“Unless we explain what the screen industry is, young people will not understand what opportunities are available to them”
These were the words of Professor Ruth McElroy, Head of the School of Arts, Culture and Language at Bangor University, as she led a panel discussion at the ‘Going Global’ event organised jointly by the UK Government’s Department for Business and Trade, S4C and TAC (Teledwyr Annibynnol Cymru) – the voice of the Welsh independent TV production sector at Reichel Hall, Bangor University.
Amongst the panellists for the ‘Big Picture’ session were media lawyer with Lee & Thompson, Anwen Griffiths, the actor, producer and director Celyn Jones, and Lee Walters from Media Cymru.
A lively debate was had on the key challenges facing the industry, including finance and funding, before moving on to the skills agenda.
Anwen Griffiths said, “This industry, like many other, is very much about looking into the future. I’m always looking at the landscape and what’s down the track so that we can prepare for the workforce we’ll need in three to five years’ time – rather than being reactive because we’re all so busy.”
Professor McElroy said, “As someone who’s very much focused on students, it’s important to look at things like AI and how we as a university can use it for teaching, and make sure it is used appropriately of course. However, it’s more about how we can educate students to positively use AI in order to extend their creative imagination across the arts, from composition to performance.”
Lee Walters said, “We’ve got people entering the industry who have incredible technical skills and who are educating people who’ve been in the industry for years about new technologies.
“Some of the training we can offer at Media Cymru is those skills around research and development in the creative industries – looking at how to think about problems and how to answer them in a slightly different way – things like looking at the user journey, is there a market for your idea, is there a different way of looking at something? As well as the technical skills, it’s important that we give people these kinds of skills.”
“What we’re trying to identify at Media Cymru is what added value we can offer, and filling any gaps there are in the training that’s available at the moment, by working with our partners.”
Award-winning actor and screenwriter Celyn Jones, who is currently in the middle of promoting his latest film Chuck Chuck Baby emphasised how much dedication and ambition it takes to get involved in this industry, but explained how working with students and young people, including through his work with INTO FILM is a win-win situation:
The return, both personal and creative, is just as valuable as what I put in. I used to run the creative curriculum for additional needs schools and referral units in London, and also ran creating writing projects in a young offenders prison, when I had the time as an actor. It made me a better actor, it made me a writer, a filmmaker and opened all these other doors for me. So it’s really beneficial, not just for young people, but also to the artist themselves and the creative individual.”
“It’s essential to create that bridge between education and industry. It’s essential to let people know it’s a viable industry with lots of different jobs and opportunities, you can go and work there, there’s a place for you. I remember a Welsh actress from ‘The Life of Brian’ coming to do a workshop with us kids in Holyhead, and the sheer excitement that someone from such a massive film was coming to see us, I never forgot that.
Closing, Professor McElroy said, “Thanks to Creative Wales, we have as part of Screen Academy Wales some funding available to collaborate with industry on recruiting and training more young people around the world of screen and television, offering opportunities for companies to develop their staff, and for children of school age to get to know more about the industry here in Wales and beyond. We’re keen to speak informally to those involved in the screen industry about how we can help each other create a workforce with the skills required both now and in the future.”
Gareth John, creative industries sector leader for the UK Government's Department for Business and Trade in Wales, said:
"I would like to thank Bangor University for welcoming us here, today's event hopefully starts a long-term conversation between us, you as members of the industry, and the Welsh Government through Creative Wales for the benefit of the screen and television industry."
Dyfrig Davies, Chair of TAC said:
“We’re really excited to have this second ‘Going Global’ event in North Wales – there’s never been a better time for producers in Wales to take advantage of growing international awareness of Wales and we hope this will enable more production companies to create new partnerships and ways of working, to maximise their content and format’s potential internationally. We’d like to thank the Department for Business and Trade, S4C, Bangor University and all involved for making this second event every bit as successful as the first.”
To find out more about Screen Academy Wales and studying media and film at Bangor University, click here