The Co-operative British Youth Film Academy
giving young people the opportunity to gain experince in the film industry
The film industry can be hard to break into and many young people with an interest in this type of career simply don’t know where to start. Few people understand the variety of roles and career paths available, but The Co-operative British Youth Film Academy is designed to open these doors for young people. It provides the opportunity for practical, hands-on experience that will make the CVs of participating students much more attractive to potential employers. 
Up to 3000 young people are set to benefit from this unique project designed to bridge the gap between education and professional employability. The Co-operative is investing £500,000 to help drive a national rollout of the initiative across the UK. The Co-operative British Youth Film Academy will guarantee an opportunity for all students who apply to participate in some form or other, with professional filmmakers mentoring students or other professionals supporting students in related professions. The initiative aims to provide clear access routes to the media sector of the economy, removing unnecessary barriers to entry and encouraging young people to pursue higher levels of education.
How the initiative works
The initiative is based around the production of full-length feature films during the summer. These film Summer Schools involve between 300-500 young people and are open to all students enrolled at participating higher education institutions, further education networks and secondary schools within a given region. Previously, students had the opportunity to work alongside Todd Carty, of Dancing on Ice fame, in the “The School That Roared". The actor who is also renowned for his work on Eastenders and Grange Hill, starred in the comedy feature-film and guest-directed a selection of the film’s scenes. This summer, Todd will be directing The Perfect Burger, The Co-operative British Youth Film Academy's next big production. By 2011, The Co-operative’s British Youth Film Academy will produce 16 full-length feature films and engage approximately eight universities, 64 further education colleges and 300 secondary schools. For more information visit www.byfa.co.uk.
The Co-operative already has a 43-year history of encouraging youth film production, via The Co-operative Young Film Makers. It is a non-competitive filmmaking festival for young people, which celebrates the power of film. It allows young people to see their work on the big screen and explore their creativity through event workshops. The Festival has run since 1966 and is regarded as one of the UK's premier film education events.