MetFilm School acquired by BIMM Group

BIMM Group, the owner of BIMM University, has acquired MetFilm School.

The move positions BIMM University and MetFilm School as the leading provider of undergraduate film courses in the UK and Europe, says BIMM Group.

The film industry is expected to grow at 7% over the next two years, with an estimated skills gap building to 21k positions within the industry before 2025. BIMM University, along with MetFilm School are “committed to battling and bridging this skills gap, ensuring that all students receive comprehensive training in both traditional and cutting-edge aspects of filmmaking, building a more progressive and diverse workforce across the UK and worldwide,” it said.

This acquisition expands BIMM’s existing campus offerings for film students across the UK and Germany to include MetFilm’s campuses in Leeds, Berlin, and London (in Ealing Studios).

Addressing the emergence of new technologies, BIMM said both BIMM University and MetFilm School are “primed to meet the demand for skilled professionals in virtual production and artificial intelligence, with access to BIMM University AI_Labs - a hub of research, exploration, and advancement in applying AI within the creative industries”.

Jones-Owen, CEO and vice-chancellor of BIMM University, said: “The film industry is experiencing a monumental shift, and our acquisition of MetFilm School is a testament to our commitment to staying ahead of the curve,” said David . “Through this strategic collaboration in creative education, we seek to leverage the complementary strengths of both institutes, addressing the skills gap in the film industry and empowering students with the essential tools they need to thrive in an ever-evolving landscape.”

Jonny Persey, director of MetFilm School, added: “We are thrilled to announce our new home as part of the BIMM group, which represents a unique opportunity for both organisations to deliver our industry-focused education to a wider population and to diversify our portfolio to support the creative industries worldwide.

“For over 20 years, we have been building an organisation whose ethos is to bring industry and education together in innovative ways. We are proud of our journey to date, and grateful to Thomas Høegh and Arts Alliance, who co-founded the School alongside Luke Montagu, and who have stuck with us as we have germinated from a small seed of an idea into the international school and film business we have become, and we are excited for the opportunity that awaits us as we partner with BIMM. The conversations over the last few months have revealed a common vision and a common approach, and we look forward to embarking on the next leg of our journey together.”

MetFilm School co-founder, Thomas Høegh, also said: “When Luke Montagu and I set out to build a digital-only film school in 2003 for anyone who was interested, people thought we had lost our marbles. No 16mm cans stuffed into Bolexes and scholars pontificating about the splendours of Eisenstein, but rather cheap cameras and practical hands-on learning from day one. We quickly grew and as Jonny Persey joined, we became an education institution that could scale and award degrees with our excellent partner, the University of West London, but still accessible to all. Being dyslexic myself, we always prided ourselves on being open and welcoming to anyone with learning difficulties or neurodiversity. We now have more than 15,000 alumni who create the most wonderful stories every day. It is with immense pride we join forces with BIMM to take MetFilm School to the next level. We want to be an active stakeholder going forward and support BIMM Group’s goal of becoming the best creative university in the world.”