Scarborough Enjoys October Film Bonanza, Including Gold Standard Film Course For Teenagers

Scarborough is the place to be for budding filmmakers and film lovers this month, with a gold standard filmmaking course for teenagers and a season of classic horror films and activities for the whole family at the Stephen Joseph Theatre.

The British Film Institute’s Government (DCMS) and National Lottery funded BFI Film Academy Short Course returns to Scarborough for a second year this half-term. The scheme has run for almost 15 years in over 50 locations around the UK and has an excellent track record of inspiring and supporting the next generation of young filmmakers and crew to develop filmmaking skills and knowledge for future careers in the UK’s highly regarded screen sector.

The BFI Film Academy Short Course in Scarborough is for 16-19-year-olds or young people up to the age of 25 with an EHCP (Education, Health and Care plan) and is completely free to attend. It will take place from 24 October over the half term, mostly based at the SJT. Participants will work together in small film crews to produce short films guided by award-winning mentors, working through the film production process from developing a film idea, to writing a script, managing the film’s production planning, filming with industry standard kit, editing and finally organising public screenings of their completed films at the SJT later in the year.

That will be followed by a regional showcase at Sheffield’s Showroom cinema as part of the BFI Young Programmers Festivalearly next year, where they’ll watch all the short films together with the other participants from across the Yorkshire BFI Film Academies and attend a ‘next steps’ bootcamp with guest speakers from Screen Yorkshire and The Grierson Trust to support building local networks and developing careers in film and TV in our region. Applications for the BFI Film Academy Short Courseare open now at reelfilmmaking.com

And as part of the wider BFI Film Academy programme, there’ll be additional opportunities in the future for participants to access exclusive events, including career and skills talks, to attend a BFI Film Academy Specialist residential course at various locations around the UK including London, Sheffield and Edinburgh, to receive mentoring from BAFTA members and to take a crash course in sound production at the National Film and Television School in Leeds.

The BFI Film Academy Scarborough is delivered by local film company Reel Solutions which has a strong reputation for delivering film courses in the town, as well as long-standing links with the SJT’s film programme and across the UK including BFI Film Clubsfor 12-15-year-olds and BFI Film Academy Short Courses. Reel Solutions has personal and professional links with the town – company partner Zoe Naylor grew up in and lives in Scarborough after a decade-long career in film in London. She was also the SJT’s first Film Manager when they moved to their current site.

Zoe says: “Reel Solutions is deeply committed to nurturing and harnessing the full potential of young creative talent and this course embodies that mission.

“Never has there been a more exciting time to dive into the world of filmmaking. No previous experience is necessary to take part – we’re looking for people with passion and interest in starting out in the industry, we can nurture your talent, so let’s embark on a journey together that could lead to a remarkable career in the film industry.”

Meanwhile, Fright Fest is back at the SJT with a packed programme of family-friendly spooky films alongside horror classics such as Brian De Palma’s bloodcurdling Carrie and documentary Strange Journey: The Story of Rocky Horror which tells the fascinating story of the Rocky Horror Picture Show. There are creepy craft workshops for youngsters, including crafting your very own Monster House or make your own friendly ghost or Scooby Doo Tiki mask before heading up to the cinema to watch a scary film.Places are limited, so book online now at https://sjt.uk.com/ before they vanish!