The Stage

Film-makers sought for UTV training scheme

Published Wednesday 29 December 2004 at 12:50 by Liz Thomas

Ulster Television, together with the Northern Ireland Film and Television Commission, is looking for applicants for its next TV production training and development scheme.

The initiative offers 32 people -16 teams of two - either already working in television or interested in developing a career within the industry, the opportunity to participate in a comprehensive programme run by senior company staff. The NIFTC will provide a training grant of £500 for each successful applicant and with UTV will cover other related expenses.

Participants are required to commit to a minimum of seven days for training, development and production and all work will need to be suitable for broadcast on UTV before 7pm during the week. Each team must submit a short proposal of up to three pages, outlining a short factual film on the theme of ‘home’.

A spokesperson for UTV said: “We are looking for a wide range of subject matter, formats and styles related to this subject. Home could be a room, a building, a street, a village or the whole of Northern Ireland - alternatively the focus could be on characters or indeed the interpretation could be more abstract.”

Applicants must be normally resident in Northern Ireland and each team must have one member who has not previously taken a leading role on a broadcast production. The scheme is not open to students in full time education and the deadline for applications is January 14. For further information contact hugh@niftc.co.uk or visit www.niftc.co.uk