Film production school acquired to help bridge industry skills gap
Higher education provider BIMM Group, which owns BIMM University, has acquired MetFilm School, which has a base in Kirkstall Road, Leeds.
It is part of the group’s commitment to offer specialist film school education and its ambition to position BIMM University and MetFilm School as leading providers of undergraduate film courses.
According to the BFI Skills Report 2022, the UK’s film industry is expected to grow by 7% over the next two years, with an estimated skills gap of 21,000 positions within the industry before 2025.
BIMM University, along with its existing Screen and Film School and now MetFilm School, says it wants to bridge this skills gap.
The acquisition expands BIMM’s existing campus offerings for film students across the UK and Germany to include MetFilm‘s campuses in Leeds, Berlin, and London, where MetFilm is situated in the historic Ealing Studios.
David Jones-Owen, CEO and vice-chancellor of BIMM University, said: “The film industry is experiencing a monumental shift, and our acquisition of MetFilm School is a testament to our commitment to staying ahead of the curve.
“Through this strategic collaboration in creative education, we seek to leverage the complementary strengths of both institutes, addressing the skills gap in the film industry and empowering students with the essential tools they need to thrive in an ever-evolving landscape.”
Jonny Persey, director of MetFilm School, said: “We are thrilled to announce our new home as part of the BIMM group, which represents a unique opportunity for both organisations to deliver our industry-focused education to a wider population and to diversify our portfolio to support the creative industries worldwide.
“For over 20 years, we have been building an organisation whose ethos is to bring industry and education together in innovative ways.
“We are proud of our journey to date, and grateful to Thomas Høegh and Arts Alliance, who co-founded the School alongside Luke Montagu, and who have stuck with us as we have germinated from a small seed of an idea into the international school and film business we have become.”
MetFilm School co-founder, Thomas Høegh, added: “When Luke Montagu and I set out to build a digital-only film school in 2003 for anyone who was interested, people thought we had lost our marbles.
“No 16mm cans stuffed into Bolexes and scholars pontificating about the splendours of Eisenstein, but rather cheap cameras and practical hands-on learning from day one.
“We quickly grew and as Jonny Persey joined, we became an education institution that could scale and award degrees with our excellent partner, the University of West London, but still accessible to all.
“We now have more than 15,000 alumni who create the most wonderful stories every day. It is with immense pride we join forces with BIMM to take MetFilm School to the next level.”
