CoSE:Y: UK Film & TV Craft Certificate Production Assistant (Scripted)

CoSE:Y: UK Film & TV Craft Certificate Production Assistant (Scripted)

Applications closed 6th February 2023

 

The UK’s film and television production sector boom continues in 2022, with a seemingly never-ending appetite for production crew across the UK.

This 5-month (March to July 2023) part time CoSE:Y Production Assistant Course is an in-depth programme to ready trainees for new entry positions in the production team of fiction feature films and high end television. The programme is designed to equip participants with the necessary foundational skills and knowledge to confidently enter the workplace, with a clear sense of what is expected of them.

How you will learn

This course is a combination of in person teaching, online seminars, coursework, and one to one tutoring at Prime Studios located in West Yorkshire. It is participatory, and trainees are expected to contribute to group discussions and debates. The coursework element of the programme is rigorous, and during the course of the training, trainees will produce a range of industry standard documents. These documents will be based on a case study short film project that will be a focus across the course. The course is taught by top-level industry professionals, and we will endeavour to provide a work experience module on active film or TV sets, however while best efforts will be made, placements cannot be guaranteed.

Trainees will train with Screen Yorkshire’s Centre of Screen Excellence: Yorkshire in Leeds. Screen Yorkshire and the CoSE:Y team will deliver an introduction week designed to prepare the trainees for the specific requirements of Production Assistants in film and TV. Trainees can expect to learn about their role within a department, the way departments interact with other departments during production, set etiquette, sustainability training and preparation for freelance life (including CV and application writing, tax, invoicing and networking).

Furthermore, as a trainee of Screen Yorkshire, we provide a real on set experience in collaboration with Leeds MetFilm School on a large filming project at the end of your course. It will consist of a 3-day shoot in studio, with a crew, teaching you set etiquette and how to work in a professional manner. You will put into practise all the skills you have learnt throughout your duration of time training with us, providing you with the confidence to move forward with your career.

The best thing the production assistant course gave me was the confidence to actually put myself out there, whether that was applying for jobs, approaching people in the industry for advice or even networking on set. It made me feel like I actually knew what I was talking about! It also gave me the chance to meet a wonderful cohort of people to navigate the ups and downs of the industry alongside, which has been invaluable.

Megan Whitehouse - CoSE:Y Production Assistant alumni

Since finishing the CoSE:Y PA course, Megan has found work on feature films including Flux Gourmet (starring Asa Butterfield and Gwendoline Christie) The Chelsea Cowboy (starring Alex Pettyfer and Poppy Delevingne), and TV dramas including BBC’s Doctors and ITV’s upcoming A Spy Among Friends with Damien Lewis and Guy Pearce.

Find out what a day in the life of a production assistant on set is like, from Production Assistant Becky Richardson, who worked on hit horror film ‘Censor’.

What you will learn

On completion of the certificate, you will:
• Understand how to communicate effectively with colleagues in both prep and on location/set
• Be able to develop and maintain good working relationships during the production process
• Understand hazards and risks in the workplace and be able to evaluate and minimise risks.
• Understand the nuances of production and post production and the role of the production department.
• Be able to read, understand and contribute to key production paperwork (call sheets, movement orders, daily progress reports etc)
• Develop a basic understanding of technical equipment involved in production, and related issues.
• Have a developed understanding of the principles of budgeting and scheduling and the implications for production.
• Demonstrate an imaginative response to projects and production challenges
• Demonstrate an awareness of production issues related to sustainability and the environment
• Be able to operate effectively as a freelance worker

Here’s what our CoSE:Y 2022 PA Assistant (Scripted) trainee Chloe Martin had to say about the course

Entry requirements

Read more about Georgina’s experience studying to be a Production Assistant on ScreenSkills website.

The course is entry level and is specifically targeted at trainees who have identified a career path in production assistance/management as their professional goal. We are looking for trainees who bring a diverse range of experiences to the group and we actively encourage applicants from groups who are currently underrepresented in the film and television industries.

A keen, demonstrable interest in film and television is paramount. While no previous experience in the screen industries is necessary, here are some examples of the sort of experiences that would be useful to know about:

  • Work experience with an administrative element – previous trainees have for example worked in a bank or in the pharmaceutical industries
  • Experience in organising or helping with cultural events or film festivals
  • Making short films with groups of friends in your spare time
  • Experience as a runner or assistant in film and television
  • Experience working in related industries such as theatre, publishing or journalism
  • Film and TV training, either in a higher education or university setting

Training is an investment both for the candidate and the training provider and so should only be undertaken by candidates with a clear commitment to achieving a high level of proficiency and dedication to the craft. Entrants will be 18+ and some applicants may choose to undertake this award instead of going to University. University graduates are welcome to apply, as are people looking to change their career path later in life.

Assessment and accreditation

The qualification will be assessed on the basis of written coursework and evidence of understanding the learnings across the course. Successful students will achieve a UK Film & Television Craft Certification as a Production Assistant (Scripted), endorsed by ScreenSkills and recognised by film and television production and production insurers.

Fees and bursaries

Applicants must be 18 years old on 6th February 2023 to apply for this course. For students over this age there is a course fee of £2000 which includes an admin fee, however you may be eligible for bursary support covering the majority of the course fee. If you would like to apply for a bursary, please fill out the bursary application form linked to in the main application form when you submit. Payment plans are available for those paying their course fee.

Course dates

The course will run between March and July 2023. Students should note that learning commitments throughout the teaching period are part-time (Full day commitments on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays) with a 2-week break (April 3rd – 14th). Full time commitment is expected during the introduction week (April 17th – 21st) and the work experience placement.

Applications closed 6th February 2023

Applications received after this date will not be considered. If for any reason you need to submit your application by an alternative method or have any other queries then please contact training@screenyorkshire.co.uk. To apply, please complete and submit our online application form via the button below.

You may be invited to a phone/online interview between February 20th – 10th March. Successful applicants will be offered a place by the end of March and will be expected to accept within 3 days of the offer. We will endeavour to contact everyone who applies, however due to the number of applications we receive, if you have not heard from us by then please assume you have not been offered a place on one of the courses.

The UK film & TV craft courses are part of the Centre of Screen Excellence: Yorkshire, a ground-breaking pilot delivered by Screen Yorkshire and supported by ScreenSkills using National Lottery funds awarded by the BFI as part of the Future Film Skills programme.

As part of our remit to monitor and improve access to under-represented groups in the industry, we report to our funders on the diversity of applicants to this scheme. We would be extremely grateful if you please could also fill in the diversity form on our website application page through the link below.