NEXT LEVEL Mid-Career Mentoring

'Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell' filming at York Minster (BBC One / Screen Yorkshire)Photographer: Matt Squire

Advance Your Career in Film, TV and Games

Mentoring to progress you to Head of Department / Senior Level

Applications are now closed

NEXT LEVEL, our new FREE mid-career mentoring programme for TV, Film and Games professionals, is open for applications. Delivered by Screen Yorkshire in partnership with Game Republic the programme is funded by West Yorkshire Combined Authority’s Creative Catalyst Programme. Next LEVEL is a part-time programme, is designed to support mid-level industry practitioners to progress into Head of Department or Senior Roles. The programme schedule is designed to be suitable for freelancers and industry employees who are working in full time roles. It will be delivered from January – May 2023, through a series of evening and weekend workshops, with access to specialist senior level talent and peer-to-peer networking events.

We are looking for a diverse group of applicants, currently working in mid-level roles within their specific discipline. We actively encourage applicants from groups who are currently underrepresented in the TV, Film and Games industries.

The programme will provide structured career development with matched one-to-one industry mentors who will guide you through sessions, seminars and workshops tailored towards the TV, Film and Games industries. Topics will include; finance, budgeting, legal, management, HR, sustainability and an introduction to Unreal Engine and Virtual Production techniques. NEXT LEVEL will also provide mentees with networking opportunities, industry events and training, facilitated by regular feedback to support your career progression.

Who is it for?

Working in Games?

Applications are open to anyone with typically 2-5 years of experience working in mid-level roles in the games industry. Due to severe shortages in those areas, we particularly would love to hear from people who work in mid-level roles in technical art and technical animation on the verge of stepping up into senior positions. However, we are absolutely open to anyone who is at a similar level in other roles or recently has stepped into a senior role and feels that they could benefit from further training in management skills.

Applicants must work within the Leeds City Region, which includes: Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees, Leeds and Wakefield. Our aim is also to encourage people to apply from departments/areas with particularly severe shortages, as outlined above. We however like to stress that anyone at the required stage in their career in any relevant department or sector in Games, who feels that this course may help to address training needs and knowledge gaps, is invited to apply.

The Magnificent Trufflepigs © Thunkd

Victoria Series 2 filming at Church Fenton Yorkshire Studios © Mammoth Screen for ITV

Working in Film or TV?

Applications are open to anyone with typically 5-10 years of experience working in mid-level roles in the Film or TV industry. We are open to applicants from all departments. However, due to severe shortages in those areas, we would particularly love to hear from people who work in mid-level roles and looking to step up into Head of Department roles in Production, Art or Costume. We also welcome applications from anyone who recently stepped up into Head of Department roles who feel they could benefit from attending the programme. Applicants must work within the TV or Film Industries in Leeds City Region, which includes: Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees, Leeds and Wakefield. Our aim is also to encourage people to apply from departments/areas with particularly severe shortages, as outlined above. We however like to stress that anyone at the required stage in their career in any relevant department or sector in TV or Film, who feels that this course may help to address training needs and knowledge gaps, is invited to apply.

What is the aim of the programme?

Attending this programme should equip applicants with the knowledge and confidence to:

    • Manage and train team members
    • Create an inclusive environment for all team members
    • Improve accessibility to their department by understanding how to make reasonable adjustments for team members with specific needs
    • Navigate any legal liabilities connected with the execution of their duties
    • Manage budgets and financial liabilities within their department, area of work
    • Schedule and manage workflows in their department/area of work
    • Reduce environmental impact by applying sustainable and planet friendly work practices in their area of work
    • Increase familiarity with digital production techniques

How will you learn?

The delivery of the course is hybrid consisting of face to face and online sessions. Most of the in-person sessions will take place in Leeds, with some sessions taking place elsewhere in West Yorkshire. We endeavour to provide online access to as many in-person sessions as we can, especially in case of the mid-week sessions, to enable programme participants to attend sessions while working away on productions or attending to caring duties outside of work.

The programme consists of group sessions attended by all participants and specialist or focus session where we may split the group and teach Film & TV professionals and Games separately.

These groups sessions will be underpinned by one-to-one mentoring support. Each programme participant will be matched with a mentor who represents as closely as possible the senior role they are targeting or recently took on. The mentors will help mentees to apply learnings from the group sessions after each session to the individual’s needs and situations, while also addressing mentoring needs identified in a skills and needs assessment at the beginning of the programme. Together with their mentor, each programme participant will develop a tailored Career Action Plan during the programme, which they will present to their programme cohort in the closing session of the programme for peer feedback.

Programme Timeline

Apply Now! Deadline for applications is midnight 4th of January 2023

All below dates are for guidance only and are subject to change. Please note that places are limited and applicants are expected to commit to attending the full programme.

Recruitment Timeline

  • Tuesday 10th and Wednesday 11th of January 2023: Online interviews for Film & TV professionals
  • Tuesday 10th and Thursday 12th of January 2023: Online interviews for Games professionals

Group sessions

All group sessions will take place between January 28th and May 13th. The programme schedule should allow participation of people in full time employment or contracts, with most sessions taking place on weekday evenings (mostly Tuesdays) between 6pm and 8pm and a few all-day sessions on Saturdays.

Evening Sessions

Evening sessions will mostly take place in Leeds weekly on Tuesdays between 6pm and 8pm between February 7 and May 2nd. A full schedule of sessions will be available once selected for the programme.

All Day Sessions:

  • Saturday 28th of January 2023, 10am – 4.30pm: Programme begins: Introduction Day – Meet the mentors and get to know you day
  • Saturday 25th of February 2023, 10am – 6.30pm: All Day Workshop
  • Saturday 25th of March 2023, 10am – 4.30pm: All Day Workshop
  • Thursday 13th of April 2023, 10am – 4:30pm: All Day Workshop
  • Saturday 13th of May 2023, 10am – 4.30pm: Programme wrap up and achievements session, future goal setting

Other events:

  • Friday 17th of February 2023, 6pm – 8pm: Evening Networking Event
  • Tuesday 14th of March 2023, 4pm – 6pm: Site Visit to Wakefield Production Park

One-to-One Mentoring:

One-to-One Mentoring will take place after each key sessions with a minimum of 6 session throughout the programme. Mentor and mentee are responsible to schedule these sessions in person or online at a time suitable to both and before the next key session takes place.

Applications are now closed

To apply to Next LEVEL, please complete the application form by following the link below. 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.

NEXT LEVEL is delivered by Screen Yorkshire in partnership with Game Republic. It is part of the £1.5 million Creative Catalyst programme, targeted at boosting the growth of creative industries, businesses and talent across Leeds City Region, which includes Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees, Leeds and Wakefield.