in partnership with The Adobe Foundation, is designed to support mid-level deaf, disabled and neurodivergent professionals through a four-week paid placement and guided coaching. With her placement confirmed she’s excited to receive “hands-on experience of a full virtual production project cycle with the highly experienced and creative team at Final Pixel.”

She explained how the position with the virtual production specialists will help further her career: “Film Forward is an incredible opportunity to put my training in Unreal Engine and Virtual Production into action on a live project, experience that will open up new avenues to work with companies expanding into the sector."

She joins a five-strong cohort of candidates who will receive the opportunity to progress their careers through the programme. Its focus on providing viable and accessible pathways for disabled professionals was a big pull for Sara applying to take part: “Navigating a career in the creative industries is difficult for all freelancers, even more so for those of us facing barriers to progression due to inaccessible workplaces”, something she says is noticeable by “the stark underrepresentation of disabled people working behind the camera in the UK screen industries - 6%  compared to 18% of the general population."

It's an issue Sara is passionate about, evident in her position on the Scottish Football Association Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Board and broadcast credits for The Assembly (ITV) and The Paris Paralympics (Channel 4). Now, as a member of the Film Forward programme, she sees it as an opportunity for progress – not just for her own career, but for the wider screen industry: “Film Forward is an essential stepping stone towards equity, facilitating collaboration between outstanding companies and disabled talent to dismantle the mid-level career ceiling.”