Mayor meets next generation of film talent at London Screen Academy as capital’s filming industry boom continues

• Mayor met young Londoners training at the London Screen Academy joined by Working Title Film’s Eric Fellner, the producer of BAFTA and Oscar winning films and television, James Bond producer Barbara Broccoli and BAFTA winning film producer Lisa Bryer
• British Film Institute reveal new statistics which show combined spend by film and high-end television production during 2022 of £6.27 billion in the UK
• London is one of the driving forces of the film industry in the UK, with more than 40 films and TV series shooting on the streets of the capital every day
• Mayor has invested more than £19 million into the industry in the last five years boosting the continued growth of the sector

 

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan today highlighted the vital role London’s growing film industry is playing in the capital’s economic success, as he met with the next generation of film talent studying at the London Screen Academy.

 

Sadiq and Deputy Mayor for Culture and Creative Industries Justine Simons OBE joined Working Title co-chair Eric Fellner, film producer Barbara Broccoli and BAFTA winning film producer Lisa Bryer at the London Screen Academy (LSA) in Islington, and spoke to some of the 800 students working to become the next industry heavyweights.

 

The Mayor was given a tour of the free sixth form academy, which was founded by London based film producers, Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Michael G Wilson, Barbara Broccoli, David Heyman, and Lisa Bryer, to teach a vocational curriculum comprising of behind the camera skills – from casting to costume and editing – providing the knowledge needed to join the film and television industry.

 

The visit came as stats from BFI show a combined spend by film and high-end television production in the UK during 2022 of £6.27 billion, the highest ever reported and £2.7 billion higher than 2019. London is the driving force of the industry, with 40 films and TV series shooting on the streets of the capital at any one time. That includes the new untitled Bob Marley biopic, a feature film with Peaky Blinders star Kingsley Ben-Adir, as well as the much-anticipated return of flagship Netflix series staples The Crown and Bridgerton.

 

The Mayor has made huge strides to unlock the potential of the industry, investing more than £19 million over the last five years to support young people and expand studio space. He continues to champion the industry which is estimated to be worth over £7bn by 2024/25 and expected to need to fill more than 50,000 jobs in the next few years.

 

It is vital that all young Londoners have the opportunities to progress within the industry, which is why last year the Mayor announced a partnership with NBCUniversal giving young Londoners from underrepresented communities the opportunity to work behind-the-camera on tv and film productions.

 

A focus of the Mayor’s investment has been developing the skills of those who wish to pursue a film career, including through the Creative Skills Academy, a partnership with Film London that aims to connect people who have traditionally been under-represented in the sector with opportunities for employment and freelance work. He has also ensured that as many opportunities as possible have been made available through a wide range of initiatives, including funding Film London’s Equal Access Network which works with high profile employers such as ITV, Sony and Studio Canal to help them diversify their workforce and secured nearly £10 million in funding to build new film studios that will create 1,200 jobs.

 

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan said: “London’s film and TV industries are booming and play a key role in supporting the UK’s economic recovery as well as enhancing our nation’s soft power.

 

“We have huge amounts of talent in this city and it’s vital that young people from all backgrounds have access to the support and training they need through institutions like the London Screen Academy to empower them to develop fresh approaches to telling stories for the big screen.

 

“I am looking forward to continuing to work with LSA and am committed to doing everything I can to help drive the industry forward and nurture the next generation of film talent as we work towards building a better, fairer and more prosperous London for everyone.”

 

Barbara Broccoli CBE said: “The future of our world class UK screen industries is dependent on specialist training and apprenticeships. Now in its fourth year, I am so proud of the LSA, and its education and mentorship offered to its students to ensure they gain the required experience to become set-ready.  We celebrate all the school’s graduates and look forward to working with this next generation of film makers.”

 

Eric Fellner CBE said: “At the London Screen Academy we are aiming to build a new generation of storytellers. The LSA is helping to diversify the workforce of the screen industries and plug gaps in skills provision with courses routed straight into the industry. Everyone at the LSA is delighted to be working with the Mayor on supporting his Creative Academies Programme and diversifying the workforce of the future.”

 

Adrian Wootton OBE, Chief Executive of Film London, said: ‘’As the latest official statistics show, London and the UK’s screen industries are enjoying extraordinary growth, generating billions of pounds in revenue for the UK economy. London remains a world-leading film and TV production centre, as well as a gateway to the rest of the UK production hubs. It’s vital we continue to support and grow our city’s world-class crew and talent, increasing access to the thousands of new jobs in film and TV production to be found here. Initiatives like the London Screen Academy, which teach screen skills to the next generation of creators and crew, play an increasingly important role in ensuring our sector can continue to drive growth and create new jobs.”