Residence Pictures and Coffee & TV launch ​Pixel Pathway

The first trainees have taken up their places on Pixel Pathway, the post-production training scheme set up by sister companies Residence Pictures and Coffee & TV.

Pixel Pathway has been created to “diversify the VFX and post-production industry and plug the skills gap.” It began on 8 July and is providing five individuals with free post-production training for three days a week, over a seven week period.

The course attracted nearly 200 applicants. Residence and Coffee & TV then held an open day where 16 finalists visited the companies’ studios in Farringdon and five were offered a place as part of the inaugural cohort for the Pixel Pathway program.

The five chosen trainees are Sofi Kocsmarszki, selected for the Production Pathway; Charlotte Budzowska and Chip Onyejiuwa, chosen for the VFX Pathway; and Pamorlai Kamara Turay and Sonia Boufellah, selected for the Colour Pathway.

The cohort are following a 169 page curriculum written by the mentors leading the course.

The curriculum includes a foundation level and a security module that all trainees must complete, and in depth learning in VFX, colour grading and post-production producing from scheduling, to compositing to colour temperature and how the eyeball sees colour.

The trainees complete practical learning in the studio and are set homework tasks using their handbook for guidance throughout. There is also time dedicated in the curriculum to spend with talent and employability specialists to help develop skills in communication, networking, CV writing and interview skills.

The final week of the scheme sees the students paid London Living Wage to complete a week’s work experience, within Residence Pictures and Coffee & TV, in the job that they have been trained for.

Trainee Sonia Boufellah says: “Everything about this program is both interesting and valuable. I mostly find being trained by experienced professionals in the industry and meeting everyone at Coffee & TV and Residence Pictures valuable about Pixel Pathway.”

Residence Pictures co-founder and managing director Cara Kotschy, said: “Pixel Pathway really is a truly unique and first of its kind training for the industry. Over two years we have taken every care to develop a specialist entry level training scheme that provides the best in hands-on training and mentorship complete with a never-been-seen-before in-depth training manual written by current industry professionals.

“This, alongside learning key employability skills, means Pixel Pathway is genuinely providing the next generation of talent with the strongest of foundations to enter and ultimately succeed in our industry. We are already seeing our cohort flourish and their confidence grow and we’re not even halfway through the pilot yet.”