ASPIRING MOVIE MAKERS SHOOTING FOR CAREERS

With hundreds of TV programmes and films shot on location in the region every year, Liverpool has played many well-known settings, including New York, London, and Moscow.

If you are keen to get a foothold in this exciting industry, there’s now a unique opportunity with Action!, a programme offered by the Liverpool Film Office.

The Liverpool Film Office is a one-stop shop for filming in the region. It oversees location and crew databases and provides a liaison service for filmmakers and location owners. More than 130 local people have already participated in its Action! programme, learning about location sourcing, sound, hair and makeup, and working as an assistant director, among other things. 

Designed to kickstart film and TV careers, Action! helps participants secure paid work and achieve three broadcast credits, which entitles them to be listed as full crew members on the Liverpool Film Office database.

Now Action! 

The Action! Programme is for complete novices to the industry – in other words, those without any filming credits or real-world experience.  

The first step for anybody interested is registering on the Liverpool Film Office Crew Database (see below).  If you meet the criteria you will be invited to register for the Action! programme.

Once registered, you will receive email notifications about upcoming Action! courses you can apply for. You have to apply for each course individually. As part of the application, you will be given a chance to explain why you want to pursue a career in the film and TV industry. 

Your profile and application are then assessed by the crew development manager and an industry colleague linked to the course you have applied for. Due to funding, you can only participate in one training course, but there will be other opportunities to develop through masterclasses and webinars. Most courses are oversubscribed, but keep applying even if you don’t get accepted immediately. 

Types of training

There are different training courses; a recently added one is a three-day introduction to the digital imaging technician (DIT) role. In collaboration with Notorious DIT, this course gives insight into the job role, the kit that’s used, and the importance of capturing the best-quality content during the filming process. 

Past courses include a two-day session on sound recording and a one-day introduction to the production office and assistant director department. Previous Action! participants have participated in masterclasses with movie professional Emma Pill, who has worked on feature films including Avengers and Captain America. 

Action! is a rolling programme, so anyone added to the database will regularly be sent a variety of training opportunities to apply for. 

Progressing to TV and movie work

Once you have completed some training and are ready for work experience, the Film Office will help you get paid placements in the region.

Previous participants have gone on to work in regionally-made television and movie productions, including the TV series The Responder, The Gathering, and Liverpool Football Club commercials.

Most work in the film industry is freelance where specialists are self-employed. Participants in Action! will find out about the ins and outs of self-employment in special career surgeries, which are offered as part of the programme. They also get support with CV-writing and how to pursue different TV and film production career options.  

How to get involved

The Action! programme is set to run until 2026. It’s free to anybody aged 18 and over who is not in higher or further education and who lives in Halton, Knowsley, Liverpool, Sefton, St Helens or Wirral.

To gain access to Action! and to start receiving email notifications of training courses,  register on the Liverpool Film Office Crew Database as a new entrant in the department that most interests you. 

Additional services from the Liverpool Film Office

Alongside the Action! programme, Liverpool Film Office provides other ongoing services to develop the region as a filming destination and to involve local residents in the industry.

Property owners in the Liverpool City Region can register their property as a potential location[https://www.liverpoolfilmoffice.tv/locations/].

The office also publishes a list of acting and extra agencies [https://liverpoolfilmoffice.tv/production-guide/casting-agencies/] that locals can approach to register with and be matched to opportunities.

Liverpool is the most filmed city in the UK, outside of London. In recent years, film tourism has become a growing contributor to the region’s economy. The region’s film sector, in general, is set to continue to grow, with several local purpose-built filming facilities and more on the horizon.