January Newsletter

A very warm welcome to our first newsletter of 2022! We are positive that this year will be an even better one than 2021, with more plans in place to expand the work we carry out in Wales. With multiple projects on the horizon, as well as more school visits, career’s cafes and free workshops, we can’t wait to get started.   

Firstly, if you haven’t done so already, we would like to encourage you to create a profile on our website (here). This is an incredible place to showcase and credits, skills and links to previous work. It also keeps you up to date with all vacancies that we advertise and automatically signs you up to our newsletter. If you already have an account on our directory, do make sure to keep all your details updated with you most up to date information

Vacancies As always, we would like to start off by highlighting all the opportunities that are currently available over on our vacancies page. This is regularly updated, so make sure to keep checking the page on our website here. Now is such a great time to explore the varied roles that are on offer to join the booming Film and TV industry in Wales.

We currently have some VERY exciting opportunities for people looking for their first opportunity in the industry on a fantastic, South Wales based production. They are looking for a Camera Trainee, a Make up Trainee and a Costume Trainee and they are not asking for previous experience so this is a perfect foot in the door for anyone with a passion to break into the industry. The same production is also looking for the more experienced roles of a Production Coordinator and Make up Artist.  Be sure to get in quickly as these are closing soon.

We also have the following exciting opportunities available as well:

· Boom Cymru are looking for a Development Researcher to join their Development team

· Any Effects are currently seeking a Senior SFX Technician

· The Kickstart Scheme have 2 great opportunities for people aged 16-24 and claiming Universal Credit.

o   Catering Trainee and Technical Trainee

· Taliesan Arts Centre is looking for a technician to join their technical team

· Wales Millennium Centre have multiple positions available including:

o   Financial Accountant, Financial Officer and Finance Assistant

· Facilities by ADF require a Sales Administration Assistant

· Gorilla are looking for multiple roles for their new Bristol facility

o Post Producer / Bookings co-ordinator.

o Avid Engineer

o Technical Operator / Avid Assistant

o Junior assistant/runner

Sponsors and Supporters

The work we carry out is only made possible by the fantastic contributions from our wonderful Sponsors and Supporters. Here’s what they have been up to this month…

Bad Wolf – The third season of international hit A Discovery of Witches is currently on Sky Max! The Bad Wolf show has received great reviews and continues to keep viewers hooked. With many more exciting projects still to come, 2022 is certainly going to be an incredible year for Bad Wolf.  

University of South Wales have recently held open days for prospective students, advertising all the incredible courses they have on offer. With so many departments and faculties speaking face to face with attendees, we are certain they will make the right choice in joining this amazing establishment.

Facilities by ADF have shared the incredibly exciting news that their company are now listed on the London stock exchange! This news is not only fantastic for everyone at ADF but is also a huge boost for the film and TV industry in this country. Their services are vital for a multitude of productions, without which they could not be created. The funds raised will provide brand new equipment and facilities and will prove the quality of each production. Congratulations! They were even featured in the most recent Mail on Sunday. You can read this article here.

Gorilla are gearing up for their new boutique facility in Bristol’s Finzel Reach! As well as offline suites, colour grading, online and Audio finishing, there will also be remote Avid’s and a link to our 24/7 Cardiff HQ. To stay up to date with everything Gorilla are up to, click here.

Ysgol Pen-y-Bryn have been incredibly busy with their Harry Potter film project! The pupils working on the project are looking to launch the completed film at the end of the spring term 2022 and will feature the Key Stage 4 learners taking on the main acting roles in the project, with the rest of the Key Stages supporting them by creating props and sets, music and special effects.

Wales Documentary Support Network

Screen Alliance Wales have teamed up with WHEEST films to create a brand-new venture, The Wales Documentary Support Network. With funding from the BFI Doc Society Fund, the Wales Documentary Support Network is a multi-stage project comprising on-line and face to-face activities designed to identify, support, engage, elevate and educate the existing cohort of documentary filmmakers in Wales, as well as encourage new documentary enthusiasts into the industry too. In addition, the Wales Documentary Support Network will also seek to offer support, encouragement and opportunities via bespoke inclusive workshops to targeted cohorts of the underserved communities within Wales looking to engage in the world of documentary filmmaking.

If this is something that could be of interest to you, simply add ‘Documentary’ and/or ‘Factual Filmmaking’ in the ‘Skills’ section of your Screen Alliance Wales profile.

Career’s Café

On this month’s Careers Café we were joined by Tom Thorpe, Production Coordinator from Eleven Film. Eleven Film are the production company behind some of the most popular shows on television; including The Enfield Haunting, True Horror and the international Netflix hit Sex Education. In his session, Tom discussed his journey from university to working on Sex Education.

In February’s Careers Café we will be welcoming Emma Pritchard, a Fashion Stylist who has worked with some of the biggest names in the industry – from Lily James to Gemma Chan. Originally from Pontypool, Emma now works in New York and is one of the leading figures in her field, using her expertise for on commercials and red carpet events. Stay tuned on our social media channels for info about booking onto this free session. This will also be posted on our events page here.

CIPPcast

In collaboration with University of South Wales, the CIPPcast podcast aims to create engaging conversations between educators and the industry. The new curriculum in Wales aims to encourage creative practices within education, equipping pupils and students with a variety of transferable skills. In each episode, USW lecturer Steve Johnson, along with SAW’s own Sam, invite guests from both the education and media worlds to converse about the benefits of the new curriculum and how each side can assist the other in getting the message out about careers within the media. On this month’s episode, James and Gethin from Ysgol Pen-y-Bryn took time out to talk with us about the work they carry out at the incredible school in Swansea, and their exciting upcoming projects.

You can listen to episodes one, two and all future episodes of CIPPcast here.

Rhys leads Intro to Film making Session at WMC

Screen Alliance Wale’s very own Rhys visited the Wales Millennium Centre this month to lead an Introduction to Film Making Session for young carers from the YMCA in Swansea. He talked them through a number of factors to consider when creating films including typical series production costs, professional roles and camera angles. We will be working with the Wales Millennium Centre on a couple of projects like this, so watch this space for more.

Screen Alliance Wales ‘All of Wales’ in 2022

This year, our Welsh Language Training and Education Manager Rhys is setting out to hit a particular target - to deliver face-to-face workshop sessions in every Welsh Local Authority in 2022.  Read on to find out why he’s set this goal, and how educators across the country can get involved.

“When I started at Screen Alliance Wales, one of my goals in the first year was to promote opportunities in the TV and Film within the Welsh Language.  It was clear to me that from the start, the best way to do this would be to engage in parts of Wales where the language is most prevalent.  My intention was to reach out to North and West Wales, but then the Covid 19 pandemic happened. Over the last 12 months, I have started making inroads into this challenge, but in 2022 I want to make sure I reach every part of Wales”.

To read more about this venture, and to find out how your school can get involved, click here.

Don’t forget to follow us on our social media channels to keep up to date on all the latest news and vacancies. 

Twitter: @ScreenAllianceW /@SAWeducation

Instagram & Facebook: @ScreenAllianceWales