Paralympics production company Whisper joined by Sunset+Vine, IMG, Buzz 16, Gravity Media, and more in scheme
Channel 4 has launched its Paralympic Production Training Scheme, which will give 19 disabled people 12-month placements at independent production companies across the UK.
These placements will be at production companies including Paralympics producer Whisper, as well as Sunset+Vine, IMG, Buzz 16, and Gravity Media. In addition, there will also be placements at Brown Bob Productions, Firecrest Films, Mighty Productions, North One, Open Mike, Outline, Raise the Roof Productions, Red Sauce, True North, Waddell Media, Warner Bros., Worker Bee and 4Creative.
Successful applicants will spend a year working as trainee production co-ordinators or as researchers working on sport, entertainment, factual entertainment and factual productions, after attending a week-long ”TV Boot Camp” - where they will hear from graduates of previous schemes as well as commissioning editors who will give the lowdown on what it takes to succeed.
Training group Think Bigger runs the boot camp, as well as developing the scheme with 4Skills and supporting the applicants during their placements.
Applications close on 28 May and the placements start in September. For full details of how to apply, click here.
This placement takes place ahead of the 2024 Paralympic Games, which be held in Paris. Some of the successful applicants are expected to go on to work at the event.
This scheme bears some resemblance to Sunset+Vine’s training scheme ahead of the Commonwealth Games in 2022. Over 200 people from Birmingham and the Midlands took part in that scheme, with more than 150 going onto work for the production company at the Games.
Sinead Rocks, Channel 4’s MD for nations and regions, said: “This is a wonderful opportunity to work at the heart of some amazing indies, gain a wealth of experience and learn new skills which could potentially take the trainees into a career they had never envisaged.
“Identifying and nurturing new talent is one of the most important roles of 4Skills and I’m thrilled so many indies across the UK have teamed up with us to offer these year-long opportunities.”
Channel 4 head of sport Pete Andrews added: “Sports production is one area where we really need to increase the numbers of disabled people playing key roles behind the camera. This scheme will help to give a much-needed career boost to talented people from all over the UK.”
Sunil Patel, Whisper CEO, commented: “We passionately believe at Whisper that the team in our office should reflect the world we live in. We aim to ‘impact positive change’, which goes well beyond the programmes we deliver.
“The Paralympic Production Training Scheme provides fantastic, targeted opportunities for disabled talent to enter the industry, which is vitally important as we continue to help sports production to become as inclusive and diverse as possible. Our hope is that the production training scheme helps us welcome more disabled talent into Whisper, Channel 4 and the industry, where they can work for many years to come.”
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