ScreenSkills in the Nations: Spotlight on Scotland

You can’t make great film and TV without investing in the people. That's why ScreenSkills Skills Funds work closely with industry across the UK to deliver training, resources, and opportunities to crew in the Nations and regions.

ScreenSkills is committed to supporting the screen workforce across the UK. A range of training programmes, events, courses and opportunities are made available to those looking to start or progress within their career, investing in the development of the industry’s talent.

We’re taking a closer look at some of the investments made in the nations and the training put in place to help develop the area’s workforce. This month we’re focusing on ScreenSkills support and activity in Scotland.

High-end TV

Last year, we brought together some of Scotland's HETV industry members and production crew to celebrate 10 years of the HETV Fund supporting Scottish crew. Shetland producer, Louise Say, joined STV's Sarah Brown, Karen Pirie producer, Clare Kerr and Vigil 2 producer Marcus Wilson.

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Since April 2021, the ScreenSkills HETV Skills Fund has supported 48 productions in Scotland including Outlander, Lockerbie, Vigil, The Rig, Screw, Shetland and Succession.

Watch the video below to learn how the Fund has invested in the workforce in Scotland.

 

Contributions to the HETV Skills Fund from Outlander S8 and Blood of My Blood enabled 23 people in Scotland to start and progress their HETV careers across eight training programmes developed by ScreenSkills. This includes new entrant initiatives First Break and Trainee Finder as well as progression programmes Make a Move and Leaders of Tomorrow and grade shortage initiatives.

In addition, the HETV Skills Fund partners with Screen Scotland for the Outlander Training Programme, giving new entrants hands-on experience on Scotland's longest-running show. Running through eight series, the programme has trained 170 people with top industry professionals.

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Investments in programmes like these are shaped by industry professionals who make up the Fund's Skills Council and specific Working Groups. Line producer Penny Davies is part of the ScreenSkills HETV Scotland Working Group and is a central figure in the Fund's commissioning process.

She said: "Being on the ScreenSkills HETV Working Group for Scotland is a fantastic opportunity to discuss allocating funds where they're needed most. This targeted approach is invaluable, and one I appreciate being part of. One way that both me and my production team have benefitted is through the Make a Move programme. Everyone deserves tailored support when they take on new responsibilities. Make a Move allows a production to put in place exactly what that person will need to succeed in their new role."

Another programme commissioned by the Working Group was training for hair and make-up artists to work with textured hair and make-up for medium to deep skin tones.

Delivered by BLCKSTR, ScreenSkills Leader of Tomorrow, Annie Little, alongside Nic Collins and Calma Ritchie-Polack, the course aims to tackle skill shortage areas and address unconscious bias in the industry. 34 high-end TV hair and make-up professionals from Northern Ireland and Scotland were trained by BLCKSTR in Glasgow and the course is being recommissioned for the autumn.

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Unscripted TV

In May The Big Connection returned to Scotland. Funded by the ScreenSkills Unscripted TV Skills Fund in partnership with RTS Scotland, it brought together mid-senior freelancers in unscripted TV with leading production companies in the nation.

The event featured a panel discussion on the industry's downturn and future hopes, followed by speed networking, pizza, drinks, and further opportunities to network with the aim of local professionals and new entrants forging new relationships and working connections.

The Unscripted TV Skills Fund partners with industry in Scotland to help develop the Scottish unscripted TV sector. In 2023/24, it supported placements and training for production assistants, development assistants, edit assistants and junior editors with companies like Firecrest Films, Tuesdays Child TV, BBC Studios, Ricochet, Hopscotch UK and more, with some placements extending into 2024/25. 

“The Junior Editor Programme gave me confidence to keep pushing to try and become an editor, and being able to put the course on my CV feels like it’s helped. I now feel confident to ask to do pre edits on my current production and to keep pushing to ask for new opportunities – I have a few bits of editing coming up in the pipeline that I’m very excited about!”

Film

In the film world, we turn the spotlight to Harvest. Adapted from Jim Crace's novel and filmed entirely on location in Oban and the Western Highlands, is one of eight productions that contributed to the Film Skills Fund that will feature at this year’s Venice and Toronto Film Festivals, two of the biggest and most celebrated in the world.

Through Film Trainee Finder, the flagship new entrant paid placement programme, the Film Skills Fund supported a number of trainee placements on Harvest, with two trainees in the camera department, one in production, and another in costume, helping those in Scotland receive an early taste of film production work on a large scale.

Children's TV and Animation

Opportunities for those looking to enter the world of children's TV and animation are provided through the support of the Children's TV and Animation Skills Fund. 

Alain Muitjima was part of the Trainee Finder programme, saying: "I started my TV journey at the City of Glasgow College. During this time I heard about ScreenSkills, which gave me access to online training that I now know is crucial to the industry. I later found out about Trainee Finder. At first, I wasn’t going to apply, but when I heard people in the industry talk about how they look for employees on Trainee Finder, I ran to my computer to apply. It was the best choice I have made because now I work on an amazing kids show for the CBBC. I also get to slime a lot of people!"

In addition to Trainee Finder, new entrant initiative Dream Big! provides those taking their first steps in the sector with their first job in children’s TV through paid placements at a range of leading production companies.

This year, both Funds will support the programme with Scottish animation studio Wild Child Animation joining as a partnering production company.