Skills Boost
Our Skills Boosts support existing crew looking to upskill in their department including Electricians, Grips, Script Editor, Script Supervisors and Production teams and people including Makeup Artists and Marine Specialists to transfer their skills to the Film and TV Industry.
If you are interested in finding out about these opportunities, keep checking back and be sure to sign up for our mailing list to be the first to hear about any open evenings, courses and traineeships.
If you would like to speak to one of the team about any of the Skills Boost departments please get in touch.
Electricians
Electricians are an ever-valuable member of the team on set and we will continue to run open evenings and other initiatives to connect qualified electricians with opportunities and training linked to Scotland’s Film and TV industry.
Electrician Conversion Programme
Our next open evening is Thursday 7 November 2024, and applications are now open for our Electrician Conversion Traineeship. Find out more below.
ELECTRICIAN CONVERSION PROGRAMME
Are you a qualified electrician who’s always dreamed of working in Film and TV? Perhaps you hadn’t considered it as an option? We’re offering a paid Electrician Conversion Programme, specifically designed for people like you, no matter what stage of your electrician career you are in – we’re open to seasoned experts and those who are closer to the start of their career.
This is a rare and exciting opportunity to join lighting departments on major Scottish productions, including River City, and gain hands-on experience with the equipment and techniques that power the magic behind the scenes.
What is the Electrician Conversion Programme?
In 2019, 2022, 2023 and now 2025 BECTU Vision and BBC Studio’s River City join together to recruit a qualified and enthusiastic electrician to work as an Electrical Conversion Trainee in the lighting department of River City. The successful applicant will work at River City’s BBC Dumbarton Studio with an experienced lighting department, learning about equipment and techniques used on productions and on set practice. They will then spend 11 weeks with other film and TV productions in Scotland, allowing them to meet and work with other lighting teams. The trainee will also spend time at Scotland’s largest lighting hire house Panalux, learning more about how they work alongside productions. Alongside the traineeship we support electricians interested in working in film & TV with paid work experience on a variety of productions filming in Scotland.
Apply to the Electrician Conversion Programme
The application process is now open! If you’re interested in kick-starting a career in Film & TV, don’t miss this chance.
- Application Deadline: 9am, Monday 18th November 2024
- Apply Here: Electrician Conversion Traineeship Application
Before you apply, or if you are just interested in finding out more about working behind the scenes, you can get more information by attending our upcoming Electrician Open Evening.
Electrician Open Evenings
Electrician Open Evening & Programme Info Session
Join us at Panalux Lighting in Glasgow to learn more about working in the Film & TV Industry as an electrician. At this event, you’ll hear from professionals currently working on Scottish productions, see live demonstrations of the equipment used on sets, and learn more about our paid Electrician Conversion Programme.
- Date: Thursday 7th November 2024
- Time: 18:30 – 20:00
- Location: Panalux Lighting, Glasgow
- How to Register: Electrician Open Evening
Whether you’ve already decided to apply or just have an interest in finding out more about working behind the scenes, this event is a great way to see what a career in Film & TV could look like for you.
To give you a glimpse of what’s possible, read our case study below on Lee Cooper, a graduate of our Electrician Conversion Programme. Lee was a qualified electrician working in the construction industry before taking the leap into Film & TV. After completing the programme, he quickly found himself on set, working with lighting departments for a variety of productions, including River City.
Lee’s story is proof that with the right training and dedication, a career in Film & TV is within reach.
You can also find out more by watching our webinar below exploring the role of the Lighting Department in Film & TV with guests, Electrician – Darren Smith who was supported by BECTU Vision to transfer his skills into the Film and TV Industry, and BBC Studioworks Kelvin Hall Manager – Stuart Guinea.
Electrician Conversion Trainee: Case Study – Lee Cooper
Lighting Department Webinar
Co-Manager of BECTU Vision, Amy Shaw hosts a webinar exploring the role of the Lighting Department in film and TV with guests, electrician – Darren Smith, and Kelvin Hall Manager – Stuart Guinea
Below are some snapshots of previous BECTU Vision Electrician information events held at BBC Pacific Quay and BBC Studioworks at Kelvinhall Studios, Glasgow
GRIPS
In September 2023 we held our second one-day hands-on training course for Grip trainees hosted by four NVQ-qualified Grips. This training day gave participants the opportunity to understand what equipment is used on set and how to handle it safely when working as part of the Grip department. We also hold regular meetups to support connections within the grips department in Scotland.
If you are interested in becoming a Grip Trainee in film and TV and other training opportunities contact Amy Shaw vision@bectu.org.uk
NVQ Funding For Grips
We help connect and support Scotland-based Grips to undertake their NVQ Grip Diploma in Professional Competence Level 2 and Level 3 qualifications.
