Second Light – championing diversity

Second Light is a new talent development training scheme for young people. Through funding from the UK Film Council and Skillset, as part of A Bigger Future, the training and education strategy for the UK film industry, it will support young Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) filmmakers from across the UK.

Devised as a pilot production-based talent development scheme, it provides 30 young filmmakers with supported opportunities to move into the film industry. With the backing of industry partners including The Pinewood Studios Group and BAFTA, Second Light will give these young filmmakers bespoke training, work placements and mentor support over a sustained period of 18 months.

3 organisations, The Video College, Glasgow Media Access Centre and Calling the Shots Films have been selected by First Light as Second Light Delivery Partners and will each recruit 10 young people, aged 18-to-23 years, from BME backgrounds onto the scheme.

Second Light aims to:

• create new ladders of filmmaking opportunities for talented young filmmakers, through extended periods of engagement with organisations, to develop creative and technical filmmaking skills

• support the UK film industry’s efforts to develop an up to date, technically informed and diverse skilled workforce representative of the UK population

• broaden knowledge about work opportunities across the film value chain (development, pre-production, production, post-production, exhibition and distribution) and to provide developmental opportunities for participants to increase their chances of accessing new entrant film training schemes, HE/FE film industry related courses and gaining employment in the film industry.

Yen Yau, Project Manager, Second Light said, This is an exciting opportunity for First Light to support trainees who would otherwise not have access to this in-depth type of experience and development. The scheme is going to equip them with the skills, knowledge and understanding of the industry, which in turn will increase their chances of gaining entry to the film business and thereby contribute to the development of a more vibrant and representative UK film industry,

Second Light is a pilot and if you would like to go on a mailing list for future updates please email yen@firstlightonline.co.uk with Second Light Mailing List in the subject line.

October 2009