Did you know that for every performer on stage or screen, there are at least eight professionals working behind the scenes to support them?
Sound, lighting, visual effects, set design, costume, make-up, rigging: the list of careers in the creative, digital and performing arts is nearly limitless, and BOA Stage & Screen Production Academy - situated on the edge of Birmingham's Jewellery Quarter - has a range of exciting courses for 16-19-year-olds that can set you on your own pathway in the industry.
Skills gap
BOA Stage & Screen Production Academy - part of the BOA Group of creative, digital and performing arts academies - was established in 2021 in order to address the very real skills gap that exists in this area of the economy in the UK, and particularly in the West Midlands.
The region is now a real hub for the industry - the BBC is moving into a new dedicated Birmingham headquarters, Hollywood blockbusters like the latest Mission: Impossible movie have been filmed here, and of course the success of Peaky Blinders has really put Brum on the map - but skills have been a problem.
“The creative industries are the fastest growing sector of the economy, employing more than 3 million people and contributing more than £100 billion to the national economy," explains academy principal Michael Painter.
"Yet a quarter of all creative industries struggle to recruit staff with a third saying it's because they lack the right skills.
"That is what we are seeking to address. Our staff team comprising dedicated teachers and experienced film, TV and theatre professionals will provide high quality vocational training at the academy and on industry-wide placements.
"We offer a safe, inspiring and truly unique learning environment involving students in live briefs – tasks designed to provide benefit to both students and our partners – so that we can all reach our full potential.”
Courses
Four Level 3 BTEC courses (equivalent to three A-levels) are offered. Broadcast, Film and Content Creation is a passport into the screen industry, covering TV, film, radio, podcasts, social media, live capture and virtual production, offering training in cameras, lights, sound gear, editing, computers, special effects, streaming decks, vision mixers, smoke machines and automation.
Production Arts & Stage Management prepares young people to work in theatre and studio arts departments with training in specialist skills like designing costumes, sets, hair, make-up, props and more.
Technical Theatre and Live Events will prepare you to progress into the stage, theatre and live events industry, covering areas such as live sound, lighting, projection, and visual effects.
Finally, students on the Writing, Directing and Screen-craft course already have a creative vision; this course equips them with the skills and breadth of knowledge they need to bring it to life on stage or screen.
Open event
If all of this sounds good, then listen up: BOA Stage & Screen Production Academy is hosting an open event on Wednesday, October 11 so that prospective students for 2024 can come and see exactly what is on offer.
You will be able to tour the industry-standard facilities, including the large TV and lighting studio, production gallery and machine room, set-construction workshop with traditional and digital tools, podcasting suite, hair and make-up suite and costume studio.
As you walk around the academy you’ll be able to take in examples of work by current students, and hear about how they have been able to put their skills and experiences to use outside the classroom - such as the pair of current BOA students who recently worked on lighting at the Brit Awards on a freelance basis.
And of course you’ll be able to meet staff to find out about the teaching, hands-on learning and real-world work experience that are a feature of each course at BOA, and to ask any burning questions of your own.
Real-world experience
What really marks BOA Stage & Screen Production Academy out as different is its superb links with industry. Many of the staff have come to the academy ready to share the benefits of their wealth of industry experience, and students get the opportunity to work with partners like the BBC and production companies Method In Motion and Three Wise Entertainment, the latter of which collaborates with year 13 students each year to produce a feature-length film that is screened to the public.
At the Old Rep Theatre, students have the opportunity to work on full productions to a packed auditorium, such as this December’s production of Peter Pan The Musical, for which thousands of tickets have already been sold.
Outstanding results
Not only does all of this experience set BOA’s students up for a career in the industry, it contributes enormously to their outstanding results. 100% of students leave with a set destination planned, whether that be at university, a higher apprenticeship or straight into employment, while the first cohort of year 13s graduated this summer with a 100% pass rate in their courses.
Immense opportunities
This is a thrilling and fulfilling industry with immense job opportunities in this area for those with the interest and dedication to go and get them. Rather than building houses, you could be building sets. Instead of working in high street fashion, you could design costumes. And why be a beautician when you could work in make up and prosthetics?
The possibilities are endless, and BOA can set you on the path to find them.
Find out how BOA could help kick-start your career at boa-stageandscreen.co.uk and look out for full details of the open day at boa-stageandscreen.co.uk/open-event
