Young filmmaker receives professional help from Skillset session

A young filmmaker has received the assistance of a top industry cameraman after attending Skillset’s sell-out ‘Careers in Film’ session at the Edinburgh International Film Festival.
Gary Paterson asked panellist and top focus puller/cameraman Lewis Buchan if he would shoot his short film when chatting after the careers advice session. Lewis, who has worked on Trainspotting, Shallow Grave, Morven Callar, Young Adam starring Ewan MacGregor, Mike Leigh’s All or Nothing and one of Gareth Gates’ latest videos, agreed and shot the film on the weekend after the festival.
Skillset’s ‘Careers in Film’ was attended by 300 young people eager to make a career in film. The panel session had four top industry speakers giving insider information on how to succeed in film, what skills are needed, what training opportunities exist and how to get experience.
Paterson, 24, is from Edinburgh and has made a short film previously called ‘Courtesy Call’ which has been shown at the monthly ‘Blue Room’ short film screening run by Edinburgh Mediabase. Paterson decided he wanted to get into film after studying physics at Edinburgh but realised it wasn’t for him as a career.
Dinah Caine, Chief Executive of Skillset, said: ”It’s now twice in the past few months that some young ambitious person has received a lucky break at one of our career advice sessions by showing initiative and making sure they’re in the right place at the right time. It goes to show that Skillset’s ‘grassroots’ careers work at industry trade shows and festivals can give young people a real helping hand at the start of their careers.”
(GB)