By Jennifer Walters

The five top priorities were developed after extensive consultation with the film industry and in partnership with the UK Film Council, as part of the second phase of A Bigger Future, Skillset’s film strategy for the UK. They are:

1. New technologies - keeping the UK at the forefront of technological development;

2. Trainees, apprentices and new entrants, with particular focus on VFX – building up depth of talent in priority areas;

3. Talent development – helping creative talent produce critically and commercially successful films to create employment and build the reputation and sustainability of our industry;

4. Business skills - creating sustainable, successful businesses; and

5. Health and safety skills. Investment in each of these priority areas will help to protect existing jobs, bolster investment and create new opportunities for growth, leading the way to a bigger future for UK film.

The need for this kind of strategic, industry-wide response to the industry’s training needs was highlighted by the recommendations made in last week’s Oxford Economics report, The Economic Impact of the UK Film Industry.

The report, commissioned by the UK Film Council, Pinewood Shepperton plc, Framestore, Cinesite and Double Negative, reinforced the importance of the film industry to the UK economy and stated that: “The recession has reduced the provision of training for film industry workers, with the financial crisis causing firms to reduce their training budgets and raising concerns whether investment in skills development is sufficient to preserve the UK’s global competitiveness.”

Against this backdrop of uncertainty, A Bigger Future will play a vital role in making sure that our industry is provided with the vision and skills it needs to remain a world leader.

One of the flagship initiatives will be a new Craft and Technical Academy, funded by industry contributions to the Skills Investment Fund (SIF), the levy on productions filmed in the UK.

This is in the process of being tendered for and will be a centre of excellence for craft and technical training. One of its key functions will be to deliver high quality trainees on to productions to make sure the UK maintains its reputation as having the highest quality of crew.

Producer Iain Smith (Wanted, Children of Men), chair of Skillset’s Film Skills Council, said: “Extensive consultation with industry pinpointed major skills gaps and this lynchpin strategy has been designed to close these. It will also address other pressing skills and training issues facing the UK film industry.

“As well as proactively leading industry to prepare for the upcoming challenges we’ll face, this is a responsive strategy and we will continue to take soundings from industry over the coming years to make sure that it remains relevant to the needs of industry.”

John Woodward, Chief Executive Officer of the UK Film Council, said: “The quality and reputation of the UK’s creative talent are as important to the film industry as the tax breaks. It’s crucial that the UK continues to lead the world in the skills race.”

Funding for A Bigger Future has fallen this year to just over £4million, from £7.2million last year. Money for this year includes £3.65million of National Lottery funds from the UK Film Council, the primary funder of A Bigger Future, and £700,000 from industry via the Skills Investment Fund (SIF).

Funding will be released in stages over the coming three years. Full details of the funding will shortly be available on the website - http://www.abiggerfuture2.co.uk - with the first funding available from 21 June.

Skillset chief executive Dinah Caine said: “Skillset has been successfully delivering A Bigger Future, the skills strategy for the UK film industry, over the last six years.

“This far-reaching work has so far supported more than 14,000 places on training courses providing continuing professional development for industry professionals, as well as more than 1,400 bursaries to freelancers and company employees to go on a training course of their choice.”

Skillset’s strategy and training programmes are based on intelligence gathered through our extensive research programme and industry engagement. We are continually gathering intelligence to make sure our interventions are effective and respond directly to the changing needs of the industry.

Skillset is now collecting evidence for the 2010 Creative Workforce and Employer Surveys, which will provide the most comprehensive profile of working life in the UK's Creative Media Industries and directly inform our work with the sector. More information about the 2010 Creative Workforce and Employer Surveys can be found at www.skillset.org/playyourpart.

For more information about A Bigger Future please visit www.abiggerfuture2.co.uk.

About the author and Skillset

Jennifer Walters is Skillset press and PR manager (0207 713 9812 or jenniferw@skillset.org). Skillset is the Sector Skills Council (SSC) for Creative Media, with responsibility for 60 per cent of the UK Creative Industries. This comprises TV, film, radio, interactive media, animation, computer games, facilities, photo imaging, publishing, advertising and fashion and textiles. SSCs are licensed by the UK Government and by Ministers in the devolved administrations to tackle the skills and productivity challenge by sector. They are independent, UK-wide organisations, are employer-led, and actively involve trade unions, professional bodies and other stakeholders in the industry.

About Skillset’s Film Skills Council

Skillset's Film Skills Council comprises senior film industry figures, from all areas of the film value chain, who lead and advise us on our work in film. The Film Skills Council meets quarterly. The members of the Film Skills Council are: Chair: Iain Smith - Applecross Productions Ltd, Deputy Chair: Tim Richards - CEO and Founder, VUE, Mark Batey - CEO, Film Distributors' Association, Roy Button - Senior VP, Production and Managing Director, Warner Brothers Europe Production, Tim Cagney - Head of UK Partnerships, UK Film Council, Dinah Caine - CEO, Skillset, Phil Clapp - CEO, Cinema Exhibitors Association, Joe Dunton - MD, Joe Dunton and Company Ltd, Matthew Justice - MD, Big Talk Productions, Ralph Kamp - Chair and CEO, Odyssey Entertainment, Chair of Film Export UK, David Martin - CEO, Production Guild, John McVay - CEO, Pact, Steve Norris - MD - Film, Framestore CFC, Rebecca O'Brien - Producer, Sixteen Films, Kate O'Connor - Deputy CEO/Executive Director, Skillset, Neil Peplow - Director of Film, Skillset, Julia Short - Company Director, Verve Pictures Ltd, Andrew M. Smith - Group Director: Corporate Affairs, Pinewood Studios Group, Karen Smythe - Managing Director, La Belle Allee Productions Ltd, Martin Spence - Assistant General Secretary, BECTU, Mike Stevens - Group and UK Human Resources Director, Odeon UK, John Woodward - CEO, UK Film Council, Michelle Wright - Head of Production, Working Title Films.