Chancellor visits film & tv academy as over 40,000 jobs in the sector supported by government scheme

@RishiSunak sees how young people are gaining the skills they need to get into careers in film & tv 

Talented young people seeking careers in the creative industries were given a boost today with new figures showing more than 41,000 jobs and close to 450 productions have been supported by the Government’s Film & TV Production Restart Scheme.

The Chancellor marked the figures with a visit to the London Screen Academy, a Free School for 16-19-year olds wanting to work in the film and TV industry.

The school gives students from all backgrounds the opportunity to go on to excel in screen industries, having achieved the UAL Level 3 Extended Diploma (equivalent to three A-Levels).

During the tour, the Chancellor saw how young people are gaining the skills they need to get into work in an industry the government has supported through the pandemic. He met students working for their end of year projects and saw some filming, hair and make up practice, costume design and postproduction editing.

He also met the Principal Charlie Kennard, and three of the founders of the school, Eric Fellner, Tim Bevan and David Heyman, who have each produced some of the UK’s favourite movies – such as the Harry Potter and Bridget Jones films, Love Actually, Paddington, Billy Elliot, and Four Weddings and a Funeral.Potter and Bridget Jones films, Love Actually, Paddington, Billy Elliot, and Four Weddings and a Funeral.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak said:

“We know that young people have been hit especially hard by the crisis. That’s why we made them the focus of our Plan for Jobs, which is supporting thousands of young people to find new jobs through schemes like Kickstart, and our £3000 cash incentive for employers to take on more apprentices.

“It was great to see so many talented young people here today at the London Screen Academy getting the practical skills they need to get on the career ladder in an industry we have supported through the pandemic.

“With over 41,000 jobs protected through our Film & TV Restart scheme and flexi-apprenticeships announced at Budget I’m confident that there is an even brighter future ahead for the UK’s film and TV industry.”

The £500 million Film & TV Production Restart Scheme was launched in October 2020, to support productions across the country that have been halted or delayed by an inability to obtain insurance for Covid-19 related risks. In March 2021, the government extended the scheme to the end of 2021 to enable the screen sector to operate throughout the year.

And to ensure people can enjoy these productions on the big screen as restrictions ease, more than 200 independent cinemas have received a cash boost of over £27m from the Government’s Cultural Recovery Fund – with 80% of this funding going to cinemas outside London, from Penrith to Penzance.

‘Flexi-job’ apprenticeship programme

Later in the summer companies will be able start bidding for money from a £7m fund to take part in the new ‘flexi-job’ apprenticeship programme. New agencies will be created which will allow apprentices to work with several employers in one sector. This could be particularly helpful for people starting a career the creative sector, like film and TV, where short-term contracts are more common.

Through its Plan for Jobs the government is focused on giving young people the best chance of staying in, or getting into, work. Through schemes like Kickstart, the £3000 cash incentive for employers to take on more apprentices, tripling the scale of traineeships, and helping unemployed people through the Job Entry Targeted Scheme and Restart Schemes, the government is creating new opportunities and protecting the livelihoods of young people from all backgrounds as the country rebuilds and recover from the pandemic.

LSA is a London based, sixth form academy for students aged 16-19 years old, founded by 6 UK film producers – Tim Bevan & Eric Fellner (Working Title Productions), Lisa Bryer, David Heyman (Harry Potter, Paddington), Barbara Broccoli & Michael Wilson (EON productions / James Bond Films). LSA opened in September 2019 to a cohort of 310 students and since welcoming their second cohort in September 2020 there are now 591 students at the school.