Kirklees College students produce hard-hitting short films as part of Work Experience Programme with Film Buddy

Kirklees College(@kirkleescollege) is a proud partner of Film Buddy, a work experience company endorsed by the BFI in its 2022 Skills Report. With direct links to the Film and TV industry and sessions delivered by industry professionals, Film Buddy offers a training experience to Kirklees College students like no other.

As part of their Work Experience Programme, Creative Industries students at Kirklees College have partnered with Film Buddy on a number of projects. Most recently, Performing Arts and Media students at the college collaborated on a live brief with Film Buddy to produce four short films documenting different cases of sexual harassment to raise awareness of the college’s ongoing ‘Call It Out’ campaign. The campaign, which was originally launched in collaboration with the West Yorkshire Combined Authority and Kirklees College Students’ Union, aims to encourage staff and students to call out misogyny and sexual harassment when they see it. 

The campaign aims to address behaviour and attitudes which, if gone unchallenged, could lead to violence against women. Through this, the college aims to create a culture of being an upstander instead of a bystander. Each of the short films produced by the students focuses on a different scenario and calls on young people to challenge their friends when they are acting inappropriately, or pressuring their peers into sexual situations they are not comfortable with.

Emma Crosland, the Work Experience Supervisor who manages the college’s partnership with Film Buddy and supplied the live brief, commented:

“Every time we work with Film Buddy the students gain valuable experience that they wouldn’t get in a classroom. Throughout our partnership we have produced a number of pieces, including music videos and short films, that the students are then able to add to their CVs to showcase their industry experience to employers.”

Speaking about the student’s input, Media tutors Jon Salmon and Stewart Jackson said: 

“This project has given our Level 3 Media students a great opportunity to undertake industry roles relevant to the course they are studying. We have been able to teach techniques and skills, and they have then applied it to the brief. Having a partnership with Film Buddy is invaluable to students, they have gained an insight into industry standards with regards to film shots, RECCE days, as well as how to use lighting and sound effectively.”

Ben Sweet, founder of Film Buddy, also celebrated the student’s achievements, saying:

“Film Buddy provides a professional platform for aspiring student filmmakers to gain practical experience under the mentorship of industry professionals.

Through our collaborative partnership with Kirklees College, we have created an opportunity to produce a series of impactful films addressing the issues of misogyny and female harassment, which is in line with our commitment to connecting students to their communities and conveying important messages.

The students gained valuable filmmaking skills, while instilling in them a sense of responsibility in addressing societal challenges. Their sensitive approach to the project and continued skill development resulted in a fantastic series of films that they should all be very proud of.”

This partnership with Film Buddy is part of Kirklees College’s Work Experience Programme. The college has a unique Employability Pledge that sees all students interact with employers from their course industry built into their curriculum timetable. Within the Creative Industries, students also have chance to work with major employers such as Oxfam and work on creative briefs from various organisations, including the Dewsbury Town Board and local women’s charity Soroptimist International.