Young people are being offered a vital first step to a career in the film and television industries thanks to Ealing Council’s film team and youth workers.
The West London Film Office (WLFO) has worked with major production companies to offer young people valuable work experience on film sets in and around the borough, working as runners and location marshals.
The companies have placed young people on several high-profile sets, such as Sky Studios’ Gangs of London, the BBC’s Silent Witness, and Riz Ahmed’s modern adaptation of Hamlet.
Nurturing young talent in film
Many of the young people attend Bollo Brook Youth Centre (BBYC) in Acton, a space for young people to hang out, take part in activities, and learn new skills. As well as valuable, paid film industry experience, the BBYC are building strong ties with local production facilities to provide residents with access to studio time and equipment.
The council has coordinated a range of opportunities for young people, such as the production of Bando – a short film written and starred in by a group at BBYC. Bando is a short crime drama highlighting how easy it can be for young people to be drawn into selling drugs.
These projects have led to great opportunities for some of the young people involved, such as working on the high-profile series House of the Dragon and attending prestigious institutions like Juilliard Drama School in New York.
Meet Aisha
Working on the set of another short film written by local young people and facilitated by Ealing Council and BBYC opened doors for 18-year-old Aisha Ahmed. Lucky follows the lives of 4 teenage girls and peers growing up on a council estate in west London. The project provided young talents with the unique opportunity to work with a professional production company, and Aisha seized the opportunity to make key industry contacts.
Her hard work and enthusiasm impressed the production company, leading to further opportunities on the sets of Hamlet, Gangs of London, and Silent Witness, where she took on roles in the production team and as a location marshal.
Reflecting on her experiences, Aisha said: “I love working in production and being a fly on the wall. You absorb so much from physically being on set and witnessing the creative process and planning up close.”
Thinking about her time as a location marshal for Silent Witness, Aisha added: “My role involved securing locations and managing public access. I made it a priority to learn from the creative professionals around me, which only strengthened my resolve to pursue a career in production. Seeing how everything comes together on set confirmed that this is where I want to be.”
Since then, Aisha has continued to build her experience in the industry, working on several sets, including a music video for the artist Raye and an advert for Domino’s pizza delivery. She’s been steadily expanding her portfolio and gaining valuable insights into different aspects of production.
Bringing the borough to screens worldwide
The West London Film Office partners with film production companies and location managers to identify and secure filming locations within the borough. They handle requests for diverse sites and match locations to production briefs, facilitating the filming process to deliver smooth and successful shoots in areas around the borough, which have minimal impact on residents.
The borough is known for its rich history in filmmaking. It is home to Ealing Studios, one of the oldest film studios in the world, which has been operating since 1903 and is famous for its classic comedies. It’s filmmaking legacy also includes Southall Film Studios, which, though lesser known, made a significant impact in the mid-20th century with several notable productions before closing in 1960.
A powerhouse of creative industries and jobs
Today, the borough continues to thrive as a location for film and television, attracting major productions. It is a nationwide hub for production support, including lighting, camera, and studio facility companies, as well as a host of other creative businesses which are vital to the production process.
Over the past 5 years, the number of businesses in the borough’s film, TV, video, radio, and photography sectors has increased by 17%. Creative industries now account for 3.8% of jobs and 8.5% of businesses in the borough. Television programming and production has seen significant growth – in part because of the presence of Sky UK and Sky Studios in nearby Isleworth.
The council’s draft jobs and skills strategy outlines a plan to attract well-paid, quality jobs to the borough and support thriving businesses. It introduces a new focus on 3 priority sectors, including film, screen, and music, which are poised for further growth under the right conditions.
‘Exciting job prospects’
Councillor Kamaljit Nagpal, the council’s cabinet member for decent living incomes said: “We’re really proud to have played a part in providing these opportunities for Ealing’s young people. This initiative provides young people with a foothold in the film and television industry, inspiring them to pursue careers they may have once thought were out of reach. Teams across the council are working hard to create opportunities and support more people into good, well-paid jobs. We’re working towards a future where all of the borough’s young people, regardless of their background, have access to exciting job prospects.”
