Supporting The BFI Careers Festival with activity across the UK

The BFI Careers Festival is a one-day event, which took place on Wednesday 11 February 2026 at BFI Southbank, dedicated to connecting young people directly with industry professionals working behind the camera in film and television production. To support the flagship BFI Careers Festival in London, we lead on delivering a UK-wide programme of careers activity across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. 

Designed to support underrepresented young people aged 13-18, the programme brought together cultural venues, education providers and a wide range of screen industry professionals to deliver talks, panels, workshops and masterclasses that demystify screen careers and make pathways into the industry more visible and accessible.

Across the four nations, young people engaged with professionals working across multiple areas of the screen industries, including SFX and VFX, animation, locations, sustainability, sound, costume, props, games and post-production. Activity featured a mix of early career professionals, trainees and established industry speakers, offering relatable routes into the industry alongside high-profile insights from traineeships and first roles through to speakers whose credits include major international productions and studios such as BBC, Sony Animation and projects including KPop Demon Hunters.

In Northern Ireland, we partnered with Rendr Festival to bring over 300 young people to an event space in Belfast, where they had the chance to learn from some of the best talent in the Northern Irish screen industries. The day included talks from 3D character animator Brenda Ximena Roldan Romero, BAFTA-nominated and Irish Film and Television Award-winning director Kris Kelly, and Ethan Francis from CG101 Conference, who delivered an insightful panel on 'How to Make a Start'.

In Scotland, we delivered a series of masterclasses in Ayrshire, where we were joined by screenwriter and director Raisah Ahmed, production designer Justin Wilson, and editor Laura Masters, all from the Ayrshire Film Company. The sessions gave young people the opportunity to hear directly from screen industry professionals and gain practical advice on kickstarting screen careers.

In the Midlands, we partnered with Create Central to host a careers event at Lockworks Cinema, bringing together students from three schools across Wolverhampton. The session aimed to raise awareness of the wide range of roles available across departments such as camera, sound, editing and art, while also highlighting different pathways into the screen industries. 

We were joined by Johnny White, 1st assistant sound, who delivered an in-depth presentation on his role and the work of the sound department. This was followed by a panel featuring alumni from Create Central's programmes: Nigel Chapwanya and James Walters, both camera trainees; Aisha Houmadi, edit assistant; and Nikhil Patel, art department trainee. Together, they shared insights into their roles, career journeys and industry experiences, offering students a valuable and inspiring look at life behind the scenes.

The importance of initiative and attitude was a recurring theme throughout our UK-wide activity. During a session in Sunderland, Location Manager Ben Ahmed explained how breaking into the industry often begins with someone taking a chance on you. By the end of the day, two 18-year-olds had impressed him enough to secure paid work experience on a London film set! A clear example of how regional engagement can lead to national opportunity.

Meanwhile, in the south of England, Hastings-based animator Thomas Knowler joined us at De La Warr Pavillion in Bexhill, where he gave groups of young people an insight into traditional forms of animation. "I really enjoyed working with the SEND and Secondary groups", said Knowler. "It's always brilliant to see that spark when young people realise they can just pick up a pencil and start creating."

In Liverpool, make-up artist Ruth Marcella and costume designer Charlotte Richardson joined us at FACT where were joined by students from across Merseyside for an engaging talk on the local film and TV industry and practical sessions on make up and costume. The young people got the chance to try out SFX make-up on each other and explore costume ideas for different characters, helping them gain a deeper understanding of the different creative roles. We hope it was inspirational for students to work with two industry professionals who are from their local area and still working there.

At Kingsmead School in Wiveliscombe, Somerset, we were joined by Stephanie Shires, Sustainability Manager at Leverage Point Entertainment. Shires delivered a presentation, Q&A, and masterclass, shining a light on the vital yet often unseen role of sustainability management in the screen industries. Shires shared her personal career path into sustainability, outlining the key skills required to succeed, offering a behind-the-scenes look at a day in her life, revealing insider sustainability insights, and reflecting on her career highlights.

Together, the programme highlighted the breadth of roles behind the screen and the many ways young people can begin a career in film, TV and related industries.