Skillset Cymru, Sheffield Doc/Fest and Crossover Labs present

Convergence Catalyst: High Level Signature Programme: Making Money from Multi-Platform Content

Aimed at: Freelancers, Leaders, Managing Directors, Strategic Managers and Senior Producers.

Contact details: Floury Crum
floury@sidf.co.uk / 020 7403 3324

What is the training about?

The training is run by a specialist in multiplatform content and who has links with international/established experts in this field.

The programme involves a two day conference with at least 15 delegates benefitting from mentoring;

The conference will include:

establishing mentoring between Welsh companies and international experts;
an emphasis on how to create profit and re-invent business models;
monetising content (existing and new on different platforms);
networking and learning opportunities.

For full details of training and how to apply please visit Convergence Catalyst

About the training providers:

Sheffield Doc/Fest is the UK’s premier festival, market and conference for factual and interactive media, operating year-round with training, educational and cultural activities for the digital industries taking place across the UK.

Crossover Labs is an international programme that brings together responsive individuals from all sectors of film, TV, interactive and new media sectors to find ways to produce compelling convergent and transmedia projects.

 

*There are bursaries available for freelancers interested in attending Convergence Catalyst, to cover 80% of the cost (including travel costs incurred). For more information on bursaries and to find out whether you are eligible please follow this link: http://bit.ly/u0CVgH.

If you manage a film exhibition business in the UK you are likely to face a host of challenges, from developing and growing your audience and increasing revenue streams to marketing your venue and creating innovative programming.

CINOVATE is a training programme designed to help you meet current and future challenges and seize new opportunities available to the independent film exhibition sector.

With a new and highly relevant programme, CINOVATE will inspire you to look at your business in a new way, focusing your energy on developing sustainable strategies for growth and diversity, and increasing your international network of partners and peer contacts.

Structured over three sessions of 2 days each from November 2011 to March 2012 (see here for dates), the course is made up of atelier sessions, group debates and panel sessions as well as networking events at host festivals to be held in Cardiff, Newport and Birmingham.

Cinovate is co-ordinated by Skillset Media Academy Wales and its creative media training scheme Skillset Academi+, with support from the Film Agency for Wales, Chapter Arts Centre, The Festivals Company, University of Wales Newport, Birmingham City University and the Soundtrack International Film and Music Festival, Ffresh and Flatpack Festivals.

This scheme has been funded by the Skillset Film Skills Fund as part of ‘A Bigger Future 2’, the UK film skills strategy. The Skillset Film Skills Fund is supported by the National Lottery through the BFI and the film industry through the Skills Investment Fund.

For further information or to apply, click here

Creative Media professionals in parts of Wales will benefit from full or part-subsidised  training through a programme worth £1.2million, as Skillset Academi+ is re-launched.

As part of the Work Based Learning programme, Skillset Media Academy Wales and its partners, the University of Wales, Newport; Aberystwyth University, Swansea Metropolitan University and UWIC, the creative media training programme aims to meet the needs of industry employees and freelancers in the Convergence region of West Wales and the Valleys.

Skillset Academi+ was first piloted in Wales from 2009 to March 2011, during which time the scheme assisted over 350 industry professionals by running 54 courses.  Having used this opportunity, which was funded by HEFCW, the Academy has fostered new partnerships with experts and has proven a track record of targeted training appealing to a wide cross sector of the industry. This autumn, the second phase of training will be funded by the EU’s Convergence European Social Fund (ESF) through the Welsh Government.

“The Creative Industries are a key priority sector to contribute to Wales’ economic growth, as identified in the Welsh Government’s Economic Renewal Strategy”, said Hannah Raybould, Project Manager . “ The Media Academy hope to ensure that the projects’ Higher Education partners will play a key role in taking this agenda forward, with a particular focus on up-skilling those already working in the industry.”

“We are really excited to take the Skillset Academi+ programme into a new phase which will allow the University partners to build on their MA and short course portfolios. The team we now have in place is a team who have a track record in delivery of courses for new entrants and who have extensive knowledge of the industry and the training challenges they face.”

Skillset Academi+ project coordinator Alex Leadley has been recruited to the post at a crucial time in the project setup.  Ms Leadley is no stranger to the programme, having worked alongside the pilot team in her role as Media Academy Wales Placement Coordinator. She explains:

“I am delighted to be offered this opportunity to further my involvement with the creative industries in Wales by providing exciting training opportunities to continue the growth and development of those working in the sector and cement the importance of University short course provision within the wider economic and political agenda in Wales.”

She continues: “Research has shown that creative media employees and freelancers see certain barriers to training  including cost, location, duration, and non- flexibility.  The project will respond to these barriers by creating innovate, meaningful and adaptable training across a range of sub sectors to include animation, photography and design.”

“This autumn and into the spring we will be launching 30 short courses, which cover areas identified by Industry and endorsed by Skillset Cymru as adding the most value to employees and their companies, including, business development,high level craft skills and leadership and management skills.  All courses will require 30 hours of contact time with tutors and participants will have the option to gain credits towards an MA.”

Transform@Lab presents BBC Interactive Editor Iain Tweedale

23 June 2011
1:30 – 3:30
City Campus, Newport

CYFLE, the training company for the creative industries in Wales would like to congratulate it’s first ever trainees to receive the first Post Graduate Certificate (PGCert) Professional Practice in the Creative Industries, awarded by the University of Glamorgan.

