The Screen Manchester team recently traveled across Greater Manchester to visit several locations delivering workshops designed to highlight opportunities across various departments in the Film and Television industry.
We work in one of the UK’s leading production hubs, home to world-class local employers and productions. One of our driving forces is to open this world of opportunity to people who may have felt it was closed to them.
Along with Belinda Peach of Peachy Co we are collaborating with the DWP (Department of Work and Pensions) to introduce a range of potential employment opportunities in the Film and Television industry.
We visited job centres in Oldham, Altrincham, Prestwich, Didsbury, Salford and Worsley to reach anyone interested in exploring potential careers in this dynamic sector. We are very keen to speak to anyone, including school leavers, people returning to employment after a career break, and those looking to change track mid-career.
We always seek to emphasise that opportunities don’t stop with the obvious roles. It takes a lot more than actors, producers and directors to make a movie or TV series!
Opportunities exist to train as, for example, a production assistant, or to learn about and become an operator in lighting, sound, or camera. We discussed with attendees how their transferable skills and knowledge can adapt to the sector For example existing skills in hair, make-up, or costume could transfer from high street to film set?
Our aim is to bring these options to life in a way that makes them more realistic than they might seem.