In the first programme, eleven UK-based mentees have been matched with eleven volunteer mentors from another country, based on their aspirations for career and personal growth. With a focus on those craft roles that can be conducted remotely, the first mentoring group centres on the disciplines of editor, post-production sound and production management, and includes freelancers, people wishing to develop a craft business and those seeking cross-department collaboration.

This first mentoring programme received 70 applications to mentor or be mentored from the following countries and/or nationalities: Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, England, Germany, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Lithuania, Northern Ireland, Peru, Poland, Romania, Scotland, South Africa, Spain, USA.

Across the selected applicants, mentees include those who describe themselves as having a disability, being from the LGBTQIA+ community or having caring responsibilities, and are based throughout the UK. The mentees describe a range of cultural, religious and non-belief backgrounds, and over half identify as women.

Rebecca del Tufo and Elizabeth McIntyre, co-directors of ScreenCraft Works, say: “Our mentoring applicants tell us that the exchange of global knowledge and cultural perspectives, and widening craft networks across local and international barriers, will enrich all productions. This career development programme enables long-term, long-distance industry relationships, which would otherwise be hard to kickstart with cold-calls.

The mentees and their mentors are

Editors: Tomoko Hirasawa (mentee) – Gino Moreno (mentor) Mellissa Lo (mentee) – Paul Martin Smith (mentor) Prince May (mentee) – Chris Dickens (mentor) Amber Saunders (mentee) – Sarah Flack (mentor)

Sound: Ryan Al-Shybani (mentee) – Adriaan Hellenberg (mentor) Randy Kalsi (mentee) – Adriana Marques (mentor)Shaunak Soni – (mentee) – Stacey-Lee Hellenberg (mentor)

Production management: Molly McGregor (mentee) – Leo Lavazza (mentor) Christian Field (mentee) – Astrid Quentell (mentor) Julia Chreptowicz (mentee) – Marion Aierle (mentor) Karyan Au-Yeung (mentee) – Michelle Manassah (mentor)