Town’s bid to establish film and TV training hub, backed by academics and industry

Plans to establish a screen production hub in Blackburn with Darwen have been unveiled by the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan).

It has announced a strategic partnership with local industry stakeholders and will spearhead the £750,000 UK Shared Prosperity Fund (SPF) project, aimed at training the next generation of television and film production staff to meet industry demands.

The Blackburn with Darwen Screen Strategy will provide young people with the necessary skills in scripted film and high-end television production to connect with the wider industry and support its long term growth.

Amid industry challenges, including the recent Hollywood strikes, the UK film industry remains poised for significant growth, with 2025 expected to be a boom year thanks to major investments.

Disney’s recent announcement of a $5bn investment in UK and European film production underscores the potential for rapid expansion, offering new opportunities and jobs across the sector.

Paresh Parmar, Associate Dean for the School of Arts and Media at the University of Central Lancashire, highlighted the need for the area to connect to the wider industry and provide local people with skills in leading technologies and workflows: “With the demand for content growing, there aren’t enough people with the relevant production skills to keep up,” he said.

“This programme not only provides local people with technical skills, but also prepares students for the real world challenges they’ll face, especially in a freelance-driven industry, getting them ready to connect to the wider industry.”

The programme will initially focus on Blackburn, supported by UCLan’s facilities in Preston, and will cover school-age education, further education, and higher education sectors.

It will create a screen production talent and skills hub, known as the Step Up Hub, aimed at establishing a thriving screen production cluster in Blackburn with Darwen.

Blackburn College students take part in a technical production simulation

The Blackburn Youth Zone will introduce under-16s to careers in the media industry, while Blackburn College and UCLan students will collaborate on joint projects, supported by work placements at Film Buddy and Pixeleyed Pictures.

Additionally, MR Helix, which has laid the groundwork for Futures in Film – a registered CIC – will provide emerging talent in Lancashire with access and placements at Pinewood Studios.

This partnership will offer industry insight, invaluable experience, and an understanding of the crucial role of leading technologies and engineering in film production, with additional support from the Royal Academy of Engineering.

The initiative was kick-started when Pixeleyed Pictures, in consultation with Blackburn with Darwen Council, identified the critical need for a comprehensive long term screen strategy for the region, which had been overlooked in the BFI skills cluster.

Nina Karwalska from Pixeleyed, said: “The Futures in Film Academy has provided training to students from Blackburn College and the University of Central Lancashire, enabling them to gain industry knowledge and on-set experience.

“Some students have secured placements on major productions like the upcoming BBC’s Wolf Hall series 2, Paramount+’s Curfew, and Knives Out 3. Our technical production training ensures that we meet the stringent requirements of respected industry bodies such as the BSC, ACO, Production Guild UK, AMPS, and the Grips branch.”

Rizwan Wadan, from MR Helix, said: “There is little awareness of the role of engineering and technology in the HETV Drama and Film industry. We’re working closely with our industry partners and the fellows at the Royal Academy of Engineering to provide invaluable industry knowledge, access to leading technologies, and establish technical innovation hubs.

“Our technical training, developed with direct input from industry partners and supporters, will create vital connections and gateways into the Film and TV industry.”

Cllr Phil Riley, Leader of Blackburn with Darwen Council, said: “We’re a forward-thinking council which uses its strong partnerships to forge exciting opportunities like this – opportunities you’d expect to see in major cities.

“We look forward to seeing this scheme develop – building on the success we saw with the pilot project.”

Richard McKenny, Curriculum Manager for Film and Television Production at Blackburn College, said: “This is an incredible opportunity and a chance to shine a spotlight on the amazingly talented young people that our county produces.

“It opens the door to higher levels of training that will give them industry-leading skills will put them leaps and bounds ahead of their competition while providing them with the opportunities to retain talent in the town.”