Young wannabe movie-makers have been invited to join training courses run by the BFI Film Academy to carve out careers in how to produce films and documentaries.

East London Advertiser: Getting camera technique right... young hopeful on a BFI Film Academy courseGetting camera technique right... young hopeful on a BFI Film Academy course (Image: BFI)

The intensive courses, now in their fourth year, help talented youngsters aged 16 to 19 develop specialist skills.

These include scriptwriting and directing, production design, sound recording and mixing, editing and cinematography.

The courses are designed to bring young talent into Britain’s film industry, with one-off opportunities to develop commercial and cultural knowledge and skills to help establish a career.

Those who get on the courses work with professionals who are respected practitioners in their field.

“It’s important to nurture the gifted and talented, because the future of our industry depends on them,” BFI chief executive Amanda Nevill said.

“We are able to help open doors with opportunities for the next talented generation, providing a springboard to careers in film and allied industries.”

Applications are currently open for the Craft Skills course which are held in the spring, although the deadline for the next Specialist programmes on animation, documentary, screenwriting or VFX held in February has passed.

The Craft Skills residential course still open to applicants is run by the National Film & Television School.

It is being held during the Easter holidays from March 28 to April 8 for 66 “most promising” young filmmakers. The fee is £99 including meals and accommodation, but not travel.

Previous Film Academy courses have included master-classes by directors Edgar Wright (Hot Fuzz, The World’s End), Ken Loach (The Angels’ Share, The Wind That Shakes The Barley) and Asif Kapadia (Amy, Senna), and actor Riz Ahmed (Nightcrawler, Four Lions).

BFI Film Academy offers bursaries to help those in need with costs, including travel and childcare, ensuring it is open to as diverse a range of young people as possible.

Applicants for the Craft Skills course can go online at the BFI website.