Last week, we spent five days working with 16 young people as part of a Get Started in Video Production course with The King’s Trust.
The aim was simple. Give the group an introduction to the video production industry, show them what goes on behind the camera, and give them the opportunity to actually make something themselves.
By the end of the week, they had gone from learning the basics of film and video to developing and producing their own films, which they then screened to their families and members of The King’s Trust team.
It was a brilliant week, and one that reminded us why creating opportunities for people to get into the industry matters.
Starting With the Basics
The first day was about understanding the industry.
We looked at different types of film and video, the formats used across different platforms and the range of roles involved in making a production. For someone who hasn’t worked in the industry before, it can be difficult to know where to start, particularly when there are so many different jobs and routes into film and video.
We wanted the group to get a sense of just how many possibilities there are.
We were also joined by Mimi Poskitt from Sheffield DocFest and Kami White, who works as part of Richard Branson’s production team at Virgin. Both shared their own experiences and took questions from the group, giving them an opportunity to hear directly from people working in different areas of the industry.
Getting Behind the Camera
By day two, things became much more practical.
The group learned how to make videos using their phones, looking at framing, composition and lighting before splitting into teams to create their own short-form videos.
It was great to see how quickly things started to change once they had a camera in their hands.
We also welcomed Jamie from bCreator, who spoke about his experience in influencer video, as well as Latreya, who had previously come through The King’s Trust herself. Hearing from someone who had been through a similar programme and gone on to find opportunities in the industry gave the group a different perspective on what could come next.
The course wasn’t just about learning how to make a video. It was about helping the group see that there could be a place for them within the industry.
Turning Ideas Into Films
Wednesday was when the final projects started to take shape.
We watched the films the group had made the previous day before hearing from Kieran Carruthers from Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity about his own experience in the industry.
Our director James and producer Nina then worked with the group to develop their ideas for the films they would make over the final two days.
At this point, the sessions became less about teaching and more about collaboration. The group were making creative decisions, developing ideas and beginning to think about how they could turn those ideas into finished films.
Making Something They Could Call Their Own
The final two days were spent working alongside the Pictures for the People production team to bring those ideas to life.
This was the part of the week where everything came together. The group had to put what they had learned into practice, work as a team and make decisions throughout the production process.
They then screened their finished films to a room full of family members and The King’s Trust staff.
Seeing the films on screen at the end of the week was a great moment. Not because the films had to be perfect, but because they represented five days of learning something completely new and putting that knowledge into practice.
The group had created something from scratch.
Showing What a Career in Video Can Look Like
One of the most valuable parts of the week was being able to introduce the group to people working across different parts of the industry.
Alongside the speakers throughout the week, we were joined by Laurence, Vicky and Luca from Bad Bones Films, who talked about making music videos, editing and what life is actually like as a video producer.
That’s something we think is really important when introducing people to the creative industries.
It’s easy to talk about a career in film and video in abstract terms. It’s much more useful to hear from people who are actually doing the work, ask them questions and understand what the job involves day to day.
There isn’t one route into video production, and there isn’t one type of person who works in the industry. The more opportunities young people have to meet people from different backgrounds and areas of production, the easier it becomes to see where they might fit.
What Happens Next?
The final session wasn’t really an ending.
After the films had been screened, we spent time talking about next steps and the different opportunities that could be available to the group.
That’s ultimately what we hope a course like this can provide. Not a guarantee of a career, but a starting point.
For some of the group, this may be the first time they’ve considered working in film or video. For others, it might simply have given them the confidence to explore something they were already interested in.
Either way, they now have practical experience, a finished film and a better understanding of an industry that can sometimes feel difficult to get into.
We’re looking forward to sharing some of the films they made over the coming weeks and, hopefully, following where they go next.
