Leeds Channel 4 team joins NFTS to offer Yorkshire film and TV masterclasses

The sessions, produced and coordinated by the NFTS and the broadcaster's Leeds-based Nations and Regions team, are aimed at ensuring there are continued opportunities for independent talent to develop their expertise and enhance their skills despite the current restrictions in place due to Covid-19.

Launching a week from today, each week will be headlined by a Monday Masterclass led by a range of leading industry figures, including CEO of Endemol Shine UK, Sophie Turner Laing, and creative director of Love Productions, Richard McKerrow.

Sinead Rocks, Channel 4’s managing director of Nations and Regions, said: "It’s vitally important that we continue to do our bit to help develop and nurture talent across the whole of the UK.

“That’s been extremely difficult given the current situation but it’s testament to the creativity and determination of the Channel 4 team in Leeds and the NFTS that we’ve lined up a such a fantastic range of sessions and secured such high calibre talent for the masterclasses.”

The classes will be followed by a series of workshops and talks which will focus on specific themes: development and pitching in week one; shaping the story in week two; leadership and resilience in week three; and digital and innovation in week four.

Channel 4 executives will contribute to a range of talks, which will give indies and freelancers the inside track on how the broadcaster works.

Sessions will include using new and diverse voices and supporting diverse talent, practical tips on pitching programmes, managing budgets, investing in new talent and digital innovation.

NFTS director Jon Wardle said: “There’s never been a more challenging time for the production sector. Throughout the pandemic, the NFTS has worked extremely hard to deliver world leading training and high calibre Virtual Masterclasses to our students – the future of the screen industry.

"As we look ahead to a new era and with the industry embarking upon its recovery, I’m delighted that together with Channel 4 we can help support independent production companies across the Nations and Regions with the tools they’ll need to navigate the journey of re-focusing and re-defining their output.”

Indies will be encouraged to carefully select and limit people they put forward to attend the online sessions to ensure as many companies as possible can take advantage of what is on offer.

Channel 4 will reach out to producers in different regions to let them know about the training opportunities.

Anybody wanting to find out more should contact the Channel 4 team at [email protected]