Careers fair at Pinewood is among initiatives to lure young to an industry hit by cost inflation, writers’ strikes and an advertising recessionIn a corner of a cavernous hangar in Buckinghamshire, a group of Jedi are honing their lightsaber skills, Deadpool and Chewbacca are posing for photos, while a squad of Imperial stormtroopers make their presence felt by arresting a passing reporter.Pinewood Studios is pulling out all the stops – including a stunt display at the underwater stage famous for scenes including the sinking Venetian villa in the 2006 James Bond film Casino Royale – to wow young attendees at the third edition of Europe’s largest free careers fair for the film industry. Continue reading...
The UK film industry faces a skills shortage despite recent market contraction caused by streamer spending cuts, Hollywood strikes, and scrapped studio projects. Initiatives like careers fairs at Pinewood Studios and training facilities at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden aim to attract and train young talent for behind-the-scenes production roles, which are difficult to fill. The industry is lobbying for changes to apprenticeship levies to better suit project-based freelance work.