Taught by industry professionals, with master classes from UK practitioners, The Multiplatform Production Scheme for TV Creatives was run in 2010 and was a 4 month full-time practical training course for working in the Multiplatform World of today.

Ciron Gruffydd, Matthew Rogers, Bethan Davies and Anna Ellis all received their certificates from Peter Robertson, Dean of Faculty CCI and Huw Jones, Chair of Cyfle in front of industry and course representatives at a special graduation ceremony held at the University of Glamorgan’s ATRiuM campus in Cardiff on the 23^rd of March 2011.  Also receiving his certificate of course completion from Huw Jones on behalf of Cyfle was Jose Garnes.

Iona Williams, Chief Executive of Cyfle said “We are proud to be working with the University of Glamorgan at the ATRiuM on providing high level accreditation in recognition of the hard work that the trainers and participants put into the courses offered here at Cyfle.”

“We would especially like to thank Peter Hodges, Head of Animation at the ATRiuM who has worked hard to ensure that this new and exciting qualification is now a reality, and something that we are now able to offer those attending Cyfle courses in future.”

All 5 trainees who graduated from this industry acclaimed course are either working in full time jobs or are succesfully pursuing freelance projects in the industry in Wales.

Speaking about his experiences on the course, Ciron said “I’ve never worked so hard or learnt as much in 4 months. But it’s because of Cyfle and the course that I’m now able to do what I love as a living.”

Mat Fidell, Senior Producer, Wales Interactive – Network at BBC Cymru Wales said of the course ‘The creativity with which the trainees took on the various challenges set by industry was second to none.  This Cyfle training scheme not only demonstrates the requirements of real working life, but is also unique in the way it produces highly skilled individuals ready for the professional environment.’

This scheme was funded by S4C, TAC, and Skillset Academi+ and was supported by Skillset and the ATRiuM.

THE ULTIMATE RESEARCHER
6 MONTH PART-TIME TRAINING SCHEME

Do you have at least 12 months professional experience as a Researcher in the television industry, or in a production or development environment?

Do you want to work with, and learn from a Private Investigator, subject Specialists and some of the most respected Journalists in the industry?

Do you want to be The Ultimate Researcher?

The Ultimate Researcher is a brand new training scheme for professionals with at least 12 months experience and skills in the research field, and who wish to enhance these skills further and focus on improving their investigative and journalistic skills.

On offer
• An intensive programme of workshops run in 4 x 1 week sessions over six months (perfect for working and training at the same time)
• Access to over 20 of the best speakers and tutors from industry
• A series of industry briefs – you will be expected to work collaboratively with other participants both on and off line
• An experienced industry Mentor, an Individual Training Plan and support from Cyfle staff

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Closing date for applications: 12pm, 6th of April 2011

FOR FURTHER DETAILS GO TO OUR WEBSITE – http://bit.ly/hIC7a8
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This scheme is funded by S4C and TAC, supported by Skillset Cymru and is presented in partnership with BBC Cymru Wales and the ATRiuM

At the final round table session of the Leadership for Creative Businesses course at Aberystwyth University, 12 independent media company managers and academics were privileged to hear the views of Secretary of State for Wales Cheryl Gillan on the media industry in general, and its importance to the wellbeing and economic recovery of Wales. This was the finale of a very successful high end four month part time course for chief executives of media companies The aim of the course had been to influence the ambition of the group so as to drive forward the creative industries in Wales. Though this course has been directed at a very small body of players, it is a group that has substantial influence over the Welsh creative industries through the fact that their companies have substantial turnover and considerable staff complements. The originator of the course, Professor Elan Clos Stephens had long been thinking that the sector would benefit from a course to help ambition and innovation of leaders. The Secretary of State had agreed to take part at the very beginning of the development process, and she became the final part of a series of round table speakers including the WAG Culture Secretary Alun Ffred Jones, Guardian correspondent Maggie Brown, and Professor Ian Hargreaves author of the Heart of Digital Wales; a Review of Creative Industries for the WAG report.

During the course the participants have been mentored in different leadership styles such as Narrative Leadership by

Geoff Mead, The Connected Leader with Emmanuel Gobillot, and Collaborative Leadership with Nick Jankel.

Sue Jeffries Skillset Academi+ Coordinator said: “to my knowledge no other course joining Higher Education Institutes and the media sector has been so ambitious in its aims and objectives. Hopefully, we have created through the Leadership for Creative Businesses course a group of people who can turn to each other as a network to move the industry forward during these difficult times for the sector as a whole.”

Amongst the courses funded and arranged by SA+ until the end of March, there will be an exiting High Definition Event held at Enfys Studios on the 18th of March at two thirty. This is a free opportunity for the sector to meet the people who have already invested in HD, and the companies who are at the forefront of HD product development. Company representatives who will be at the event include Canon, Panasonic and Avid. SA+ in conjunction with the Skillset Media Academy will be holding an industry workshop Hybrid Distribution, by the internationally renowned distribution expert Peter Broderick, on the 31st March. This is an excellent opportunity for film and TV producers to explore new ways of distributing and marketing their projects.