Sky Studios Elstree, BAM partner with Elstree Screen Arts Academy
April 28, 2021
Sky Studios Elstree and BAM have partnered with Elstree Screen Arts Academy for a nine-month project to celebrate Elstree & Borehamwood’s rich film and TV heritage.
As part of the partnership, students will create four, ten-minute documentaries centred on the new Sky Studios Elstree project, with each documentary looking at a particular theme; film & TV heritage, sustainability, diversity & inclusion, and the construction process itself.
To mark the start of the partnership, teachers and students from Elstree Screen Arts Academy met with Sky Studios COO Caroline Cooper on site to sign a piece of steel, that will become part of the structure of the first studio erected on site, marking a key milestone in the construction of Sky Studios Elstree.
As part of the nine-month project, local ESA students will also receive masterclasses and workshops from members of the team at Sky and Sky Studios on documentary research, marketing, PR & distribution, and planning & production. Each class will develop their skills and help them progress their films.
When it opens in 2022, Sky Studios Elstree will be a state-of-the-art film and TV studio, housing 13 sound stages and creating 2,000 jobs in the local area. This partnership with ESA aligns with Sky Studios Elstree’s commitment to supporting new, diverse talent in Hertsmere while helping to fuel the local economy.
Caroline Cooper, Chief Operating Officer, Sky Studios, said: “We want to support the next generation of young creative talent, and this partnership will allow us to share some of Sky’s film-making expertise with local students in Hertsmere. I am very much looking forward to seeing the films that these talented young people create, and hope it inspires them into a career in film and television.”
Lauren Christy, Assistant Principal at ESA, said: “ESA is all about giving young people industry experience through meaningful partnerships with industry professionals. This project will be giving students relevant experience and will develop key skills in order for them to progress onto careers in the creative industries. In addition, the briefs that the students are working allows them to explore the history of Elstree as ‘British Hollywood’ and the contexts that they face as young creatives. We are thrilled to be working with Sky Studios Elstree and excited that going forward we will be providing the necessary training to give access and opportunities to work in the industry.”
June Wilkinson, Education & Community Coordinator at BAM, said: “Our partnership with Elstree Screen Arts is a great opportunity for local students. The documentaries and site visits will provide valuable work experience and insights into a career in the film & television industry. I hope that this encourages the students to follow their dreams and that one day some of them will be back on site, creating the films of the future”.