Clubs are out, Academies are in!

But why did we change the name?

Here in the UK we have a hugely successful screen arts industry. One few other countries can compare to. From leading actors to animation powerhouses and production facilities only matched in Hollywood, the UK has lead the world in screen entertainment for decades.

Yet there is little on offer to introduce children in the UK to the huge opportunities on their doorstep. Ciné Schools is determined to change that, to inspire and encourage the next generation of filmmakers, producers, location managers, costume designers, actors, to name but a few. This is why Ciné Schools was born and this is why this term we are transitioning from school Film Clubs to Film Academies.

“I was very fortunate to be able to follow a career in the screen arts, creating films for brands and individuals after leaving Film School,” said George Young, Founder of Ciné Schools. “However, it wasn’t until I had left school that I was able to uncover all these opportunities, more through who I knew than what I had studied. By introducing filmmaking at the age of 8 and supporting youngsters through their primary and secondary education by providing an opportunity to be involved in making films, we hope that we can inspire many more to study media, film or filmmaking and to aspire to a career in the screen arts, bolstering the industry we have in this country and enabling it to continue to thrive on the world stage.”

In support of this ambition, the Film Clubs at the schools we partner with will now all become Film Academies. Working closely with the British Film Institute (BFI) Ciné Schools has developed a curriculum and certification programme that will enable us to award the young filmmakers with a Certificate in Understanding Filmmaking. The students will need to complete three terms and take on a variety of roles during the academic year in order to be awarded their certificate.

Further qualifications will build on the first year. Students can start this journey in any year and even in any term, as long as they are a member of a school Film Academy.

This is a first of its kind programme and Ciné Schools will continue to extend what it offers alongside the BFI and in collaboration with some of UK screen arts most successful individuals.