Creatives and immersive producers based in Scotland and Northern Ireland to benefit from transformative training programme
The first cohort of talented directors, writers, producers and digital creatives from Scotland and Northern Ireland are set to take part in a two-day intensive Bootcamp in Dundee where they will expand their portfolio of skills in immersive experience creation. Building on their backgrounds in film, TV, theatre and games, the delegates will learn how to be a creative working in the growing immersive sector.
The Bootcamp is run by StoryFutures Academy: The National Centre for Immersive Storytelling in association with TRC, the Glasgow-based training provider for broadcast and digital. It will be hosted by InGame, a creative research and development centre for games and media enterprise in Dundee.
“There is real growth in immersive production, with predictions the sector will add £62.5 billion to the UK economy and impact over 400,00 jobs by 2030. Yet, one of the biggest growth barriers is access to people with the right skills. Not only technical, but creative and management skills are also highly lacking. So for those with transferable skills from the creative industries, this is the perfect opportunity to upskill and take advantage of opportunities in an exciting new sector” says Amanda Murphy, Executive Producer of StoryFutures Academy.
It is not only the creatives who will benefit. The training programme is set to help businesses based in Scotland and Northern Ireland keen to capitalise on immersive. Following the fast paced Bootcamp training, a number of funded on set professional training placements will be on offer. The placements will allow a number of the creatives from the Bootcamp to join companies working in immersive experience creation and will allow the participants to use their knowledge from the Bootcamp as well as allowing the companies to boost their teams and plug any skills gaps. Since knowledge transfer is at the heart of the placement, it leads to accelerated learning on both sides. It gives both the companies and the creative professionals the chance to evaluate which immersive areas they might grow into.
TRC’s joint MD’s Claire Scally and Margaret Scott comment that:
“Following our highly successful Cross Creative: Immersive programme which completed earlier this month, we were delighted to be partnering with StoryFutures Academy to bring the Bootcamp to Scotland. This is a great opportunity for the creatives taking part and for businesses working in the immersive space.”
StoryFutures Academy has supported 9 professional placements to date including on Top Gear’s ‘Buckle Up’ and Peaky Blinders first VR experience. In addition, they have placed an array of Creative Producers and Directors across companies like REWIND, Passion Pictures, Nexus Studios and Maze theory.