Wales-based factual indie Wildflame Productions, has developed a new initiative with the National Film & Television School (NFTS) to deliver world-class training for Wildflame staff and key freelance colleagues.
The move is part of Wildflame’s commitment to contribute to the growth of the unscripted sector in Wales and will see them become the first Welsh indie to partner with NFTS Cymru Wales for bespoke training.
Production talent working at Wildflame will now be eligible for Wildflame’s Creative Training Scheme – a bespoke package of ongoing training to develop the team’s expertise.
Drawing from the schedule of NFTS short courses available within Wales and across the UK, talent will be able to create bespoke training programmes tailored to specific project needs and linked directly to their individual skills gaps. Training provided by the NFTS covers the full spectrum of technical, production and business skills, from Data Wrangling to Documentary Interview Techniques to Production Accounting, with courses delivered by experienced industry practitioners. Wildflame’s Creative Training Scheme will also be open to freelance talent who regularly work with the company.
Paul Islwyn Thomas, CEO, Wildflame, says: “We believe this is the first indie-initiated scheme in the UK. Wildflame is creating a culture where training is at the heart of our business, not on the periphery. We want to empower our staff to become the best they can be and we therefore need to offer a clear and structured training pathway for new and established talent. Industry training for the indie and freelance sector has been available on an ad hoc basis for many years, but it’s often considered an ‘optional extra’ due to costs and time constraints. The indie sector has often fallen short in its ability to deliver a structured and accredited training model – particularly one which is linked directly to commissioning needs, where we feel it would make the most impact for businesses.
“In such a fast-moving industry, our team has to be at the top of its game, both creatively and technically, so we are delighted to be offering them this unique opportunity. We need to support our staff and freelancers in their development and, through our Creative Training Scheme, they can now learn from the best tutors in the business at the world-class National Film & Television School, through the recently-established NFTS hub in Cardiff. We are proud to be announcing this partnership, which forms part of our long-term commitment to proactively contribute to the growth of the factual production sector in Wales.”
Judith Winnan, Head of NFTS Cymru Wales, commented: “We’re delighted to be partnering with Wildflame to deliver a high quality factual training programme that will benefit not just their team but also the production community as a whole. It’s exciting to see the ways in which NFTS Cymru Wales can work with indies in a more targeted and strategic way to deliver the gold standard of training that the National Film and Television School is known for, and we very much look forward to working with Paul and the team over the next few years to support Wildflame through further growth and success.”
Llinos Griffin-Williams, Creative Director, Wildflame, adds: “We have always championed Welsh talent and those committed to the sector’s growth out of Wales. But the responsibility lies with us as an indie to empower and support our staff and freelancers if we are to seriously compete in producing the very best in global content. Wildflame works for many different broadcasters both within the UK and internationally. Whether it’s excellence in story-telling, structure or content development, we need everyone to be on point. Our teams must be aware of the latest technological trends and our programmes must look a million dollars. We hope that, through our Creative Training Scheme, and an openness to develop skills and improve, that we and our creative talent pool will together strengthen and grow the unscripted sector in Wales.”
Jon Creamer
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