Second Light is now up and running. Our Second Light Delivery Partners between them have identified a talented, enthusiastic and ambitious group of young people who are passionate about careers in the film industry.

In February, we bought the trainees from Bristol, Glasgow and London together in the iconic setting of Pinewood Studios. This was the first time the Second Light cohort had met each other and it provided them with their first high profile experience of professional networking, as well as being given a tour of one of the world’s most well known film studios and gaining exclusive, behind-the-scenes access to some of the prolific film sets.

They had the opportunity to hear from not only Bond producer Barbara Broccoli and Callum McDougall (Bond executive producer), but also had the chance to hear and meet with Kate Gerova (Head of Distribution) Soda Pictures; Aubrey Day (Editor-in-Chief) Total Film; HR & Development Advisor, Hanna Price from Framestore, Ben Foakes (Founder and Director), Sequence Post, Robin O’Donoghue, Pinewood’s Strategic Advisor – Sound Post Production, Pinewood Studios Group Chairman, Michael Grade and Alby James, a professional script consultant and tutor for emerging talent.

Feedback from the trainees about the event has been tremendous. Longwa Yosem (Second Light London), when quizzed with, “Which speaker did you find most inspirational and why?” replied:

I found the talk from Alby James extremely influential particularly because of the passion he expressed for Drama & Storytelling which are areas I am fond of. The success he managed through his career allowed him to put the experiences he gained to positive use by supporting emerging writers which gives me confidence that there are people such as Alby who can assist my development further in my career. He emphasised the importance of utilising the opportunity of this scheme, citing that, ‘if you think it’s difficult for ethnic minorities to break into the industry now, think how hard it must have been for me!’