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Insights
Welcome to the ScreenSkills Insights newsletter, a monthly rundown on the latest news and updates from the organisation and wider screen industry |
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This month we've welcomed new members to our Board of Trustees, joining experienced industry professionals to help guide ScreenSkills at all levels, oversee governance and set strategic objectives.
In the fast-paced world of evolving technology, new AI training by AIMICI and TRC aim to support the workforce to develop the skills, build lasting competencies and understand how to work alongside these platforms and how they are impacting production spaces. There’s more accessible e-learning for those working in post-production and audio departments, while we have partnered with S4C and TAC to launch Welsh language e-learning to ensure our resources are as accessible as possible.
A new cohort has been announced for The Women in Film and TV Charity's Julie Burnell scholarship, in partnership with the HETV Skills Fund and developed in memory of the highly respected production executive and dedicated member of the HETV skills council.
And finally, if you haven't already seen the news, I'd like to take this opportunity to let you know that I will be stepping down from my role as ScreenSkills CEO in mid-August. I am immensely proud of how far the team, and I have come in delivering our ambitious five-year strategy since my arrival in January 2024.
I leave ScreenSkills in great shape for the future and I know that the charity will continue to ensure that talent development and training is accessible to all and reaches every corner of the country.
Lisa Opie, our chair will step in as Executive Chair, and together with Chief Operating Officer, Matt Fox, supported by the Senior Management Team, ensuring continuity and a smooth transition across all our programmes and partnership until a new CEO is appointed.
Laura Mansfield, CEO, ScreenSkills |
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Laura Mansfield to step down as ScreenSkills CEO
ScreenSkills has announced Laura Mansfield's decision to step down as Chief Executive Officer this August. Read about what Laura has been able to achieve during her time as CEO and ScreenSkills' plans for the future. |
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ScreenSkills welcomes new trustees to its board
ScreenSkills has welcomed two new members to its Board of Trustees, helping to guide organisation under the leadership of its Chair, Lisa Opie. Dr Leon Hawthorne will join the Board in July while Joanna Rwama joined in March, replacing outgoing Chair of FARCOM and Vice-Chair of the Board, Kate Lyndon. In addition to the new members, Alex Pumfrey, who joined the board in October, has been named Vice Chair of the Board. |
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ScreenSkills partners with S4C and TAC to launch Welsh language e-learning
ScreenSkills, in partnership with S4C and TAC, has launched two new Welsh-language translations of its e-learning modules on safeguarding and on tackling bullying and harassment, designed to improve accessibility, strengthen skills development, and support the growth of the screen industries across Wales. Developed collaboratively with industry partners in Wales, the modules also form part of ScreenSkills’ Training Passport, meaning that freelancers will have a digital record of their essential training, making them ready to work on productions across the UK. |
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ScreenSkills accredits new AIMICI AI training
As part of ScreenSkills commitment to ensuring the screen workforce have the tools they need to navigate the future tech shaping productions, we have partnered with AIMICI to accredit their new suite of AI eLearning. The training is designed to give professionals across film and TV the lasting skills, confidence and best practices to develop a strong and working knowledge of AI literacy. The Responsible AI for Film & TV 101 course is free for a limited time to ScreenSkills audiences, use the discount code SS-START-AI-FREE at checkout via the link below. |
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Watch the new Film Skills Fund showreel |
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New tender opportunities
ScreenSkills commissions training to develop the skilled and inclusive workforce critical to the UK screen industries' global success. There are currently open tender invitations in a range of grades and departments across animation, film and HETV. See the complete list of available tenders via the link below.
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New e-learning modules form part of updated Skills Passport
A new introduction to sustainability for audio production e-learning module has been created, allowing audio freelancers to access department-specific training that introduces the key principles of sustainability to keep in mind when working in audio production and podcasts. They are part if the wider Skills Passport tools, in collaboration with the BBC, that standardise approved training and help the workforce demonstrate their achievements moving across productions.
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AI development toolkit
Supported by ScreenSkills’ Unscripted TV Skills Fund and delivered by TRC, this practical two-hour session aims to help unscripted development freelancers move beyond generic AI outputs and use tools in a more purposeful, personalised way. Expect practical demos, live experimentation, and honest conversation about where AI genuinely helps development, where it gets in the way, and how to use it without compromising editorial integrity. |
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Post-production explained: sound
New e-learning modules, created by industry experts and designed for professionals at all levels, break down key stages of post-production and best practice workflows. These new modules, focused on sound, complete the wider suite of post-production: explained e-learning available on the ScreenSkills website. Whether you're new to post-production or just need a refresher, these modules will help establish a shared language and understanding across departments, supporting collaboration and allowing teams to work together more effectively and keep productions running smoothly.
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Cohort announced for Women in Film and TV’s Julie Burnell scholarship, in partnership with HETV Skills Fund
Line producers Sarah Smith, Hannah Stevenson, Kate Larking, Liv Taylor and production manager Laura Trigg have been announced as the new cohort of the Julie Burnell Scholarship: WFTV Production Management Programme, delivered in partnership with the ScreenSkills High-end TV Skills Fund. Returning for a second year after a successful launch in 2025, the programme supports women working in production management and line producing across the North of England and is designed to accelerate careers and equip the next generation of production leaders with the tools, confidence and industry connections to thrive in the industry.
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UK film exhibition workforce survey 2026
The Independent Cinema Office (ICO) have published a comprehensive workforce survey of the UK cinema exhibition sector. After receiving responses from 620 professionals, freelancers, volunteers, and anyone who helps audiences access cinema in public spaces, the report provides a snapshot of who is working in film exhibition, their experience in the workplace, and their skills and career development needs.
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Help shape industry skills checklists
ScreenSkills, in collaboration with key stakeholders and industry practitioners, are delivering a skills checklist for the Health and Safety Adviser role. This list will be flexible enough to feed into a job description template, or as a tool to plan skills development for professionals looking to further develop their careers. They provide the core, industry-approved information about the necessary skills and responsibilities for a particular role that can then be tailored by the department, production, or company to fit the production. We would like to invite industry professionals to contribute their views to these Skills Checklist drafts via the link below
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Policy and public affairs updates |
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Lisa Opie joins parliament committee for BBC Charter review
Last week ScreenSkills Chair, Lisa Opie, joined the government’s communications and digital committee on the BBC Charter review to discuss its role in supporting the UK’s creative economy, growth across the nations and regions, and skills and workforce development. |
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New tenders open for applications
New training is open for tenders, discover the range on the website and apply. |
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| Connect on LinkedIn
Keep up to date with ScreenSkills activity across the industry through our LinkedIn account where you can discover more about the team and the training.
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