These qualifications have been developed and informed by those working in the sector and although qualifications are not used as a licence to practise, employers and practitioners support formal recognition of the demonstration of competence in the workplace in the interests of health and safety. The purpose is to assess the competence and underpinning knowledge of individuals working in the role of Crane Technician, Grip or Advanced Grip.
The qualification is assessed in the workplace and recognises the learner’s ability to behave professionally, collaboratively and in line with industry standards.
BECTU Vision have been extremely helpful towards those working in the industry, in particular and from my own direct experience towards the Grips in Scotland. Amy walked myself and others through the process of being assessed for the NVQ for Grips, liaising with all parties involved from the Grips Branch to the academic body awarding the qualifications. BECTU Vision helped with adding structure and realistic timeframe for qualification assessment, Moreover Amy sourced and secured funding to help with this which I couldn’t have done without.
Ronan Devlin Level 2 Grip
If you are a grip and interested in finding out more about NVQ qualifications, please contact Amy Shaw
Costume
We support costume crew wanting the opportunity to upskill. We developed and delivered a 1 day Dye & Breakdown course at Wardpark Studios Cumbernauld in 2023. The course teaches the basic principles of costume breakdown, with specific skills which can be used on set, including dirtying down, dyeing fabric and applying blood to clothing and is led by Kirsty Steele, Senior Dye / Breakdown Artist at Outlander, and Lorraine Grice, Dyer and Textile Artist and Head of Dye Department at the Royal Opera House.
If you have ideas of training courses that you would like delivered in Scotland to support the costume department please get in touch.
Script Editors
In addition to our regular social meetups for Script Editors, our six-month placement-based opportunity for Script Editors is designed to provide the skills, knowledge and confidence required to become one of Scotland’s script editors of the future.
Through a combination of employment with a production company and short courses candidates can expect to:
- Learn about the role of the script editor in development including conceptualising an idea, and how to develop it.
- Learn the skills to communicate effectively as a script editor including how to work with writers and executives.
- Have one-to-one sessions with executives and participate in meetings with writers, directors, and producers when appropriate.
- Receive training in Final Draft software.
Past participant examples:
- Our 2023 trainees Harper Pereira Hind and Yusuf Javed recently completed their placements with STV and Freedom Scripted respectively.
- Our two Script Editor Trainees, Jamie Mackinlay and Ryan Stewart completed their traineeships in 2022 with host companies STV and River City.
- Our 2020 Script Editor Trainees were Marie Harrison and Amber Saunders at River City and Synchronicity Film and TV.
SCRIPT EDITOR TRAINEE 2020: CASE STUDY – AMBER SAUNDERS
Applications are now closed for Script Editor Traineeship 2024-25.
Script editor webinar
Our webinar interviewing Claire Armspach (Head of Drama & Development at STV) and Script Editors Saffia Sage and former trainee Jamie McKinlay talking about script editing from development to production
SCRIPT SUPERVISOR
SCRIPT SUPERVISOR TRAINEESHIP
Our six-month placement-based opportunities for Script Supervisors are designed to provide the skills, knowledge and confidence required to become one of Scotland’s Script Supervisors of the future.
During the placement, the trainees have the opportunity to shadow Script Supervisors on a variety of different scripted productions in Scotland to understand how the role varies depending on the size of a production. They shadow during prep, and the shoot and also spend time in post-production to understand how the role works with the editing department.
Through a combination of shadowing Script Supervisors and short courses the successful candidates:
- learn about the role of the Script Supervisor in prep including, how to read and time scripts and create script breakdowns.
- learn the skills required to be a Script Supervisor on set including continuity, eye lines, scene coverage and the relationship with all other on-set departments.
- learn about the workflow with post-production including Editors’ notes and marked-up scripts.
- learn the skills to communicate effectively as a script supervisor including how to interact with cast, directors, and producers.
- attend a 3-day NFTS Scotland Script Supervisor course.
- receive training in Script-E software.
Script supervisor webinar
Our webinar interviewing Margaret Graham, one of Scotland’s most experienced Script Supervisors, delves into her career and her experience of working as a Script Supervisor on film & tv.
We are not currently open for applications but if you are interested in becoming a Script Supervisor in Scotland, please get in touch.
Production Skills
This specially developed series of modules has been entirely tailored for those working in Production including Production Assistants, Production Secretaries, Assistant Production Co-ordinator looking to step up and Production Co-ordinators interested in developing their understanding of particular areas of production.This training is also suitable for unscripted Production Managers and Production Coordinators looking to learn the paperwork and processes required for scripted production to help make the move across from other industries.
The midweek series takes place online fortnightly, over a 4-month duration. If you are currently working, practitioners are encouraged to dial in from their place of work with the support of their employer.
The sessions cover:
- Insurance
- Arranging Tech Recces, Production Meetings and read-throughs
- Contracting Cast
- Working With Children
- Clearances
- The Script and Amendments
- Progress Reports and Script Timings
We are not currently open for applications but if you are interested in production skills in Scotland, please get in touch.
