Aardman Animations, Twofour and Endemol West share skills

Three top production companies from the South West are teaming up with staff from South West Screen and Skillset for a skills day later this month.
They are coming together to take part in a range of training related activities in support of a major event, ‘National Skills Day’ (May 26), organised by Skillset.
The national event aims to promote the importance of skills development and of maintaining skilled and talented of professionals working in the audiovisual industries. Skillset, Broadcast, BBC, ITV, Channel 4, five, BSkyB, PACT and BECTU have all pulled together for the occasion.
In the South West, invited entry-level and more senior staff from South West Screen, Skillset, Twofour Productions and Aardman Animations will be welcomed by Endemol West for a training and development day at their Bristol studio on Thursday June 2. The itinerary includes workshops in directing for reality TV, generating good ideas and tours of the studio, along with live show observations and ending with an animation session at Aardman Animations.
Skillset is running a number of national competitions for people wanting to get into the media industries and to mark National Skills Day. Prizes include work experience at Sony Computer Entertainment’s Cambridge studio, and Final Cut Pro 5 Software together with industry training on how to use it. Skillset’s South West regional office will also be giving out information packs on May 26, three of which will contain tickets entitling the bearer to an hour-long one-to-one session with a careers advisor.
Jules Channer, Director of Education and Skills for South West Screen, commented: “Our South West event for National Skills Day provides an unusual opportunity for production companies and agencies to join forces and learn about each others’ way of working. It’s a fun way of collaborating while marking an important event in the training calendar”.
Lesley Davies, Head of Production at Endemol West, said: “As Endemol West run a broad range of productions, it’s an ideal opportunity for colleagues in the South West to learn about modern production techniques on multi camera entertainment shows”.
(GB)