Skills Boost
Our Skills Boosts support existing crew looking to upskill in their department including Grips, Script Editor, Script Supervisors and Production teams and people including electricians 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 electricians with opportunities and training linked to Scotland’s Film and TV industry.
Electrician Open Evenings
In November 2023 we hosted an open evening for electricians interested in working in Film and TV at BBC Studioworks Kelvin Hall in Glasgow. Attebdees had the opportunity to meet with industry professionals, tour the studio space and get hands on with some industry kit.
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
Electrician Conversion Programme
In 2019, 2022 and 2023 BECTU Vision and BBC Studio’s River City joined together to recruit a qualified and enthusiastic electrician to work as an Electrical Conversion Trainee in the lighting department of River City. This allowed the successful applicant to 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 then moved on to spend 11 weeks with other film and TV productions in Scotland, allowing them to meet and work with other lighting teams. The trainees were also invited to 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.
Electrician Conversion Trainee: Case Study – Lee Cooper
We are not currently open for applications but if you are a qualified electrician and interested in working in film and television in Scotland, please get in touch.
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
We are not currently open for Script Editor Trainee applications, however, if you have any queries about the programme or would like to know when about future opportunities, please contact vision@bectu.org.uk
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.
